December 30, 2025 - Snowshoeing along Road 13S77

 

Title:  December 30, 2025 - Snowshoeing along Road 13S77
Hike Info : Description 

Hike Info:

Type: Snowshoeing

Trail head: Cherry Gap

Trail: Road 13S77

Destination: About an hour in

Actual Destination: actual, about a quarter mile before the top of Hoist Ridge

Distance:  1.98  miles

Start Time: 12:50

End Time:     2:44

Travel Time: 1:53  (1.05 mph)

Moving Time:  1:32  (1.29 mph)

Elevation Rise:  300' ¹

Descent: 261‘

Maximum Elevation: 6,983'

GPS Tracks

 ¹There is several different readings on the elevation rise. The 651’ from the GPS is certainly wrong as is the Google Earth calculated rise of 503’. The descent of 261’ is much closer to the truth. The elevation rise from a February 24, 2024 snowshoe to the top of the ridge was 541’. Steven’s watch said in the upper 200’s. The net rise from where we began to where we ended was about 160’. So I think the upper 200’s is the correct figure.

 

Rachel and Sherri at start

 

Description:

Today will be the first snowshoe this season. I do not think we went last season-a combination of being busy, the storms coming through when we were available and it not being too good of a snow year. Rachel is coming with us, but will be coming over after her 9am yoga class which ends at 10.

She gets in about 10:15-I am ready, but Steven and Sherri are still getting things together. We are all in the car with me driving by 10:45-that all includes Korra. Earlier there was some ground fog, but that has dispersed. The drive up is uneventful, except for stopping in Yokut/Squaw Valley for some gas.. We pass the 5000’ elevation sign without signs of snow-this does not look too good.

By the time we get to the Grant Grove entrance station, there is snow. We asked if there was chain control-No.Does he know if there is snow at Princess campground -he thinks so, but has not been there lately. When we pass by McGee Overlook, there is a layer of low overcast above the Central Valley, making it look like an ocean.

 

At 12:15 we get to Princess Campground. The ground looks pretty patchy for snow and whatever snow is on the ground is thin. We quickly decided that around Cherry Gap there was better snow. We retreat back up 180. We will go up Road 13S77-not the Converse Basin Road-that has a lot of exposure to the sun so there is bare ground there. We parked the car a little before 12:30.

Magic Elf on a tree

The first thing we do is get all of our gear together. Years ago my brother gave me some Sorel snow boots. They seemed a bit stiff, so I could not get them on. I am substituting my hiking boots for the snow boots. After having a bit of lunch-peanut butter and Nutella sandwiches, if you must know-we start on our trip. This would be 12:50 start time. Steven is on his cross-country skis, while the rest of the humans have snowshoes on. Korra, of course, is on four leg drive and does not need any assistance on snow. Then again, the snow is deep enough and hard enough that we can easily snowshoe or ski on top of it without fear of hitting ground, probably averaging a foot or maybe a generous two feet.

At 12:51, the first fall of the season takes place. I manage to have my right foot step on the back of the left snowshoe. I had two choices: try to right myself and risk a face plant or try to fall gracefully. I chose the latter. Nothing hurt, except my pride. Wonder if that will be how this day goes.

There are a few spots along this road where you can look across the Kings and enjoy the view. The first viewpoint is OK, but does not make for a good picture since there are a lot of branches obstructing the view. I turn away, walk a few steps and realize something did not feel right. I looked down and saw one snowshoe. Turning around, I see the missing shoe. It quickly gets put on. It will be that kind of day.

The road is a gradual rise. Not many people have been up the road since the last storm. After a hundred feet we see that those who came without being prepared for snow travel have turned back, leaving the only tracks we see being a few snowshoe marks, two cross country ski tracks-Steven’s is one of them, and Korra’s claw and paw marks.

Snow Dog Korra

I keep looking at the views. Spanish Mountain is the dominant view, with some views up the Middle Fork of the Kings, then looking west we can see Rodgers Ridge, where the Garnet Fire started. It is good to be going along this road, even if we have gone up it many times before.

But there are some things which are new. When we come to a little creek, I look at a tree and see what looks like a couple elves with a snow cap on them. In reality, it is a couple of fungi with the recent snow still covering them. From there, the road goes on its final climb up Hoist Ridge. Rachel says that I was charging right up the slope. That is until I looked back and waited for Rachel and Sherri.

When they caught up to me, I saw Korra coming down the slope towards us. Then there is speck way up at the top of the bend. That speck came barrelling down-the speck is commonly called Steven. He stops before he completely passes us by.

I had set a 1:45 turn around time and that is what time it is. We start back. Steven on his skis is quickly out of sight. For us on snowshoes, going down is a lot easier. We made good time going back down the road. There are some different views across the Kings than when we came up. It gives us a few natural breathing places.

We got back to the car at 2:45. Rachel gets a man to take our picture. Then it is time to go back home. Rachel drives us down. We do stop at the McGee Overview to look at the overcast clouds down in the Valley. I spotted Delilah and tried to take a picture.

 

 

 

 

 

We get home at 4:15 and unload the car. We are having the car serviced tomorrow. We have gotten back in time to take the car in. Then it is time to relax, take a shower and partake of leftovers.

October 11, 2025 - Muir Snag, Not Quite

 

Title: October 11, 2025 - Muir Snag, Not Quite

Hike Info : Description : Extra Photo's 

Hike Info:

Type: Hiking 

Trail head:  Princess Trailhead

Trail: Princess Interpretive Trail

Destination:  Loop

Distance:  1.75 miles 

Start Time: 2:45

End Time:  3:58

Travel Time: 1:12  (1.46 mph)

Moving Time: 0:52   (2.02 mph)

Elevation Rise:  297'

Descent: 221‘

Maximum Elevation: 5,994'

GPS Tracks

Description:

Today is Sherri’s birthday, an interesting mathematical year, but not a prime number. She never likes me to state those kinds of dates in those terms. That is just how my mind works. She was not forced to marry me.

