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Northern CA Lakes in 2016?


BWS22

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Bullards x1M over almanor.  It's warmer, more scenic, and has flatter water.

On the downside (and especially compared to the Reno-Almanor drive) it's one of the tougher two hour tows you'll ever do... over the summit, then down 20 (a twisty road in it's own right) then top it off with hwy 49, which feels real narrow and has at least twenty 20-mph corners.  Make sure you bring what you need too, because the only place to stop is in North San Juan... and you don't want to stop there (unless maybe you're a little low on meth, in which case...)

boat traffic at bullards can be kindof intense this time of year, especially on the weekends.  We arrived on Saturday at about 10:15 and I got the very last trailer parking spot in the lower lot before you have to go to overflow parking.

boat in camping is awesome if you have a crew that can live with the pit toilets.  I kinda disagree with @isellacuras about putting 19 and 20 over 1 and 2, but hey that's OK, leave sites 1 and 2 open for others.  Site 2 is my personal favorite.  One thing about boat in camping at bullards -- the hike to the site from the water gets a little harder every day as the water drops.  Helps if you have some teenagers with you to sherpa your gear from shore up to the site.

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(morning view from #2... water is at least 30' lower today than in this pic from 2012)

In almanor's defense, if you rent a place with a slip around big cove you can get a bit of a feeling of how the other half lives with a real bed to sleep in and your boat in the water 100 yards away.  The problem with almanor is that it gets thick with boat rollers going in all directions by 11am and usually blown out by 1pm.  So if you can get up early when it's a little cooler (or cold!) and be done by 11, you might enjoy being able to come back and hang out at the dock, do a little paddle boarding, go on a bike ride, play a round of golf, then walk for a pizza (make reservations).  Seems like all of northern nevada is in/around big cove in the summer and you're almost guaranteed to see someone you know.  So it's definitely a more "civilized" experience than bullards.  Oh and the tow is a piece of cake.

Either lake will seem like paradise compared to frenchmans.  I've only been there once and I think I saw the water level rise by 6" when my boat hit the water.

If there's still water, bullards is great to hit in the fall.  We've been as late as the last week in October and the water is still in the high 60s to 70.  On the right day, air temp can still be 85 or so.

Edited by shawndoggy
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You guys are awesome. Lmao at Frenchmans rising 6 inches. Water level this year isnt bad at all and it is like a ghost town from 8-11:30. We have been out there 12x this summer and camping there this weekend, but i just want a great lake/camping experience for Thurs thru sunday with a change of scenery in early August. The tow has me concerned about Bullards because I already have to assist my gutless escalade by rowing out the window going through cold springs now so thank you very much for that part of your response. That picture is sick

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The tow there is a lot easier on the rig because it's mostly downhill after you get over the summit.  It's the tow back that's hard on your truck, especially the hot afternoon tow out of the yuba drainage on hwy 49 up to Nevada City (hwy 20).  Don't worry about being the slow guy, and make sure your cooling system/tranny cooling are in good shape and you should be fine.  Once you get on 20 the grade mellows after the first few miles, and once back to 80 it's really a piece of cake to get home (80 eastbound isn't all that steep).  Oh... also make sure your trailer hubs/brakes are in good shape.  They will be getting a real workout on the descent.

None of it is quite as steep as that big hump right out of stead.  It's more that it's steep with lots of turns so you are doing hard braking on the descent and your tranny is shifting frequently climbing home.

On the right day, Bullards boat in camping at Garden Point is about as good as it gets.

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@shawndoggyis right about that drive, but if you are concerned there is an alternate route.  You can stay on 20 / 49 south through Grass Valley, which is a nice town to stop in and get supplies.  Then head on 20 west toward Yuba City and take Marysville Road to Bullards.  Drive will be longer in terms of distance but much easier drive and extra time may not be that much.  Confirm those directions with a driving app though as I only did it once. 

My wife grew up near Grass Valley so Bullards was our first stop for Memorial Day after getting the boat in April.  Of course that being our first stop has pretty much ruined all us lakes for us.  And the parking lot does fill up early.

