Gary-Summer: February 2020

Tuesday, February 25, 2020

February 25, 2020 - Pincushion

Title: February 25, 2020 - Pincushion
Hike Info : Description : Extra Photo's : Animals : Flowers and Plants

Trail head: Fine Gold Parking Lot

Hike Info:

Type: Hiking

Trail: Pincushion

Destination: Pincushion

Distance: 2.41 miles

Start Time: 10:45

End Time: 1:42

Travel Time: 2:56 (0.82 mph)

Moving Time: 1:52 (1.29 mph)

Elevation Rise: 977'

Descent: 948‘

Maximum Elevation: 1,527'

GPS Tracks

Description:

This is the same hike we did in January, only this time we will try to make it to the top of Pincushion instead of the knoll before it. Also today we should be able to better see instead of the clouds and fog of last month. The other change is that not only Sherri and I are climbing up to Pincushion, but Steven our son is coming as well.

We leave our house a bit before 10. I have been dragging this morning. For the past several days, the back has been bothering me. But as I move, as in hiking, I usually feel better. It is about a 50-60 minutes drive, mostly the time, but not the miles are going down Sky Harbor Road. We get to the Fine Gold parking lot, within Millerton State Park. I love that we have an old-age pass which gets us in free to California state parks at certain times of the year.

Sherri on the trail

We start walking a little before 11. We already know this trail is nothing but up and up and up. Steven gets a little ahead of us and finds a cow and her calf blocking the way. So what do you do? You call in the person whose trail name is cow shouter to shoo away the bovine. As usual, she does a wonderful job.

Steven confronting a cow

Steven zooms ahead of us-it turns out he reaches the top about a half an hour in front of us. This leaves the old people to be huffing and puffing up the trail. A trio of females from Madera pass us. But we sort of go back and forth with them. We all stop and admire the surroundings from the hill we climbed before. Also see the last 180’ up to Pincushion.


Steven on top of Pincushion

This last 180’ is a bit more rugged going up, with many places to do a bit of minor rock holding. And yes our Madera friends pass us again. But we all gather in at the top. We have a 360^o view from up here. A bit of a hazy day, but enough clarity we can see the snow up at the 8,000’ level. We rest and devour an energy bar before heading back down.


Sherri Coming Down An Interesting Place

And now we go back. Sherri and I take our time going down. We take our time, making sure we have good footing. One time my foot slips, not badly, but enough to let me know that my back is still there.

Steven and Sherri going back the way we came up

When we get to the bottom of the hill, before the knoll, we decide to go around on a trail-it saves is from going up the 50’ and then back down. The other thing is that I see that this is not just a work around the knoll, but across from the path-road? which we came up. This is the path which we used to come up some years ago. I decide I will go down this way, while Sherri and Steven decide to go down the other. Mine is a single track, without signs of erosion. The other way can accommodate at least three across if not four, if that part of the path is not eroded. Also in most places it does not seem as steep, but that may be an illusion.

My path goes down and meets the San Joaquin River trail at a saddle. Then I go about a quarter mile before meeting up with Sherri and Steven. So it is longer, which in this case is a good thing. The longer the trail, the less of a grade, for the most part. We make it back to the car around 3. Then take off for pizza at Pieology. After eating, my back decides to act up and it takes me awhile to get up from my seat and get to the car. But we make it home OK. Now for a shower, some heat on the back and hopefully the pain will go away.

Extra Photo's

Our trail up

House across the lake

Upper end of Millerton Lake

A bend in the lake

Steven going down the trail

Looking west from Pincushion-Millerton Lake

A little snow on the Sierra

Fine Gold area

My alternative trail

Animals

A Woodpecker, maybe a Downey

Crows in flight

More crows in flight

Flowers and Plants

Friday, February 21, 2020

February 21, 2020 - Old Wawona Road

Title: February 21, 2020 - Old Wawona Road
Hike Info : Description : Extra Photo's

Trail head: Bridalveil Falls parking Area-or close by

Hike Info:

