October 11, 2026 - Nelder Grove

 

 Title: October 11, 2026 - Nelder Grove

Hike Info : Description :  Extra Photo's : Flowers and Plants

Hike Info:

Type: Hiking

Trail head: Nelder Grove Interpretive Center

Trail:  Chimney Tree Trail and the Bull Buck Trail

Destination:  Loop

Distance:  2.38 miles

Start Time: 1:34

End Time:  3:26

Travel Time: 1:51  (1.28 mph)

Moving Time: 1:28   (1.61 mph)

Elevation Rise:  512'  ¹

Descent: 513‘

Maximum Elevation: 5,559'

Minimum Elevation: 5,250'

GPS Tracks

 ¹The elevation data from the GPS seems a bit off. I am using Google Earth’s information for the elevation. The GPS was:

• Elevation Rise: 389'
•  Descent: 462‘
• Maximum Elevation: 5,715'
• Minimum Elevation: 5,327'

Would you use this outhouse?

Description:

Today is Sherri’s birthday and she would like to hike the Lewis Creek trail. But first, we need to go to church and hear Jon talk about Revelation 20. We get back home about 10:45 and get ready to go up towards Oakhurst. Leaving Fresno at 11:30.

I drive, after all it is Sherrri’s birthday. When we get to the trailhead off of highway 41 for Lewis Creek, we find that the parking lot has a lot of cars, which is not surprising. Still it is not what we want when we hike to be in crowds. I had thought of going up to Goat Meadow and going into Mariposa Grove. Steven had suggested that we could do Nelder Grove. We have not been to Nelder Grove in awhile, 2020 to be exact, so we decided to go there.

 

 

California Tree

The question now is which one of the trails do we want to go on? I suggested the Shadow of the Giants, which is a ways down road 6S90, which is a dirt road. We met a couple of ladies walking along the road and offered a ride, which they refused. We continued on. We came to a place which I suspect we could have made it across where water drains migrates to the downside of the road. There were some boards to take us out of the mud, but there was also a pretty good dip and I was concerned we would hit bottom. So we go back to the main road. Looking at the Forest Service site, the trail was closed anyway.

We drive back to the main part of Nelder-where the Interpretive Center is. It is about 1:25 when we park. We get ready to walk the Chimney Tree Trail and probably the Bull Buck Tree. These two will make a loop. There is an outhouse right across the road from us. Its unusual feature is that a branch or something fell on it. While the outhouse could definitely use some servicing, there is no smell as its condition made for a rather airy room.

Gary and the Chimney Tree

By 1:35 we are off walking up the Chimney Tree Trail. After walking about 15 minutes, we came across a log to sit on, which was conducive for having lunch. Lunch is the usual-peanut butter and Nuitella. We sat around for about 15 minutes before taking off.

We travel a short way up the trail and come to a stately tree called the California Tree. While it is an impressive tree, it is not the most notable in the forest. It is a good start. Just ten minutes up the trail, we come to its name sake, the Chimney Tree. Why is it the Chimney Tree? Most of the lower part of the tree is burnt out, with much of the interior of the tree being hollowed out because of being burnt. Even though in the last week, I have talked about how resilient Sequoias are with its thick fibrous bark, I am always amazed when I see trees like this one. They just need a little bit of their bark and underlayer intact to survive.

 

 

Old Forester Tree

About 15 minutes later, we came to a sign which said Old Forester Tree. But the trees which are closest to us do not seem very remarkable. Why would any of them have a name? (Of course that thought raises the question, why do I have a name?) By moving a little bit, I see a tree in the background which would fit the bill as being notable. Not sure that the Sequoia is that old, but it is a tree to take note of. Wikipedia notes that this tree is The tallest tree in the Nelder Grove campground area, named after Walter Puhn, a National Forest Supervisor in the 1960s.

Bull Buck Tree

A few steps later, we come to a trail junction where we can go back to the road or loop past the Bull Buck Tree. We feel like we can continue on. Another ten minutes puts us in front of this tree. It truly is the king of this forest. As we looked up at the upper branches, we noticed clouds just drifting by. Sort of mesmerizing. We stop to have an energy bar before going on.

