January 28, 2015 - San Joaquin River Gorge Loop

Title: January 28, 2015 - San Joaquin River Gorge Loop

Trail head: Ya Gub Weh Tuh Trailhead

Hike Info:

Type:  Hiking

Trail: San Joaquin River (Pa'San Ridge Loop)

Destination: Loop

Distance: 7.65 miles

Start Time:  8:30

End Time:  12:51

Travel Time: 4:20 (1.77 mph)

Moving Time: 3:35 (2.13 mph)

Elevation Rise: 1,845'

Maximum Elevation: 1,882'

Description:
It is a pleasure to hike with my children. Today Rachel is coming with us. But she needs to be back to Fresno mid-afternoon so she can go to work. We meet with John and company at 7am at Kohl's, our usual winter meetup time. Then it is off to Prather and the BLM parking area around the San Joaquin River Gorge.

This is the second time I have hiked this trail. The first time was a year ago and it was a discovery for Sherri and I. This time around, I am wondering, will be as good as last time? What different things will be seeing? Part of the fun of being on a meetup hike meeting friends of ours like Betty whom we have not seen for awhile, or the two Jerry's,  Kate, Richard, Jing, and several others. Then there are new folks to hike with like Lora and Rebbecca. The later is from Exeter and I pick her brain about the murals down there for a future walk. Sounds like it is worthwhile making a trip there.

San Joaquin River bridge

Powerhouse and San Joaquin

This is a lollipop loop. The candy is a wide loop with a short stick. The first part from the parking lot is a pretty good downhill. Talking is good and we come to the bridge across the river where we regroup again. The water is low-seems like I say this on every hike these days. But there are some beautiful reflections on both side of the bridge. 

But now it is time to head up the hill. John decided we will go counter-clockwise. Either way, we get the fun of rising up on the emerald colored hills. Oaks are silhouetting their branches against the sky. We see evidence of recent rain and cow activity (explains the greenness of the grass). The trail meanders around with n it route up. I get a bit confused about which drainage we are in, but that is quickly cleared up-I tried to figure out where Delilah is and boy am I long ways off. 

 

Trail, Trees and Sky

At the top we stop for a break, allowing us all to socialize. I have a pleasant talk with Lora. Rachel needs to get to work at 3, so we make arrangements for Sherri and Art to have a ride back down. So when the group heads out, I am in the unaccustomed position of being in the faster group. Still, I do pretty decent. A bit tired, but that may be from the lingering effects of a cold. Some things about traveling faster, first my eyes do not have time to roam the country side as much. But the other thing, is instead of letting my eyes just droop to the ground, they are roving and taking in more.

Such a nice meadow

Unfortunately, not much time for lollygagging. So when we hit the bridge, Rachel and I just keep on going. The good part of going back up to the car, and I do mean up, for some reason, this part of the trail has seemed like it is faster finishing up than starting. But that is a good thing. Rachel and I get to the car a little before 1 and make it back to Fresno about 1:45, plenty of time to get cleaned up from hiking and going to her job. Sherri said that they ate at a Mexican restaurant in Prather, an enjoyable time. They got back around 4.

Looking down into the gorge

Oak

San Joaquin River

January 25, 2015 - Lewis Creek

Title: January 25, 2015 - Lewis Creek

Trail head: Cedar Valley Road

Hike Info:

Type:  Hiking

Trail:Lewis Creek

Destination: Red Rock Falls

Distance:  6:41 miles ¹

Start Time: 9:52 ¹

End Time:  2:40

Travel Time: 4:47 (1.34 mph) ¹

Moving Time: 3:16 (1.96 mph) ¹

Elevation Rise: 1,325' ¹

Maximum Elevation: 4,284'
 ¹The GPS was off for the first 40 minutes. Times and speeds are extrapolations. Distance and elevation gain is measured based upon return trip information.

Description:

Today's hike is along a trail Sherri and I are very familiar with. We first discovered it from a Fresno Bee article some 15 years ago. Since then we have hiked it in the Fall, Winter, Spring and Summer and have thrilled with it each time. But that brings about, can you get to familiar with a trail?

Today we meet at Kohl's at the unhiking hour of 8:00am-shouldn't hikes start at the break of day? Rose and Shawn give us a ride to the trail head via a stop at the Oakhurst Starbucks.There is 12 others on this hike, some having met us at Kohl's, others at the trail head. But all look forward to walking this trail. We start at Cedar Valley Road, the bottom of the trail, just before the tract limits.

