April 17, 2013 - Chilnualna Falls

Title: Date, Hike

Trail head: Wawona-Redwood Cabins

Hike Info:

Trail: Chilnualna Falls

Destination:Chilnualna Falls

Distance:  7.84

Travel Time: 6:15 (1.25 mph)

Moving Time: 4:42 (1.66 mph)

Elevation Rise: 2,346'

Maximum Elevation: 6,408

Description:

It is Wednesday, and another hike with our meetup group. This time it is to Chilnuala Falls, near Wawona. We meet at Kohls at 6:30 and get to Wawona at 8:30, after stopping at Tenaya Lodge for a restroom break. Bill and Danielle rode up with us--it is Danielle's first time with our meetup group. She is from Breckenridge, CO.

By 8:50, we are on the trail. The first part is one of the more steep parts of the 4 miles of trail. We make pretty good time. Last night's wind storm brought a light covering of snow to the mountains, about 1-3" worth. But this is good. The trail could get hot if it wanted to and the snow provided a pleasant covering. Because of the climb, after a mile I take off the jacket and hike in short sleeves.

Part of Chilnuala Falls

Snow and ice would be our constant companion on this trail today. But it made for some interesting and beautiful presentations as we walked along. The creek's roar from its cascade accompanied us all the way up to the falls. While we knew we were going up, the semi-winter scenes made the going some easier. The manzanita bushes were out in bloom, with the mountain misery still sparse and unscented. Oaks lined the path with some of sugar pines towering above.

After the first third of a mile, the steepness decreased. But we were still going up, but at a more moderate pace. Around each corner the cascades which make up the Falls would show a different view. Even when we were coming down, the Falls looked different. Never a dull moment.

Chilnuala Falls

Approaching the Falls is a long piece of exposed trail, running across granite. In the morning, this is shaded. With the snow, parts of it are icy, but manageable. I did slip once and had to balance myself against a large rock or take a tumble. When we round a corner, the we find we are close to the water's edge and a few of our group have decided this is a good stopping place for them. But up we go another quarter mile where the rest of the meetup group has availed themselves of a fine place to have lunch and sun-bath, clothed of course.  At this spot, the one remaining cataract shows itself with other parts of the falls below us. Even though there is ice on the river, the sun feels warm.

Snowy path

It is time to come down. After the trip up, going down is a breeze. Everybody charges ahead, even Sherri who usually holds back. So I get to be in the company of John and Cathey on the way down. Good conversations, which is part of hiking. That is to enjoy each other and get to know others better. Even in our college days, that was at least equal to the joy of walking in the beauty of the Sierra's.

We get back to the car a little after 3. Most of us are ready for a bite to eat and what better place to eat than Todd's in Oakhurst. It does not disappoint as we all are satisfied. Sherri even got some blueberry breadpudding.  A good day it was.

Ice fibers

Icy Cliff

How Cold Was It?

From Ann Marie Brown's book, California Waterfalls, page 95:

Most people dopn't expect too much from the southern section of Yosemite National Park. Sure, everyone visits the Mariposa Grove to see the big sequoias, but other than that, the area doesn't take up too much of the average visitor's itinerary. But while everyone else is in the valley or at Glacier Point or Tuolumne Meadows, you can sneak off to the southern park of the park, take a rigorous hike, and be rewarded with a terrific waterfall: Chilnualna Falls near Wawona, one of my favor falls in Yosemite.

April 10-11, 2013-Redwood Canyon

Title: April 10, 2013 - Redwood Canyon
Trail head: Redwood Canyon Parking Lot

Hike Info:
Trail: Redwood Canyon
Destination: Cabin in Redwood Canyon

Distance: 5.7 miles
Travel Time: 3:02 (1.88 mph)
Moving Time: 2:35 (2.21 mph)
Elevation Rise: 549'
Maximum Elevation: 1,296'












Description:
We were scheduled to go backpacking yesterday, but the weather forecast had it being in the upper 20's in the morning and with the wind chill, in the upper teens. A bit too cold for us. But there is not a significant amount of wind forecast for today, so off we go.