There are slash piles, ready for burning, all across the hillside where we are walking. The trail drops us down into the walk in the campground. We followed a road for about a quarter mile back to our car. It is only 3:20 when we get back there and another ten minutes to get ready to leave.

Do we eat in Oakhurst since it's just mid-afternoon. We would like to go for Reimer’s, but Sherri’s rule is that we need to eat something real first. So El Cid fits that. We have some burritos there. Then go over to Reimers for ice cream before heading home. We get home about 6:00pm, in time to go on Zoom with the family.

Extra Photo's

Chimney Tree

Chimney Tree

California Tree

Autumn Leaves

Sherri and the color of Fall

Autumn Leaves

California Tree

An old tree having been left

Bull Buck Tree

Old Forester Tree

Sherri on the trail

Gary by the Chimney Tree

Gary and the Chimney Tree

 
Flowers and Plants

October 7, 2026 - Park Ridge Lookout

 

Title: October 7, 2026 - Park Ridge Lookout

Hike Info : Description

Hike Info:

Type:Lookout

Description:

It was a good night, full of stars, many of which I could make out even without my glasses. The sliver of a moon did not rise up until a few hours before I woke up at 0500. There was no lightning to report-that is what I also observed from my perch in the lookout yesterday.

PG&E Block and Tackle

By 0630 I started to move around and change into the clothes for the day. I had my normal breakfast of granola, then took what I did not need and lowered it down to the ground. From there I went on a 40 minute walk. When I returned, the PG&E contractors were there, collecting their stuff. I guess they are done with this assignment.

By this time, it is 0900 and I go and do the lookout thing to get ready to go into service at 0930. But at 0916, Porterville comes on the radio and says the command channels will be down for 20 minutes. So much for the 0930 going into service.

Morning light

This throws me off a bit. Around 0940 I realized I had not gone into service with Ash Mountain Fire (AMF). Portervilles’s issue gets resolved and I go into service. I also ask if channel 4 is available. Affirmative. A short time later, Porterville does their weather and staffing. Well sort of. There is static during the weather part. Then during staffing, I hear about 30 seconds and then it silence until the Great Western Divide staffing gets read. I missed the Hume Lake Ranger District’s staffing, which is what I wanted. Evidently, I was not the only one as Buck Rock radio’s me if I heard who our duty officer is? Negative. But I had seen that BC31 is our duty offer.

A little while later, Wendy called about a few things. She asked that I unplug the refig before I leave, so that it would defrost for the Saturday closing of the lookout. I asked if there was anything else she would want done? Yes, if I could look in the visitor log and count the number which we have gotten this season. That is what I spend most of the day on when I am not doing lookout things.

At 1230 I have my dinner of quesadillas. I then take the weather and do a scan. After that, it was time to have a rest period. I set my time for 15 minutes, then get back into scanning. I finished counting visitors at 1430.

This makes it two and half hours until I go out of service at

Park Ridge for the season. Park Ridge Lookout will be going out of service for the season Saturday and I have things I need to do so staffing again up here is not an option. So I know I will need to wait until next year to be back on the catwalk. There is an appreciation of the time I have been up here. But also a bit of sadness that I will have to wait. I will be able to do other things during that time. Still it is a sense of sadness and longing. The other two lookouts, Buck Rock and Delilah, look like they will be going out of service by the end of the month. I probably will not be able to get to Delilah either.

  

Flag over Park Ridge

Oh well, I guess that is enough mopping around. I should start cleaning up the lookout. I do not see that it is that too beneficial to clean the windows since Saturday the lookout closes. Before I can get very far, I have two couples from North Carolina. My first visitors in two days. They are suitably impressed with my babbling. But I am more impressed with one of the wives. She overcame her fear of heights and came up to the catwalk, but quickly came into the safety of the cab. She is successful on our trip down the stairs, looking at her husband’s back.

At 1600 the weather and burn indexes are reported, but it is very staticy. Not that it really matters since the lookout will be vacant tomorrow. I work on finishing cleaning up. When I do one of the final scans, to the south, there is a whole murder of crows squawking and circling around. At 1655 my final visitor, from Medford, Oregon, came up the stairs. He sees that I have packed up and is just about out to close up. We do talk for a while, enough to give him an idea of what happens in the lookout.