Corlieu Falls

It already is getting warm at the start, so I wear my Smart Wool shirt over a T-shirt. I start of with Elizabeth, Pam, and Navi in the lead and we walk the first part pretty well. The others are only a few minutes behind. Even with the dryness, Lewis Creek is flowing, maybe not at full flow, but still a lot more than one would expect. The oaks still have greenery and present a nice canopy. We get to Corlieu Falls and enjoy the water descending. I take the opportunity to get down to the T-shirt and shorts level of clothing. It is that kind of day, even in January.

There we stop on the platform, rest and enjoy. Then off up the short, but a bit steep part of the trail-climbing the side of the falls. But quickly we get to the top. Mike and I think the warm springs may be up farther-but I am wrong, it is across from the rock platform at the fall's top. (In another blog entry, I have a picture of the springs, for those who are curious.)

There is a short cut if one wants it or lacks the time just above Corlieu Falls. You can park your car there and see Corlieu and Red Rock Falls without much effort. But we do not stop here, at least not for long. We cross Lewis Creek. The old log bridge has been torn down and been replaced, maybe temporarily, b rocks, tree rounds, and limbs. Wonder how this will pan out once the Spring run-off hits, assuming we have any.

On the other side, our trail takes a left. But a few of us go with Mike up a trail on the right. There is an old mine about 20-30 minutes walk up that trail. I turn around with Aggie, but Rose, Becky and Mike go to the mine and look around. At least I now know where the mine is.

Trees and Sky

Sherri is now with Aggie and I. Shawn has run off, and I mean run, to catch up with the faster group to make sure they do not go too far wrong. We enjoy the walk up to Red Rocks-it is less steep than the lower part of the trail. Before long we get to the cut off for Red Rock Falls and walk down to it.

Here, we have the rest of our group. Also Karol, Juliann-her grand daughter, and Bella-her dog, also are savoring this spot. We enjoy the talking and eating of lunch for a pretty long time before packing up and coming back. And yes, the mine group does catch up to us. Everybody is in front, except for Shawn, Rose, Sherri, Karol, Juliann, Bella and I. But we enjoy our pleasant saunter down the trail.  I play with Juliann along the way down, acting like a kid-that is good for the soul.

At the cut off to 41, Karol, Juliann and Bella leave us and the four of us return down to the car at Cedar Valley. We do not rush, but enjoy the creek and nature around us, as well as the conversations about backpacking, photography and life. Isn't that sort of what hiking is about?

When we get back to the car, Make, Barney and Judy are waiting for us. Shawn wants to show off Pete's Place-a breakfast and sandwich place in Oakhurst. So we meet Karol and her party there and enjoy a good, filling and satisfying meal there before heading home. We arrive at Kohl's at 4:30. Even though I did not drive, I feel tired. A good way to end a hike with friends.


Trail Lesson:

When something is familiar it tends to be ignored. Do I ignore what is around me or do I let the familiarity enable me to  look closer and see wonder?

 

January 24, 2015 - Henness Ridge Lookout and Deer Camp Trail

Title: January 24, 2015 - Henness Ridge Lookout and Deer Camp Trail

Trail head: Yosemite West-Azalea Lane

Hike Info:

Type:  Hiking

Trail: Henness Ridge Lookout Service Road

Destination: Henness Ridge Lookout

Distance: 2.13 miles

Start Time:  9:05

End Time:  10:20

Travel Time: 1:14 (1.72 mph)

Moving Time: 0:51 (2.50 mph)

Elevation Rise: 388'

Maximum Elevation: 6,277'

 Description:

This walk was originally meant to be a snowshoe hike. But there was one requirement lacking-SNOW!  So we turned it into a hike in two parts. The first is fast becoming a favorite short hike. 

Leslie and Sherri on way to the Lookout

We meet at Kohl's at 7. We have six people on the hike-ten signed up for it. But we have Leslie and Dennis as well as Rachel and Sherri from my family. A sixth hiker is Eric whom I have not hiked with before, but have seen as going on several meetup hikes. As the day progresses, I enjoy talking with Eric throughout today. After a brief stop at Starbucks in Oakhurst, we progress on. We do see Jodie and Dana, but they are going on another hike as well as Mark D's group who is climbing Chilnualna Falls.

We get to Henness Ridge around 9. A bit cool, but comfortable. Way warmer than a January morning at 6,000' should be. We scurry on up the service road to Henness Ridge lookout. Our group is impressed with the view, and slightly skewed on directions. Sometimes being on top of something has you a bit turned. Sherri and I talk about our lookout experiences to the amazement of the group, spending a while just admiring what we are seeing. Then stopping for a group pose before returning to the cars. But now it is onward to the next adventure.

