April 19, 2012 – Return Trip, Alder Ck to Wawona

Starting Place: A Spot on the Alder Creek Trail

Destination: Wawona

Miles Traveled: 3.8 miles

Gary's Additional: 5.0 miles

Woke up and it was already light. Not much of a reason to hurry, so I laid in bed for awhile. Then read. Finally, the bladder was begging for relief.

Not as cold as I feared. Comfortable. Took a stroll about 3/8 of mile back up the trail, past Three Falls. I think one of the things I like best in backpacking, is the sense of solitude in the mornings. When you can sense your surroundings—the chirping of the birds, the gurgling of a little creek, and the smell of the pine trees. The last I did not experience this morning, mostly because of a stuffed-up nose.

When I get back to camp, Sherri was just emerging from the tent. Oatmeal and granola for breakfast. Breaking camp. We will walk back to Three Falls. It is 9:30. Then head back and the Valley. By the time we look at Three Falls, take pictures and wander about, and then return to camp, which we then finish breaking down, it is around 10:30.

A Note For the Future: There is a small flat spot above where we camped. Better scenery. But not as much flat space.

Coming back is mostly the same as going up. We are just returning on the same trail. Nothing exciting happens—I did find a wonderful bathroom spot though. It is a lot hotter coming back even though we are going down hill.

Nothing exciting, that is until we got within .6 miles of the car. We stopped for lunch by a little creek. At this point we noticed Sherri's Garmin was missing. We try to remember where we saw the Garmin and decide it was at the bathroom break, almost all the way back to the trail junction. We examine the options and decide it would be best if I go on up and look for it.

I make a slow, but steady progress, looking under brush, grass beside the trail, and around fallen logs. Nothing. I must have gone past it and not seen it as I made it to the Mosquito Creek trail junction—even missed the bathroom spot. Some kind of sleuth am I!

Tired, I start back again. Looking, but discouraged. Shortly after the bathroom stop, I find it under a log, fallen across the trail. Feeling a lot better, I make it back to Sherri, as my water runs out. We get back to the car and have dinner at Todd's.

April 18, 2012 – Alder Creek

Starting Place: Wawona

Destination: Deer Camp

Actual Destination: A Spot on the Alder Creek Trail

Miles Traveled: 7.3 miles

Elevation Rise: 2,233'

Travel Time: 6:41

Moving Time: 4:26

Yesterday afternoon we decided to go on an overnight trip up to Alder Creek, close to Wawona. While we went up to Point Reyes last month, this feels like the first trip of the season. So our equipment is still in a bit of disorder. Food is still to be thought of. Consequently we got to bed at 11:30 last night.

It is up again at 6:40. Did a bit of last minute checks. Had a shower, breakfast of granola. Then loaded the car. By the time the engine started, it was 8:45. Go the the ranger ration in Wawona around 10 and did a self registration for our wilderness permit. Hit the trail at 10:45.

We expect to go to Deer Camp, 8.5 miles, 2000' rise. But judging by the snow on the way up, we may be stopping before then. It is a good rise, in chaparral. The day is warm, but not oppressive. So it is a good time to go through this—definitely not a summer trip.

We do pretty well and about the time we get out of the chaparral, our stomachs remind us that in order for the body to move, they must be fed. For those who have been with us, they will recognize what we pass off as lunch, which is really a modified candy bar in disguise. It is Peanut Butter, Nutella and a Ritz cracker. Love it. We finish around 1:15 and continue on.

Our travel is slower. At two, we meet up with the trail from Hwy 41. But we are tired and still have 5 miles more to get to Deer Camp.

We start to hit snow in small patches around 5400'-signs of more to come. Lots of down branches and small trees. We come to a creek with three small, but pretty falls. Most of the year, this will be dry. The snow gets longer in stretches, but still is not deep, only a couple of inches.

But then we break out onto the old railroad grade. It is flat. But now there is snow and the snow has accumulated on this piece of level ground. In places it is 2-3' deep. We are tiring and when we come to a creek, about half a mile from the falls, we make a decision. The snow is getting deeper, with being tired and there is no dry place to camp, we decided to head back to find a flat, dry place with water. Sounds sort of funny with all the snow around wanting water. Actually, we have a new three gallon gravity filter, so as long as we are a quarter or mile or so from water, we should be good.

We have traveled 5 3/8 miles, rose 1,800', trudged through snow. We are beat. But we have done good.

Flat places are not too available—covered with snow. We pass three falls creek and find a place about an 1.8 of a mile further.

Sherri pitches the tent. I cook Mountain House Freeze Dried Chicken Tetrazzini. Actually a pretty decent meal. I had the arduous task of finding and filtering the water. Did I say that we now have a gravity filter? What heaven will be like!

We are the only ones around. So we hit the sack at sunset. Reading The Help on my Nook.