N. Cal--Bowman Lake area

[UHAULER]

First off I must be getting old because I don't like crowds but I really wanted to get out again in my just built camper so I decided to go on this 4th of July weekend. 10-15 yrs ago I actually liked going to places like the Rubicon on the big Holliday weekends to witness all the Mayhem.

We left Friday morning heading up hwy 80 to Bowman Lake rd. near the hwy 80/ 20 intersection. It was My wife, the dog Mr. Maddy and I in the UHAULER and my friend Tom and his daughter in a chevy truck pulling his newly aquired tent trailer that he had just lifted with a subframe from a doner boat trailer.

We went up Bowman rd to Grouse ridge rd. which ended up being a dead end so we backtracked and went up past Bowman lake to the turn off to Weaver Lake. We ended up at a nice campsite near the water. The next day we headed out and took another road we had both never been on, I believe it was graniteville/northbloomfield. Just as we pulled into the little "town" of graniteville the fourth of July parade was starting, coming in the other direction on a one lane rd. We were worried we would be stuck there for a while as the parade went by. The parade turned out to be a clown, about three fire trucks, acouple of Quads and one float with a band playing, pretty cool !
After that we headed to Malakoff diggin's, another place we had never been to but had known about for a long time. We didn't spend a lot of time there as we were all tired and grungy and wanted to get home.

Near the end of Grouse ridge rd.

Mr. Maddy giving me the evil eye

Very near Bowman Lake

The road to Weaver Lake

 

[UHAULER]

Near Bowman Lake

Weaver Lake

Toms " Jayco Patio" he made from wood around camp

Mr. Maddy on the Weaver Lake Dam

 

[UHAULER]

Graniteville parade

Bloomfield schoolhouse- I think it was open from 1865-1941

Bloomfield church

Cemetary, it was very humbling walking through the cemetery, I was trying to imagine how rough life must have been for them and how we take so many things for granted.

Tom taking a break in one of the schools two "4 hole" outhouses, can you imagine sitting next to 3 of your classmates ?

 

[K6ON]

Great pictures, haven't been in that area since my kids were little...

Are you going to post pictures of the inside of the finished "uhauler" camper, or did I miss them somewhere??

 

[UHAULER]

Are you going to post pictures of the inside of the finished "uhauler" camper, or did I miss them somewhere??

I edited my sig to include the link, not sure if it is working. Here is the link.
It is still a work in progress.

http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=21709

 

[sjv]

Way cool! How was the road to Weaver Lake? It looks pretty gnarly as it forks off from Bowman Lake Rd. Were there a lot of people back there this weekend?

The parade looked like a hoot!

-steve

 

[UHAULER]

Way cool! How was the road to Weaver Lake? It looks pretty gnarly as it forks off from Bowman Lake Rd. Were there a lot of people back there this weekend?

The parade looked like a hoot!

-steve

The road into Weaver Lake isn't that bad, I put into low range just so I could go slow but I never had to lock the hubs.

There were lots of people up there, I did not know that area was so popular.

 

[craig333]

Nice trip report. I"ve been west and east of that area but never been to weaver lake.

 

[P.H.]

I've hiked the grouse ridge area every year for the last 8 years exploring different trails and going cross country with map, compase, gps, and my dogs. The dead end you found is about a quarter mile from the ridge it self ,(your first pic). I camp about a mile down the road and hike in.

I was there in mid June 09

With the info you've given I'll be exploring further down bowman rd.

Thanks for the post.

86 F150
84 Granby

 

[fish more]

other road/did you try it ?

When you left Weaver Lake, which way did you go, if you continue from where you were camped the road is much better that goes by the Grass Valley Sportsman's club house, after you go around the lake the road improves a great deal, much smoother (not as many rocks), as you know there is no shortage of rocks in the area. How was the fishing at Weaver Lake, I have broken off many times in that lake. Graniteville is a cool town, we quaded into the town when there was still alot of snow in the area, the roads were still closed to vehicles. A great place to go camping and exploring, alot of logging and forest service roads in the area.

 

[UHAULER]

When you left Weaver Lake, which way did you go, if you continue from where you were camped the road is much better that goes by the Grass Valley Sportsman's club house, after you go around the lake the road improves a great deal, much smoother (not as many rocks), as you know there is no shortage of rocks in the area. How was the fishing at Weaver Lake, I have broken off many times in that lake. Graniteville is a cool town, we quaded into the town when there was still alot of snow in the area, the roads were still closed to vehicles. A great place to go camping and exploring, alot of logging and forest service roads in the area.

We backtracked out to Bowman Lake and then down to the road that heads to Graniteville. I didn't think the road to Weaver Lake went anywhere. I haven't had a fishing pole in my hands in about 20 years, I guess I should think about it and learn how to relax, I've always been into adreniline type sports, dirt biking,whitewater rafting,etc.