December 2014

  

As I write this, I am blowing my nose and having a scratchy throat. Yet there is a sense of being well-favored this year. Isn't this true every year? Much of what we have done in 2014 is the same as 2013, but we also enjoyed new adventures and experiences.

Lets start with the same stuff; that would be hiking. In 2013, we met a father/daughter team on the John Muir Trail: the Millers. This year Andrea, Steven, Sherri and Gary joined up with the Millers to do a good part of the High Sierra Trail with a bit of rough country going up and over Colby Pass. It was 10 days and 80 miles of shear wonder, beauty, a bit of terror and a body-pounding trail. So many wonderful (and sometimes scary) moments. We just love that being 61 years old we can still enjoy the wild.

Speaking of enjoyment, we continue to enjoy Gary's parents. During the year, we have been able to have extended visits with them at their Mountain View home. This year we went on two longer trips with them. The first was in April, when we drove them to Denver. It was an uneventful trip-we were traveling in back of a storm. After dropping them off, we went to Sedona and found a new place to fall in love with. We hope to go back there soon. In September, we went with them to Kona, Hawaii for ten days. Such a time in paradise.

One of the new things we are doing is volunteering being fire lookouts. We spent several days at the Delilah Lookout (close to the Kings River), and Park Ridge Lookout (close to Grant Grove). We even got to stay in the lookouts at night-what a treat! So peaceful, looking down both towards Fresno at night or up at the High Sierra. This has been a learning and sometimes humbling experience:finding out just how much we do not know. We even got on TV for about 20 seconds. A local station did a segment on the lookouts in the area and we happened to be up there. On our last day, we saw a fire-sort of. Sherri is on a JMT Facebook site. There she noticed one hiker was driven off the trail because of a fire. We reported the fire; turned out to be a small one in the back-country.

Sherri and Steven have taken up an old favorite of ours: bicycling. Over the Summer, she went to a series of training sessions at a local church with a group called Women on Wheels (WOW). Many a Wednesday evening and Saturday morning found Sherri training with her WOW group. Her training culminated by riding 62 miles with the Valley Girls Ride in October and 50 miles in the Solvang Prelude. The latter she rode with Steven and Andrea.

So that gets us to our family. Andrea is in her second year as a full-time, permanent fifth grade teacher. Last year was a very good first year for her; this year the class is much more like a normal class experience-still enjoying teaching though. Steven is a Computer Science senior at Fresno State. The major change in our lives is that Rachel has moved back with us after working for almost two years with OpenX. She would like to obtain her Masters in Education. But until then, she is working at CARD as a behavioral therapist; there is much to learn, but she is excited about the possibilities.

Something which we ponder each year is the people God has lead into our lives-this would be YOU who are reading this newsletter. One group continues to be our long term friends in Book Group. Our group figures we have been going for over 12 years and have read over 120 books in that time. You can browse our readings on Gary's book blog. Then there is the even longer term companions in our House Group-for 27 years we have been experiencing the riches of this friendship. We are looking at Job this year and just starting to understand some of God's ways. Then we are on our second year with the our hiking group-the Central Valley Hiking Meetup Group; Gary is now leading hikes and has lead four of them. Of course, there are the family and friends who have shaped us into the people who we are.

 

Finally, we do ponder this verse: When the wise men saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. (Matthew 2:10). Our Christmas blessing to you is that you are able to share in the joy of the wise men as they followed the star to the Christ child.

If you want to read more about our adventures, see:

• More pictures and an electronic version of our Christmas letter:

http://gary-summer.blogspot.com/2014/12/Christmas-2014.html

• Trails and stuff: http://gary-summer.blogspot.com/
• Our Long Walk; http://gary-summer.blogspot.com/2014/06/high-sierra-trail-and-colby-pass-2014.html
• Gary's Book Blog: http://garys-books.blogspot.com/
  
  
  

December 6, 2014 - Various Yosemite Hikes

Title: December 6, 2014 - Various Yosemite Hikes

My brother David had sent me a link showing Yosemite's Falls after the most recent storm. You might say this wet my appetite to go up and see this rarity-Yosemite's falls actually having water in them. So Sherri and I went up for the day to enjoy the experience.

