January 30, 2013-Kreyenhagen Peak

Title: Jan 30, 2013, Hike
Trail head: Mineral Springs close to Coalinga

Hike Info:
Trail: Mineral Springs Trail
Destination: Kreyenhagen Peak
Distance: 4.8
Travel Time: 3:54 (1.23 mph)
Moving Time: 2:29 (1.93mph)
Elevation Rise: 1,495'
Maximum Elevation: 3,564'



Description:
Got to Kohls at 6:30. Sherri discovered she did not have her boots. So we tell the group that we will meet them in Coalinga before heading up. We get to Coalinga before most of them and stopped at the McDonalds there. After we regrouped, we pulled out and drove the 30 minutes to the Count park on Mineral Springs Road.

All 20+ of us got out and once ready started our hike up. Jerry K is our leader as John and Cathy were not able to make it this time. Going northwest out of the parking area, we cross a trough and start our ascent. It is foothill hiking, filled with sage brush, juniper, and yucca plants. Kreyenhagen Peak looms over us. We climb the western side of the peak, which keeps us in shadows much of the morning. Fortunately, it is not too cold, nor too warm. While the ascent keeps our heart beating, it is pretty good going. Enough so, that I am down to my T-shirt before long. We are in the back third of the pack, mostly hiking with Bill. Each rise brings us to a new perspective of the ridges along the Diablo Range.

The trail is narrow, but well marked with trail signed every quarter of a mile. The narrowness of the trail is not a problem as there is not any really dangerous drop offs. But there are drop offs and in some places the trail is not graded very well.

We get to the spine of the peak and walk along that for the final half mile. From this vantage point, we are able to look over into the Los Gatos County Park area on the eastern side, and in to the Salinas Valley, beyond a ridge, on the west side. Most of the people have made it up to the top before us and are enjoying a late morning munch. We sit next to Rose--who recognizes from some of the REI classes we have taken. Plenty of rocks to recline on and to enjoy the view. The view itself is 360.  I pull one tick off of me here. Sherri has made us sandwiches, thickly covered with peanut butter and nutella--what else?

We take up our places in the rear.  I stop quite a few times, taking in the sights. Such as a red-tail hawk floating over the top of the peak, or the many ridges. I catch up quickly, most of the time. Sherri is hiking with Bill and I go on down the mountain with a couple of German ladies. The hiking poles were of great use as the grade of the trail was somewhat slanted towards the downhill slope. Also in places, the trail had drops of three or four feet. On one of these drops, a lady slipped and banged her head, enough to bleed some. But she was able to make it down the trail back to the car.

This is a good winter or spring hike. Not too cold and definitely not hot. But in the middle summer, it would be pretty hot. Some people went out to Harris Ranch for lunch. But with our sandwiches, Sherri and I did not think that was a good end to the hike. So we headed off to Hanford and Superior Diary and its best in the world ice cream. Now that was the way to end the hike. Got back home around 4:15.

January 12, 2012-Lewis Creek Trail

Title: January 12, 2012

Trail head: Highway 41

Hike Info:

Trail: Lewis Creek Trail

Destination: Red Rock Falls

Actual Destination: Red Rock Falls and Sugar Pine

Distance: 4.5 miles

Travel Time: 2:42 (1.67 mph)

Moving Time: 2:08 (2.11 mph)

Elevation Rise: 758'

Maximum Elevation: 4,320'

 Description:

Start of trip

We should call this the Deep Freeze hike. Karol of the Central Valley Hiking meetup group lead us on this hike. We met at 8:30 at the Kohl's parking lot. It is cold—about 30F in Fresno. It is predicted to be 30F at the trailhead above Oakhurst at 10am. We get up to the trailhead off of 41, above Cedar Valley Rd around 10:10 and hit the the trail at 10:25. We put on SnowTraks for better traction, since we anticipate some icy conditions.



Snow on the ground and white breath in the air—that is how we started. We cross Lewis Creek on a bridge—one slip on the bridge, not by me for a change. But it was not a problem. A bit up the trail, Sherri realizes she forgot her GPS-problem. So I go back, about a quarter of a mile, not a big deal. Joe is waiting for me when I return. With the cold, I put on another pair of gloves over my liners, but other than that I am pretty warm. Someplace along the lines, a SnowTrak comes off of one of my boots, but I do good going up.

We do get to Red Rock Falls in about an hour. There is ohhs and ahhs at the frozen water, with the rushing falls right beside it. Just a really nice winter sight. After a little stop, we go on up the trail to the Sugar Pine Road.

Red Rock Falls

Ice and Falls

Ice in Lewis Creek

Snow Covered Trees

We did a return trip back to the trailhead. Nothing exciting as far as the walk is concerned. Just a walk along the creek, through beautifully snow covered trees, with some pretty enjoyable people. We then end up at Todd's in Oakhurst. I have an over the top Tipsy Texas sandwich—Beef Briquet's with sausage, wonderful topping to a hike.

January 5, 2013 – Mt Owens (Cooper Mtn)

Title: January 5, 2013 – Mt Owens (Copper Mtn)

Trail head: Blasingame Ranch

Hike Info:

Trail: Blasingame Ranch to Mt Owens (Private)

Destination: Mt. Owens (Cooper Mtn)

Distance: 9.7 miles

Travel Time: 4:15 (2.28mph)

Moving Time: 3:23 (2.87mph)

Elevation Rise: 1,397'

Maximum Elevation: 1,629'

Description:
This is my second time with the Central Valley Hiking meetup group. Today we are going over to the Blasingame ranch and hike to the top of Mt Owens. It is a private ranch-we are invited guests. We meet at a north Fresno Starbucks and car pool up to the ranch, along Auberry Road. Surprise—Lisa, one of the people whom I worked at with FUSD is on this trip.

The Group-Central Valley Hiking

The ranch and the rolling hills behind it, reminds me of the area around Rockville Hills Regional Park—only thing, what we are seeing is a sea of emerald green grass, stretching from the road, up to the top of the ridge. We drive about a quarter mile into the ranch and park at some of the livestock pens. Marianne gives us instructions on how to get to the top and then we set out, after some photo's. We are a herd of about 18 hikers.

We go pretty level for the first three-quarters of a mile, stopping at an outhouse. Then up a slope. The whole hills we are surrounded are lush and green. So relaxing, so inviting. Up we go. Marianne shows us a grinding rock where Native American's ground their acorns. Even the pestles are there.

Copper Mountain

Sierra's to the east

We move on. I have been walking with Nate and we are talking about our wives. After the grinding stone, I walk with Wayne, Bob and Adam. Adam is Bob's son, who is going to CSU, Fresno and is working towards being a pilot in the Air Force. He is a young man who had his head screwed on right. We are one of the slower groups, going a touch below 3mph. But we make it. The sight from the top is 360. From the Central Valley and Fresno State to looking northward and Millerton Lake and then beyond to the southern mountains of Yosemite. Eastward at the San Joaquin drainage, and the a bit more southward to the Kings River area and the National Parks there. The snow covered mountains were spectacular.



After having lunch and a granola bar, it was time to go down. We split up into two groups. The larger number decides to go cross country, across hill tops and ridges. Six of us, including me, decide to go back via the road/trail which we came up on. I started walking with Wayne. After a ways, switched off and talked with Jeanne. Like Sherri and I, she retired from FUSD a year and a half ago. Later on, got a chance to talk with Jim, her husband about The Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings. Very enjoyable. We got down before the other group.

Road behind; Mountains before us

Oaks on a ridge

Afterwards, we go to Friant and have fun socializing at the Pizza Factory.