Gary-Summer: January 30, 2021 - Sequoia Lake Snowshoe

Saturday, January 30, 2021

January 30, 2021 - Sequoia Lake Snowshoe

Title: January 30, 2021 - Sequoia Lake Snowshoe
Hike Info : Description : Extra Photo's :

Trail head: Happy Gap

Hike Info:

Type: Snowshoeing
Trail: Millwood Road, Forest Service Road 13S97
Destination: None
Distance: 0.90 miles
Start Time: 2:36
End Time: 4:11
Travel Time: 1:34 (.58 mph)
Moving Time: 1:06 (.82 mph)
Elevation Rise: 233'
Descent: 112‘
Maximum Elevation: 5,627'

GPS Tracks

Description:

There was a heavy snow storm this week which unloaded tons of snow in the Sierra. The big question in my mind is, will the roads be safe enough to travel? The pictures I have seen shw snow starting at 3,000’ with a heavy layer as you approach Grants Grove. So I am thinking of compromising. Can we see Delilah in the snow? Maybe just walk the road with snowshoes? We had thought of an alternative of walking the Davis Road from the bottom. But there is too much iffiness there along with getting ready to go-it is a 2 ½ hours drive one way-with Korra’s record of car sickness, it will be more. An alternative is to go up a bit further around Sequoia Lake and walk some of the back roads there.

View from the car

Steven has an interview at 11:30, so we definitely will be leaving after lunch. We were planning on leaving around Noon or afterwards. By the time the wheels are rolling on the car, it is 12:55. Korra, Steven, Sherri and I are going. It is a clear and nice day. Should be a good day to go up there. When we start heading east, the Sierra comes into full view and it is one of those days when your jaw drops and you just hope you do not run into something in front of you while you enjoy the snow up in the mountains.

Start of our walk

Korra is still getting used to car travel, so we stop to let her settle down. But that is only temporary.Korra still has an unsettled stomach on the way up. We get to the Delilah Road, at least that is what I call it. It is really Forest Service Road 13S97. On the south side of Highway 180, it is called Millwood. We go up it a mile and there are three vehicles parked, so this is a no go there. We go up Delilah Road a bit more, but there is slick, not icy, snow on the road, so we back down and decide to go on.

We go on to the Sequoia Lake parking area. There are a lot of people in its parking lot, but most seem to be playing in that area. So we find a parking place and get ourselves together. By the time we start walking, it is 2:30. It is about a 100 yard walk to Forest Service Road 13S97. Yes it is the same road as above, but we are at the other end. People are also playing by the CalTrans station there, but no CalTrans workers are there. We get on our snowshoes and start walking.

Steven, Korra and Gary going to the point

The first 100’ is choppy-from people walking on it with shoes, not snowshoes. But once we get beyond this, we sink into some pretty good snow. In many places I drop to knee level-wonder how far down I would go without snowshoes on. Good aerobic workout. I go for aways., taking frequent pauses to rest. I wonder how the explorers do this? They really needed to be strong.

Steven gets ahead of me-Sherri has sunk a bit and needs help getting up. Following Steven’s tracks is a lot easier than making them.

Korra is having great fun in the snow. She started out by plunging down into a ravine and running around down there. Looking up, I think she expected us to follow her. I told her, no way, she is on her own. The snow covers her belly, so it looks like she has no legs. But she bounds around. When she gets back to the road we are on, she follows Steven’s tracks, realizing, this is a lot easier than running around everywhere.

Edge of Sequoia Lake

We go only a little ways farther and notice a ridge which looks like it has a good overlook. Steven breaks more snow-thankfully. And when we do get to the end, we can see part of a partially frozen Sequoia Lake and then looking across to where the Converse Basin is and a little bit of what is beyond the Kings River. I do not think any of us are really interested in continuing on. By now it is 3:30. We take a few pictures-I cannot get the right angle for pictures of all of us. Still it is good.

Steven and Sherri-no snow to break

Coming back on the already tramped path is so much easier. Even though I still kept looking down where I was placing my snowshoes, it was faster. Reason to look down? We are passing over brush buried under snow so there is a tendency to sink. But once back on the road, it is fast going. I stop and take pictures and then easily catch up to Sherri and Steven.

A little after 4:00, we get back to the car. I notice that things are a bit wetter than our previous outings. Still pretty dry. And then it is time to head back. We make it back to Fresno by 5:30 and are ready to eat. Habit burgers it is. They are satisfying. Thus ends a good, but short day, of snowshoeing.