SoCal Hangers > Lobo Group Campground (New Location) > May 2-5, 2024 > Oh May, Oh My Hang X!!

[WillieCash]

Can you believe it is our tenth hang?!?

Reservations for the SoCal Hangers 2023 Reunion Hang have been made! Looking forward to seeing familiar faces along with a bunch of first timers!

Please note that this year we are using a NEW LOCATION. We will be meeting at LOBO GROUP CAMPGROUND in the San Bernardino National Forest on May 2nd-5th!

This group site is fantastic. There are flush toilets, parking for 19 vehicles, a huge fire pit with plenty of shade, several bear bins, multiple grills, lots of picnic tables, is a bit farther away from the highway than last year, has lots of trees, and as of now the group site next door is currently showing as unavailable on the Recreation website (not "reserved" so I think it is currently closed for those dates) so we hopefully don't have neighbors. The camp host at Barton Flats down the road said with that reservation we can roll down there to use showers if we would like.

The Rio Monte Trail is accessed from the campground and ends at the Rio Monte Panorama, which overlooks the deep gorge of the Santa Ana River Valley.

It is close to Jenks Lake which is stocked with rainbow trout, as well as largemouth bass, bluegill, sunfish and catfish. Rowboats, canoes and kayaks are permitted.

Elevation is 6,400 feet and the average daytime temperature will be in the low 70s with nighttime temps in the high 40s. About the same as last year.

Potluck/raffle Saturday night and other activities in the works.

Barton Flats is in the San Bernardino Forest about 40 minutes NE of Redlands.

There is no fee to participate this year. Instead, we are only selling raffle tickets to fund the event. I recommend that each person buy at least as many tickets as the entry fee from last year ($35) if possible. I have already had several people pre-pay for tickets and would encourage other folks to do the same. It makes it way easier for me to have the tickets ready to go than to be counting them out while up there. Tickets will be available there as well if need be.

Raffle Tickets are $5 each and can be paid via Venmo (@socalhangers) or PayPal (@WillieCash)

As we get closer to the event I will post more information (directions, what to bring, etc...)

I hope you are looking forward to it as much as I am!

https://www.recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/232068

[LowTech]

Been scheduling our spring around the dates and are doing everything we can to be in the area.

"Sent w/o me knowing"

[WillieCash]

Hope we can see you both!

Someone has to finish the ramen Mike makes for Mason!

[WillieCash]

Time moves so fast!
Can you believe we are only three months away from the hang?
Now is the time to confirm attendance! Please mark your calendars and let me know so we can expect you.
We have a great venue and a fantastic core of hangers so far. You don't want to miss out.
I have the below list of people as attending so far:
Addam Wesneski
Low Tech & Carol
Mason Behncke
Michael Truong
Bob Shuff
Chet Atkins
Ryan H & Family
Stephen B
Tentative:
Rachel/William (Jingles) Day visit?
Ryan Andrew Vorisek

[WillieCash]

Who is ready for some raffle prize posts?!?!

PackItGourmet is a new supporter of SoCal Hangers this year and have generously donated a $100 gift certificate towards their excellent products!

We have all been out on the trail at some point and cracked open a freeze-dried meal which looks great on the packaging but the moment you open it up you start trying to quell the voices of suspicion in your head. You put the boiling water in and even though you are ravenous it just doesn't seem all that appetizing. You wait the required time and settle in for a big, hot bag of disappointment and repeatedly convince yourself the lack of quality is part of the experience as you choke down some over salted, chalky mush akin to cat food.

I spent plenty of years doing this under the impression that commercially made backpacking meals could be OK, but that was about it.

ON a whim I picked up some of their Texas State Fair Chili expecting it to be just as marginal as I had experienced from other vendors over the years and good lord, was I wrong. I got a few more of their products and they actually made me a little angry that the other brands I tried over the years had the possibility of being great, they just never pushed it over the finish line.

Now, I'm spoiled. PackItGourmet meals are the meal I look forward to at the end of a hike not only because I am hungry, but because they're delicious. I've eaten more than I should at one sitting because I just can't stop.

PackItGourmet has turned me into a backpacking meal snob. It's the only product on the market which will make you feel a bit uncouth for not eating it on a tablecloth.

Do yourself a favor and come on out to our SoCal Hang May 2nd-5th for a chance to win it in person!

Supporting vendors who support the SoCal Hangers and hammock community at large is a beautiful thing!

#PackItGourmet #TrailFood #Backpacking#socalhangers #hammocks
PIG3.jpg

[WillieCash]

RAFFLE ITEM UPDATE!!!!

