Wednesday, May 27, 2015

May 27, 2015 - Park Ridge Lookout

Gary, Sherri, Kim
Title: May 27, 2015 - Park Ridge Lookout

Trail head: General's Highway at South Boundary Trail
Hike Info:
Type:  Hiking
Trail: Azalea and Park Ridge Trail
Destination: Park Ridge Lookout
Distance: 5.50 miles
Start Time:  10:09
End Time:     2:42
Travel Time: 4:33 (1.21 mph)
Moving Time: 2:50 (1.94  mph)
Elevation Rise: 1,407'
Maximum Elevation: 7,556'

Description:
Just a quick little hike today. Sherri told Kim that if we went hiking today, we would be glad to take her. She being sooo naive, said she would come with us. So this should be a nice walk.We pick up Kim at her house at 8:15 and head towards Grant Grove. Along the way, I suggest that we might try a trail which I have not been on for 50 years, the Azalea Trail. Poor people, they do not know what this involves-neither do I, but at least I read the map.

Kim and Sherri on Not A Trail
We get into the park and find the start of the South Boundary trail. Across the General's Highway is the start of our trail, sort of hidden-you have to be looking for it. But we do find it and start walking along the trail, passing a sign saying, Park Ridge, 2 miles. We cross a small creek and are about the cross a road-hey wait a minute. We do not cross a road, nor a creek on the map. Where did I go wrong? So we backtrack across the creek and start making our way up it, with the hope of finding the trail. I look up and see the stone work for the trail. So we climb up the dirt embankment-both Sherri and Kim are good sports.

Sugar Pine












Now it is a matter of following the trail up to the top of Park Ridge. It is a good walk up. In a couple of weeks, the azaleas should be out in full leaf and maybe blooms. The trail is nicely shaded, but goes up and up and up. But we are enjoying our walk and the talk which goes with hiking. Kim is relatively new to the Sierras so every time we have walked with her, it has been fun pointing out some of the things which goes with the area. Today, it is sugar pines. The long cones are worth noting in their own right. But then we show Kim the tops of the trees where the cones hang like Christmas ornaments, even to an old jaded person like myself, it gives me a time to pause and enjoy.

Kim and Sherri on Park Ridge
We reach the top of Park Ridge, but not the lookout. That is another 3/4 of a mile walk along the ridge. Nothing very eventful happens along this route. So we get to the lookout, but nobody is home. I message Wendy and she confirms, nobody is scheduled, but we are ok to go up on the catwalk. After lunch, we take Kim up and she is amazed at what she can see.
Big Baldy from Park Ridge Lookout

East from Park Ridge Lookout








As we started back, engine 51 for SEKI comes up the road.  I go back and talk with Tom. He is not the engine captain, evidently there is not a captain since Larry left. They are at the lookout to fill the water tank-soap water. I am sure we will run into him when Sherri and I are at the lookout.

On our way down, we hit the Azalea Trail, we realize how steeply we came up. But it is a lot easier to come down than to go up it. As we come to the junction where I lost the trail coming up, I do a head slap-it was so obvious. Remember the trail sign? Just look behind it and there is a trail. Oh well.

Sherri, Kim
Gary on catwalk

















We decide to go up to Panorama Point just so we can see the area in northern Kings Canyon. Mt Goddard shows up, along with the Palisades. Buck Rock is there too. So is the ringing of the phone in my pants. It is my brother. Reception is bad, so I talk with him at the Visitor Center. Dad is having a hard time breathing. Also their caregiver is leaving. Boy things happen while I am out hiking. Both of these  get resolved. But we decide to hurry back to Fresno. A good day up at Grant Grove, but a bit hectic at the end. We had fun with Kim. Hope to hike with her many more times.

Pretty, but unknown flower




Monday, May 25, 2015

May 25, 2015 - Lewis Creek

Title: May 25, 2015 - Lewis Creek
Trail head: Cedar Valley Road
Hike Info:
Type:  Hiking
Trail: Lewis Creek Trail
Destination:Red Rock Falls
Distance:  6.23 miles 1
Start Time: 11:30ish
End Time:    4:00ish
Travel Time: 4:30 (1.38 mph)
Moving Time: 3:16 (1.91 mph)
Elevation Rise: 1,831'
Maximum Elevation: 4,200'
 1I forgot my GPS so I used the GPS on my phone. Steven's Android came in pretty close as well: 6.40 miles. Both of these are in the ball park with our January Lewis Creek hike of 6.41 miles. Also see the map and profile in January for more info. 
May 27, 2015 - to add insult to injury, I had my GPS with me all the time. I had thrown it into my backpack and was carrying it, off, all the time.

