I built that swimming hole, That's a fact. The first time I was in sand canyon was 1974, and that swimming hole was chocked with trees. There was a fire that burned through there and exposed the possibility of it. In fairness someone had laid a few rocks for a little place to lay in water, a meager attempt at a dam. Five of us went up there with sandbags and spent three days digging down and around that boulder, filling sandbags and building it. I built it in the early eighties.
I built (and re-built) the shooting bench in Grapevine Canyon ,the one south of Sand Canyon . First trip was back in 1977 , but i built the first bench in 83' . There's still a single 4"x8" beam sticking out of the ground and I'll rebuild it once more soon . I was there 2 weeks ago & they were plowing a new road up at the top of the old (black) pipeline .
Thanks, I grew up in Ridgecrest/ China Lake and have been all over every inch of this video but this video educates e to things I never knew..... Thanks!!!!! Cheyenne Allen
Thank you so very much . As a local I hope my family and I are blessed to cross paths with you and say thank you . We are very blessed by God to find your videos. We always clean up the areas and trails when we go . Thanks again
A fire swept through there in the seventies burning out trees and brush that clogged it. It was after that it was developed into a very modest swimming hole much smaller than it is today. There were several times it was expanded and sandbagged modestly, I first went into that canyon in 1978. It became my favorite haunt. I went there constantly. in the mid to early 80's I was up there with my cousin camping when a friends father showed up with his friend to party. They brought sandbags and shovels. We drank and spent two full days digging out the bank around the backside of the rock, filling sandbags and strengthening and heightening the dam. It's pretty much in the shape today we created, and I can tell you as fact, It was much smaller before we did that. I built it.
Dave Rodecker one thing that I've always been curious of is who own's Grapevine Canyon? It looks spectacular from Hwy 395. But unfortunately it's private property.
I've been camping in Grapevine canyon for 30 years. It's NOT private property until you get past the old black Aqueduct pipe. Anything before that is public land. I built the shooting bench that was still there back in 2017 when I was there last .
I was expecting to see a small cabin at least at this "Rodecker Flats"...What did you mean when you said feel free to make improvements, Dave Rodecker ? Improvements on WHAT...scrub brush ?
The water doesn't run for most of the year, only in the spring or after a rain. The reason it fills the swimming hole year round is the ground rock forces it up there. You're talking about things you know nothing about.
I built that swimming hole, That's a fact. The first time I was in sand canyon was 1974, and that swimming hole was chocked with trees. There was a fire that burned through there and exposed the possibility of it. In fairness someone had laid a few rocks for a little place to lay in water, a meager attempt at a dam. Five of us went up there with sandbags and spent three days digging down and around that boulder, filling sandbags and building it. I built it in the early eighties.
I built (and re-built) the shooting bench in Grapevine Canyon ,the one south of Sand Canyon . First trip was back in 1977 , but i built the first bench in 83' . There's still a single 4"x8" beam sticking out of the ground and I'll rebuild it once more soon . I was there 2 weeks ago & they were plowing a new road up at the top of the old (black) pipeline .
Thanks, I grew up in Ridgecrest/ China Lake and have been all over every inch of this video but this video educates e to things I never knew..... Thanks!!!!!
Cheyenne Allen
Thank you so very much . As a local I hope my family and I are blessed to cross paths with you and say thank you . We are very blessed by God to find your videos. We always clean up the areas and trails when we go . Thanks again
A fire swept through there in the seventies burning out trees and brush that clogged it. It was after that it was developed into a very modest swimming hole much smaller than it is today. There were several times it was expanded and sandbagged modestly, I first went into that canyon in 1978. It became my favorite haunt. I went there constantly. in the mid to early 80's I was up there with my cousin camping when a friends father showed up with his friend to party. They brought sandbags and shovels. We drank and spent two full days digging out the bank around the backside of the rock, filling sandbags and strengthening and heightening the dam. It's pretty much in the shape today we created, and I can tell you as fact, It was much smaller before we did that. I built it.
It was not a swimming hole during the construction of the aqueduct, nobody knew it's potential for a swimming hole until the fire
Driven by those canyons for years and always wondered about them.
Thanks!
Thanks for posting. Nice to know what is in those hills as a drive by on 395.
Drive up one of them sometime...the roads are pretty accessable and graded.
Glad that you can enjoy our family's flat. Feel free to improve the property.
Dave Rodecker one thing that I've always been curious of is who own's Grapevine Canyon? It looks spectacular from Hwy 395. But unfortunately it's private property.
numerous plots of various private property back there
I've been camping in Grapevine canyon for 30 years. It's NOT private property until you get past the old black Aqueduct pipe. Anything before that is public land. I built the shooting bench that was still there back in 2017 when I was there last .
I was expecting to see a small cabin at least at this "Rodecker Flats"...What did you mean when you said feel free to make improvements, Dave Rodecker ? Improvements on WHAT...scrub brush ?
Check MY video under Grapevine Canyon, Kern County," Rick, Mike and Josh at pipe".
you can drive right thru it
Very Informative and well edited...Nice relaxed format combined with good camera and accompanying narrative...as well done as on much on cable.
Might have been late seventies.
The rope swing is gone :(
Yeah, that old tree finally gave out. When were you there?
The water doesn't run for most of the year, only in the spring or after a rain. The reason it fills the swimming hole year round is the ground rock forces it up there. You're talking about things you know nothing about.
i built it