BarzArz
Well-Known Member
Just a few bits on Hite. We stayed over Labor Day weekend this year, camped in the "upper" developed area. about a 1000 feet before you get to the old concrete ramp.
Each spot has a Shepherds staff type light and misc. hanger, metal fire ring, metal charcoal BBQ grill, level tent site, perforated metal picnic table with benches and pretty good drive and park area. Water is available about every three camp sites from a Yard Hydrant.
They have developed dry camping sites down lower on the down stream side of the concrete ramp and a few RV type sites on the upstream side of the concrete ramp and just below the restrooms. No wastewater or electric, but water and large parking areas. I think we payed $24 for our mid site cost, I think the dry sites were $18 and RV a bit higher than ours, but may be a couple of dollars off either way. Even though they are not GCNRA, they gave us a 25% discount with my "GEEZER" pass.
And no access fee with the card and GCNRA boat stamp. The automated fee machine was not working, so you have to check in with Maggie and crew at the store. The store was open 8-5, as I recall. Gas pumps (newer ones) seemed to be working well and available 24-7...Unleaded was about $3.86 or so, about the same as 91 ethanol free in Blanding...but its nice to have a working pump there! Store has Ice, $4.85 (approx.) for 10lbs, ice cream, basic fishing stuff, and a pretty good selection of basics...in a clean and neat place. Which the bathrooms (with an indoor shower and couple of outdoor showers, were all clean, well kept and fully functional (except, fish cleaning station not in operation)!
Great job Maggie and Crew!!
We stayed at the developed camp ground because we were under the impression that dispersed camping near the shore was not allowed any longer. I guess it is not, but they have not been able to get any signs or formal rules yet, so can't really enforce this yet, I was told... which leads into the next item...
The Primitive Ramp...
I understand that its "Takes a Village" for something...but do they have to build it in the middle of the public primitive ramp? This took us aback a bit when we rolled out to the end of the Asphalt to look down on the primitive ramp, was not sure what we might see as we have been here on Holidays before...but wow, lots-o-camp, on the ramp...
Lots of campers (for Hite) lots of kids and floatables, lots of trucks and trailers, and not much ramp. It was quite a surprise...in the above picture the ramp is a one lane wide opening just visible over the white pickup(s)immediately to the right of the anchored cruiser with the red floatable in it. You had to back from the left side of the picture, because of no turn around area at the ramp approach, and crank the trailer around to gat an angle to get in the gap. This picture was taken early, there were many more trucks, trailer and vehicles later in the day. With only one way in, backing, and coming out the same single lane, it was a bit of a wait in line for your turn, although all of those in line were very patent also. Anyway, they were clearing out by Sunday afternoon, so a non-event now or any other time, I suppose. I have seen more people there, just never all on the ramp. At the store we were told there had been complaints and the Ranger had to go down and encourage folks to try and make a little room for launching. Everyone we talked to near the ramp was very nice, just kind of oblivious...LOL It was a bit scary with numerous young children in the water at the "ramp" with limited visibility backing and boats backing underpower (my wife is a nurse at an elementary school, she was not happy) to get out past the partially submerged brush.
Now, if you have bothered to read this far, this is, I expect what you were actually reading for:
Water elevation this weekend = 3618.5
Ramp was solid, actually better in the water than the rocky approach, we went in and out several times in two wheel drive (4WD 4-door F-250) and usually did not get the front wheels wet. Our boat is a 20' deep V , but we could float it off without getting the tail pipe underwater. For the first 50-70 feet after, it was about 4-5 feet deep and had to ease through the brush clumps. I did it both using the big motor trimmed up and with the Electric Trolling Motor, which was much less stressful...
Once you looped out uplake of the old Tire barrier, you got in the channel which was generally 8-9 feet initially then around 10-12 about 1000 feet down, stay to the left near the wall and it runs about 20-35 feet when you get down before the big cobble island near the Farley branch, then the channel switches over to the right side until you get to the big right hand bend toward Trachyte Canyon. Then it just keeps getting deeper, and I would start breathing a bit easier, lol.
I have a new Humminbird this year, its G2N model that has the enhanced Humminbird Base map from the factory. I did not know this originally, but it has a pink line showing the channel centerline location, and was surprisingly accurate. I was going to buy a mapping chip, but had not yet, the new factory base map was much improved over the past version that I had.
Also, I found that my side imaging was very helpful to stay in the channel, since you can see a hundred feet on both sides of the boat and get a pretty good indication that one sides topo is rising or falling.
Anyway, I'm not the most daring boat Captain, and not sure I will have a desire to launch at Hite in another 2-3 foot drop in water level, at least not in our deep V, maybe our previous Aluminum bass boat.
