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BIG BEND NATIONAL PARK GTG- FEBRUARY 13-16, 2004-TEXAS STYLE- General info.

dsw7311

SM 2004
SM 2003
Full Member
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Apr 19, 2002
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Houston, Texas
Ok ladies and gentlemen. It's Time to Show everyone else in the Nation and the CAFCNA some Texas sites, treasures and hospitality.

BIG TEXAS SIZED CRUISE
BIG BEND NATIONAL PARK
(Link)
National Parks Link
FRIDAY-MONDAY (Presidents Day)
FEBRUARY 13-16, 2004

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This is an excellent venue with plenty of activeties. Too many to do in a three day weekend: White Water rafting, Camping, Ghost Towns, Trails, Hiking, 4X4 Trails, Camping, backpacking, rock climbing, fishing, Mountain biking, etc.

The Park has everything from Desert, to the River, to the Mountains

Here is a little back ground information for those not familiar:
Big Bend National Park Weather Information
Annual precipitation is just under 10 inches in most of the park, but in wet years may exceed 30 inches in the mountains.

Typically, winter and spring are dry seasons; the rains usually begin in June and last into the fall.

Summer brings hot days and warm nights. Dramatic afternoon lighting storms with high winds are common and come on quickly. Heavy down pours may result in flash floods.

Winter days may be sunny and warm, but nights tend to be cold. Winter storms can blow in suddenly with plummeting temperatures and rain or snow.

The weather in Big Bend - hot or cold - injures and kills more hikers than any other factor. Come well prepared because weather changes can be dramatic and unexpected.


Big Bend National Park Weather Statistics

Jan Feb Mar Annual
High - ?F 60.9 66.2 77.4 78.9
Low - ?F 35.0 37.8 45.3 51.9
Avg Precip (in) 0.46 0.34 0.31 15.34

Establishment​


In 1933, the state of Texas established Texas Canyons State Park, using 15 school sections owned by the state. Lands forfeited for non payment of taxes were quickly added and the name was changed. By October 27, 1933, Big Bend State Park included about 160,000 acres. In 1935, on June 20, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed a bill that authorized the establishment of Big Bend National Park. On June 6, 1944 a deed for about 700,000 acres was formally presented to President Roosevelt and Big Bend was established June 12, 1944 as a National Park by Congressional Act signed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. It was designated an International Biosphere Reserve in 1976.

Size and Visitation

Big Bend National Park is a land of borders. Situated on the boundary with Mexico along the Rio Grande, it is a place where countries and cultures meet. It is also a place that merges natural environments, from desert to mountains. It is a place where south meets north and east meets west, creating a great diversity of plants and animals. The park covers over 801,000 acres of west Texas. For more than 1,000 miles, the Rio Grande forms the international boundary between Mexico and the United States; Big Bend National Park administers approximately one-quarter of that boundary. Within the 118 twisting miles that also define the park?s southern boundary, the river?s southeasterly flow changes abruptly to the northeast and forms the ?big bend? of the Rio Grande.

Big Bend National Park is open year round. But the majority of park visitors come March and holiday weekends, lowest visitation is in August and September. The park is open 24 hours a day, seven days per week.

With an average of 350,000 or less visitors a year, Big Bend National Park is lightly visited, however for those that do, they find, clean air and plenty of sunshine, as well as many opportunities to hike and enjoy the outdoors.


More information as far as hotels ETC will follow.
List of attendees: (Of course these are all tentative, confirmations should be made before 21 days prior to actual event date)

If you are plannin to attend the list is here Who Will be attending the Big Bend Cruise?

 
Folks you should plan to stay in-park or plan to do A LOT of driving. That time of the year is peak vistiation time because desert blooms are typically out and the climate is tepid.

Also just so you know car clouting and theft is a HUGE problem in the park, especially in the backcountry and on the Jeep trails that run along the Rio Grande.

I wrote an extensive story about the park - I'm in for this trip and have penciled these dates on my calendar. Couldn't think of a better park to have a meet at with over 150 miiles of well documented four-wheel drive trails, rich history and gorgeous scenery.

If circumstances allow I am so there dude!

Big Bend National Park

Three page story on Big Bend National Park
 
Actually, Terlingua (aka Study Butte) is the closest town, and it has motels. It is just a few miles from the west entrance. It's also much closer to the headquarters.

 
Chief said:
Folks you should plan to stay in-park or plan to do A LOT of driving. That time of the year is peak visitation time because desert blooms are typically out and the climate is tepid.

Also just so you know car clouting and theft is a HUGE problem in the park, especially in the backcountry and on the Jeep trails that run along the Rio Grande.

I wrote an extensive story about the park - I'm in for this trip and have penciled these dates on my calendar. Couldn't think of a better park to have a meet at with over 150 miiles of well documented four-wheel drive trails, rich history and gorgeous scenery.

If circumstances allow I am so there dude!

Big Bend National Park

Three page story on Big Bend National Park
Great information Chief.
Hope you can make it and hope this turns out to be a great event.
I was mainly thinking of staying away from the park due to the lack of communications from lodgings from within the park. This could be a good thing or a bad thing. Marathon is about 40 or less miles from the entrance of the park off Highway 90 which is also the route to take to get to some of the ghost towns outside of Big Bend. Just thinking that it might be a more central location to all area of the Region.
Anything will be considered and once communications start with Chambers of Commerce from towns around the area it will depend on how open they will welcome a group this size.
 
Grizzz said:
Dave,

Sure would like to make this one, but it is like a 15 day drive from Atlanta. ;)

Grizzz
Well you can always fly in. >:D thats only about 6 day flight ;)
 
Chief said:
Also just so you know car clouting and theft is a HUGE problem in the park, especially in the backcountry and on the Jeep trails that run along the Rio Grande.

Car Clouting? what is Car Clouting. Sounds like hijacking when combined with theft.
 
Bruno said:
Car Clouting? what is Car Clouting. Sounds like hijacking when combined with theft.

Car Clouting is the United States National Park expression for Breaking and Entering. What the bad guys do is watch remote trailheads in the middle of nowhere. Pros will know where to look for hidden goods - so in the truck or say in the case of the Avalanche locked saddle bag storage would not be safe. Newbies are typically bored kids and are more in it for the obvious.

The problem due to the remote location is after a break in the car can sit for days before the damage is discovered - arrests are difficult and in trouble areas the NPS sets up sting operations, especially if it appears there is a group at work in a region.

The problem is compounded in Big Bend National Park where the bad guys come over from Mexico - and are next to impossible to prosecute.
 
Might as well put me down for the trip, been looking forward to a good first camping trip since my retirement, can,t think of a better place...Gizmo..............count me as two. ;D ;D ;D
 
gizmo said:
Might as well put me down for the trip, been looking forward to a good first camping trip since my retirement, can,t think of a better place...Gizmo..............count me as two. ;D ;D ;D
Gotcha down
 
Moved into its new section....have fun members
 
okay, let me see.

Income tax done and I will haev money..
I need to talk to the wife. so put me down for 1 truck and 5 folks as a maybe.
I would love to see ya all before I leave Texas.

Pete
 
Dave put me down for 5
 
The Lodge in the Basin is booked up. We will have to stay outside the park. I vote for Terlingua. (See posts on other board for options.)

Come on people! This will be great, but you need to get it together soon on where to stay. We are looking at Valentine's Day weekend, plus a three day weekend. Everything is going to get booked soon.

Do it! Do it! Do it!

Anyone interested in making an intelligence gathering trip to down there let me know. I'm game.
 
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