Tom Hennessy released the first Hennessy Hammock into the commercial world 25 years ago. In that time his name has become synonymous with the hammocking community. His passion for innovation and improvement has led to many of the features now considered standards industry-wide. They say imitation is the highest form of flattery. I'm sure Tom feels flattered often.

Check out their "About Us' section on their website for some great stories about Tom and his adventures https://hennessyhammock.com/pages/about-us

Hennessey Hammocks has generously donated a full Jungle Explorer Zip XL rig including a Jungle Explorer Zip XL with Standard Rainfly, Heat Reflecting Double Bubble Pad XL, SnakeSkins - XXL, Bark - Hex Rainfly 70D Polyester, and Hammock Webbing Straps - 2" / 96". It is a kit with everything you need to get out into the woods except a frosty beverage and a big bag of beef jerky.

Do yourself a favor and come on out to our SoCal Hang May 2nd-5th for a chance to win it in person!

Supporting vendors who support the SoCal Hangers and hammock community at large is a beautiful thing!

#HennesseyHammocks #HennesseyHammock #Hennessey #SoCalHangers

JE1.jpg

[WillieCash]

Just throwing out a heads-up that Yobo gear (who will be donating a gift certificate to the raffle) have a Kickstarter going for a new "Turtlebug" hammock stand which looks REALLY cool and adjustable if you want to get in early.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects...-hammock-stand

[WillieCash]

We're less than a month away! RSVP Now!

[WillieCash]

RAFFLE ITEM UPDATE!!!!

Hanging High Hammocks is a relatively new company in the hammock scene and they have a love for the hammock community which shows in the quality of their products and support of the hanging community.

Treavor founded this company because of a love of the outdoors and a desire to spread the gospel of hammock camping to ground dwellers everywhere.

"My love for the great outdoors has only grown, and I want to share it with everyone. That's why I founded Hanging High Hammocks. Our mission is to make the transition from tent camping to hammock camping as smooth and effortless as possible, providing a solution that's not just comfortable, but also lightweight and easy to set up."

HHH has donated a Hideaway tarp with upgraded guylines and a continuous tarp ridgeline (along with a metric ton of stickers for us all to enjoy). Take a look at this glorious thing in the pic!

Do yourself a favor and come on out to our SoCal Hang May 2nd-5th for a chance to win in person!

Supporting vendors who support the SoCal Hangers and hammock community at large is a beautiful thing!

#HangingHighHammocks #Hammock #TreeLife #SoCalHangers
HideawayTarp.jpg

[WillieCash]

RAFFLE ITEM UPDATE!!!!

Gossamer Gear has donated a Mariposa Backpack, Daypack, and Bumster Fanny Pack to our raffle!

I'm so stoked to see the Bumster Fanny Pack and Daypack. Everything these folks make is superb!

My first trekking backpack was a massive, external frame behemoth. I loved that thing and it got me through many trips. While huffing and puffing along I used to laugh at ultra-light folks and call them "gram weenies" as they skipped by me on the trails. Well, I would have laughed had I been able to breathe well enough to do so. But you get the meaning.

Several years back I decided to check out a lighter backpack because I wanted a second pack I could let a friend borrow if I was going to introduce someone to backpacking. As Gossamer Gear had donated items to our hang's raffle before I decided to go with them and ordered myself a Mariposa. I opened it up and tried it on just to make sure all of the pieces were there and, of course, they were. I was amazed. I had never felt a pack so comfortable and when it was empty it felt like I was wearing next to nothing on my back. I loaded it up with my gear to test further, walked around the neighborhood a bit, and opened up my closet just to stare at my old pack in disgust. I separated myself from that old bag faster than a Reno divorce.

They are lighter, tougher, ride better, and the the engineering miracles applied to the design of Gossamer Gear products is second to none.

I still am not a "gram weenie", but that doesn't mean I haven't learned to appreciate cutting weight where I can. Remember; if you can save 2 pounds of pack, you can carry two pounds of bourbon!

I still have my old external frame, but now it only gets used by suckers who have been talked into trying out backpacking with me for the first time. That is, until I get a second Mariposa.

The M. Mariposa comes with a medium hipbelt but they will gladly exchange for a different size if necessary.

Do yourself a favor and come on out to our SoCal Hang May 2nd-5th for a chance to win it in person!

Supporting vendors who support the SoCal Hangers and hammock community at large is a beautiful thing!

#gossamergear #takelessdomore #socalhangers #hammocks
MP1.jpg