Summer 2007 Murray Group Trip

By popular demand, the group trip will be to the Little Harbor Campsite on Catalina Island. Trip information can be found below. In order to get Catalina Express reservations, we will need to have a confirmed list of participants by Aug 1st. Most parts of the trip are refundable, except possibly the discounted Catalina Express reservations. Please only sign up as confirmed if you are pretty sure you will be coming- if there is a possibility that you will cancel after Aug 1st, please consider buying a full-price Catalina Express ticket. We have reserved a 12-person campsite. In case there is more interest, we can change the reservation as long as there is availability; otherwise, it will have to be on a first-come basis.

Trip Schedule

Tentative and somewhat negotiable!

• Leave Caltech for Long Beach at 6:30 am Wednesday, August 22.
  • Depart Long Beach Downtown on Catalina Express boat at 8:30am (check-in by 7:30am).
  • Arrive at Avalon on Catalina Island at about 9:30am.
  • Leave on Safari Bus for Little Harbor campsite at 10:30am.
• Arrive at Little Harbor Campground at about 12:00 on Wednesday.
  • Camping at Little Harbor Campground Wednesday and Thursday nights.
  • Activities:
    • Kayaking (rentals available)
    • Snorkeling (rentals available), we may bring wetsuits from caltech surf club
    • Tentatively surfing lessons depending on interest (we will bring boards from caltech, or rent there)
    • On Thursday morning, a group will leave from the campsite to hike to the top of Mt Orizaba (2100ft), the tallest mountain on the island. Views of LA and nearby channel islands. 8 mi round trip. Return midafternoon.
• Leave from Little Harbor Campground at 10:30am Friday, August 24 (check-out time is 11am)
  • Depart on Safari Bus at 10:30am.
  • Arrive in Avalon at about 12:00.
  • 5 hours in Avalon for exploring, swimming, hiking, or biking.
  • Depart on Catalina Express boat for Long Beach Downtown Landing at 6pm (5pm check-in).
  • Arrive at Long Beach Downtown Landing at about 7pm.
• Arrive in Pasadena at about 8pm Friday, August 24.

Little Harbor, Catalina Island

The following activities are available at the Little Harbor campsite: snorkeling, hiking, kayaking, surfing (plus lessons), scuba diving, and swimming.

The following description has been copied from the Santa Catalina Island Company's website:

Rated "One of the Best Campgrounds in the West" by Sunset Magazine, Little Harbor Campground is perfect for campers who enjoy playing on the beach or in the water. Located about seven miles east of Two Harbors and 16 miles from Avalon, Little Harbor is a sandy, beachfront campground with lots of opportunities for recreation. Facilities and activities include BBQ and fire ring, showers, fresh water, chemical toilets, lockers, and kayak and snorkel gear rentals are available from Wet Spot Rentals daily.

The campsite costs $12/person/night. Camping reservations can be cancelled with full refund if more than 72 hours before scheduled arrival.

Transportation Details

Catalina Express offers several boat rides each day from two ports in Long Beach to Avalon on Catalina Island. We can get the round trip tickets for a discounted price of $50.50. The Downtown port in Long Beach has daily parking of $12/vehicle and an extensive schedule found here. The schedule for the return trip from Avalon can be found here. Full price round-trip tickets ($59) are refundable if cancelled more than 24 hours before the first departure time.

Once in Avalon, we will need to take a shuttle to get to the campsite. The Safari Bus links Avalon, Little Harbor, the trailhead for Black Jack campsite (the mountain), the airport and Two Harbors. The round-trip ticket is $33.50 per person, and is refundable if cancelled more than 24 hours before first departure time.

Interested People (order of preference)

• Julia Braman (1, 2, 3)
• Sawyer Fuller (1, 2, 3)
• Richard Murray (1, 2, 3)
• Mary Dunlop (1, 2, 3)
• Elisa Franco (1, 2, 3)
• Dom Rizzo (1, 2, 3)
• Andreas Ulbig (1, 2, 3)
• John Carson (2)
• Nok (2, 1)
• Mike Epstein (1, 2, 3)

Confirmed Campers

• Julia Braman
• Sawyer Fuller
• Richard Murray
• Andreas Ulbig
• Mary Dunlop