Hike Info:
Type: Hiking
Trail: Bench and South Wilderness Trails
Destination: End of Trail
Distance: 6.48 miles
Start Time: 9:35
End Time: 2:33
Travel Time: 4:58 (1.30 mph)
Moving Time: 3:25 (1.90 mph)
Elevation Rise: 601'
Descent: 543‘
Maximum Elevation: 1,010'
GPS
Tracks
Description:
I got up at 6:45. There is
light in the sky, but the sun has not reached us yet. And yes, it is
pretty cold. The water has not frozen, but I am glad there are gloves
on my hands. Also the mask to protect against COVID-19 has the dual
function of being a nose warmer. Last night I woke up pretty cold.
Adding my wool socks to my feet helped a lot.
Andrea got up shortly after I
did. We made pancakes and bacon-a good cold morning breakfast. Tea
and Tang supplement our meal. We are able to observe our surroundings
a lot more than last night. We notice the coloring of the broadleaf
leaves. By the time we got cleaned up and ready. By 9:30 or so, we
were on the trail.
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Start of Bench Trail
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When I first thought about
doing the South Wilderness Trail, I was thinking more in terms of a
nice little hike with a low probability of anything really
attractive. The reports I read said that it was a no-maintenance
trail running through a creekbed. So the bar was low. I was wrong.
Today, we will be going down
the Bench Trail for half a mile, then doing the South Wilderness
Trail. The Bench Trail starts at the end of the road we are camped
on-how convenient that is for us. The first half a mile is pretty
level and broad. Andrea and I walk side by side, with masks on for
the most part. We get to appreciate the fall colors surrounding us.
But this jaunt will only get us prepared for more.
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Andrea observing the color
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Once on the South Wilderness
Trail, it really is a service road for the first third of a mile. We
see a sign saying Service Road. Just to the right of that is our
trail. It shortly crosses the dry Chalone
Creek.
There are some sticks in the bottom of it to aid the hiker crossing
this. But if that is all the aid needed, then Chalone Creek is not
much of an obstacle.
For the rest of our trek, we
travel either on the west side of Chalone Creek, or in the Creek-it
was dry-I wonder how the trail is if the creek is running? The trail
in places is narrow, on a steep slope of dirt, but in most places it
is wide enough to scoot off for someone to pass us by-going out there
was no need as we were the sole travelers. It seems like the trail
goes up and down with more up on the way south. But looking at the
contour map, it looks like we are heading downstream. Coming back, we
verify this. We eventually get to the boundary of the park and
private land. A fence runs along this and the trail turns into a path
going along the fence. I suspect most people stop here, but we
continue on till we reach a gully. It would be simple to cross the
gully, but then there is a steep uphill with less of a path, so we
stop here.
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Andrea hiking down the creek bed
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Let me backtrack here. I have
already alluded to that there were Fall colors around. But as we go
up the South Wilderness Trail, it is a constant parade. Yellows and
gold are matched with dull greens of pines. The grasses has turned
the color of straw. But berry plants had dark reds and greens, along
with an abundance of thorns which seemed to claw at us. This whole
scene continued on our way to the Pinnacles southern boundary. It
makes for delightful walking-at least it provides for a constant
excuse to stop and take a picture.
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Boundary fence where we ate lunch
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Back to the trail. When we get
back to the edge of the boundary, we stop for lunch. A pleasant
enough place. Andrea and I do a lot of talking over these several
days together. When we get ready to leave, Andrea discovers two
things: first, some of the berry plants have snagged her leggings.
Guess Sherri will have a task for her. Second, where we sat, there
was pine pitch mixed in the grass.
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Pathway to Color
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Going back, we recognize the
slight uphill the topo map indicated, but not enough to really hamper
me-I normally would say us, but Andrea is unstoppable, except to wait
for her Dad. Going back we observe the same things we did going in,
but from a different angle. It is amazing the difference in seeing
things backwards makes. You know how I said we did not meet anybody
coming up? We meet several different groups of people. First a family
which seemed like they had been up that way before. Then a pretty
discourteous couple who insisted on passing us, one without a mask,
on a narrow section of trail. I guess they must have been in a hurry
thinking the Fall colors would not last until they got there. Three
boys-really in their 20’s, who seemed lost right at the start of
the trail. The next lady turned them around. We talked with her for a
time-enjoyable talking.
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Chain-link Building
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In our travels, we spot a
chain-linked cage without a top, but with a gate. Beside it is what
looks like an old lock box, at least it has a NPS lock on it. Even
more puzzling is the little tag on the cage saying “This is a
Building” with the note that there are fines associated with
disturbing it. I would really hate to be caught in that building
during a rainstorm.
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Condors
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We make it back to camp around
2:30. I am feeling pretty good about myself. We rest up for an hour
or so, reading and the like. As cold as it was this morning, it is
pleasant this afternoon. Pleasant enough that I am in a T-Shirt, but
not for long. Once the shadows reach us, it is time to put on longer
sleeved clothing.
This morning, I realized that
among things I did not bring besides much of the plastic ware were
eggs for tomorrow’s french toast. Off to the store we go, my legs
still feel decent enough after our hike from this morning. Safety
precautions are in place at the store where only two people are
allowed in at a time. Andrea, in protection mode for her father, goes
in and decides we really do not need eggs that badly. On the way
back, we stop to look at some permanently mounted spotting scopes. A
man is looking up at the sky. He says condors. Sure enough there are
half a dozen of them circling around above us. Wonders never cease.
Dinner is a lookout special:
gnocchi with marinara and cheese sauce. Easy and good tasting.
Afterwards we lit the heater Sherri bought. We are trying it out to
see how it works in a cold weather situation. It does good. We have a
second heater, but it does not get past its pilot light. Still it is
warm enough for us to talk a bit. At least until a little after 7:00
when we both decide it is getting cold enough we want to retreat to
the comfort of our tents. I read for a bit longer, probably a bit
after 8:00 before dozing off. A good day with my daughter.
Trail Lesson:
Sort of like life, just
because a trail looks ordinary, does not mean that it cannot be
extraordinary.
Background
South Wilderness Trail.
After discovering this trail on the map, I did what any good geek
would do: look for information on it. I came across a blog called
Live
and Let Hike
which had information on the trail. Good description, just not for
the Fall.
Animals
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High flying condor
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Flowers and Plants
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Buckwheat, I think
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Sage
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