December 31, 2019 - Badger Pass

 

Title: December 31, 2019 - Badger Pass
Hike Info : Description : Extra Photo's 

Trail head: Badger Pass Parking Lot

Hike Info:

Type: Snowshoeing

Trail: Glacier Point Road, Old Glacier Point Road, and a crossover trail

Destination: Unknown destination when we started

Distance: 4.01 miles

Start Time: 11:07

End Time:     1:59

Travel Time:  2:51 (1.41 mph)

Moving Time:  2:04 (1.94 mph)

Elevation Rise: 728 ' ¹

Descent: 735‘

Maximum Elevation: 7,493'

GPS Tracks

 ¹The GPS did not properly record the elevation. The elevations shown is from Google Earth.

Description:

I got up a bit before 7. By the time 8am came around, we were ready to go up to the mountains to snowshoe. The we is Steven, Sherri and Gary. We stop in Oakhurst at Judy’s donuts for coffee (Sherri) and donuts (Sherri and Steven-I got a few nibbles of Sherri’s donut). Then onward to Yosemite.

Steven on snowshoes

Our plan was to go up to Mariposa Grove. But when we got into the park, the area leading into Mariposa Grove looked pretty barren of snow. Also we were not sure if we could just drive up to the Grove, if the shuttles were running or if we would need to walk it. So we went on up 41. It was not until we got close to Chinquapin was there a decent covering of snow.

Summit Meadow

 

We stopped at Chinquapin for a bathroom break. There was a vendor doing a pretty brisk business in snow chains. We already had chains-but their would have been cheaper here. They charge $40 to install with cash and $50 on charge. With All-Wheel/4-wheel drive, we are not needing chains right now. So this is more informational.

Steven conquering a fallen tree

The road up to Badger Pass is not bad and we are able to park close to the take off point to the Glacier Road trail. Glacier Point Road is not plowed beyond Badger Pass in the Winter and the concessionaire grooms the snow on the road making for relatively easy travel on ski’s or snowshoes.

We start in a little after eleven, going up the Glacier Point Road. What we will do today remains to be seen. The first ⅔ of a mile s a gentle uphill then down to Summit Meadow. There, we stop and have lunch. Now to figure out how much to do today. I suggest cutting over to the Old Glacier Point Road and maybe going up to Tempo Dome. We agree on this.

Crossing the meadow is easy--a well beaten track. Then we climb a ridge. Steven charges right up it and even doges a skier coming down (the skier was well under control and there was no danger.) I on the other hand was stopping to enjoy a fresh breath of air. This went on for the climb-while it looks like only about 150-200’ and a third of a mile, on snowshoes it felt more than that. Still there is something about being in the snow with few other people around us.

Horse Ridge

After the climb, we come to a junction-not the Old Glacier Point Road, but another trail which is not on the map. Looks like it runs beside the Old Glacier Point Road. We have a little while and still some energy, so we head east on it. This does away with Tempo Dome, but I did not think we would be doing that after this climb. It is a pleasant walk, except for having to circumnavigating a fallen tree. We stop when we see a view of Horse Ridge. And that is about the limit of our time. I am trying to be back at the car by 2:00pm.

So we trudge back. Steven still has tons of energy as he zooms ahead. Of course, we have to go around that same downed tree, but now we know how to do it. Then it is going past the junction we came up on. By the time we get to the Old Glacier Point Road, Steven is long gone. But at the junction we stop and talk with a couple for about ten minutes. Not sure if we needed the rest or what, but it felt good to stop for a few minutes.

Gary, Steven, Sherri

Then it is down the Old Glacier Point Road. This is also a groomed trail leading us right down into the Badger Pass ski area. Once we get to the parking lot, it is about a third of a mile back to the car, where Steven is patiently waiting for us.

We still had time to eat, so we stopped in Oakhurst for some Mexican food-Plazuelas Mexican Restaurant. I had a wet burrito-maybe my taste buds are aging, but the spiciness seemed a bit hot for my taste buds. Steven and Sherri enjoyed their plates. Mine tasted good. Then it was back to Fresno and the showers. It was good that we did this walk as it shows improvement in my conditioning.

