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DSY
Boulder climber
Berkeley to Seattle to Reno
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Topic Author's Original Post - Mar 5, 2013 - 10:39pm PT
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Hi everybody,
I am a boulderer who just moved back to California from Seattle and Reno. The wife and I just got a dog so now we need to find campgrounds in California that are poison oak free, because I'm severely allergic to poison oak. Campgrounds near decent climbing would be great but not necessary. We are just looking for places where we can have the dog with some isolation and without the worry of me coming down with 3 months of itching. I figured the Supertopoans would be the guys to ask because you guys have so much experience in California. We are based on the Central Coast so campgrounds near the Central Coast would be especially appreciated. Beer to any contributors!
Thanks,
Dou
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ontheedgeandscaredtodeath
Social climber
SLO, Ca
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The central coast is tough for severe PO allergies. I'm in SLO and get it from my dogs all the time- it's sort of a minor irritant for me, I don't get the running pus and swelling and all that. It's pretty much the beach and above about 5000 feet to avoid the oak, or the desert. The other problem is that the state parks absolutely hate dogs and will summarily execute you for an unleashed dog. Check out the USFS areas above Fresno (and above 5K feet).
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adam d
climber
CA
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Not for camping, but the bouldering at Lizardsmouth in Santa Barbara is amazingly P.O. free.
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DSY
Boulder climber
Berkeley to Seattle to Reno
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Topic Author's Reply - Mar 5, 2013 - 11:33pm PT
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Thanks for the helpful responses everyone!
I've been back for about 18 months and have avoided poison oak so far by sticking to high altitude and to the desert. Also avoiding it selectively climbing in Santa Barbara and around slo.
But the 6 hour drive to Bishop is getting old and finding someplace we can camp but necessarily climb close to slo would be fantastic.
Anyone have beta on the poison oak status of Toll House Rock and areas like courtright dome? I hear the pinnacles are really bad for poison oak but what about other areas near big sur?
Santa Barbara beach camping last weekend was a disaster with the dog chasing a ball into poison oak while I was still setting up the tent!
Thanks again, Firestone Velvet Merlin on me!
Dou
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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Come to the Black Canyon, we only have poison ivy.
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Snowmassguy
Trad climber
Calirado
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Personally, I think it is everywhere in that central coast area and a dog will likely find it. Seemed like most trail adventures involved the sighting and/or active avoidance of the dreaded weed. I have gotten that sh** on me from the dog, crashing my mtn bike into a patch, accidentally sliding down a ravine into a patch and probably other ways. I have totally convinced myself that I am highly allergic to it.
Moving on to Colorado, I remember starting a climb in Boulder Canyon I think where the first few moves traversed above a heathy patch of the noxious weed. I distinctly remember being unusually gripped on easy to moderate face moves. Felt like I was traversing over some type of horrid death flake or a molten volcano.
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enjoimx
Trad climber
Yosemite, ca
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Courtright is poison oak free....beautiful place to climb. lOVE love it there. I need to get back there.
Edit: go to courtright. You won't regret it.
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willybeamin
Trad climber
Ventura, CA
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I have to echo some other poster above: "You're gonna die!"
Anyhow, onto more constructive help, I lived in SLO for 4 years, and live in Ventura now and I have a giant, curious hound dog infatuated with me scratching like a crackhead after she gives the oak...sh!t is miserable as you know.
I'm sad to say, in all my exploring up there, I didn't find much P.O. freedom in the central coast other than climbing in SB up on Cielo Camino (Lizard's Mouth, Brickyard, etc.) Its unfortunate, because I'm sure we share a joy in being able to bring our pooches along for the journey. Additionally, Natn'l Parks are very dog unfriendly and some of the State Parks are as well.
Scope out some of the primitive campgrounds up on the ridge above Highway 1 (in Big Sur off of Nacimiento-Ferguson Rd.). Its a helluva view. Its high enough up that there isn't much PO and you stay out of the marine layer, but BYOwater, etc. Best of luck. Send a PM if you're in the Ventura/SB area...
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Mungeclimber
Trad climber
the crowd MUST BE MOCKED...Mocked I tell you.
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+1 on leash, it's the only sure fire way to keep em out of the green stuff.
Some areas you can take the dog to on leash and then let them go if they don't wander far off, and still avoid PO, but altitude, east side and desert are key.
Pinnacles is not dog friendly even if it didn't have PO. You can't take them on the trails.
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Salamanizer
Trad climber
The land of Fruits & Nuts!
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The Poison Oak, she is a bloomin' as of just this last week in the Vacaville hills.
Bad time of year for the afflicted.
Hey Cosmic, where's Wagon Wheel?
Ya ever explore much around where the Fish Heads are? Anything good? Drove by there a while back and thought there might be a thing or two lurking around there.
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limpingcrab
Trad climber
the middle of CA
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Your dog will be able to find PO at Tollhouse, but it's not as bad as the central coast.
Others have said it: above about 5000ft in the Sierra is the place to be. There are a lot of options on the east and west sides. Courtright is great, but not until the road opens.
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10b4me
Boulder climber
Lost
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Pine mountain?
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Mungeclimber
Trad climber
the crowd MUST BE MOCKED...Mocked I tell you.
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nice call 10b
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Spider Savage
Mountain climber
The shaggy fringe of Los Angeles
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Pismo Beach
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Salamanizer
Trad climber
The land of Fruits & Nuts!
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Wagon wheel is on the road between Randsburg/Johanasberg and Trona
Ah yeah, pretty sure I know where that is.
And yeah, the fish heads between Ridgecrest and Trona on Hwy 178. There's so much rock out there. Kinda like having JTree all to yourself.
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DSY
Boulder climber
Berkeley to Seattle to Reno
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Topic Author's Reply - Mar 6, 2013 - 07:49am PT
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Awesome replies everyone!
Last weekend the plan was to go up to pine mountain because I know it is poison oak free but the road was closed. Cue a night spent with drunken rednecks hollering all night in the reyes creek campground. I am definitely psyched on courtright!
Still debating going with the sure thing in bishop next weekend vs. Checking out horse flats etc. Do non climbers head out to horse flats at all?
Thanks,
Dou
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Roots
Mountain climber
SoCal
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I have the same issues too. We avoid low elevation like the plague but if we find ourselves in the area of PO then the dog stays on a leash.
PO needs water so aside from staying about 5k we avoid the drainages when at lower elevations like up the Kern, etc.
Deserts are nice : )
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10b4me
Boulder climber
Lost
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DSY, I would pick Bishop over HF, but there is a campground at HF(not open until April), and plenty of hiking, and mountain biking
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NorCalNomad
Trad climber
San Francisco
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Anything up in Tahoe. You get up high enough and it stops growing.
I too am pretty allergic to PO and the fact that Tahoe has none makes it a favorite place for me :P
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