Date | Surveyor | Water Report |
06-02-2024 | Jimmy Cooper | Trickle |
05-19-2024 | Sandy S | Flowing |
10-07-2023 | Marcus I | Trickle |
06-18-2022 | Rino B | Dry |
06-13-2022 | Paul Cronshaw | Trickle |
05-14-2022 | wsizoo | Flowing |
04-09-2022 | Scott Williams | Flowing |
03-11-2022 | wsizoo | Flowing |
10-26-2021 | Matt C | Trickle |
10-09-2021 | Adam Donald | Stagnant |
06-19-2021 | Braulio Aguilera | Trickle |
05-31-2021 | Anonymous Surveyor | Trickle |
05-03-2021 | Anonymous Surveyor | Flowing |
04-19-2021 | Tom Fritz | Flowing |
02-14-2021 | Simas | Flowing |
11-26-2020 | Jesse Rodriguez | Trickle |
11-26-2020 | Antonio Calderon | Flowing |
11-21-2020 | Shaddus Maximus | Trickle |
10-30-2020 | TM | Trickle |
07-31-2020 | John Doe | Trickle |
06-27-2020 | Erin Swenson-Healey | Trickle |
05-04-2020 | Addison Jerlow | Flowing |
04-19-2020 | Jonathan Rocque | Flowing |
02-28-2020 | Michael Foster | Flowing |
10-19-2019 | Everett Amburn | Trickle |
07-02-2019 | Anonymous Surveyor | Trickle |
06-22-2019 | SespeJesse | Trickle |
05-12-2019 | Christopher P. Lord | Flowing |
05-08-2019 | David Cairngorm | Flowing |
04-20-2019 | Tom Marsh | Flowing |
10-14-2018 | Christopher P. Lord | Trickle |
09-29-2018 | Jurij Solovij | Flowing |
05-26-2018 | Bardley | Flowing |
11-24-2017 | Jason Samuels | Trickle |
11-21-2017 | Chris Pechous | Trickle |
11-11-2017 | Anonymous Surveyor | Trickle |
09-16-2017 | Chris Pechous | Trickle |
07-24-2017 | Erico | Trickle |
06-29-2017 | larry frassoldati | Flowing |
06-26-2017 | Craig R. Carey | Trickle |
05-24-2017 | bardley | Flowing |
04-22-2017 | S. Sampson | Flowing |
02-13-2017 | Los Padres Forest Association | Flowing |
11-06-2016 | James Wapotich | Trickle |
10-30-2016 | Los Padres Forest Association | Trickle |
10-17-2016 | Eldon Walker | Trickle |
09-10-2016 | M Subbotin | Trickle |
08-22-2016 | Ken Wickersham | Flowing |
06-16-2016 | Los Padres Forest Association | Trickle |
05-28-2016 | Philip E. Ankrom | Trickle |
05-02-2016 | Yellow Mantis | Trickle |
04-23-2016 | Scott Williams | Flowing |
03-28-2016 | Shaddus Maximus | Flowing |
01-30-2016 | Howard Cohen | Flowing |
01-02-2016 | Michael S | Trickle |
11-09-2015 | P. Schou | Trickle |
08-13-2015 | Yamato | Trickle |
05-22-2015 | Philip Ankrom | Trickle |
05-16-2015 | Jeremiah Swider | Trickle |
05-09-2015 | Arnold Levin | Trickle |
02-14-2015 | Aaron and Tom Songer | Flowing |
01-22-2015 | Los Padres Forest Association | Flowing |
11-16-2014 | John Spiegel | Trickle |
10-29-2014 | Los Padres Forest Association | Trickle |
10-01-2014 | Los Padres Forest Association | Trickle |
08-04-2014 | Los Padres Forest Association | Trickle |
05-24-2014 | Los Padres Forest Association | Flowing |
01-10-2014 | M. Jones | Flowing |
04-15-2010 | Bryan Conant | Flowing |
01-01-2010 | Los Padres Forest Association | Trickle |
10-8-2021 | Adam Donald | Stagnant |
Pine Mountain Lodge (PML) is located in the Sespe Wilderness along the Piedra Blanca - Gene Marshall National Recreation Trail. It is most commonly accessed from the Sespe River side using the Piedra Blanca Trailhead. That being said, many people pass through PML doing a shuttle trip from Reyes Creek or dropping in from Reyes Peak to Piedra Blanca along the Gene Marshall Trail. Other options include coming from Grade Valley via the Cedar Creek or Fishbowls Trail. PML is located at the junction of the Gene Marshall and Cedar Creek (aka Pine Mountain Lodge Trail), which makes it a hub for numerous spectacular multi-day loop and shuttle trips.
Pine Mountain Lodge is situated in a thick cedar and pine forest along Pine Mountain Ridge. There are two camps to choose from with the upper camp having multiple fire rings and the lower camp having a table and old ice can stove. Most people prefer the lower camp. Much of the surrounding area is dotted with sandstone outcrops and the open flat areas between the trees and rocks can make for an epic Frisbee session. There is a reliable spring located just above the upper camp.
Legend has it that there was once a cabin at PML but it was destroyed when a Ranger accidentally fell a tree into the cabin while trying to clear hazard trees - whoops!
Snow is common at PML during the winter months and in the summer the temps can be 10-20˚ cooler than down along the Sespe. While the steep trail coming up from Piedra Blanca does thin out some of the crowds, PML sees its fair share of visitors. There is plenty of room to spread out and more than likely you'll have it all to yourself. Not uncommon to see bears wandering around the area.
Construction of the lodge was begun in April and completed in June, 1895. L. A. Patton guilt the structure and Essington Gibson, and his son James, built the chimney. A group of twenty campers and hunters funded the project. The log cabin was 16' x 20' in size with bunks and a fireplace. In 1898 the location of the cabin became a part of the Pine Mountain Zaca Lake Forest Reserve. The cabin was used as a Patrol Station by the Forest Service and in I917 it was rehabilitated. In 1958, the Forest Service made an attempt to remove a dead pine tree learning over the cabin but the rope which was tied to a block and tackle broke letting the tree fall across the cabin, crushing it. Nothing remains of the old cabin but a few rocks off the chimney.
The Forest Service established a trail camp at the site. Seasonal water can be obtained by hiking a short distance up the creek bed. A better camp was established by horse packers. It is reached by going south on the Gene Marshall Piedra Bianca Trail the branching off on a side trail to the right, or west, for a short distance to the better, newer camp which is under some pine trees.