Trail head: Yosemite West, Azela Lane

Hike Info:

Type:  Hike

Trail: Hennessy Ridge Lookout service road

Destination:  Hennessy Ridge Lookout

Distance: 1.80 Miles

Start Time:  12:08

End Time:   12:59

Travel Time: 0:51 (2.11 mph)

Moving Time: 0:43 (2.51 mph)

Elevation Rise: 269'

Maximum Elevation: 5,936'

Description:

Henness Ridge Lookout

But before going to the Valley, we thought we would hit a trail we read about, which leads to a lookout. This trail starts in Yosemite West, off of Henness Ridge Road on Azela Lane. It follows a service road up to a communication installation on top of Henness Ridge. Initially the trail does a pretty good rise of about 80', then follow the twin topped ridge.

The walking is pleasant as there are trees lining the road. It has just rained during the last week so the road has puddles in places, but with the faint memory of pavement under-foot, it is solid. The trail itself lacks views, but this lack is what drives Sherri to mount up a second hill to see if there is something worthwhile looking at. But the view is obstructed by oak trees.

We do find a little path, whether human or animal made, I do not know, but it leads to two communications towers. Then at the top of the knoll is Henness Ridge Lookout. It is in the rustic park design. With age and lack of maintenance, it fulfills the rustic part. The stairs leading up to the top are missing or in danger of falling out. So there are boards preventing climbing up to the top. Still, it is fun imaging what the lookout looked like in its year day.

Us at the Lookout

From the lookout, there is an expansive view from Wawona all the way up to the Cascades. The main view is down towards the South Fork of the Merced. Hite Cove would be just on the other end of the ridge, about three miles away. But after some pictures and examination of an old heliport pad, we go back on the road.

The parking at the trail-head is limited. But As we were leaving, we met the area's postman. His name is Pierce who has walked the trail before. He and a group of friends and family do an autumn hike each year and he was telling us of some of the possible places to stay and hike in the area. After a 15 minute chat, we are off to Yosemite Valley.

Looking over the Merced River canyon

Trail head: Camp Curry-Yosemite Falls

Hike Info:

Type:  Hiking

Trail: Portion of Valley Loop

Destination: Mirror Lake

Distance: 4.95 miles

Start Time:  2:30

End Time:   4:42

Travel Time: 2:12 (2.25 mph)

Moving Time: 1:56 (2.56 mph)

Elevation Rise: 750'

Maximum Elevation: 4,197'

Yosemite Falls from Southside Drive

Description:
On the way into Yosemite Valley, we stop at Tunnel View. With the air so fresh and clear, and most of the tourists away, this view is so charged with greatness. While the better view of the Valley is up higher, for many people coming into the Valley, this is The View. As we go along Southside Dr, we come to a good view of Yosemite Falls and stop to enjoy the scene of water flowing over it. Mind you, it is only a fragment of what is to come, but it is better than the last six months of watching a dry fall.

Yosemite Falls

We park at the vacant Camp Curry parking lot and then hop the tram over to Yosemite Falls. Our starting point of the hike is the Falls and then we will head east along the northern part of the Valley Loop Trail. The Falls do not have a spray today, so it induces people to climb the boulders up to the base of the Falls. There is such an attraction in being close to greatness.




We do not doddle long here but walk along the Loop Trail, in back of the Visitor Center. Once past the Yosemite Falls area, we meet only a few people. Because of the lateness of the hour, we do not stop at the Ahwahnee either-there is more enjoyment in feeling the Autumn breath of the Valley than the stately wonder of the hotel.

Reflections

As it turns out, we have chosen wisely. The puddles in the trail reflect a constant wonder of sky, rock and trees above them, making each a mirror of wonder. Half Dome stands high up, only slightly clothed in mist. 

Ahwiyah Point and Half Dome

When we get to Tenaya Canyon, Sherri wants to go up the trail a ways. And that is how far we go, only a little ways, maybe a quarter mile. But here we get to see both Ahwiyah Point and Half Dome. As it is starting to get dark, we head back down the trail towards Mirror Lake. While no more than a small pond in some sand these days, there is just enough water to create a mirror. And that reflection is enough for us today.

We hop a tram for our ride back. But two more pieces of excitement for us before we go to Oakhurst and Todd's, which is now Alice's.

Mist on Meadow

The first, is a BASE jumper is landing. The person will probably be arrested upon landing. But the landing spot is also just amazing-with the cooling of the air, the meadow has a low-lying mist which covers the whole field. So amazing!

Mt Watkins and Mirror Lake

Half Dome

Ahwiyah Point

Happy Couple