Gary-Summer: January 2018

Wednesday, January 31, 2018

January 31, 2018 - Temperance Flat

Title: January 31, 2018 - Temperance Flat
Hike Info : Description : Trail Lessons : Extra Photo's : Flowers and Plants

Trail head:January 31, 2018 - Temperance Flat

Hike Info:

Type: Hiking

Trail: Temperance Flat

Destination: Temperance Flat

Distance: 7.14 miles ¹

Start Time: 8:23

End Time: 2:11

Travel Time: 5:47 (1.24 mph)

Moving Time: 5:03 (1.41 mph)

Elevation Rise: 1,476' ²

Descent: 1,484‘

Maximum Elevation: 854'
GPS Tracks

¹Mileage has been adjusted to reflect the true mileage of the trail. I personally traveled 7.82 miles, over 5:23 moving time; 6:09 total time.

²The elevation has been adjusted by creating another track which is a mirror-image of the one coming out. The original track has us starting at an elevation of 640’ and ending at 814’.

Description:

It is the first meetup hike which Sherri and I will have been on in awhile-that is except for the one we organized a couple of weeks ago. We meet at Eddie’s Bakery at 7:00am and leave before 7:10. Mario is riding with us-he was on our South Shore hike a couple of weeks ago. We get to the trail’s parking lot around 8:15 and are ready to hit the trail by 8:25.

But arriving there was half the fun. We were the last car to arrive. Between us and the car before us a small group of cattle decided to go on their morning exercise run. They came storming down the hillside, onto the road. Then half decided to cross the road in front of us and the other half was on the other side. They weaved back and forth across the road before trotting on up the hill to continue their herd-i-size.

Bill Explaining The Finer Points of the Trail

This is Sherri’s and mine first time on this trail. The excitement which we have is that this area has been under discussion to be dam’d up for more water storage. The dam being called Temperance Flat. While mostly remaining unconvinced that this is a good solution to California’s water crisis, I am interested in seeing what is so special about this area.

The “trail” itself is a bit contorted. Thankfully Bill gave an introduction and some pictures about some of the key points. From the parking area, you go through an opening in the fence-no not that way! By the gate down the paved road. You go on the paved road, over a cow grate until you get to a bend in the road. If you look closely, you will see a path going up to an opening in the barb wire fence-that that one. You still with me?

San Joaquin River

Good, because the trail gets a bit easier to follow. It now hugs that barbed wire fence-mostly because there is a good drop off on the other side. But once down that, we go and do a couple of switchbacks. Well, almost. Part of one of the “backs” have been washed out, so we cut a switchback. Now for some nice walking above the San Joaquin River.

San Joaquin River

We go through a gate which Bill has labeled “Confusion” Gate. Reason? Not so much how we are coming in. But when we return, the trail looks like it should go straight. But the astute person would see a small and narrow trail taking off to the left-that will be our trail coming back. Now to remember that.

Water in Millerton Lake Caves

Pretty soon we get to what looks like should be a creek. But there are giant boulders lining up the gully. Jerry is there is explain to us that this is the site of Millerton Lake Caves. We can hear the water running underneath these monster rocks.

Unnamed Pool

Shortly afterwards-we rounded a ridge or two we came to the “crooked” bridge. Bill was saying that originally it was a redwood bridge, but over the years it had disintegrated. BLM put helicoptered in an aluminum bridge to replace it. Feels good and solid.

Crooked Bridge

Squaw's Leap

Bill marks another place where we can get waylaid. Need to remember to veer left when coming back off of the dirt road. As we get closer to Temperance Flat, the ground takes the shape of more rolling hills covered with low grasses with trees-some oaks-spread across the landscape. I am feeling a lot more relaxed in my walking. Now to get a bit more speed and strength in my stride.

Once we hit Temperance Flat proper, the trail criss-crosses an access road. By one of the intersections, there is a old sign post, now called the picture frame. So we all get into the picture while Bill makes it the frame official with a picture. In ten minutes, we come to an outhouse and then down to the water’s edge to have lunch.

Lunch Break

Outhouse

View at Lunch

We sort of lounge around there. Betty, Sherri and I eat lunch together while looking out across the San Joaquin. Somebody ost be tired. Usually our rest stops are 15-20 minutes.. Today? A good 45 minutes. But we cannot stay here forever. So we start on our way back to the cars-pretty much reversing the route.

Being Watched

Shortly after starting, we see a bovine on guard duty.It observes us and then we pass by, it sounds a warning Moooo! to its companions. I am feeling pretty good but there are others who are behind me. So I slow down a bit and wait. That is not altogether unpleasant as there is a lot to see. When we are crossing the “crooked” bridge, there are some manzanita flowers in bloom-it is Winter isn’t it?

Guard Cow

Also the pond by the bridge is so serene. We do manage to go through all of the gates correctly. So no lost hikers today.

We continue on. It is a bit warm. Definitely warmer than what it should be for January. Like in the upper 60’s. I have gone to my T-shirt and shorts during the lunch break. Others still have multiple layers on. As we head up a slope, the warm day is definitely taking a toll on people. One normally strong person comes in pretty dehydrated. A lesson for me: make sure I take enough water and then drink it! But all arrive at the parking lot. And now at 2:40pm, the trail is clear.

On the way back, we stop in Prather for pizza at the Pizza Factory. I go through a couple glasses of tea-I must have been a bit low on fluid. The pizza is good. Then Sherri and I continue on home, stopping at Kaiser and Costco before getting home at 6:30.

Trail Lesson: Monitor myself and others for well-being.

