April 2, 2016 - Alder Creek

Title: April 2, 2016 - Alder Creek

Trail head: Mosquito Creek

Hike Info:

Type:  Hiking

Trail: Alder Creek

Destination: Alder Falls

Distance:  8.24 miles

Start Time:  8:46

End Time:   1:37

Travel Time: 4:51 (1.70 mph)

Moving Time: 3:52 (2.13 mph)

Elevation Rise: 1,689'

Maximum Elevation: 5,842'

Description:
Sometimes this blog does come in useful. Earlier this week I got an email from Dana whom I had not seen in awhile. She is taking some people on a hike up to Alder Falls and was wondering if there was poison oak (None that I have ever seen). But the thing which I would be concerned about would be snow. We have had soon up on the railroad bed in mid-April in a drought year and this is a normal year, two weeks earlier. Dana also invited me along. So after making arrangements for Mom care, I accepted.

We are meeting 7:00am and it looks like there is five of us: Dana and I, as well as Betty, Konnie, and Cece whom we will meet in Oakhurst.  We leave Starbucks in Oakhurst, but make a pit stop in Wawona, before hitting Mosquito Creek Trail Head around 8:40. But the excitement starts before we reach Fish Camp. There on the  side of the road is a coyote, waiting patiently to cross it. Then just before Wawona a couple of young deer go bounding up the embankment. But except for a few birds, that is the end of the wildlife for us.

Burnt forest from 2008 burn

Downed tree crossing

From the parking area at the horseshoe bend at Mosquito Creek,  we cross the road and start our trek up. Because of a 2008 prescribed burn, much of the big growth has gone away, to be replaced with brush. While this sounds like it is no big deal, for the first 3/4 of a mile we are fighting through this brush which have grown more obstructive each year since.Now they are overgrowing the trail. You combine this with many new logs falling across the trail, it is becoming an adventure just  going up the trail.

Hikers on trail

Now you throw in that I have not had any real uphill in months, I quickly go to the back of the line, huffing and puffing. I am not too far behind, but if there was masculine pride, it would have been severely wounded. I think between the weight, lack of exercise, and a pretty good climb, it is taking its toll on me.You can hide some of this by stopping to take pictures, but I do not think anybody was fooled. But the one advantage I have is that I know this trail and am looking forward to the trail junction with the one coming in from Wawona.

Betty and a dead tree

Why you might ask? Well the trail will be more rolling than up and I can use my longer stride to make up for the lack of conditioning. But the walking becomes a lot more pleasant and the miles start to go by along this stretch. The brush becomes more sparse, but there is still logs to cross. I enjoy talking with Dana about books. Some of the books concern the history of the early explorers of the region and I am able to regale my fellow hikers with some of the background of the area, including the railroad bed we are aiming for. (I hope it is regaling, and not just polite boredom.)

Alder Falls

Once we reach the railroad bed, we can really make good time. It is flat and the stride is easy. We see many of the ties still in the ground or stacked on the side. Also when we pass a couple of creeks, I admire the stonework which the builders did to make the crossing easy on the trails. But one the greatness of the trail is that when you round this one corner and the falls come fully into view. Even as often as I have seen the falls, today they are a lot fuller than I have seen in awhile. But it is special because of my fellow hikers have not seen the falls before. Even common sights take on a specialness when you see how it affects those seeing things for their first time.

After Lunch

We stop and eat lunch below the road bed, close to the creek. Cece and Dana have made cookies and are sharing them with us. Konnie provides Wasabi peas. All are good. Then we climb back up to the road bed and start off a little ways above the falls. I think the ladies would like to go all the way back to where I have told them there is a camp site.

Tromping through snow

But this is Spring and we get stopped by a creek about 3/4 of a mile beyond the falls.  While not wide, it is now something we can jump over. There is a log across it about 10 feet above the trail, but it does not look too passable-it is, even Sherri has gone over it before. But just getting here, we have had to go through snow, not bad snow. It is crusty and most of the time you do not sink and when you do, it is only 6" at most.  Still everybody sees the handwriting on the wall and we decide to turn back.

Alder Creek above the Falls

Coming back I walk with Cece and have a wide-ranging and pleasant conversation, going from John Muir in Yosemite to diabetes to conditioning for my upcoming JMT trek in August. All in all a good and encouraging conversation. We also get to take in some of the sights, such as the prettiness of Alder Creek above the falls.  Or just the pleasantness which water in this area brings. Let us hope for more.

We get back to the cars around 1:30. There was several comments about how early it is still. The decision is to go on back to Fresno rather than stop in Oakhurst for food. That is good since Sherri and I and the family will be eating Chinese tonight at the Shanghai restaurant.  But then Dana mentions that she really likes a Mexican restaurant I recommended to her a while back, and that gets me to thinking Mexican for dinner. We get back to Fresno around 3:00pm, dropping everyone off and I head home.

I am a bit tired. My mom has just woken up when I get home so it does not seem like I get much rest. But neither do Sherri or the kids since they just rode 32 miles in the Classic California mini-metric bike ride. Tomorrow we do a half-marathon which should tire us out even more. It is good that I still have a body to do these things. Today is a reminder to take care of it.

P.S. That snow I was concerned about-none to the Falls and a pretty thing layer afterwards. Moral of the story? Do not fret over possibilities, but enjoy the adventure. Of course, if there is a good possibility that what has you concerned will come about, heed the warning.

Trail Lesson: If you want to enjoy a commonly used trail, just re-adjust your eyes and see things like this is your first time.

Top of Alder Falls.