Type: Hiking

Trail: Old Wawona Road

Destination: Ft Monroe

Actual Destination: Inspiration Point

Distance: 5.20 miles

Start Time: 11:29

End Time: 4:25

Travel Time: 4:55 (1.06 mph)

Moving Time: 3:33 (1.47 mph)

Elevation Rise: 1,537'

Descent: 1,371‘

Maximum Elevation: 5,387'

GPS Tracks

Description:

Our Friendly Raven

We left our house around 9 and are heading to Yosemite. We think we will be going up the Old Wawona Road towards Inspiration Point and then on to Ft Monroe. We stopped at Starbucks in Oakhurst before entering the Park. After a pit stop at Chinquapin, we head on down to the Bridalveil Falls parking lot. Actually, we park at a turn out across from the start of the trail.

Start of Old Wawona Road

We spend a few minutes getting ourselves ready and then we cross the road. With one last look back, we spot a large raven on our car. Sherri goes into her cow chaser mode and shoos away the raven, but for how long?

First Creek

Now we really start off. The road is disintegrating-of course it is many years old with no maintenance. But there is still lots of pavement remaining, just crumbling. Erosion has taken its toll, which on the whole is not a bad thing. The Park is letting it return to its state before pavement was there. Also there are more trees down than when we were here last, a couple of years ago. When we come to where the creeks cross the road, the footing is a bit more tentative with the potential of rocks rolling on us.

El Capitan

Artist Creek

But we do enjoy ourselves going up this road. Not far up the road, we come to the first highlight of our trip: Artist Point. Just the name gives this one away. This is where the early artists: painters and photographers did their work. And there is a good reason for this. It is a perfect view on a perfect day. And we stay to savoir it by having lunch there. We rest on a rock and just soak in the day and the sight. I should also say that Steven has climbed a rock and enjoyed his lunch 15’ above us. Sherri gets an action shot for her photography class-a bit of air under Steven’s feet.

Yosemite Valley From Artist Point

Trail in need of Maintenance

We continue on. While having lunch in us feels good, we are still going up. So I continue my huffing and puffing. After about ¾ of a mile later, we get to the junction of the Pohono Trail. Most people go straight up the trail to get to Inspiration Point. We continue on the Old Wawona Road. While still going up, it is not as steep as the Pohono Trail. Besides there are a few views across the Merced River. This is a good way to go.

The one problem is because this is rarely used, it is not maintained. So there are a bunch of downed trees. But nothing which stops us. Besides we get a few pictures which we just might share. Eventually we get back around to Inspiration Point.

It is another mile or so up to Ft Monroe. But we think that it may be getting a bit late. Besides that was a pretty good up for me at my stage of conditioning. So we just sit and enjoy the view. A group from YWAM (Youth With A Mission) comes up and we talk with them for a while. They head off and we continue to enjoy the area.

Looking across the Merced River

Steven on the Pohono Trail

Then it is time to head off. We go to where I think the trail goes down. But what do I know? We went down 40’ and hit a dead end. So back up and we take Steven’s choice, which leads us to the Pohono Trail. And the trail goes down steeply. Glad we came the way we did.

One of my favorite places on the trail is a little use trail about half way down to our junction. It leads off to a point which I have called Gary’s Point since the first time I went there. I immodestly think it has the best view from the west side of the valley. Others may disagree with that assessment. Steven and Sherri come along. I am not sure they agree with my thoughts on this, but they duly take an appropriate amount of pictures.

And then it is down the trail a bit more until we reach the Old Wawona Road. It is much easier, and faster, going down this road than going up it. Still in very many ways I prefer the other direction. Being faster is not better. Having to stop occasionally gives one the time to take in what you only glimpse when you speed past things. (I do use the term speed, very loosely.) We pass by Artist Point, stopping to gaze at the later afternoon shadows playing on Cathedral Rocks behind Bridalveil. And then it is down again.

By the time we reach the car, it is closing in on 4:30. Steven takes pity on his father and drives down to Oakhurst. There we reward ourselves at Southgate Brewery. And then home we go. A good day. Maybe a bit disappointing we did not make Ft Monroe. On the other hand, a destination is not everything.