Extra Photo's

Snow on tree

Gary has a friend

Steven enjoying the site of Horse Ridge

Gary picking his way through the snow

Steven with Gary in the baackground

Gary and Steven

Light through winter trees

December 20, 2019 – Boole Tree Road

Title:  December 20, 2019 – Boole Tree Road

Hike Info : Description : Background :  Extra Photo's 

Trail head: Hwy 180 & 13S55

Hike Info:

Type: Snowshoeing

Trail: 13S55 and 13S99

Destination: As far as we want to go

Actual Destination: about ¾ of a mile on 13S99

Distance:  2.12 miles

Start Time: 1:16

End Time:    3:18

Travel Time: 2:01  (1.05 mph)

Moving Time:  1:20 (1.49 mph)

Elevation Rise: 388 '  ¹

Descent: 359‘

Maximum Elevation: 6,530'

GPS Tracks

 ¹GPS did not measure the elevation. Elevation came from Google Earth. Also, Google Earth has the track going 1.96 miles.

Description:

This is the first time snowshoeing this year. With my current state of fitness, today should be pretty short and easy. Consequently, we are not in much of a rush to be off. We thought of leaving by 9:00am, but we sort of dilly-dallied until I realized I needed to go on the garage roof and patch a leak. By the time we leave the garage, it is about 10:45.

Gary and Sherri at start

Except for stopping in Dunlap for coffee-Sherri, not me-the drive is uneventful. We stop at the Grant Grove visitor center. There we met some new friends. The volunteer at the visitor center and Skylar, a park ranger. We asked about snow conditions on Forest Service land. But no information. We do talk about various backpacking routes. Also buy a book, Muir's Temples: A Natural History of Sequoia Grove Plants by Michael Kunz.

 

Our ridgeline and beyond

 We head north. Our usual place to ski or snowshoe is pretty thin and rutted. So we go on, wandering on down Highway 180. I am wondering if the road into the Boole Tree might be more sheltered. When we get there, we see the road is pretty much covered, but looking closer, it looks about 6-12” of snow-not deep, still it is enough to do. So we decide to try it.

Looking into the South Fork of the Kings

We park at a turnout about 100’ south of the 13S55 road. So we get ready by the car, cross the road and put on our snowshoes. After we go around the gate, we start walking the road. The road goes up, but not much. The snow is packed, so I suspect that even without the snowshoes we would not have sunk. After a quarter mile we come to a junction. The road to the Boole Tree goes down, the two other ones go up. I am dis-inclined to go up on a return trip, so up we go on the south road. The most obvious road is road 13S99.

Road 13S99

Not a steep road, but then we hit a clearing and we can see all the way to the spine of the Sierra to the east. I normally try to play a game of what peak am I seeing? I can name the drainages, but with the peaks covered with snow and a different perspective, I am not sure I am naming them properly. But then why do I need to name them? Just accept them in all of their faboulousness. Gaze upon them and praise God. Sometimes I wonder if these mountains have such beauty, what is it’s creator like?

We look around for a good 15-20 minutes. This is both from the perspective of just enjoying the sight as well as giving my body a few minutes to recuperate. Once I get my breath back, we continue to top the ridge the road is on. It looks like it will go down gently. But we decide to go to the top of the rise above the road-only about 20’ above us. From there we are able to see more North and Northwest.

Gary enjoying the view to the north

Interesting being able to see places we see from Delilah. Such as Patterson Mountain, Mt Nelson and Eagle Peak. Black Rock really does look black from this angle as well. We are given a nice view of Converse Mountain as well.

When we go down, we practice a bit descending and ascending in snowshoes. Nothing death-defying, just how to walk with them. I go down a little ways further down the road, but it looks like it will be going down more than I want to now. So I return. In the meantime, Sherri has found some interesting shadows and is trying her hand at capturing them with her iPhone.

