February 23, 2024 - Cherry Gap Road

Title: February 23, 2024 - Cherry Gap Road
Hike Info : Description : Extra Photo's : Animals 

Hike Info:

Type:  Snowshoeing

Trail head: Cherry Gap

Trail: 13S77

Destination:  About a mile or  maybe a bit more.

Actual Destination:  Close to the top of the hump on Hoist Ridge

Distance:  2.61 miles

Start Time:  10:45

End Time:      1:26

Travel Time:  2:40 (0.98 mph)

Moving Time: 1:41   (1.55 mph)

Elevation Rise:  541'

Descent: 338‘

Maximum Elevation: 7,094'

GPS Tracks

Description:

Start of our walk

It has been awhile since we have been out with Betty. Really looking forward to it. And then a new addition to our group, Laura. She is part of a book group I am involved with. None of us, except for Steven will be going very far today.

Korra

We will be meeting Betty at Big Stump. We do not have enough space in the car for Laura so she will need to drive up there. At 8:45 she comes to our house for a 9:00am departure. Sherri goes with Laura to use her pass to get into the Park. Steven, Korra and I are the last ones to get to Big Stump. Laura and Betty have already been introduced, so we are all ready to start our snowshoe adventure.

 

 

Spanish Mountain

We move over to Cherry Gap. Instead of going west towards Converse Basin, we are going east along Forest Service Road 13S77. We used to do this road with cross-country skis. Today for the first time we will do it with snowshoes. That is except for Steven who will be on skis and Korra with her paws. This is also Laura’s second time on snowshoes-we will see if she goes again with us.

Top of Park Ridge

We got to Cherry Gap about 10:20. Then spend some time getting ready. Our shoes hit the snow at 10:45. The first hundred yards is a bit bumpy, but then the snow levels out and we just need to contend with the upward trajectory of the road. Mind you, it is not a steep climb, but enough of one that I felt the drag of going uphill..

 

 

 

The Hill

 We get our first views of Spanish Mountain across the Kings. It is spectacular. But this view goes away as we turn a corner and are masked by pine and fir trees, I am feeling pretty good, with only a bit of shortness of breath. Laura calls my attention that Sherri and Betty are falling further behind. I guess I am doing better than I expected.

Steven, te skier

Steven is far ahead with Korra. The sun keeps hiding behind the clouds, poking out occasionally. It is warm enough that we start shedding some of the outer clothes and gloves. A good day for snowshoeing.

I can tell that we are starting to tire out. I have set in my mind a goal of two hours of moving. Since we are going uphill, I figure we will do about 75 minutes in and 45 back. I am asked how much longer: about 15-20 minutes. And then magically we come to the top of Park Ridge-I was mistaken at the time as I thought at this end it would be Hoist Ridge, but Hoist is to the west of us and Park Ridge curves around a bit.

The ladies are a bit tired, but I am interested in a hill to the north of us, Hill 7124. So I started up it. I see Korra coming down it and I see ski tracks. I thought Steven was going to the south. Then Steven comes down. He says there is a really good view from the east side of the hill. So I go on up and he goes down.

Hume Lake and beyond

He is so right! It makes the trip pretty much worthwhile. While I am gawking, Steven comes back up. And then I see Betty and Sherri coming up. Laura’s hips are starting to ache, so she is staying down in the flat. Steven gets a picture of us. From this vantage point, we can see up the Middle Fork of the Kings, the Monarch Range and then eastward to the Crest of the Sierra. University Peak, near Forrester Pass is viewable as well. Then looking a bit southeast is Buck Rock and Shell Mountain. Pretty grand.

 

 

 

 

 

Buck Rock

And now we start our trip back. Steven, on skis will make better time, so he decides to do a bit more exploring up the road and over the hill. Poor Korra, she is confused. She starts back with us and realizes that Steven is not with us and heads back. But I do not think she can find him and we lose track of her. About halfway down, she comes bounding along, without Steven.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Peaks seen from Hill 7124 from the PeakFinder application

Going back down is easier than going up. Laura and I discuss the advisability and practicality of always hiking going up as you go in and down on the way out. I try to do that, but there are times that it is not a good plan. Surprisingly, I am doing well. After my January COVID it seemed like whenever I exert myself, I would tire pretty easily. Today, I'm doing well.

Korra, waiting for us

As we approach the cars, Steven comes up behind us. Korra seems happy to have him back. We get back to the cars at about 1:30. It is close to the time I was thinking it would be. We suggest stopping at Bear Mountain Pizza for some pizza-surprise. Betty and Laura are agreeable to this. So off we go. We order the pizza at Big Stump and it is ready when we get to the place. Here we split up and proceed to our separate homes. A good and tiring day.

Extra Photo's
 

Hume Lake and Beyond

Korra

Laura, Sherri and Betty

Looking Northwest

Looking Northwest

Looking East

 

  Animals

 

February 14, 2024 - Indian Basin

 

Title: February 14, 2024 - Indian Basin
Hike Info : Description  : Extra Photo's 

Hike Info:

Type: Snowshoeing

Trail head: Princess Campground

Trail:  Indian Basin Interpretive Loop

Destination:  Loop

Distance: 1.71 miles

Start Time:  11:23

End Time:     1:28

Travel Time:  2:04 (0.83 mph)

Moving Time:   1:30 (1.14 mph)

Elevation Rise:  373'

Descent: 275‘

Maximum Elevation: 5,958'

GPS Tracks

Description:

Sherri at the start

I got up a bit earlier than I anticipated, around 6:30. But I made up for this by lounging around until everybody else got up. After that I make myself useful by putting away dishes and folding clothes until everybody is ready. We left our house at 9:40 and drove to Kings Canyon National Park.

When we came into the Park, the ranger at the entrance station recognized us as being frequent visitors. It is good to be noticed. Then stopping at Big Stump around 10:50, Nancy, who is a fire lookout, was there and getting ready to snowshoe down to Viola Falls. We talk for a few minutes and then each of us took off,

 

 

 

Traditional outhouse view

We see the large CLOSED sign for Princess campground when we arrive a few minutes after 11. It takes us about 15 minutes to get our gear before we hit the snow. Steven has his cross-country skis, Sherri and I on snowshoes, while Korra had to be content with her paws.

We have snowshoed this route in Indian Basiinseveral times and have enjoyed it each time. It has young Sequoias and Sequoia stumps. There is a large meadow which has Wren Peak framing the end of it. Plus it is a gentle trail to walk in either dry ground or on top of snow.

The snow has come late, starting in late January. More is forecasted to come tonight. So the snow is well set up, but maybe a foot to 18”. For us, this was a good first outing. The temperature was in the mid-40’s and with the sky partly cloudy, a good day to be out. Steven was even in short sleeves? Me? I was layered with a T-shirt and long sleeved shirt and gloves. Guess it may be an age thing,

While short, it was fun. We ended up around 1:30. We packed up and left, but stopped at Big Stump again. Usually there is phone service there. My phone did. So we ordered pizza from Bear Mountain Pizza. 35 minutes later we pull in to the parking lot, Our pizza is waiting for us when we enter the place. We get to Fresno in time to pick up Stevens car out of the garage. Another good day out.

 

 

 

 Extra Photo's

Indian Basin Meadow

Snow Fed Rivelet

Korra to the rescue

Gary among the stumps