Gary-Summer: May 11, 2019 - Delilah Lookout

Saturday, May 11, 2019

May 11, 2019 - Delilah Lookout

Title: May 11, 2019 - Delilah Lookout
Hike Info : Description : Background : Extra Photo's : Animals

Trail head: Delilah Road, starting at the Forest Service Gate

Hike Info:

Type: Hiking

Trail: Delilah Road

Destination: Delilah Lookout

Distance: 6.08 miles

Start Time: 3:10

End Time: 6:50

Travel Time: 3:40 (1.66 mph)

Moving Time: 2:59 (2.04 mph)

Elevation Rise: 1,158'

Descent: 1,122‘

Maximum Elevation: 5,320'

GPS Tracks

Description:

Rachel has indicated she is interested on going for a hike. But where? Lewis Creek was proposed. But I have had some different thoughts after Wednesday to going up to Delilah since we went to Park Ridge.

When Rachel arrived from Los Angeles, we have a quick lunch and are off to Delilah. We leave about 1:30 and turn off of 180 around 2:15: when we pass the Armenian Camp there is a sign indicating that a prescribed burn is in progress. But about the only sign of a burn is the faint smell of smoke around Sequoia Highlands Camp-this is probably from a fireplace.¹ There is a sign about the road being closed from here on out. After talking with the Sequoia Highlands person, he said it is there more because of the gate than anything else. After passing the Sequoia Highlands Camp, it is a short distance to the Forest Service gate.

Gary on the road

From the gate it is about three miles to Delilah. We start our walk from there. There is a gradual uphill to start off. Beautiful green Spring coloring. There is a freshness in the air-maybe because the dust is still moist and staying on the ground. On one side of the road we see across the Kings River and up the North Fork of the Kings. When we go around Pine Ridge on the other side, we see the straight line of Highway 180 going through Squaw Valley and then up some curves to Dunlap. No wonder they built a lookout up here.

Highway 180

The road seems like it goes ever upwards. I know that is not true. We do not even get to the top of Mount Delilah on this road-Delilah Lookout is built on a lower flank. along the way the side of the road there are stacks of wood, ready to be burnt.

Looking North

As we descend, there are low places where puddles were and mud now has collected. In one of these spots an assortment of deer tracks have gathered. Looking closer, rodents have also amassed. But the thing which arrested my attention is a big track. I wondered if it belongs to a lion. Later on it is identified as a bear track.

Another surprise-a couple passes by me. I thought we would be the only ones on this road today. At the junction with White Deer Road, we come across a large puddle which we go around but there a low car might have an issue. A short final climb brings us to Delilah.

On the Road

At Delilah, the locks are still Forest Service locks, so I cannot open the outhouse. Also we can only climb two flights of stairs to the gate barring entry to the upper part of Delilah. So we look around and rest and take care of certain needs. The couple which passed us are up there as well. John says that they are locales and he is interested in doing fire lookout. So I give him my card in case he gets serious.


Delilah Rising Above the Forest

It is starting to get late, so we should be starting back. While I would feel better about walking this at night then last Wednesday’s hike through snow, I would prefer not too.; There is a comment about how much uphill there is. It seemed like there was only a little downhill coming. But that is the nature of a hike-always thinking that both ways are hard.

Cows in Sampson Flat

Nothing exciting. Except we do see our cows down in Sampson Flat. We get back to the car a little bit before 7:00pm. It will take about an hour and a half to get back home from here. Rachel was going to make pasta for us, but that seems a bit late. So the choice is pizza or DiCicco’s. Since Sherri and I pizza a couple of nights ago, DiCicco’s it is. They seem a bit slow tonight-or is it that I am hungry? We get home around 10:00pm. Tired and ready for a shower.

Background

¹This sign may have been put out in preparation for a burn. About a week later, we talk with Forest Service’s Patrol 33. She says that if the weather cooperates they will burn some of the slash piles they have been collecting along the Delilah Road soon. Also over at McKenzie Ridge.

²We gave a report back to the Buck Rock Foundation concerning the status of the lookout and the road.

This afternoon (Saturday, May 11th), Sherri and I, along with our son and a daughter, walked into Delilah from the Forest Service gate. It looks like Delilah is in pretty good shape. The shutters are off and things look good there.

Road In:

Very passable. Generally, if you could get your vehicle in last year, you can get in this year.
There seems to be more minor rutting on the road, particularly from the gate onwards to Delilah.
- In a few steep places, there is loose rock exposed which may cause a little bit of slippage.
Mud puddles in places in the road. The biggest was about 25' long right after the White Deer Road and before you make the final climb to Delilah. Did not test how "sinkable" one would be.
Minor debris on much of the FS part of the road.
No trees across the road. One small trunk sticking out, but very avoidable.

Lookout:

Bathroom has the FS lock on it.
Gate going up stairs has a FS lock on it as well.
No rope or pulley for lifting stuff up.
Grass around lookout is present, not high. But when it dries out may need to be careful with exhaust system.

Misc:

FS has been doing a lot of work clearing trees from the road. Lots of stacks to be burnt.
There was a sign at the end of the paved road, at the Armenian Camp, which said SLOW DOWN PRESCRIBED BURN. We did not see any signs of this, but did notice a slight smoke smell around Sequoia Highlands(may be burning there, but it was warm).
Sequoia Highlands had put out signs at the end of their property warning that the road was closed. In talking with one person, they said it was because of both the condition of the road and the gate being closed.
While we were walking to Delilah, two locals were also walking to Delilah. They had visited Kathy at BR before, but did not recognize Wendy's name. They sounded interested in becoming lookouts. Gave them my contact info. So if they show interest, I will pass on the info to Wendy.