Start of Trail

When Sherri got up, I fixed her a breakfast of Ranchos Huevos. She appreciated it, even if I made a bit more than she could eat. We did a bit of cleaning up-nothing which was pressing. We had our lunch before we went up to the mountains.

Where are we going? A couple of months ago I saw a reference to Muir Snag. I do not think I had heard of it before. So after doing some research on it, I saw that it was in Sequioia National Forest on road 13S50, which is part of the Indian Basin Grove. This road is on the West side of the grove.

I drove us up to the road. When we found the road, we parked a little ways up the road and saw a white truck a bit further up the road. Being good at mathematics, I put two plus two together and realized that we are still in deer hunting season and that the truck more than likely belonged to a hunter. We did not have an inch of red on us, so we felt the wiser choice was to retreat.

Fortunately, this was close to another trail we like by Princess Campground. Even without the government shutdown, Princess would have been closed already. All which this does is have us walk another ¾ of a mile. We walked from the entrance to the interpretive trail. We have walked this trail a lot. There is a loop which is handicapped accessible and paved with a gentle grade. We take the longer loop, stopping frequently to ooh and ahh.

The impression starts quickly. Across the meadow are groves of aspen, having turned golden. Many pictures are taken of these trees. Then we move on. There is a place where we look down the meadow and across the canyon to some of the mountains beyond. It is a sight which never fails to move me. On the back end of the loop there is more aspen and looking towards Cherry Gap.

We took our walk back at a leisurely pace, getting back to the car about 4. We then drove back down home. Since it is Sherri’s birthday, we go out to eat at DiCicco’s on Nees. A good way to end the day.

Extra Photo's

 

Aspen

Look north up the meadow

More aspen

Still more aspen

Sherri

Clouds over Cherry Gao

Stump and Aspen

Gary trying to get a shot, but it did not come out

Gary examining a patch of red

Aspen glowing

November 10, 2024 - Delilah

 

Title: November 10, 2024 - Delilah Lookout
Hike Info : Description :  Extra Photo's 

Hike Info:

Type: Lookout

Description:

I got up even earlier than yesterday after a good night's sleep. The smoke which covered the land below us yesterday is still there, but not looking like a sea of white. Today the quality of smoke is more wispy.

The sun rises and we need to start packing. Today a crew will be coming in starting at 0930 to close Delilah. it is good to get our stuff out of the way.

 

We have breakfast after going into service at 0800. Then as Sherri us about to go down to put stuff in the car, I see a cloud of something over by Cherry Gap. Is this a fresh smoke? Smoke from the Happy Fire spilling through the Gap? Sherri is also looking. I realize this cloud is over from Cherry Gap, more like down from the Chicago Stump area. The cloud is more of a tan color and seems to be freshly descending. We realize that the cloud is dust, being raised from a vehicle on road 13S03. Scare resolved. This kind of false smoke is something we train on to detect, but it still gets the heart going, particularly initially. Also glad we do not need to deal with this while trying to close the lookout.

We do some cleaning up, wiping off the counter glass and mopping the floor. About the time we get mostly clean, the first person of the crew comes up, Judy, our friend. We talked for a while and observed the area. Then others come. In all, we have Richard, Mich, Kathy, Neil, Greg, Judy and us. Also P31 is here to help and as the representative of the Forest Service. Mich, who also works for the Forest Service, pretty much takes command of getting the cab broken down so that things are safe over the Winter. Yours truly tries to be helpful without being in the way. About half of us go downstairs and receive what we send down. Also they work on the shed.

Finally, everything is set in the cab. It is time to go out of service. Because I went in-service, I was chosen to go out. Going out of service for the season with Sierra is pretty straight forward and they are appreciative of our service.

But going out of service with Porterville is like the rest of the season with the radio--interesting. First, we had already pulled the base radio, so I used the handheld to get a hold of Porterville. No response. I tried several times. Then Judy tries. P31 is picking us up on his radio, so we know it is getting out. Then P31 looks at his phone and sees that Porterville is not able to respond to any radio communications, so we are to contact our duty officer. So I signal Division 3 and go out of service with him. About three minutes later, Porterville asks if we were trying to reach them. Affirmative and we officially go out of service for the season.

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                     Video provided by Richard Kinney

During the last year, we have had two of our lookouts passed way. One of them was a very talented metal worker who spent a considerable amount of time maintaining the lookouts. He is missed, particularly since he was an all around good person. He would always be there to open and close the lookouts. One of the traditions was that at the end of the season, there was a pumpkin dropped from Delilah. Jim was the one who would have this honor. Today, the pumpkin was thrust into my hands. After Richard saluted Jim and did a countdown, I dropped the pumpkin. I was thinking I may not have gotten it far enough out, but it missed the bottom strut and the picnic bench. It was a successful drop.

                                                       Video provided by Mich Michigan

We then close up the cab and go downstairs. We enjoy a time of snacks. Nobody seems like they want to be the first to leave. But we do leave, about 1315 is when things break up. It is that kind of thing, being a fire lookout. We do not see people for most of the year, maybe about three or four times a year, if we are fortunate. When we do get together, we d not want things to end. There is a sense of community and a sense of enjoying each other.

Sherri and I leave and make our trip back to Fresno without incident. I had promised a friend that I would stop in on the way and look at her plumbing. But another friend has fixed the issue, so I am free. After I heard this, I was a bit relieved. Being in the lookout for three days, I am interested in getting home and taking a shower and then eating. Which is what we do.Our dinner is at DiCicco. A good way to end the weekend.

 

Extra Photo's

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