August 25, 2016 - Woodchuck Creek

Title:  August 25, 2016 - Woodchuck Creek
Hike Info : Description :  Menu : Extra Photo's :  Flowers and Plants

Trail head:Woodchuck Trail Head near Wishon Reservoir

Hike Info:

Type: Backpacking

Trail:Woodchuck Country

Destination:At least Chuck Pass Trail Junction
Actual Destination:Woodchuck Creek

Distance:  5.72 miles ¹

Start Time:12:06

End Time:    6:30 

Travel Time:  6:23 (0.90 mph)

Moving Time:  4:31  (1.27 mph)

Elevation Rise:  1,806'

Maximum Elevation: 8,076'

 ¹Usually I have my spreadsheet to ignore anything less than 0.5mph. But because of the steepness, I changed it to 0.1mph.

Gary already resting

Description:

 Today is our start of our 4 or 5 day trip with Rose. Rose was one of our JMT hiking group. She had to go off the trail some foot problems. but she is all recovered and ready to hit a trail again.

I get up around 6:30 and Sherri gets up shortly afterwards. We leave the house after 8 and reach Rose's house about 8:45. After saying goodbye to Rose's husband, Jeff, Rose drives us up to Wishon Reservoir. We first stop in Prather to get our lunch and dinner. The ladies behind the counter are blast and we enjoyed the jousting. By this time we get to Wishon, it's around 10:45. By the time it we get the trail it's after 11  (my GPS says that it was after 12-so I think my sense of time is off as well as direction.) when we get started).

On the Trail

Mountains, but not ours

Something needs to be said about the start of the trail. The trail head sign we were looking for said Woodchuck.  So when a sign says Woodchuck along with an area map and a parking area, you sort of think this is the place. But little did I realize that we're about 300 feet below where we thought we were starting. So this is about another three quarters of a mile and a 300 foot to add to our hike. Its just that's  how my starts are going lately. Some mishap at the start and lot of fun as it go along.

We reach the road which goes to the Woodchuck pack station.  And now we start our climb. Its not a steep one, just a long progression across a ridge rather than up it.  I for one am glad of the gradualness of the climb. I really would not want to go up this straight thing as the topo map leaves me tired just looking at it. We round the ridge and then climb up some more. By this time we are into the trail about an hour and so we take off for packs and take a break. Shortly afterwards a packer comes down the trail and talks with Sherri and Rose. He wonders is it just them two? They comment that their token male is resting over by the tree-that's me. I feel so used :-)

Crossing Woodchuck Creek-Rose and Sherri

We continue on and we had our first water and crossing. This is a hopeful sign as we have only seen moist spots so far. I believe that this is Woodchuck Creek. Now the trail really starts to rise and we start sweating as it is warm and we are in the middle of the afternoon. I can't say that there's anything wonderful about the scenery except just being out in the woods. That is always great.

Another hill-Sherri and Rose

About 4 o'clock we hit some water after climbing up at least 800-1,1000; from the creek. After looking at the map we realize that there's another 3 to 400 foot rise until we get more water, if it is there. Also will there be a place to sleep close by? The topo map shows those contour lines close together.  Since we do not know if that will have water or if there will be a campsite close by, we decide to stay at the 8,000' mark and find a place to pitch tents.

Camp by Woodchuck Creek

Actually, we do find a pretty good place to pitch our tents and even have good water access (37.01698, -118.92316).  So this is where we will stay the night.We have our Subway sandwiches for dinner.  After a while this getting dark and cold and soul we go to bed.

Before signing off, we met a couple of hikers-Jason and Adam. They were looking for a place to camp. But decided to go up a bit farther-we did not see them again that night.

Menu

Breakfast	Lunch	Dinner	Snacks
Breakfast at home	Subway sandwich	Subway sandwich	Clif Bar, GORP, Propel, CytoMax, Scrytch, Coffee Candy, Jelly Belly

Extra Photo's

Wishon Dam

Flowers and Plants

Possibly Baby Blue Eyes?

Mountain Ahs? Bitter Cherry> Or Something Else?