Description:
I need to read more of John Muir before I go on a hike. Why you might ask? Is it because I am walking in the same area? No. There is something special pertaining to the hike today? No. Then why? Muir went through life with his eyes wide open. I have been reading Muir's My First Summer in the Sierra. I am amazed at the details of what he observed. So on this walk, I tried to observe a lot more rather than just walking the trail.  I think I was somewhat successful.


Creek Crossing

Below Corlieu Falls





We were going to go backpacking today, but were discouraged from doing so by the weather forecast which said rain and thundershowers this afternoon and evening. So it is a day hike for us. Originally, it was to be an early start, so I got up at 6:00am, read and had my quiet time. Everyone else started moving around 8:30 or 9:00. We finally hit the road at 10:30 or so.

Corlieu Falls
We get to the Cedar Valley Road/Lewis Creek trailhead around 11:15. Sherri drove. Our feet touch the trail at 11:30. I discovered I had forgotten my GPS, so it is time to see how my phone stacks up as a GPS.

Sherri and Steven started ahead of me. I am carrying a 33 pound pack-still packed with what I would have brought backpacking. But that does not make me lag behind. Just getting my phone synced up with the GPS. But I start in and realize in a few minutes that I am taking Muir's example. At least I think I am seeing more. More flowers are drawing my attention and the attention of my camera-the phone once again.

I am surprised as I thought even though this being May, most of the flowers would be dead and dried by now with our drought conditions. But I guess with the late rains, things have perked up a bit. There are many flowers decorating our path-the petite, white blooms of mountain misery, some reds and golds. Even above Corlieu Falls, the dogwood flowers comes through. Then the butterflies are fluttering everywhere. Red Admirals, particularly, plus many smaller varieties.

Dogwoods and Gary
Steven on Trail
I catch up with Steven and Sherri when the trail meets up with the creek, maybe about a third of a mile into the hike. They are waiting, while I have been gazing. From there, I take the lead, but not able to do so much gazing. But with my pack, I do pretty well-a bit more huffing and puffing than I would like. But I have not done much hiking this past month, so what can I say.  We stop for our lunch break at the base of Corlieu Falls. A few other groups are here as well, coming down from the Highway 41 trailhead. We stop for about 20-30 minutes before going on. Sherri goes wild with her pictures of the Red Admirals.

Now we go up the hardest part of the trail. Hardness is only in relative terms. It is steep, but short, maybe a third of a mile, going up 250-300', max. So we just buck it up and climb it. on top we come to the rock platform where you can go to the top of the falls. But we are onto Red Rock Falls.

The path up is mostly gentle and definitely not very hard. More flower abound, so we have plenty to feast our eyes on. We walk more along waters of Lewis Creek, sometimes close, sometimes above it. Pleasant, even though the afternoon is getting warm. But not as warm as it will be in a month.
Top of Red Rock Falls

Lewis Creek above Red Rock Falls
We finally come out at Red Rock Falls and enjoy this small fall. While the rock is not very red-at least compared to desert standards and the falls is not very high, there is sort of a serenity about the place with the large pool at its base and a log leaning across the rock. What makes me enjoy it is there is a small tree growing out of the top of log, at the top of the falls. So good to enjoy this sight. Only other people here is a catch-and-release fisherman and his family. He does catch a good size trout just to give him back to the creek.
Red Rock Falls

We stay at Red Rock Falls for half an hour before we turn back. The return trip is just the same as going up. But a lot easier. We make good time. But the warmth is now getting to us a bit more. So I am glad to be on the return trip. We stop at Alice's for dinner, which used to Todd's. I do not think it is quite as good as Todd's, but it is better than average. Also stopped at SouthGate Brewery to fill the growler. Even made it home in time to shower and go to house church. A good day.
Sherri at Red Rock Falls
Gary and Steven at Red Rock Falls





     
  
Steven at Red Rock Falls



Wildlife

Boykinia

Mountain Misery

Hartwig's Lily

California Indian Pink


Dogwood


Unknown

Unknown

Larkin's Admiral

Wednesday, May 13, 2015

May 13, 2015 - Henness Ridge and Deer Camp Trail


Title: May 13, 2015 - Henness Ridge
Trail head: Yosemite West
Hike Info:
Type:  Hiking
Trail: Henness Ridge Service Road
Destination: Henness Ridge Lookout
Distance: 1.83 miles 1
Start Time: 9:32
End Time:  10:56
Travel Time: 1:23 (1.37 mph)
Moving Time: 0:49 (2.31 mph)
Elevation Rise: 284'
Maximum Elevation: 6,330'
 1The mileage has varied between 1.80 and 2.13 miles. I think it is pretty close to 1.8 miles

Description:
Last January, I scheduled a snowshoe hike, but lacking snow, we turned this into a regular hike. The hike did Henness Ridge and Deer Camp Trail. There was six or seven of us who did this hike then. Today, we are doing another meetup hike, but this time we have a pretty large group of close to 30 people.