So that's my story and my opinions, but it sure in nice to put in at Hite, wish it was a consistent thing!
Each spot has a Shepherds staff type light and misc. hanger, metal fire ring, metal charcoal BBQ grill, level tent site, perforated metal picnic table with benches and pretty good drive and park area. Water is available about every three camp sites from a Yard Hydrant.
They have developed dry camping sites down lower on the down stream side of the concrete ramp and a few RV type sites on the upstream side of the concrete ramp and just below the restrooms. No wastewater or electric, but water and large parking areas. I think we payed $24 for our mid site cost, I think the dry sites were $18 and RV a bit higher than ours, but may be a couple of dollars off either way. Even though they are not GCNRA, they gave us a 25% discount with my "GEEZER" pass.
And no access fee with the card and GCNRA boat stamp. The automated fee machine was not working, so you have to check in with Maggie and crew at the store. The store was open 8-5, as I recall. Gas pumps (newer ones) seemed to be working well and available 24-7...Unleaded was about $3.86 or so, about the same as 91 ethanol free in Blanding...but its nice to have a working pump there! Store has Ice, $4.85 (approx.) for 10lbs, ice cream, basic fishing stuff, and a pretty good selection of basics...in a clean and neat place. Which the bathrooms (with an indoor shower and couple of outdoor showers, were all clean, well kept and fully functional (except, fish cleaning station not in operation)!
Great job Maggie and Crew!!
We stayed at the developed camp ground because we were under the impression that dispersed camping near the shore was not allowed any longer. I guess it is not, but they have not been able to get any signs or formal rules yet, so can't really enforce this yet, I was told... which leads into the next item...
The Primitive Ramp...
I understand that its "Takes a Village" for something...but do they have to build it in the middle of the public primitive ramp? This took us aback a bit when we rolled out to the end of the Asphalt to look down on the primitive ramp, was not sure what we might see as we have been here on Holidays before...but wow, lots-o-camp, on the ramp...
Lots of campers (for Hite) lots of kids and floatables, lots of trucks and trailers, and not much ramp. It was quite a surprise...in the above picture the ramp is a one lane wide opening just visible over the white pickup(s)immediately to the right of the anchored cruiser with the red floatable in it. You had to back from the left side of the picture, because of no turn around area at the ramp approach, and crank the trailer around to gat an angle to get in the gap. This picture was taken early, there were many more trucks, trailer and vehicles later in the day. With only one way in, backing, and coming out the same single lane, it was a bit of a wait in line for your turn, although all of those in line were very patent also. Anyway, they were clearing out by Sunday afternoon, so a non-event now or any other time, I suppose. I have seen more people there, just never all on the ramp. At the store we were told there had been complaints and the Ranger had to go down and encourage folks to try and make a little room for launching. Everyone we talked to near the ramp was very nice, just kind of oblivious...LOL It was a bit scary with numerous young children in the water at the "ramp" with limited visibility backing and boats backing underpower (my wife is a nurse at an elementary school, she was not happy) to get out past the partially submerged brush.
Now, if you have bothered to read this far, this is, I expect what you were actually reading for:
Water elevation this weekend = 3618.5
Ramp was solid, actually better in the water than the rocky approach, we went in and out several times in two wheel drive (4WD 4-door F-250) and usually did not get the front wheels wet. Our boat is a 20' deep V , but we could float it off without getting the tail pipe underwater. For the first 50-70 feet after, it was about 4-5 feet deep and had to ease through the brush clumps. I did it both using the big motor trimmed up and with the Electric Trolling Motor, which was much less stressful...
Once you looped out uplake of the old Tire barrier, you got in the channel which was generally 8-9 feet initially then around 10-12 about 1000 feet down, stay to the left near the wall and it runs about 20-35 feet when you get down before the big cobble island near the Farley branch, then the channel switches over to the right side until you get to the big right hand bend toward Trachyte Canyon. Then it just keeps getting deeper, and I would start breathing a bit easier, lol.
I have a new Humminbird this year, its G2N model that has the enhanced Humminbird Base map from the factory. I did not know this originally, but it has a pink line showing the channel centerline location, and was surprisingly accurate. I was going to buy a mapping chip, but had not yet, the new factory base map was much improved over the past version that I had.
Also, I found that my side imaging was very helpful to stay in the channel, since you can see a hundred feet on both sides of the boat and get a pretty good indication that one sides topo is rising or falling.
Anyway, I'm not the most daring boat Captain, and not sure I will have a desire to launch at Hite in another 2-3 foot drop in water level, at least not in our deep V, maybe our previous Aluminum bass boat.
So that's my story and my opinions, but it sure in nice to put in at Hite, wish it was a consistent thing!
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