Gary-Summer: January 26, 2017 – Big Stump Snowshoe

Thursday, January 26, 2017

January 26, 2017 – Big Stump Snowshoe

Title: January 26, 2017 – Big Stump Snowshoe
Hike Info : Description : Trail Lessons : Background : Extra Photo's

Trail head:Big Stump Parking Lot

Hike Info:

Type: Snowshowing

Trail:Big Stump Meadow

Destination:Big Stump Meadow

Distance: 2 miles ¹

Start Time:10:30

End Time: 1:45

Travel Time: 3:15

Elevation Rise: 300' ¹

¹I could not find my GPS so the elevation gain and distance are approximations. The map is my best guess of the route.

Description:
Originally it was planned for a “first of the season” snowshoe walk with Sherri and I. Then we read where a friend of ours, Betty, said she that had never been snowshoeing. So we invited her (and another friend, Rebecca who had to work) to go with us. Then we thought of our JMT friend Rose and invited her to come with us as well. Then Sherri got sick and could not come. She will get another chance this Winter, I am sure.

Snow covered trees

Betty and Rose gather at our house at 8:30 and shortly afterwards we head out for Big Stump close to Grant Grove. The night before, Rose had shared a picture of the entrance station, about four feet of snow stacked around it. What are we in for? On the way up, we saw a couple of cars with snow mounded over the top of them. When we get to the guard station, the road has been plowed. The ranger does ask if we have 4-wheel drive (Yes)! So we drive right on to Big Stump. Some snow and ice on the road, but not bad.

The snow is piled up at least waist deep around the parking lot. We are grateful that the lot has been plowed and there is a path into the bathrooms. Also the Park has cut a short access to where the trail should be. Still it was a big step for me and even bigger for Rose and Betty. Once on top, we saw another set of tracks which we started along as they went to where the trail was.

After leaving the parking lot, the tracks were the only signs of people we saw. Even then a little ways further, the tracks headed off in a direction away from where I knew the trail to be. So we followed the trail, at least for a ways. We stopped on occasion just because there was so many things to see. Little snow-rolls, shaped like cinnamon rolls, without dough or spice, but with the curl in them. Or a burnt place on a tree surrounded by snow. Or tracks of small animals scurrying around.

Betty enjoying her snow adventure

Betty is all a-gaga. It is her first time on snowshoes and being away from a road-head in the snow. She has become a true believer in this winter adventure. You can tell by the peaceful expression and the giant smile on her face. She even is walking pretty good. On my part I get to play the part of a wise old sage. As the old sage, I give advice such as don't step on your snowshoe or that around trees there can be a hollow area, called a well.

Someplace I lose the trail, but something which I learned long time ago, if you seem confident, people will follow you. This gives me time to figure out we are a bit lower down than I think the meadow is. So after crossing a creek, we turn back up it and see parts of Big Stump Meadow from the south and west. It looks like I planned this route-I will not tell them it is just part of my wandering around.

At this lower elevation, even though there is snow 2-3' deep, there are ravines which show snow melt in the meadow. Sort of miniature crevasses to avoid as we go across. Some places looks like ice, but most of it is slowly running water. In the meadow, we see several stumps which is the legacy of the early lumbering activity of the Sequoias. Our path leads across a neck of the meadow and we circle into the trees for a little ways. I am enchanted by a little creek-let and the cedar tree beside it.

After that, we come out into the meadow again and find the remains of a huge tree. Only the stump is present, having been sawed off about 10' above the ground. But today, the top of the stump is barely at the top of my head and it is snow covered. Betty discovers how different everything looks in the snow, including something this large.

Now we are at the southern part of the meadow and start through the trees, climbing to the entrance station. We come across this old root system of an uprooted Sequoia. You realize how massive these things are. The top is at least twice as tall as I am, even with standing on the snow. As we get close to the road, we decide to only turn back the same way we came, sort of. The road banks coming in looked like they would be hard to get up.

We did not exactly retrace our steps. But neither did we stray too far. It turned out that we paralleled the track we came in on. There was a tree which had been bent over so the trunk was on the ground, but formed a nice little loop. Many a picture was taken there.

Then we deviate off and start our trip up towards after the meadow, rather than the round about way we came in. We start our climb up and make pretty good progress. That is until we come to a small clump of trees. On the other side is an area which looks like it has easy access to continue out climb. So I go forward, carefully picking my way across this area. But evidently not too carefully.

Remember the sage advice I gave Betty earlier? If I had been really wise, I would have followed it myself. As I am crossing through these trees my right foot and snowshoe end up in a well, sunk thigh high in the snow, where it promptly got frozen in place. So for the next 30-45 minutes I dug out the shoe, with the help of a shovel from Rose. Rose and Betty waited patiently. If they snickered, I did not hear it. They must be saints.

I am tired. Rose leads us back down the slope to the meadow where we cut across to find our tracks from earlier today. It certainly is easier going down and following a track than it was going up this. There was no more excitement. By sort of staying level or slightly up, we come to our incoming tracks and follow that up. I was pretty well beat going up and had to stop many times. But in a lot of ways, I felt pretty good about this. I was not sure how much stamina I would have today. Even with the well adventure and breaking snow a lot of the way, I was doing decent enough.

We got to the car and got ready to go. While making use of the bathrooms, I noticed a snow blower coming through, clearing a bit more of the parking lot. Watching the gentle arc of the snow, I realized that ten minutes later, we would have been right under that falling snow. I guess we are glad to be lucky.

On the way back, we stop at Bear Mountain Pizza in Squaw Valley. I got a 14” pepperoni pizza. Tasted good to this hungry guy, with lots left over. We got back to my house around 4:15, tired and content with the beauty we saw.