Like most of our hikes, we meet at Kohl's at 7:00am and head out to Starbucks in Oakhurst where we pick up Judy and Barney. Then it is off to Yosemite West to start our first hike of the day.

We park at the turnout by Azela Lane off of Henness Ridge Circle. Gathering 25-30 people is a bit more of a challenge than the six people we had there before, but it happens. We gather by the gated road and have our group picture before following the service road to the lookout. The trail is a service road up to the lookout. The first third of a mile is the most climbing we will do all day long, and that is about 200'.

When we round the last curve up to the lookout, there is general excitement-most of the group had not seen this lookout before-which is the first thing which attracts the attention. Then, lookout out into the South Fork of the Merced is the second thing which brings the ahhhs. The lookout is being worked on by NPS, so they scurry over to an asphalt pad. People wonder if this is the site of the original lookout-no, it is a helipad for emergencies.

Then we have an unexpected pleasure. A gentleman comes riding up on a bike and Sherri introduces him as a construction manager with NatureBridge. NatureBridge is building a a new center on Henness Ridge, close to Highway 41. Moose, the manager, told a bit about the project how it will be giving back the center at Tuolumne Grove, and how this area is less environmentally sensitive than along the Tioga Road. Also he talked about the lookout and encouraged us to write the park superintendent. Currently, the Park is searching for ways to use this lookout.

Time to turn back and return to the cars for the second hike of the day. But one piece of excitement is that we started hearing shouts of Moooseee! Moooseee! as Moose biked by us.



Title: May 13, 2015 - Deer Camp Trail

Trail head: Deer Camp Trail Head
Hike Info:
Type:  Hiking
Trail: Deer Camp Trail
Destination: Bishop Creek
Distance: 6.62 miles 2
Start Time: 11:17
End Time:    2:44
Travel Time: 3:27  (1.92 mph)
Moving Time: 2:49 (2.35 mph)
Elevation Rise: 392'
Maximum Elevation: 6,245'
 2Other people were getting mileages into the 8's. But the 6.62 miles on this GPS is consistent with the mileage we did in January.
 
Description:
The Deer Camp Trailhead is just across Highway 41 from Yosemite West. A couple of cars do an authorized detour to Chinqupin, a mile or so down the road for the facilities which flushed. So it took a while to get gathered back up again before heading out. This gives me a chance to talk with a couple biologists who have gone up the trail to study owls. They are waiting for a couple more of their team to return.

Meetup group on the trail
Being an old railroad bed for the Yosemite Lumber Railroad, and then later the Sugar Pine Railroad, our trail is pretty flat. One of the things which Moose told us was that the engine turnaround was about where the NatureBridge center was being built. Something new I picked up. A little ways away there was a long incluine set up to bring logs down to El Portal. There they would load the sugar pine lumber onto the Yosemite Valley RailRoad to be hauled down into the valley for cutting. The include, form what I understand had a mechanical donkey at the Yosemite West end which would control the lumber going down. Sometimes the men would ride the cart down, sometimes with unfortunate results.

But now it is time to hit the trail. As we discovered in January,  this is one of the easiest trails in Yosemite. Level and calming. Not much in the way with the big bang scenery. But this forces me to look at the usually less noticed things. There are some flowers out, but not many. Instead, we spot places where the logging of the sugar pine was done. Or just noticing the pines, dogwood and aspen we walk through. It is good to be out here, letting ones overstuffed mind enjoy the relaxation of the area.

Meadow and its Stumps
Also the sky is a bit overcast and we do get hit by a few drops of rain. Just enough to keep us going. This is also true of the coolness as well-it keeps us moving. I still have my long sleeved shirt with my pants, not shorts. Still feeling comfortable.

We start passing by Rail Creek, then Strawberry and finally get to Bishop. But on the map, it shows another segment of Bishop, so we walk there as well. This is about half of a mile further than we walked in January. I will say, there is not much there, maybe if water was running, I would say something else. We are walking this for the enjoyment, not the destination-have I said that before? This is our stopping place and we have lunch.

Our return trip is the reverse of our walk in. So we were concentrating on the return trip rather than on enjoying the woods. But as Cathey said, as the trail goes on, the woods just seem to close in. I do not think it was like the Babes in Toyland movie, but more that this is a trail which allows you to enjoy the woods when we walk, excluding other influences. You are not laboring, but loving the journey. But all things come to an end and we find ourselves back at the trailhead.
 Some cars have left, and we leave shortly after arriving. Our friends, the NPS biologists, are at the trailhead-they returned to pick up some things. We stop in Oakhurst at the South Gate Brewery to enjoy a meal before going back to Fresno. Sherri and I stop by Kaiser to take in our weight management class before heading home.


Unknown

Dogwood-start of blooms

Western Wallflower