February 27, 2016 - Pincushion Peak

Title: February 27, 2016 - Pincushion Peak

Trail head: Cow Chute on Finegold Road

Hike Info:

Type:  Hiking

Trail: Pincushion Alternate

Destination:Pincushion

Distance: 2.38 miles

Start Time:  9:51

End Time:  12:42

Travel Time: 2:50 (0.84 mph)

Moving Time: 1:30 (1.59  mph)

Elevation Rise: 913'

Maximum Elevation: 1,538'

Description:
We have been up Pincushion before-a 1,500' mound surrounded on three sides by Millerton Lake. But it has been by the trail from the State Park side, not from the FineGold Road side. So this should be a fun adventure for us.

Also, this is the inaugural hike for the Moving Mountain Hiking Group on Facebook, put together by Shawn for some friends of hers who wanted to hike with her. We meet at 9:00am, a totally ridicules time to start a hike. Aren't all hikes to start at 6am, 8 at the latest? But it is just a short drive from the Four Corners area in Madera to Table Mountain Casino and then down Sky Harbor/FineGold Road.

East to Table Mtn

There we find some old hiking friends: Lee and Donna, and Lori and Wayne by the trail-head at the cow chute.  After grouping up , we take off.  Immediately the trail starts it's ascent, and not your gentle rolling hills, but a let's tackle this Hill straight on trail. Turns out this is about an 800' climb per mile,  or a 15% grade.

But there are several things making this an enjoyable walk. The rains we got in January are making the hills be covered with shimmering emeralds, or at least the color there of.  On top of that a pattern of whites, purples, orange and rose sprinkle through this covering. The one thing marring. The scene is a layer of gray which only more rain will wash out of the sky.

Gary and one of the new hiking friends

Most of the people I am hiking with today are new to me. But as one person noted,  these are friends  of Shawn, so they must be nice. This is a true statement, at least with these  friends.  I enjoy walking with several of therm. It also gives me a chance to catch up with Lori and gain some new knowledge, such as what EMDR therapy is-will at least an overview.

By this time, we have reached Pincushion's top. We spend some time up here, gawking at its 360 degree view.  If only a it was a clear day. Even the coastal range would be in view. So we are content with seeing only the shadowy form of  the snowy Sierras to the East. Even Delilah is fuzzy.

Peaks seen from Pincushion Mountain from the PeakFinder application

Pincushion Mountain

Millerton Lake and Beyond

But now, all good things come to an end and we do need to start getting down the mountain. But instead of retracing our route, we come down northeast instead of southwest. This is the trail going to the State Park. it is a bit more  interesting going down than what we came up. Even though they both are not your straight forward walk in the park hiking. But we get down, then loop back on an old dirt road which circumscribes the Pincushion. This gives new sights and a bit more walking

San Joaquin River Trail cutting through a poppy field

Like usually, I am the last off the mountain. But it was a good hike. Then it was off to the Pizza Factory in Friant for a Dam Pizza. We get home someplace around 3:45pm, slightly tired, but doing good.

Popy and Lupine fields

Fields of Color

Popcorn Flowers

Maybe Fiddlenecks?

To the North

February 6, 2016 - Corrine Lake

Title: February 6, 2016 - Corrine Lake

Trail head: Road 222, out of North Fork

Hike Info:

Type:  Hiking

Trail: Road 8S48

Destination: Corrine Lake

Distance:  6.52 miles

Start Time:  9:07

End Time:  12:13

Travel Time: 3:05 (2.11 mph)

Moving Time: 2:38 (2.48 mph)

Elevation Rise: 748'

Maximum Elevation: 2,557'

Description:
Generally I do not like hiking dirt roads, and today's meetup hike is along a dirt road. So we shall see how I like it. We gather at 7:00am in front of Eddie's Bakery, 22 of us; many I know and some will be new to me. Bruce who is leading this hike is new to me, but from my understanding he has a vast amount of experience. Always interested in another person whose brain I can pick.

The hike starts a little out of North Fork, along Italian Bar Road where the Exact Center of California is located-but that is further down the road. Where the road crosses a flume coming from Manzanita Lake. We will come familiar with this flume as we walk today.  We park a couple hundred yards on the Corrine Lake Rd, at a wide spot and take off down the road.

One of those trees

This road turns out to be pretty nice to walk on. We able to hold conversations, many people abreast. The hills are rolling, making for a bit of exercise. Sometimes you get these dirt roads being pretty dusty, but either because we are in winter or the clayishness of the dirt, the footing is firm.

But what makes this hike good is the trees. I am a sucker for oak trees, particularly when they silhouetted against the sky. There is something which makes me just want to gaze at these trees. I cannot say they are stately or awe-inspiring. Maybe it is that they survive and thrive against odds. Whatever it is, they cause me to look and enjoy, and that is what this walk is doing for me, causing me to enjoy these trees.

Flume at our parking area

The road does follow the flume as it flows in and out of hills, or goes under the road and disappears someplace only to reappear again a half mile later. Sort of fun to ponder this and where it comes from (Manzanita Lake it turns out.) . John's and mine ponder picks up the pace when we notice a pumping station along the flume. Why would they have a pumping station? For what purpose? Corrine Lake is a bit higher up than the flume. But if the water is to create electricity, why pump it higher? These life questions one ponders while we are walking.

Speaking of Corrine Lake, we have arrived there. This is a man-made lake, almost rectangular with a pumping station on one end. We can tell where we walk over the penstocks. There is a small point where we can look out over the San Joaquin and where I think the Million Dollar Mile is. We break here at the lake and I pass out my brownies, which are appreciated.

Corrine Lake

Pumping/Powerhouse at Corrine Lae

Ducks on Corrine Lake

 

Across the San Joaquin River

Now it is time for our trip back. Sort of the same walk back. Jeffery, Jerry K and another are picking up garbage as they go along, including an assortment of what may have been balls in a previous life. That gets things into a playfull mood. Before we know it, we are back at the cars.

Walking the Road

Of course, what is a hike without stopping for eats. So we stop in North Fork at a Mexican restaurant called La Cabana. Food was pretty good.  Not quite set up for a large group, but we make do. As we were leaving, Cathey asked about some neighbors of ours. Turns out they are in the restaurant, so I turn around, go in and talk with them for awhile. At this point, one of our hikers discover that her wedding ring's diamond had gotten lose from its settings and was lost. We looked in my car and around the restaurant and could not find it. That set a low tone for our drive back. But we got back to Fresno safe, but a bit tired.