At 1708 I go out of service. With the rope system, I am able to get everything down in one load. With a last look, I say farewell to the lookout. An enjoyable season, all seven days I spent up here.

It turns out that I have a bit more fun going back home-good fun. On the way out, I come across my final visitor who was at the saddle. He still needs to set up his campsite, so he accepted a ride to his car at Panoramic Point. After dropping him off, I head down to the Grant Grove Village. It seemed like every quarter mile there is a car coming up. Where are all of there folks going I wonder.

When I get down to the Village, a woman flags me down. She is by herself and her rental car dows not seem to be very reliable as far as showing how much fuel she has. After my usual disclaimer on how little I know about vehicles, we talk about the symptoms. I think she is OK that it may have to do with how the gas sloshed around on mountain roads. She is pleased and calls me “cheeky”-she is English. I think she is trying to compliment me. After this, it is a normal drive back to Fresno. I get back in time for our family Zoom.

October 6, 2026 - Park Ridge Lookout

 

 Title: October 6, 2026 - Park Ridge Lookout

PG&E work below

Hike Info : Description 

Hike Info:

Type:Lookout

Description:

This is probably my last time at Park Ridge Lookout this season. It is good to wrap up the season without major fires in our area. But it is also good as I do have plenty of things I can be doing as well. Still I will miss being up here. There is a chance I can staff Delilah, if my schedule and Delilah’s match.

At 540 I woke up. It was another slow getting started day-they all seem that way. It is just me with no one else to blame. I left 700, a bit later than I wanted to, especially since I needed to get gas at Costco. I still got to the Park entrance at 810 and arrived at Park Ridge Lookout 900. I lug my stuff up, some of it with a rope. PG&E Contractors are working on establishing a pole just to the northwest of me.

Setting sunlight through haze - not as bad as it looks. Not enhanced.

Once I finish lugging stuff up, I start doing lookout stuff: observe the weather, raise the flag and scan my area. At 0928, I go into service with both Porterville and Ash Mountain Fire (AMF). Then it is onto the normal things a lookout does: scans and stuff. At 1006, Porterville reports on the weather forecast and the forest staffing. Also AMF/Park staffing is done 1008. Back to doing scans. One of the things lookouts do is to review locations around us. This is what I do between scans. It helps me to identify where things are and I keep an eye on my surroundings.

Most of the morning and into the afternoon, it was pretty routine stuff. I had been hearing road crews below me on the General’s Highway, south of the Wye. Then I heard on the Park radio that the General’s Highway is closed between Quail Flat the the Wye at 1411. Traffic is backing up. Initially the Park said they did not have enough staffing to provide traffic control. Then when the road looked like it was going to be shut down for a while, they sent someone.

I heard Patrol 33 talking to Buck Rock, asking if the highway was still closed. I got on R5 and told her what I heard. Also the Duty Officer told Patrol 33 we will be on extended hours today. First I heard of it today-the lookouts had been warned this might happen. Wendy sent me a text letting me know based upon this conversation. Along those lines, I went on R5 Project and asked Buck Rock if I was to go into service at 0800 tomorrow-negative.

 

 

 

 

Starry night

 

I do not hear Porterville reporting of fire indexes or weather. Delilah Lookout goes home at 1732. Sometime after that, Patrol 33 tried to contact Porterville on one of the command channels. She was told to change to channel 2 as there was an active fire being managed on channel 4. That was the first hint I had about channel restrictions. Sort of makes you think I may not be hearing everything.

At 1855 both Buck Rock and I went out of service and in quarters. I go downstairs and lock up. Then I let Sherri know that I am available for talking. We talked for over an hour until almost 2100. I read and scrolled through my phone until 2200 until I went to sleep.

