May 18, 2014 - Park Ridge

Title: May 18, 2014 - Park Ridge

Trail head: panorama Point Parking Lot

Hike Info:

Type:  Hiking

Trail: Park Ridge Trail

Destination:  Park Ridge Lookout

Distance: 5.71 miles

Start Time:  3:12

End Time:   6:00

Travel Time: 2:48 (2.04 mph)

Moving Time: 2:16 (2.52 mph)

Elevation Rise: 1,106'

Maximum Elevation: 7,683'

Description:

Got up before 7, then Andrea got up, so we went got an hour walk in our neighborhood. By then Sherri was up, followed shortly afterwards by Mark, Steven's friend. Around ten, everybody was up and we made our way to the Train Depot close to us. Good food and pretty busy. We got out of there before noon. Then David, Mom and a Dad called, so I talked with them for awhile. By this time, it was close to 1:30. So it was decided to go to Kings Canyon instead of Yosemite.

Steven and Mark at Panorama Pt

Boulder Creek Control Burn

Steven drove up to the Panorama Point Parking lot. We got in around 2:30 and hit the trail then. The park has revamped this trail to being more ADA friendly, so the grade to the point is less steep. Also, the lookout place is a bit lower.I take the more upper way while Steven, Sherri and Mark go low. But we both spot a column of smoke to the east and north of us. After pondering this for a few minutes, we try to get reception and phone our friends at the Buck Rock Foundation, but the call will not go through. We wonder if this is the control burn Wendy talked about. So I take off down the hill to get the call through. When I do get reception, Wendy confirms this is the Boulder Creek Control Burn.

View from Panorama Point

The Hikers: Steven, Mark, Sherri

I had told the three to go on up Park Ridge and I would catch up. When I got back to Panorama Point, they were gone. So I started up the trail. It roughly follows the top of the ridge, but you only catch a few sights as you go along. At the right time, this can be a hot and dry hike. I do not know if it was the fire or just late enough in the day, but I am walking pretty good and catch up to them at the high point of the ridge. From there we descend to a saddle where the road goes through. We climb the other mound and in a mile come to the road a second time. This time we follow the road for a quarter mile to the lookout.

Park Ridge Lookout

It is two years since we were here last. This is the lookout which Sherri and I would eventually like to staff as volunteers. But first we need to get trained.

We look around and then have a snack at the picnic table. Then it is walking back again. This time we will go back via the road. See some different sights. Also there is not as much uphill. But I get a wild hair and decide that I would go back via the trail till I hit the road again. I do see the sister lookouts for Park Ridge: Delilah and Buck Rock.

Buck Rock Lookout

I get to the road about 10 minutes before they do and walk back a little ways to them. From there, I rejoin them and walk the road. I have a short conversation with a man from Fresno. The talk was mostly about meandering an ambling along. Sort of reminds one of the book Walking by Thoreau, We quickly come to the gate blocking this lookout access road from general use. I wonder if the combination from last year works-yes. Then it is back to the car and off back to Grant Grove.

Mark and Steven in front of General Grant Tree

We stop to see if the pizza place is open-not yet. Looks like DNC will be incorporating it into the general restaurant. Then we go to the General Grant Tree-Mark had not been before. So we did a quick loop around that area. Then headed back to Fresno. But first we head to Dunlap to try out a new restaurant: Twin Valley. My estimation is that the food is about average. Some things are good, but mostly  stuff put together. We get back around 9pm.

Trail Lesson:

Be prepared! know the area.

Hike Info:

Type:  Hiking

Trail: Panorama Point

Destination:  Panorama Point

Distance: 0.66 miles

Start Time:  2:37

End Time:   2:59

Travel Time: 0:21 (1.90 mph)

Moving Time: 0:14 (2.85 mph)

Elevation Rise: 168'

Maximum Elevation: 7,420'

Hike Info:

Type:  Hiking

Trail: Grant Grove Tree

Destination: Grant Grove Tree

Distance: 0.52 miles

Start Time: 6:27
End Time:   6:58

Travel Time: 0:31 (1.00 mph)

Moving Time: 0:16 (1.94 mph)

Elevation Rise: 68'

Maximum Elevation: 6,446'