Trail head: Deer Camp Trailhead, across from Yosemite West

Hike Info:

Type:  Hiking

Trail: Deer Camp

Destination:Strawberry Creek

Actual Destination: Bishop Creek

Distance: 6.08 miles

Start Time:  10:35

End Time:     1:36

Travel Time: 3:00 (2.03 mph)

Moving Time: 2:20 (2.61 mph)

Elevation Rise: 547'

Maximum Elevation: 6,236'

Description:

Dennis and Eric walking old Railroad bed

I have never hiked along this section of the Deer Camp Trail, so going with 5 other people will be an adventure, which I am looking forward to. Someplace I read this trail was an old railroad bed used for lumber trains. That makes sense since we will be crossing a creek named Rail Creek (turns out that was a false assumption. Rail Creek gets it name because of the place where they made the railroad ties.). Also where parts of this trail meets up is over at Alder Falls which I know is an old rail bed.

After making use of the facilities at Chinquapin, we come back to the trail head, right across from Yosemite West. The turnout is a bit hidden, but having scouted it out before, we don't do much searching. Plenty of room to park our two cars.

The first 50 yards, we do a slight rise which we buzz through. And that is the last time we see any signs of significant elevation gain-and this gain may have been 30-40', if one is overly in need of altitude gain. The rest of the trail is about as flat as you can get in the Sierra's. I have previously said that I thought Lyell Canyon was the flattest trail in the Sierra's, but I will be modifying that trail to being the flattest on the JMT. We speed along-for us-at about 2.5 miles, talking and enjoying the sights.

Rail Creek trickle

Deer Camp Trail is just flat out pleasant to walk on. Relaxing, most places two or three people can walk together and enjoy each others company-which is what we did. Pleasant is a good word since this is a journey of no jaw-dropping vistas, just forested lands. In spring when there is run off and the world is wet I suspect  the ground will be littered with wildflowers. We are the only ones making sounds, all is quiet, since we are about a third of a mile down the trail. The trail does parallel Highway 41 until 41 drops away on its route to the Merced.

Little meadow close to Strawberry Creek

We come up to Rail Creek-it actually has a little bit of a water flow. But it is enough for us to stop and look. On the upside of the trail, the water trickles into a culvert pipe, but does not emerge on the other side. Should call the water department and tell them we have a leak or something? We travel on and come to what would be a wondrous meadow in the Spring. I think this was a site of the proposed Olympic games in the 1930's-went to Lake Placid instead-I am glad. Shortly afterwards we get to Strawberry Creek. No water there and a bit in the shade so we travel a hundred yards up and find glorious sunshine and have our lunch.

Some snow, lots of dirt

We do feel like hiking a bit more, so we make Bishop Creek in about 10 minutes after eating lunch. It is time to turn back. I have said this would be an easy hike, and it is. This will put us at 8 miles for the day, which is beyond most people's definition of easy. But between the group's experience level and the flatness of the trail, it is well within the group's capabilities. We return the way we came. Nothing heart stopping, just a lot more of enjoyable peacefulness. We do see across the way. Eric spots the antenna for data communications on Henness Ridge. Also we can look across the drainage to see where we have come from at Bishop Creek.

We get back to the cars about 1:30. The only other people we saw on the trail was right at the end-four college kids with some beer. We decide to head on down to Oakhurst and stop at Southgate Brewery for eats. All enjoy and get back to Fresno by 4:30. About the time we start to leave Southgate the Chilnualna folks come in, looking mighty pleased with themselves. But I think we had a good amount of pleasure ourselves today. My conclusion about our new trail? This is not a destination trail-where you are going somewhere, but a journey trail where you enjoy where you are walking.

Henness Ridge from Deer Camp Trail

Trail Lesson:

We don't need extreme beauty to make a walk pleasurable-good scenery, good sunshine and good people help.

Bishop Drainage

Rachel contemplating Rail Creek

January 7, 2015 - San Joaquin River Trail: Italian Bar to Hooker Creek

Title: January 7, 2015 - San Joaquin River Trail: Italian Bar to Hookers Creek

Trail head: Italian bar

 Hike Info:

Type:  Hiking

Trail: San Joaquin River Trail

Destination: Hookers Creek

Actual Destination:  About two miles short of Hooker Creek

Distance: 7.10 miles ¹

Start Time:  9:00

End Time:   2:19

Travel Time: 5:18 (1.34 mph)

Moving Time: 3:06 (2.29 mph)

Elevation Rise: 1,883'

Maximum Elevation: 2,976'

 ¹This is the mileage I traveled. The group traveled different distances. Some went farther and others went shorter.

Description:
This hike really knocked me. Definitely harder than expected. Somewhat because of the steepness, somewhat because of the heat and somewhat because of being exposed to the sun so much without shade. But more of that as I go along.

