Not too long ago I successfully ascended La Ventana and Mt. Kandlbinder in the Ventana WIlderness, and now I plan to climb the Ventana Double Cone. I am going to take a similar route as my Kandlbinder climb (via Ventana Creek) and I am wondering what the water situation is in those parts around late May? Has anyone been out there recently? When I was down there in early April the water was great up until the real climb started, so I am hoping that the water won't have dried up too much. Any thoughts on this?

I've never been to that specific area of the Ventana. You are probably already aware that there was a lot of late season rain this year, following a very wet year the previous year, so streams that tend to flow in late spring should be flowing. I always hear of the Ventana being miserably hot and full of flies during the summer, so aside from staying down along the coast, I haven't made any long term plans to go peakpagging there May-October. Pushing above the nice forested realms to intentionally bushwhack in sunny, dusty areas is something I try to reserve for cooler times of year. The good news is that odds of hot weather and dried up water sources will be less in late May/early June than in summer. I also recall some cool, cloudy Memorial Day weekends within the past several years that almost drew me down to the Ventana. In case it is of help, here is a point forecast link that can be scrolled to specific locations:

http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?lat=36.27500205016507&lon=-121.63581848144531&site=mtr&unit=0&lg=en&FcstType=text

Are you aware that the trail that appears on many maps between VDC and Kandlebinder doesn't (and never has) actually exist?
(i.e. that the Kandlebinder to VDC is a reasonably intense chapparal bushwack and requires navigating the window)

The traditional route to VDC out of Bottchers Gap is over Devils Peak around through Big Pine and the Puerto Suello Gap. This is in the vicinity of ~30 miles round trip.
If you take that route there is reliable water at Pat Spring (and almost nowhere else though there may be water at the headwaters of Danish Creek and I've heard reports of a spring somewhere downhill of Lone Pine camp)

And this route probably will be brutally hot by June and the flies will likely be out.

In any case, you'll probably find better information over here:
http://www.ventanawild.org/forums/index ... 778d5a88c3

I was thinking of camping about 1 mile upstream from Happy Forks camp where the oaks start popping up and use it as a base-camp to dayhike the VDC on the second day out. I would take a similar route as to the window but rather than following the stream-bed up to the window I would just cross it and try to follow a ridge on the north face of VDC (so I wouldn't have to get over that cliff that runs down from the window). While I was at Kandlbinder and the Window (I actually camped in it, it was pretty cool) I was able to study this route and it seems possible, but I can only know once I get out there.
Also, I have a bug net that I can put over my head. I think that will help with the flies.

You'll have good water at least until Happy Camp, so just plan to check the water when you get there and decide whether to keep going further upstream. Since you've already been there once, you should be pretty familiar with the route and things will probably go faster the second time. Sounds like a fun adventure - I've been curious too what a route from the Window to VDC would be like, so I'll be interested to see how you fare - do let us know when you get back. I'll second the comment about the flies being extremely annoying in the summer. A bug net will help certainly, but it feels somewhat claustrophobic to me.

Thanks Bob, I'll be sure to write a trip report if I make it to the VDC.

As a side note, I thought you might like to know that I investigated the small use trail going off towards the east side of the window that you mention in your Kandlbinder trip report and I found that it only goes about 20 feet to a small bronze memorial plaque screwed onto the rock wall for a man named Jefferey Doan.

Also, while I was talking to Larry the camp ground host he mentioned your day hikes of VDC and Kandlbinder, still in disbelief.