October 2, 2026 - Buena Vista Peak

 

Title: October 2, 2026 - Buena Vista Peak
Hike Info : Description : Extra Photo's

Hike Info:

Type: Hiking 

Trail head: Buena Vista Trailhead

Trail: Buena Vista Trail

Destination: Buena Vista Peak

Distance:  2.02 miles

Start Time: 10:37

End Time:   12:56

Travel Time:  2:19 (0.87 mph)

Moving Time:  1:19  (1.53 mph)

Elevation Rise:  532'

Descent: 504‘

Maximum Elevation: 7,639'

Minimum Elevation: 7,611'

GPS Tracks

Description:

Start of trail

This morning did not start off very well. Evidently yesterday while timing some things, I inadvertently set my alarm. So the rooster alarm crowed at 5:45. I apologized to Sherri and I got up. I sort of moseyed around doing things which I had neglected to do for the past couple of days. Rachel came in a little after 8; Steven was up a little before 8; while Sherri got up about 7:40.

By the time we are ready to leave, it is 9:07 on the car’s clock. I am driving. One of the things which we discussed on the way up to the Park is where do we want to go with our Alaska Air companion fare? No definite decision, but I think there was some clarification about desires. We stopped at Big Stump once we passed through the entrance station. We then progressed on to the Buena Vista trailhead, arriving about 10:20.

I can tell that we have not been hiking in awhile. It takes us a while to get ready once we parked, about 20 minutes. We hit the trail about 10:40. There is another clue that I have not been hiking much-The trail starts off going up and I am leading. I immediately go into a deliberate pace. That should be interpreted as being that I was making sure I did not suck air. 

 

We quickly encountered a fallen tree which we walked around. One thing which we noted is that the tree cover was sparse. In October, this should not be too much of a problem. But today is a warm day and we can feel the mid-day sun bearing down on us. That tree is not the only one down. Another tree there was no going around and it is about 3 to 3½ feet in diameter, a bit of an obstacle. But we all got over it.

Kings Canyon Overlook

We stopped several times on the way up, making sure there was shade when we stopped. But we make steady progress. I had chosen this trail for two reasons. First it is only a mile up. The second is that there is a good, but manageable climb. I think I need this just as much as Sherri. At least I stop as my breathing gets labored and my heart beats hard. All manageable, just an indicator that my body is not what it once was.

When we reach the top of the ridge, we do our final rest break. When we head out, Steven goes on ahead and reaches the top about ten minutes before us. Somehow this segment seemed a bit shorter than what I remember-usually it is the other way around. Rachel, Sherri and mine arrival is 11:35.

Either way, we all get to the top. From here we enjoy the view, as you should do from a peak. From here, we view two of our lookouts: Buck Rock and Park Ridge. Usually Park Ridge is hidden behind trees, but there it is. I am wondering when was the last time we were up here? Was it before the KNP Complex fire? The answer when I got home was June of 2022, a year after the KNP fire.

Looking towards Buck Rock, there is what looks like a trail. I am not familiar with a trail in that area, so I called Jessi at Buck Rock to see if she knows of a trail down there. No, but there are a couple of roads. But it does not look like a road. Later on when I got home and blew up a picture, I could see that it could be a road.

Looking to the west, there are three predominant features: Redwood Mountain, Redwood Canyon and Big Baldy. That KNP fire devastated the canyon as well as the south side of Redwood Mountain. But surprisingly the upper part of the canyon still has Sequoias standing.

We looked some more, and had an energy bar before we left. The trip down is a lot easier than coming up. On both ways, there is not much in the way of floral. I see a penstemon or two. Also some of the grasses have turned to their Fall colors. We made it back to the car before 1:00.

I drove us back. The question which always comes up after a hike is where to eat? We talked about Bear Mountain Pizza or Habit Burgers in Fresno. Instead of these places,we decided to go Mexican at a place some friends of ours introduced us to: Los Panchos Mexican Restaurant on Kings Canyon. This means delaying eating for an hour, but I guess I will be off to live off of my fat until we get there. The food is good when we get there and we are content after eating. We get home about 3:30, a bit tired,

Extra Photo's

Gary towards the end of the hike

Rachel on the trail

Park Ridge Loookout

Buck Rock Lookout

Some sort of mello plant, I think

Redwood Canyon and Mountain