Extra Photo's

Unnamed Pool

San Joaquin River

Flowers and Plants

Manzanita Flower

Sunday, January 28, 2018

January 28, 2018 - Davis Flat

Title: January 28, 2018 - Davis Flat
Hike Info : Description : Extra Photo's : Animals : Flowers and Plants

Trail head:Mill Flat Camp

Hike Info:

Type: Hiking

Trail: Davis Road

Destination: The Davis Fire burn area

Actual Destination: About a mile after Crabtree

Distance: 5.61 miles

Start Time: 1:07

End Time: 5:12

Travel Time: 4:04 (1.38 mph)

Moving Time: 3;29 (1.61 mph)

Elevation Rise: 993' ¹

Descent: 759‘

Maximum Elevation: 1,476'

GPS Tracks

¹According to the GPS, the starting elevation is 850’ with the ending of 1,148’, difference of close to 300’. This is compared to the difference in rise and descent of 234’. I will take our total rise of 759’.

Description:

Warning: The signs at the gate by Mill Flat Campground are not accurate. It should state that No Public Access Along Davis Road is allowed. While trails in the area is allowed. Check with the Hume Lake Ranger District for the latest.

Sherri walking the road

Last September Sherri and I spotted a fire from Delilah at Davis Flat. We knew that David Road was closed to vehicular travel due to rockslides. But we thought that we might be able to walk up to Davis Flat and take a look first hand. There were signs that prohibited travel up the road. But they expired in May 2017. So it sounded like we were OK to walk it, just not drive it since the gate was closed. After walking it, I called the Hume Lake Ranger District office and asked about it. The person on the other end was not sure either and took awhile in determining that there should be no public access on Davis Road, but OK to walk any of the trails in the area.

Mill Flat Creek

Now to go back to the beginning. David was over in Fresno with my Mom. So we suggested to David that we go on a hike. Steven would watch Mom and we would leave after church. The plan went well. Where too? For awhile I have wondered if the area we see around Davis Flat was as desolate as it appears from Delilah. Only one way to know.

After church we drove up to Pine Flat Dam and then around the reservoir-this is a long drive. But there is some interesting things back there. Another time to explore. We finally reach the back side of the reservoir and now drive about another 4 or 5 miles before getting to the turn off to go to Mill Flat Campground. This is all area we cannot see from Delilah, but can see over it.The three miles to Mill Flat Camp is good dirt road. By the time we get there, it is almost 1pm. So we will not have much time to hike.

David and Gary

We start up the road and one of the first things I notice is how different Mill Flat Creek looks close by versus when we are in the lookout. The greenery, the flowing creek over rock shelves inside of a deep canyon. I gain an appreciation for this area. I think that I will no longer be looking at it from a sense of just brown, hot grass. But more as an oasis of pleasantness. And the creek is just phenomenal! I would guess this is not a summer time flow, but still even in the middle of winter it is worth the walk.

David and I are talking about things, when Sherri excitedly says, look over there! Once I get my eyes adjusted, there is a bird sitting on a slope just eyeballing his surroundings, looking very stern, like he is the master of all he sees. Yes! It is a bald eagle. We watch it for 10 minutes while it poses for us, maybe 200-300 yards away. So fascinating! This road is changing from something which is to be trudged to a magical passage to a land of surprises.

Gary, Sherri and David

We eventually get to a place called Crabtree after crossing a small creek. There is a house here, but looks unoccupied. A little ways beyond its entrance, we stop and have a lunch break. Then it is onward. The topo map shows a trail going off from here, so we follow what looks like an old track which at one time may have been a road, it goes down to the creek and then anything resembling a track disappears. The map says the trail right by the creek, so we try to follow, but it will not get better. The next thing to do is to scramble up the side of the slope and hit the road again-actually, there is something which looks like it was cut out of the side of the slope, but it is pretty overgrown so we ignore it.

Looking Westward

Upon reaching the road, we continue on. In a quarter of a mile, we reach another place which looks like there is a trail going along Mill Flat Creek. So we take that trail going off. At times I wonder if this is just a cow track, but it seems to be leading in the right direction. After following this track about ¾ of a mile, we climb a small ridge and are able to look where we are going. The crossover trail, over the ridge separating Mill Flat Creek from the Kings looks still a ways away. It is getting close to 3pm and soon the shadows will be creeping over us. So this seems like a good place to turn around.

Mill Flat Creek

Our return trip is along the same route as what we came in by, except for trying to find a route out of Crabtree. But the sights are different. For one, the sun is starting to set behind the ridges. This is giving us a whole new set of shadows and glows which we did not have coming in. There are some trees with white bark which causes them to stand out against the darkening background.

Sun disappearing over ridge

Also on the way down, we come across more interesting things. Such as several Sierra Newts crossing the road. According to John Muir law’s book The Law’s Field Guide to the Sierra Nevada, they mate during this time of year and are returning from that activity. Or when we look far up on the ridge, there is a lone cow up there, observing us. And then the moon is playing tag with the ridges. Finally, as we head back to the car, Rodger’s Ridge is orange with the setting sun.


Rodger's Ridge at sunset

When we get back to the car, I decide I wanted to have a look around Mill Flat Camp. This is mostly to see if I can spot the trail going up the Kings. I don’t see it, but we do get to look at the camp. There is a mixture of thoughts. It would be a nice place for a Winter or early Spring camp site. But there is some trash here, so it looks like it is not very well patrolled.

Moon Rise

It is now a two hour drive back to Fresno, in the dark. I was feeling tired. But once I got on the dam side of the lake, feeling a lot better. Got home around 8pm, tired, but content.