Gary-Summer: July 6. 2019

Saturday, July 6, 2019

July 6. 2019 - Alder Creek

Title: July 6. 2019 - Alder Creek
Hike Info : Description : Menu : Extra Photo's : Animals : Flowers and Plants

Trail head: Mosquito Creek in Yosemite

Hike Info:

Type: Backpacking

Trail: Alder Creek

Destination: Usual campsite above Alder Falls

Actual Destination: Campsite about a quarter mile above Alder Falls

Distance: 4.5 miles ¹

Start Time: 10:30

End Time: 4:00

Elevation Rise: 2,164'

Descent: 914‘

Maximum Elevation: 6,082'

¹I forgot my GPS. So this is based upon estimates from previous hikes and from plotting route on Google Earth

Description:

View from 6S10

Fresno Dome

This trip is not turning out as expected. The original plan was to go on a three day backpacking trip to Chain Lakes with all five of us in our family, plus Lawrence-Andrea’s boyfriend, and another Andrea who our Andrea went to high school with. But Rachel needed to work Friday. So I stayed home with Rachel and we would go up Saturday. The rest of the group went up. They got a wilderness permit for Chain Lakes-the person in the Forest Service office said the road was clear to the Quartz Mountain trailhead. But it was not. There were at least three snow berms-the last one stopped them, damaging the protection under the Rav4. At that point, the group decided it was time to turn back, that is with help getting off of the berm. Instead they took a day hike to Fresno Dome and came back home to Fresno.

Mosquito Creek Trailhead

Wawona Ranger Station

Now we will try again, this time to Yosemite. Our options are Alder Creek, the Pohono Trail and Ostrander Lake. We will see which we get. The plan is to leave by 7am and get to Yosemite before the long line at the entrance station. We are thinking of trying for the Alder Creek trail, mostly because it will give us a quick route back, along with a nice experience. The two Andrea’s and Lawrence have not been there yet, so it would be new to them as well as someplace Sherri and I like to go, just not in mid-season.

Rachel, Sherri, and Andrea

We did manage to leave at 7:30. Andrea, Lawrence and Rachel are going over to pick up the other Andrea while Steven, Sherri and I go straight to Wawona and negotiate for a backcountry permit. We get to the southern entrance to Yosemite about 8:30. There is a line, but fortunately not that bad. It is moving quickly, until we get about six cars from the entrance station. There I had Steven get into the wrong line. This line took forever. We got to Wawona around 9:00am.

Alder Creek from the Mosquito Creek trailhead was available, so we gobbled up that permit. We only had to wait about 10 minutes for the other car. So off we go. Lawrance’s car went ahead of ours-which was a mistake. When we got to the trailhead, no second car was there. We waited around another ten minutes for them to show up. They had missed the hairpin turn and gone up the road a little ways.

Sherri and I start out before everybody else does, mostly because we will be the slowest. That is borne out as the rest of the gang passes us pretty quickly. But in our defense, the first ¾ of a mile goes up 700’, so this part of the trail is not for wimps. I take things one step at a time and pull away from Sherri. But Andrea and Rachel stay with her. I am glad for the break when we get to the junction with the Wawona trail. A man and his grownup son passes by and we talk with them. While they have been coming to Wawona for 30 years, they have not made it to the falls yet. We encourage them to. The father says that the cap Sherri bought me in Wawona was a Shirly Spenser design-she is from Fish Camp.

Andrea the exerciser

The air is a bit warm, but not as warm as I expected. The trail goes along the familiar route back towards Mosquito Creek. But when we cross it, or should I say, some of its legs, it is more of a trickle. We have been climbing, but more gentle than the first ¾ mile. After going over several ridges, it is time for lunch. Lunch is along the side of a hill. We devour the peanut butter, nutella and crackers. I think someplace some humus is reconstituted. Then Andrea shows her exercising skills-I am still on recovery mode from the climb up so far.

Trail above the falls

But fortunately, we only have on more real climb to tackle. Once we get to the top of the climb, we come across the old Sugar Pine Lumber Railroad bed. That means it is a flat walk to the Falls. We walk at a leisurely pace, taking in the forest around us, occasionally crossing a little stream of water. I admire the work which was done to build this bed.

I know that going around a certain bend, we will meet one of the pleasurable sights in the Sierra’s-the initial view of Alder Falls. It does not disappoint. We have also caught up with the rest of our group as they are reclining under the shade of a lone pine tree. But the view is keeping them there. I will admit I am also glad just to be off of my feet as well as being able to enjoy the Falls.

Evening at Alder Falls

We enjoyed the falls for over an hour. But then the debate was where to go? Should we go up to where we regularly camp or try for someplace with less distance. Everybody thought that if we could find a place for all seven of us closer to the falls, that would help us get out earlier in the morning. So off we go.

Our Campsite

We walk about half a mile to three-quarters up the trail. I am in the lead, mostly because I have a pretty good guess about where a campsite is. We walk through a fern laden forest with azaleas sprouting everywhere. Very fragrant. We will have the best smell campsite that I think we have ever had. But the azaleas are not the only flowers. We see snow plants and western wallflowers, lupine-of course-and many other flowers. It seems like this is how Spring should be in this area, not a month into Summer.

Presently I see what I have been looking for-a little worn path away from the trail. We follow it and there about 40’ from the trail is a great campsite complete with an established fire ring, not that we will be burning tonight. There are three tents and two hammocks. While the space is occupied, it does not seem crowded. My one item of concern is that we are closer to the creek than I would like. But looking up the trail a ways, all which I really find is a campsite on a slant and a pair of sunglasses. So this will have to suffice for tonight.

Evening at Alder Falls: Rachel, Lawra\ence, Steven, Andrea S, Andrea, Gary, Sherri

Dinner is beef stroganoff-dehydrated. Sherri had this stuff already packaged for us. After we clean up, we decide to go for a little walk. I think most people wanted to go further up the trail, but I was interested in seeing the Falls at sunset. So since I set out first, that is the way I chose. As it turned out, it is a good choice. The Falls and the area while not stunning, they are pleasant against the darkening sky. We stay around for half an hour and then head back, getting back just in time for darkness to fall.

Evening Sky

As you might have guessed by now, when darkness falls, it is time for bed. We all hit our sleeping bags around 9:00 and I stop reading by 9:30. Tired but feeling good.