 We leave Fresno around Noon. Well almost. The plan was to grab a Subway sandwich and split two foot longers in half. Eat one half for lunch and the other half as dinner. Got to Subway and found we did not have money-used credit card. But returned to the house to eat and retrieve the loot. By the time we left, it was 1pm. We promptly got into. Traffic jam on 41 which held us up 20 minutes. But then it is off we go. Picked up the wilderness permit and got to the trailhead at Redwood Canyon. We got on the trail a little after 2:45.

Sherri and a fallen giant

With the late start, we will go straight down the canyon. Originally, we thought about doing a loop by following the Sugarbowl ridge and drop into the canyon. As it is, it is being a beautiful hike. While yesterday's hike at Nelder Grove was really nice-one we want to do again, this one has us wandering right amongst the redwoods. These trees seem to be a lot younger than the Mariposa or Nelder Grove trees. So they are straighter and slender, with a spouting at the tops of them.

Root base of a Sequioa

We are not going fast considering we are heading downhill-tomorrow will be a lot slower. Still we make good time. We come to the Sugarbowl and Hart tree trail junctions after about an hour. The creek is still has water in it. We say we will hike for another hour. The trails seems to have been rerouted since my 1993 topo map. We do not seem to climb nearly as much as the topo map says we should, still we can feel this is the first time out for the season. Even slight rises causes us to realize we have a ways to go before the JMT. But we are enjoying the trail, with its canopy of evergreen. As we go down lower, the Sequoias are sparser. Makes you appreciate the upper part of the canyon.

As we close in on five, Sherri asks, where is the water. I say right over there in the creek which we have been following. But then I do a double-take, where is the water? The creek is dry. So we continue to walk along. But we are thinking that we will need to go back up to the junction, if we we do not find water soon. We think we are close to a cabin marked on the topo map, and then there is a creek marked close by. We get to the cabin. It has an outhouse, some tables, and some faucets. But the creek is dry beside it. But we follow the line which connects the faucet. In a couple of hundred feet we hear the sound of trickling water. So the tent is pitched, water is collected and the Subway sandwich is devoured.

It is getting cold, and it is not even 8 yet. But we will turn in soon to our hopefully warm sleeping bags, inside of our warm tent. Read for a little while. In the sleeping bag, shut down the iPad, and it was off to sleep.



Title: April 11, 2013 - Redwood Canyon
Trail head: Hart Tree Trail

Hike Info:
Destination: Redwood Canyon Parking Lot

Distance: 8.8 miles
Travel Time: 5:57 (1.48 mph)
Moving Time: 4:29 (1.96 mph)
Elevation Rise: 2,059'
Maximum Elevation: 1,075'


 

Description:
Slept pretty well. For the first part of the night, was a bit cold, so kept on rolling over to get another part of my body warm. During one of Sherri's times out, I put on socks. Slept warm after that. Woke up around 6:30. Warmed up the iPad, and read from 1 Samuel and Luke. Then went for a walk. Meant to only go to the next creek, but walked almost to Big Springs. Just more forest. This section of the trail looks hardly ever used. Still no water. Maybe at the springs, but I stopped about a quarter of a mile from it. Thought I was hearing a whistle, but I think it was some birds. Nice uphill back. Got back at 8:30. Sherri is still in her bag. She got up a little after 9.

Have I said anything about the accommodations? Like I said, we camped near a cabin. It was locked up, but looked like it was in good shape. It may be used by people who do scientific studies. Wood has been cut, plus there are water faucets. They do not seemed to be turned on yet. Also there are tables, which we used to cook at eat at. But the best part of the area is that there is a two seater loo!

CalFire

We pack up and leave at 11. We make decent time going up the canyon. We start seeing more redwoods in front of us, inspiring us to go forward. As much as we went down, we come back up again. So we are feeling the packs a lot more than yesterday. But the coolness of the morning helps makes it refreshing. We do have one incident. As we were walking along, with Sherri in the lead, a downed branch reached out and tripped me. I suspect if I had not packed a bit top heavy I would not have fallen. But as it was, the pack went over the top of me. Nothing hurt, except for pride. Sherri was concerned, but not badly. Got up and started walking again.

