March 7, 2015 - Million Dollar Mile to Stevenson Falls and Beyond

Title: March 7, 2015 - Million Dollar Mile to Stevenson Falls and Beyond

Trail head: Italian Bar Road

Hike Info:

Type:  Hiking

Trail: Million Dollar Mile Road

Destination: End of the Road

Distance: 14.73 miles

Start Time: 8:52

End Time: 2:33

Travel Time: 5:40 (2.60 mph)

Moving Time: 4:45   (3.10 mph)

Elevation Rise: 1,663

Maximum Elevation: 2,514'

Description:
This will be the last serious push to get ready for our half marathon in a week. So we have put it up on our meetup hike. We did this road to Stevenson Falls last month, but it is a good place to go beyond the Falls and up the road. We will see what we can see then. It is a timed walk so at a particular point, we will turn around and come back.

We meet at Kohls at 7:00 and are on our way with 24 of our best friends-at least for the day. We will also meet some new canine friends as well-all well-behaved. A good many people will join us in Prather or at the trail head. LaTanya is riding with us, along with Steven, our son. We get to Prather a bit earlier than I anticipated-about 7:50 and wait for Betty-I had told her 8am is when we would get there. Then it is off to the trail head on Italian Bar road.

Stevenson Falls

Just before 9, we gathered together and I gave the ground rules for today. This is not a destination hike, but a timed hike. We will hike for 2 1/2 hours and stop, enjoy a break or lunch, then hike back. We should all get back around 2:15. After taking a group picture, we head out at a pretty reasonable pace. I walk with Von and Don, in shorts and a T-shirt. While cool, in a short time I am starting to sweat from our walking.

In just over an hour, we reach Stevenson Falls. This is where we have reached before and stopped. Stevenson is worthwhile stopping for. One of those hidden gems. The flow is variable, based upon how much water is being released from Shaver Lake. We stop for awhile before moving on.

Road above Stevenson Creek

When we do move on, it is time to go to parts unknown, at least for me. Looking forward to seeing what is here. Like the more westward portion of the river, this part of the San Joaquin River has formed a deep gorge, cutting through slabs of granite. We are walking over 200' above the river. In one place, there is a steps which lead down to the water, but none of us go down-maybe we know that the rest of the hike will be hard enough on us without adding a climb back up.

Dam #6

As we look up the gorge, we see a dam. I am not familiar with the landmarks of the area, but after consulting a topo map for the area, I realize this is Dam #6. This is close to the end of the road which we are following. I think we have made a lot better time than what I anticipated!

End of the line

Sure enough. We come around a corner and there is Liane, Lee, Donna, Steven, LaTanya, Karen, Joe, Gary F, Don and several other people sitting, enjoying some shade under a couple penstocks, at the end of the road! Here we break out lunch and enjoy a break. My legs are just starting to feel a bit tired, so getting the weight off of them is good.

Penstocks at the end

Judy went down a ways and found a small waterfall. But the only taker she found on a return engagement was Jerry J and Liane. The rest of us were content to munch on lunch an enjoy the shade.

Dripping rocks

Deadly Lizard Face

Adit

At 11:50, we started to break up and be on our way back. While the road was much the same, except reversing the ups and downs, it did give me time look around a bit more. Such as examining some water coming down the face of a rock or looking in at one of the adit's coming out of the side of a mountain. These adits were used to provide access to the bigger tunnels being drilled through the mountain from Shaver lake, according to The Clovis News. We even found a lizard enjoying himself on the pavement.

Stevenson Falls

I had walked with Steven for a ways. he was being slowed up due to some blisters on his feet. At the halfway back mark, I caught up with Sherri at Stevenson Falls, There Steven caught up with us and Sherri administered some of her Second Skin magic. Liane and Gary F offered assistance which Steven declined, saying he thought he would be ok.

From there, it was anti-climatic getting back to the car. I walked with Steven as he hobbled along. We got back in at 2:30, slightly behind schedule. The last of our friends came in a few minutes after that. From there, many of us retired to Velesco's in Prather for a good and well deserved after hike meal. Liane has gotten Donna a pre-birthday cake which we all enjoy before our meal. Then it is time to return to Fresno.


Trail Lesson:

Life is for Living. - courtesy of Sandra S

San Joaquin River

Dam #6