Title: November 23, 2020 - South Wilderness Trail
Hike Info : Description : Trail Lessons : Background : Extra Photo's : Animals : Flowers and Plants
Trail: Bench and South Wilderness Trails
Destination: End of Trail
Distance: 6.48 miles
Start Time: 9:35
End Time: 2:33
Travel Time: 4:58 (1.30 mph)
Moving Time: 3:25 (1.90 mph)
Elevation Rise: 601'
Descent: 543‘
Maximum Elevation: 1,010'
I got up at 6:45. There is light in the sky, but the sun has not reached us yet. And yes, it is pretty cold. The water has not frozen, but I am glad there are gloves on my hands. Also the mask to protect against COVID-19 has the dual function of being a nose warmer. Last night I woke up pretty cold. Adding my wool socks to my feet helped a lot.
Andrea got up shortly after I did. We made pancakes and bacon-a good cold morning breakfast. Tea and Tang supplement our meal. We are able to observe our surroundings a lot more than last night. We notice the coloring of the broadleaf leaves. By the time we got cleaned up and ready. By 9:30 or so, we were on the trail.
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| Start of Bench Trail |
When I first thought about doing the South Wilderness Trail, I was thinking more in terms of a nice little hike with a low probability of anything really attractive. The reports I read said that it was a no-maintenance trail running through a creekbed. So the bar was low. I was wrong.
Today, we will be going down the Bench Trail for half a mile, then doing the South Wilderness Trail. The Bench Trail starts at the end of the road we are camped on-how convenient that is for us. The first half a mile is pretty level and broad. Andrea and I walk side by side, with masks on for the most part. We get to appreciate the fall colors surrounding us. But this jaunt will only get us prepared for more.
Andrea observing the color
Once on the South Wilderness
Trail, it really is a service road for the first third of a mile. We
see a sign saying Service Road. Just to the right of that is our
trail. It shortly crosses the dry Chalone
Creek.
There are some sticks in the bottom of it to aid the hiker crossing
this. But if that is all the aid needed, then Chalone Creek is not
much of an obstacle.
For the rest of our trek, we travel either on the west side of Chalone Creek, or in the Creek-it was dry-I wonder how the trail is if the creek is running? The trail in places is narrow, on a steep slope of dirt, but in most places it is wide enough to scoot off for someone to pass us by-going out there was no need as we were the sole travelers. It seems like the trail goes up and down with more up on the way south. But looking at the contour map, it looks like we are heading downstream. Coming back, we verify this. We eventually get to the boundary of the park and private land. A fence runs along this and the trail turns into a path going along the fence. I suspect most people stop here, but we continue on till we reach a gully. It would be simple to cross the gully, but then there is a steep uphill with less of a path, so we stop here.
Andrea hiking down the creek bed
Let me backtrack here. I have
already alluded to that there were Fall colors around. But as we go
up the South Wilderness Trail, it is a constant parade. Yellows and
gold are matched with dull greens of pines. The grasses has turned
the color of straw. But berry plants had dark reds and greens, along
with an abundance of thorns which seemed to claw at us. This whole
scene continued on our way to the Pinnacles southern boundary. It
makes for delightful walking-at least it provides for a constant
excuse to stop and take a picture.
Back to the trail. When we get
back to the edge of the boundary, we stop for lunch. A pleasant
enough place. Andrea and I do a lot of talking over these several
days together. When we get ready to leave, Andrea discovers two
things: first, some of the berry plants have snagged her leggings.
Guess Sherri will have a task for her. Second, where we sat, there
was pine pitch mixed in the grass.
Boundary fence where we ate lunch
Pathway to Color
Going back, we recognize the
slight uphill the topo map indicated, but not enough to really hamper
me-I normally would say us, but Andrea is unstoppable, except to wait
for her Dad. Going back we observe the same things we did going in,
but from a different angle. It is amazing the difference in seeing
things backwards makes. You know how I said we did not meet anybody
coming up? We meet several different groups of people. First a family
which seemed like they had been up that way before. Then a pretty
discourteous couple who insisted on passing us, one without a mask,
on a narrow section of trail. I guess they must have been in a hurry
thinking the Fall colors would not last until they got there. Three
boys-really in their 20’s, who seemed lost right at the start of
the trail. The next lady turned them around. We talked with her for a
time-enjoyable talking.
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| Chain-link Building |
In our travels, we spot a chain-linked cage without a top, but with a gate. Beside it is what looks like an old lock box, at least it has a NPS lock on it. Even more puzzling is the little tag on the cage saying “This is a Building” with the note that there are fines associated with disturbing it. I would really hate to be caught in that building during a rainstorm.
Condors
We make it back to camp around
2:30. I am feeling pretty good about myself. We rest up for an hour
or so, reading and the like. As cold as it was this morning, it is
pleasant this afternoon. Pleasant enough that I am in a T-Shirt, but
not for long. Once the shadows reach us, it is time to put on longer
sleeved clothing.
This morning, I realized that among things I did not bring besides much of the plastic ware were eggs for tomorrow’s french toast. Off to the store we go, my legs still feel decent enough after our hike from this morning. Safety precautions are in place at the store where only two people are allowed in at a time. Andrea, in protection mode for her father, goes in and decides we really do not need eggs that badly. On the way back, we stop to look at some permanently mounted spotting scopes. A man is looking up at the sky. He says condors. Sure enough there are half a dozen of them circling around above us. Wonders never cease.
Dinner is a lookout special: gnocchi with marinara and cheese sauce. Easy and good tasting. Afterwards we lit the heater Sherri bought. We are trying it out to see how it works in a cold weather situation. It does good. We have a second heater, but it does not get past its pilot light. Still it is warm enough for us to talk a bit. At least until a little after 7:00 when we both decide it is getting cold enough we want to retreat to the comfort of our tents. I read for a bit longer, probably a bit after 8:00 before dozing off. A good day with my daughter.
Trail Lesson:
Sort of like life, just because a trail looks ordinary, does not mean that it cannot be extraordinary.
Background
South Wilderness Trail. After discovering this trail on the map, I did what any good geek would do: look for information on it. I came across a blog called Live and Let Hike which had information on the trail. Good description, just not for the Fall.
Extra Photo's
Animals
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| High flying condor |
Flowers and Plants
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| Buckwheat, I think |
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| Sage |
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