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might have to try it one of these days.  Google says it only adds 20 minutes. 20 between Grass Valley and Browns Valley still has plenty of twists and turns, but nothing like 49.  How's Marysville road up from 20?  I've never driven that segment.

My son's HS does a wrestling tournament over in Chico in early January every year and there are a lot of parents who take 80 all the way to 70 instead of 20 because 20 is "too scary."  In a car.  LOL.  

btw anybody taken that giant jump of a railroad crossing on the woodruff lane cutoff between 70 and 20 a little too hot?  I bet someone goes full dukes of hazzard off that thing at least once a week.

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So taking 20 out of Marysville is pretty flat down there. You turn onto Marysville Rd and it really stays pretty easy until a few miles from bullards. For me, coming from el dorado Hills, it's worth the 10 minutes extra for the easier drive.

  • Like 3
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13 minutes ago, teamerickson said:

So taking 20 out of Marysville is pretty flat down there. You turn onto Marysville Rd and it really stays pretty easy until a few miles from bullards. For me, coming from el dorado Hills, it's worth the 10 minutes extra for the easier drive.

+1.   Canyon's more beautiful but not worth the brake and transmission effort

 

Ok, no more public posting about how great bullards is.  That needs to be handled via PMs. :) 

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2 hours ago, shawndoggy said:

might have to try it one of these days.  Google says it only adds 20 minutes. 20 between Grass Valley and Browns Valley still has plenty of twists and turns, but nothing like 49.  How's Marysville road up from 20?  I've never driven that segment.

My son's HS does a wrestling tournament over in Chico in early January every year and there are a lot of parents who take 80 all the way to 70 instead of 20 because 20 is "too scary."  In a car.  LOL.  

btw anybody taken that giant jump of a railroad crossing on the woodruff lane cutoff between 70 and 20 a little too hot?  I bet someone goes full dukes of hazzard off that thing at least once a week.

I will take that stretch of 20 through Grass Valley to Marysville road all day over the stretch of 20 between 49 and 80!  I don't get nervous driving often, but that road makes me nervous even if I don't have trailer hooked up.  If you don't mind that stretch of road, you won't mind the route I am suggesting.  49 is downhill through Grass Valley with at least 2 lanes, and then 20 is pretty much downhill as well but the road is pretty wide with a big shoulder.  Once you pass Penn Valley you get some more curves and a couple narrow spots, but it's really not until after Marysville road as you head toward Chico that gets really sketchy (IMO) so I understand those concerns.  My first road trip to a lake pulling a boat in like 10 years was the route i suggested and was a piece of cake.

 

 

 

 

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Comments on Almanor are largely accurate, but like most lakes you just need to know where to go when it gets windy.  We have spent a week up there for the last couple years.  As someone said, great to get a place on the water and have your boat a few yards away.  The best water is usually around the other side (north east corner of the west side of the lake) - for whatever reason the boat drivers over there all seem to travel north south, know what they are doing, know how to cooperate, and no tubers.  The downside is that its quite a ride from big cove to get there, but we leave early and I have the kids ride en route and by the time we get there its my turn ;-) .  If the wind is from the west or northwest don't bother going over in this area.

Interesting comments about Union Valley, we went hiking up there a few weeks ago and it seemed really nice.  Guess I'll have to tow up there soon.  Seemed about as far to Union Valley from El Dorado Hills as to the delta, and I love the delta.

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Justin I agree with flatter water on the other side of the peninsula.  Have you ever had issue with bugs over there tho?  Last time we were there a couple of years ago, we gave up because every time we stopped (even for like 30 seconds for a fallen rider) the boat got swarmed with literally hundreds of bugs.  Maybe just bad timing with a bug hatch or something?

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2 hours ago, shawndoggy said:

Justin I agree with flatter water on the other side of the peninsula.  Have you ever had issue with bugs over there tho?  Last time we were there a couple of years ago, we gave up because every time we stopped (even for like 30 seconds for a fallen rider) the boat got swarmed with literally hundreds of bugs.  Maybe just bad timing with a bug hatch or something?

yes there are a few more bugs over there, but certainly nothing in the 100's - sounds like bad timing.  If it helps, each of the last two years I have been there have been mid-July

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