October 14, 2015 - San Joaquin River Gorge Loop

Title: October 14, 2015 - San Joaquin River Gorge Loop

Trail head: Ya Gub Weh Tuh Trailhead

Hike Info:

Type:  Hiking

Trail: Pa'San Trail

Destination: Loop

Actual Destination:

Distance: 7.41 miles

Start Time:  8:25

End Time:   1:57

Travel Time: 5:31(1.34 mph)

Moving Time: 4:02 (1.84 mph)

Elevation Rise: 1,582'

Maximum Elevation: 1,811'

Description:
Got up at 5:45 and just sort of mosied around the house. We get to Kohl's right at 7:00. John gives his speech about hiking safety, albeit a shortened version of it. We have a couple of new people in our group today. We are able to hitch a ride with Tom, which is a relief. Even though it is a short drive, less than an hour, I did not feel like driving and neither did Sherri.

San Joaquin River looking West

We get to the parking lot at the San Joaquin River Gorge BLM area a little after 8. But take awhile to get organized.  At the trail head you pay $5 unless you have a park pass. Also there are pit toilets. But at the end, there is a trail which descends to the San Joaquin River. It sort of meanders around the bluffs about the river, before dropping down about 300' to a bridge. Here we all wait till everyone catches up. I talk with Betty and Rebecca on the way day down. 

The water under the bridge is pretty low, but there is not much movement, giving the river a pond-like texture. But after the bridge, I fall back and walk with Jerry, Cathey and John up the north side of the San Joaquin River. At first, it is just a climb, but as we rise up the slope, so does the sun, starting to heat us up. This is the exposed side of the river so after a little while we all are sweating. This in turn drains our energy  making it a pretty slow slog. I will confess, the eye candy is lacking. Everything is so dry and brown, that I come to the conclusion I would rather hike this in the Spring than the Fall. But the saving grace is the banter of those walking at the rear is the fun which you have while hiking.

More hills looking west

Hills on south side of river

Towards the top, we hear the sound of blades whirling towards the west of us. We eventually see the helicopter circling around, but cannot tell what he is doing. After about ten minutes he fly's over us and goes up the San Joaquin a ways. What he is doing, I do not know. My guess is he was trying to find pot farms. Sherri says there was two of them and was wondering if they were heli-vacing someone out.

Why was this copter circling us?

We finally make it to the top of the trail where everyone is waiting for us. We settle in for a little rest, about 20 minutes, before we all move out. I start out hiking with Rebecca, Lien and her sister and a couple of others-am sorry, drawing a blank on who they are. But eventually this group sort of spreads out and I walk with Lee J for the rest of the trail. It is a good easy pace, which I what I need. We talk, she asks how my Mom is doing, and I ask about her trip up to Victoria. Just a good conversation.

Lee and Cherith following the trail in the rocks

For some reason this trail always seems longer coming back than going forward. Maybe this time it is the heat, or just being out of shape, I don't know, but I am lacking energy. But we make it down to the bridge. There we wait for the rest of the gang to show up. After awhile, some of us start on ahead for the final 3/4 of a mile. This seems to stretch on forever-much longer than when we came down it this morning. Lee is struggling and I keep falling behind her. But we all make it to the top and enjoy ourselves while we wait for the rest to come up. We find out that it was 90 degrees today, in the exposed sun.

Our trail towards the end

Afterwards, many of us go to Velasco's in Prather for a good Mexican meal. Tom takes us back to the Kohl's lot and we are happy to be back. A good trip, but probably a bit warm for me-I think most agree with that assessment.

Lonely flower on a rock

Trail Lesson:
 Hiking is a cool weather sport.

Sun on the San Joaquin

Kerchoff Powerhouse