Shadow Figures

Gary and the Borrow Pit

When we return, I look again out from our rise to the east. But what captures our attention is a place on the map called Borrow Pit. I am expecting a mining pit or something like that. But it looks like it is a place the Forest Service has dumped its wood it needed to take care of. Sort of eerie. Going back is a lot easier and we make good time.

At the car, it is time to get our snowshoes off and back into normal gear. On our way back, we stop at the Visitor Center to give a trail condition report to our new friends. Now where do we want to eat? DNC? Bear Mountain? No we decide to go back to Fresno and eat with our son at Bobbie Salazar. A good way to end the day.

Borrow Pit

Background

Borrow Pit. According to Wikipedia, a Borrow Pit is not so much named after a person, but more as the action being taken. The contents of a pit is to be used elsewhere, such as on a road bed. It is a term used in construction or civil engineering. The hole left may be used for some other purpose.

Extra Photo's

Gary on the road

Sherri on road 13S99

Sherri concentrating on her steps

Gary on the road again

Looking into the Middle Fork of the Kings

More Middle Fork of the Kings

Converse Mountain

Looking East

Looking East

Nelson Mountain and Eagle Peak

Gary

Maybe North Guard and Road 13S99

Study in shadow

Tree and snow

November 20-24, 2019-Death Valley

 
Death Valley - 2019
From November 20, 2019 through November 24, 2019


Our People : Trail People : Thoughts :  Trail Log : References : Abbreviations



Our People:
Gary - That would be me
Sherri - My wife

Trail People:
These people included many whom I think will be folks whom we keep in touch with.  All of these were people were folks who camped close to us.

• Yoni - Just moved to Las Vegas from New York. He came n with his motorcycle late on the 21st. We helped him set up his tent.
• Alma and three of his children-He has been accepted to sing in the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. They all were adventuresome and very fit.
• ???-A couple from Texas who was making a grand tour of parks in California. They are backpackers. We talked with them the morning when we left.
  

Thoughts:

Death Valley is something different than what we usually do. That may be a theme for this year. Because we also did another desert trip in the Spring: Anza-Borrego. I know that the Sierra is my first go-to place. But do I love the desert like I do the mountains? No, but there is still an allure to the desert: the desolation, the vastness, the feeling of how the planet goes on forever.

What was my favorite day on our trip? I would say when we went up Golden and Gower Canyons on November 23rd. It may have been because it was the only day of extended hiking, or because it was just down right interesting.

I am left with the thought that I would like to know more about the places where we hiked. Also that I am sure we will be coming back here again.

 
Journey Log:

Our journal is given by each day. Most mileages came from our GPS.

 

Date	Campsite	Miles Walked	Elevation Gained	Max Elevation
11/20/19	Lone Pine-Best Western	-	-	-	Travel to Lone Pine. Rain to Bakersfield. Then a bit of snow around Lone Pine
11/21/19	Texas Springs	1.4	-	-	Set up campsite. Did an late afternoon hike to Natural Bridge
11/22/19	Texas Springs	4.31	370'	429'	Walked around Badwater. Then drove Artist Dive. End of the day, hiked Desolation Canyon
11/23/19	Texas Springs	5.33	745'	521'	Hiked Golden Canyon up to the Red Cathedral. Then used a cross trail over to Gower Canyon and back down to the car. Did a little bit of sky watching
11/24/19	Fresno	2.81	726'	1,506'	Went to the Borax Mine, then hiked Mosaic Canyon. Drove back to Fresno

Our total walking was 13.85 miles, Our "average day was 3.5  miles with an ascent of  1,841'.  Nt much when you consider what we have done in the Sierra.

References:
For those of you who might be interested in hiking this hike, here are some references which you can consult:

• NPS Web site for Death Valley
• NPS Mining Study for Death Valley (online)
• Hiking Death Valley: A Guide to Its Natural Wonders and Mining Past by Michel Digonnet  (book)

Abbreviations:

• NPS - National Park Service