 Had lunch at the trail junction. A group from CalFIre came along with a training mission. We watched them go across a log we had inched over. The log was a fall end Sequoia.

After lunch, we start up the hill towards the Hart Tree. It is a pretty good climb. It shows us how out of shape we are. But we are making good, steady progress. The many standing Sequoias break up the climb for us. While we do not stop to gawk at each tree, we do look at many of them. Even the ones lying on the ground. The Fallen Goliath is not just a tree, it is one which was truly a giant in the land of giants. We feel like hobbits among the Ents.

Buena Vista Peak

Moss and a tree shadow

Arrive at the car at 4:50.

April 9, 2013-Nelder Grove

Title: April 9, 2013 - Nelder Grove
Trail head: Nelder Grove Campground

Hike Info:
Trail: Nelder Grove Trail
Destination: Dirt Road at end of Trail
Distance: 8.20 miles
Travel Time: 4:27 (1.84 mph)
Moving Time: 3:47 (2.17 mph)
Elevation Rise: 1,534'
Maximum Elevation: 6,105'




Description:
We were scheduled to go backpacking today, but the weather forecast had it being in the upper 20's in the morning and with the wind chill, in the upper teens. A bit too cold for us. Maybe tomorrow.

Start of Trail

Tree at Nelder Creek

So we decided to go hiking instead. The place we choose was Nelder Grove, above Oakhurst. Steven is joining us, which is good. We leave Fresno around 11:30 and get to the campground at Nelder Grove around 1. Our peanut butter and Nutella sandwiches come out and fill us up. We start hiking along an old road, turned into a trail. There is a gentle rise, in some shade. We are not worried about the heat today. But in the summer, we would want to do it earlier in the day. For the first mile, the path is sandy with small rocks. We come to a creek with an 8' waterfall close to trail. At the crossing is a nice sized redwood with a sign pronouncing the creek as Nelder Creek.

Towards Oakhurst

From here the overhang is more evergreen than oak and manzanita. We can see the valley which Oakhurst lies in. Also the tops of some Sequoias show themselves against the ridge which we are climbing. Pretty soon we round the ridge and are now looking westward toward Fish Camp-we can even see the roof of Tenaya Lodge and Wawona Point in Yosemite.

Hawksworth Tree

A confusing sign says that the Clothespin Tree is here, but it takes a bit of looking and head twisting to find it. Shortly afterwards comes the Kiowa Tree. We will need to see what that name means. The Hoagsworth Tree is named after a former Forest Ranger staff, who stayed on as campground host for twenty years after his retirement. His granddaughter still carries on the tradition of being host to Nelder Grove.

Fake Granddad Tree

At the Grandad Tree, there is a separate path*. The Grandad Tree looks like it is an old, dead, but huge tree which has been topped by wind and lightening. But we are not sure, so Steven and I go along the path to see where it goes. We come across a sign which says AND. Sure enough, there is a tree in the distance. So we designated the AND Tree. Probably with was someone and someone. We go on for about half of a mile and find the trail which we came up on. We return and find Sherri looking for us.

Cutoff Trail

*After reading Dick Estel's page on his 30-40 years of reminiscence on Nelder Grove, I realized what we saw was not the Granddad Tree. The AND Tree is really The Old Granddad AND Grandkids Tree.

We return to the Grandad and continue on the trail. It now is nearly level for always. Then it takes a sharp downhill for about half or a mile. We meet the first other people on the trail-four mountain bikers coming up the trail. We continue on to the end of the trail, where it T's in with a road from Calvin Crest. It seems like the thing to do to turn around and come back the way we came.

The Willsons

Coming back, it is a bit more work, but not bad, coming up from the Calvin Crest road. When we hit the Granddad Tree, we decide to take the shorter and more scenic route which Steven and I took earlier. This cuts off a few feet, but is a bit steep going down. The rest of the walk down is uneventful. We do get a good look at the small falls on Nelder Creek. Then it is down to Oakhurst for dinner at Todd's.

