Gary-Summer: August 30, 2024 - Park Ridge Lookout and Hike

Friday, August 30, 2024

August 30, 2024 - Park Ridge Lookout and Hike

Title: August 30, 2024 - Park Ridge Lookout and Hike
Hike Info : Description : Extra Photo's : Flowers and Plants

Hike Info:

Type: Hiking : Lookout

Trail head: Big Stump Parking Lot

Trail: Book Stump Loop

Destination: Loop

Distance: 1.74 miles

Start Time: 1:23

End Time: 2:59

Travel Time: 1:35 (1.10 mph)

Moving Time: 1:01 (1.69 mph)

Elevation Rise: 308'

Descent: 289‘

Maximum Elevation: 6,397'

GPS Tracks

Sherri on the trail

Description:

Got up at 0600, probably because I am used to getting up at this time. Last night we got home after 2200 from the theater. The Second Space group put on Our Town and our House Church went to it, including dinner at Cucas. This is a bit late for me, but that is fine. Also Steve from Cambria came over to join us and is staying with us. With all of that I went to bed a bit late.

After I got up, I finished up my notes on John Mark Comer’s book Practicing the Way. It is both a pretty basic book, but one which is a good reminder about what it means to follow Jesus. By the time 0900 rolls around, all of us are up and we head to the Train Depot for breakfast. Satisfying, like always. Enough so, that lunch was not needed on my part. When we get back home, Sherri finishes packing.

Gary on the trail

We are able to leave by 1130. The drive is not bad and we make good time, getting to the Park entrance around 1300. The ranger recognizes the Buck Rock Foundation magnetic sign on the side of the car and waves us through, after we talk for a few minutes. It is great to be recognized like that.

A determined Sherri

We had not decided on what hike to do. But when we stopped at Big Stump, we decided that the two mile loop is good. So down the trail we went. We shortly met a fellow volunteer, V37, who shooed some hikers off of a trail which is being worked on. Then we had a bit of a discussion about various places and the smoke. We each continue on our way, rounding the meadow and going on the featherbed trail. When we get to the Mark Twain Tree , we break for lunch. Sherri actually has lunch, I have a few bites of my GORP. Then onward we go. After crossing the road into the Park, we continued on, at an easy clip. We are maybe a third of a mile from the car, when we see someone stopping a little ways in front of us. When we met him we talked for a bit. His parents are campground hosts at Stoney Creek and he is staying with them. We talked about various places to go to. Sunday they are going to the Buck Rock Open House. Yea!

It is not much further back to the car. We decided to go to the visitor center and look around for a few minutes. On the way into the Visitor Center, we see some people in blue T-Shirts saying Trans-Sierra

Gary, caught in a time warp

. I recognize this as a group which a friend of ours from church started to bring the outdoor experience to his elementary students. Now one of his people is carrying on. Turns out that Chris is in the group and Mike will be picking them up when they complete their trip going over Whitney. Small world. Chris recognizes my name as we have connected with him via email.

Into the visitor center we go. Sherri to browse their selection, and I to ask about the Dark Sky Event in a week. They do not have much on the Dark Sky event, except what is on the website. But they are also trying to help some people trying to get to Eshom. I suggest a route, of course, I cannot help myself. After the Visitor Center we went and bought an ice cream bar and split it.

Then it is on the road up towards Panoramic Point. We take the service road over to Park Ridge. We got there about 1620. Nancy has an early morning date at Buck Rock, so she is happy to leave early. Her friend, John from Maryland, sticks around and we talk for a good half an hour about various things.

CoffeePot Fire as seen from Park Ridge Lookout

Once he leaves, we start hauling stuff up for our three night stay. That is food and water and bags and mats and clothing and our playthings (i.e., computer). Once we get settled in, it is time to do the scans and listen to the radio and keep the logs. At 1750, we went out of service with Ash Mountain Fire. But we will be in service until 2000 with Porterville.

Smoke to the west of Park Ridge Lookout

As the evening progresses, the sun gives a display in the clouds. Also the CoffeePot fire smoke becomes more defined and looking immense. After about 1930, it really is too dark to see smoke from unwanted fires, so I switch over to trying to see if there is any red light which might indicate fire. When I looked towards the south, there definitely was red, a lot of red. We can see the flames and glow from the CoffeePot Fire and it appears to be much larger than I thought. We are looking at it from 20+ miles away and it is big.

At 2000, we go out of service and Buck Rock does the same right after us. It takes a little while for us to get situated. So it is after 2130 before we get into our bags and turn off the light.