We start the day at Kohl's with me driving and Audrey coming with Sherri and I. There is a little bit of a downer because of the no-shows on this limited travel hike-15 allowed. So when four do not show and there was many people chomping at the bit to go, well, you get the idea.

We stop a little outside of North Fork. What's to stop at there? The exact geographic Center of California (37°09′58″N 119°26′58″W ).  Now I would say on a scale of 1 to 10, how exciting can a benchmark and a plaque be? Well, John W can make Drano exciting. First, we are drawn into the vortex of being the center of all of California. Then John and Cathey have us celebrate our accomplishment with a bit of bubbly-sparkling cider for the record.

But onward to the main trail of the day. We continue our way down the Italian Bar Road until not quite the San Joaquin River. Actually, even before this, we stop at the boat launch for a bathroom break. Then we head to our parking place. The parking area is on the opposite side of the road from our trail head, maybe two hundred yards from the bridge.

Walkers on the road

There is a gated road up a ways from the parked cars. But before that is a little short-cut of a trail which leads up to the road-sort of nice, sort of steep, but it is short. Once on the road, John notes that the road is not on the map from the San Joaquin River Trail Association (SJRT). While true, there is no trail on the US topo map, nor do we see anyplace else to walk. So we are content walking along the road. It goes generally up, but mostly goes around the edge of a ridge above the San Joaquin River. Pretty pleasant. As we go around this ridge, one feature will consistently draw my attention on this hike: Southern California Edison's Power Station #3.

Power Station #3

This power station is part of the Big Creek System. It is feed water through penstocks, fed from Shaver Lake-that is the long tubes you see in the picture. Above the penstocks is the Million Dollar Road which we have walked on occasion.




Once we round the end of the ridge, we cross under some power lines, and then the fun starts. The road starts up the ridge. With the rains which happened in December, everything is green and pleasant. The air is warm, but comfortable. But I can tell it has been awhile since I have hiked and about three months since I have hiked seriously. So even this little uphill starts me to breathing harder. I have been talking with Kate, Richard and Kurt. But it is amazing how a good conversation will keep ones mind off of the stress of hiking.

But now the trail keeps going up and I am needing to stop for breaks. While saying it is so others can catch up, I do not think I am fooling anybody that I also need the stops as well. Others are thinking we are close to the top, but looking at our maps I am seeing it is at least another 1,000' till we cross over a ridge and drop down to Hookers Creek. We have already gone 3 miles and most of us are feeling the effects of the 1,200' we have already come up.

Stevenson Falls

Some of us decide to turn back, but most continue on. After another half mile, we stop by the side of the road and have a lunch. I think we are ready to turn back, but I am thinking I would like to see what is around the corner. So Lee and I head up.  We do get to see a bit of Stevenson Falls with bridge for the Million Dollar Road. The San Joaquin is low, but there is still a small amount of water flowing. About that time, most of the rest of the bunch is coming up the road and decides to continue on up. I am content to stay where I am and enjoy the view. Sherri asks about a domed area to the east, but there is not much to say about it from PeakFinder. From my content position, sitting back on the side of the road, I am ready for a  nap. All I need is my milk and graham crackers.

Charging back to the cars

After a while, several of the group who went ahead comes back. They did not make it to the top of the ridge-after looking at the map, I would have been surprised if they did. Not because these folks aren't great hikers-they are, but it is a long ways and a good trip up.  So down we go.

Let me just say, going down this thing is much easier than going up it. I felt good-even keeping up with Kate, whom I had a good discussion on backpacking with. Four of us set a good clip coming down and four are behind.  With the ease of descent, I am able to take a little bit better look around me. The power station does dominate still. But now I get to enjoy the brush and trees, the tops of the mountains around us.

The return back is just backtracking the road we came up. As I travel down this, I have several thoughts. First, just glad it is January and not June. When we got back to the car, saw that my thermometer recorded 82 degrees. This goes with warmer than expects-notice above I am in shorts and a T shirt. Also it is OK, but not spectacular-would I walk it again? Yes, but it will not be a walk I gravitate to. The draw of it being part of the San Joaquin River Trail is interesting. And that is the last thought. When you look at the SJRT maps, it shows a trail. My comment when I first saw it was, you got to be kidding. It looks like it follows the power lines. On the map it does. But I think the someone got lazy and did not follow the road on the map. While the road is OK, it definitely is not a great trail. The SJRT organization could help hikers out by giving better information on the trail. Like a description, better map and what the trail looks like. All in all, I am glad I walked it. Maybe next time, I will be in better shape and complete the hike to Hookers Creek.



Trail Lesson:

Curiosity will lead you around a corner, and then another corner, .... and then another corner. Will there ever be an end to my curiosity?

San Joaquin River gorge

Redinger lake

Ridge above the trail