April 5, 2013 - Old Big Oak Flat Trail

Title: April 5, 2013-Old Big Oak Flat Trail

Trail head: V9, Yosemite Valley

Hike Info:

Trail: Old Big Oak Flat Trail

Destination:Rainbow View

Actual Destination: About a third of a mile shot

Distance: 2.9 miles

Travel Time: 3:09 ( mph)

Moving Time: 1:32 ( mph)

Elevation Rise: 742'

Maximum Elevation: 4,641'

Description:

We left Fresno for Yosemite Valley around 9:30. This is an unmaintained trail we read about in a book which my brother got me ages ago, called Tales and Trails of Yosemite and the Central Sierra's. Then we saw how rough it is in Mr. Half Dome's blog. Also Backpacker magazine did an article about a North Rim trip which started with this trail. The trail is not noted on modern maps, but shows up on a 1996 USGS Topo map. If you can grab a 1909 topo map, it shows the road. So we will go up the Old Big Flat Oak Road until we hit the rockslides and then see how much bouldering we want to do. Then walk around the west end of the Valley.

Ribbon Falls

Got to the trailhead around 11:45. Trailhead is rather a loose term. You come in along the Northside Drive, a little west of El Capitan. After crossing Ribbon Creek, if it is flowing, look for the V9 guide site. There is a road there.  It is a semi loop where the locals get their wood. If you go up as high as you can, you will get to a place called the "Woodpile". Go a little beyond that and the road has a low rock barricade. Stop here and get out of the car and start enjoying your walk.

Follow the old crumbling pavement of the1940's Highway 120. At first, it seems too broad to be a trail and too narrow to be a highway. It is rock strewn, with logs crossing it. Definitely not suitable for automotive travel, but fun for walking. We quickly come to a place where Sherri and I need to do a short amount of boulder hopping. Nothing serious. But more is to come.

Each stretch we walk, gives us a JDV (Jaw Dropping View). Bridalveil Falls shows itself to be quite a lady with her base veiled in mist. Even so, we see she has some hidden drops from the main falls which you do to see from the Valley's floor. Or Ribbon Falls coming down from the West of El Capitan is so much closer than from across the Valley.






As we go further down the trail, the unmaintained part of this trail becomes more evident. We cross several fallen logs-a few are the type which you need to straddle. But nothing too badly. Then the boulder crossings for the most part are short and not too bad. But a few of them you need to make some Spider-Man moves. With the manzanita and other brush starting to overgrown the trail, sometimes you get to meander close to the edge.






At the edge of one of the boulder fields, we stop to enjoy our peanut butter and Nutella sandwiches. Of course we do get a world-class scenery with Bridalveil Falls providing the eye candy. Tunnel View has come into range and get to see all the people on the road. So far it is just Sherri and I with all of this and not having to share.

Lunch

After lunch we go a little ways further until we get to another rock fall. We think we are within a half of a mile of Rainbow View, when we decide to turn back so we can see Yosemite Falls, today, as well.

If anything, the sights coming back, even though it is on the same trail, is even better. Bridalveil is front and center. The mist is even more pronounced than when we came up. A little before we get back to the car, we come across our first and only  group of hikers. They tell us a little bit about what the trail looks beyond the point. The road beyond the point did some zig-zags up a steep grade. They are no longer around, having been obliterated by rockfalls. But you can still climb up to the next stage of road.

View Eastward from Old Big Oak Flat Road

Trail head:  Standford Chapel, Yosemite Valley

Hike Info:

Trail: Some of Valley Loop Trail

Destination:Lower Yosemite Falls

Actual Destination: Lowe Yosemite Falls and Pine Campground

Distance: 3.8 miles

Travel Time: 1:47 ( mph)

Moving Time: 1:19 ( mph)

Elevation Rise: 261'

Maximum Elevation: 4,121'

Royal Arches Cascades

Later on, we take the car to the chapel and leave it there. Then walk to Yosemite Falls, then over to the visitor center. From the visitor center, we take the Valley Loop trail up to the Pines Campground, where we catch the bus back from e the Stables and then do a short walk back to the car. When we were on the Loop trail, we got a fine look at the Royal Arches Cascades.Usually dry in the summer,e rather were very refreshing to look at.

On the way back to Fresno, we stop at Todd's--to enjoy fine BBQ food. A good day and and a good discovery of a trail we had not been on before.