Gary-Summer: February 5, 2021 - Converse Basin Snowshoe

Friday, February 5, 2021

February 5, 2021 - Converse Basin Snowshoe

Title: February 5, 2021 - Converse Basin Snowshoe
Hike Info : Description : Extra Photo's

Trail head: Cherry Gap

Hike Info:

Type: Snowshoeing
Trail: Road 13S03
Destination: Unknown
Actual Destination: Top of hill 6898
Distance: 1.96 miles

Start Time: 1:21
End Time:    3:57
Travel Time:  2:36 (0.75 mph)
Moving Time:  1:40 (1.17 mph)
Elevation Rise: 404' ¹
Descent: 405‘
Maximum Elevation: 6,878' ¹

GPS Tracks
¹The GPS did not measure the elevation. The elevations shown are from what Google Earth calculated.

Description:

Betty and Sherri Just Getting Started

It has been a long while since we have been out with Betty. Really looking forward to this day to be reunited with our friend. We were to have Rose with us, but things did not work out, maybe next week. I had my OSHER book group in the morning, so we are getting a late start, after 11am.

We met Betty at Bear Mountain Pizza at lunch time and split a pizza between the three of us. Bear Mountain has added picnic tables. So we enjoy a time between us. Betty notes she has not been out for a while and feels out of shape-we are not too much better, We leave by 12:30 and get to the park by 1pm. I am thinking we will try the trail to the Needle Dump. But when we come to it, a parking space has not been plowed yet. So we continued on past Grant Grove to Cherry Gap. Only a couple of cars are parked-I was concerned about a hoard of people being there.

It is a pretty warm day for February. I go down to a T-Shirt. The route which we follow is along Forest Service Road 13S03. It cuts along the face of a ridge on its south side. So lots of sun. Eventually this road leads to the Chicago Stump. But I suspect that we will not get that for-first because of our late start-I have set a 3:15 turn around time and I am not sure that I am in condition to go that far. We do have a first obstacle: climbing over or through the gate. That done, we put on our snowshoes.

Penny Pines Plantation

Maybe 150 yards from the car, I spy a figure coming towards us. It is Don who lives in our neighborhood. I am not surprised as he said this was a possibility. He stops and we talk awhile. His hiking partner, Steve, and a woman comes up and we converse. Don leads the connections with Steve about why he should know who I am. I had told Don about Stevenson Falls and Steve really liked the place. Steve is a photographer and did the photographs for Don’s book, 101 Adventures in The Southern Sierra.

Gary and Betty climbing Hill 6898

They go on and we go on. Three more of their group passes us. We then come to the sign saying Penny Pines Plantation. From what I can tell, this is a program of the National Garden Clubs association to replant forests which have been decimated by fire or other destruction. The Exeter Women’s Club and the POW/MIA club at Moffett Field are both recognized on the sign. Special at least having known of both groups.

I start eyeballing the little hill above us and thinking if there would be a good view from up there. We go 100’ towards the Chicago Stump when I see what looks like a clearing on the west side of my hill. So after consulting with my companions, and them not saying No, I take off up and around hill 6898. First thing, I am breaking snow, I sink about a foot or so. The climb is not steep. But I do come across some bushes which are a minor impediment. Along the way, my shoe sinks into a bush hole. When I pull my foot out, I am missing my snowshoe. I dig it out and am able to reattach it without issue. Just an annoyance.

Looking West towards Hill 6898

We get to the clearing and are rewarded with a nice view both to the west and south. We circumnavigate the hill and take in the area. We descend down the east slope, back to the plantation sign. Along the way, there are several downed trees to navigate around, some buried and some exposed. One I step on and my left foot slips off backwards. So I try the other foot and the right foot slips off going forward. No harm. Betty has a similar experience. Sherri learns from us. But she loses a snowshoe as well in some brush.

By this time, it is a little after 3pm. We decide it is time to head back. Betty and Sherri take off while I attend to business. For some reason, I am feeling a bit tired in the legs. So I have a hard time catching back up again. But I do when they stop and observe their surroundings. But by this time, we are getting close to the car.

Socially Distanced Group Picture

And now we are back at the gate. Off comes the snowshoes. This time, not enough energy to go over, so I go through the gate bars, just barely. We have a long goodbye with Betty. Maybe we will see her again Wednesday, assuming things work out to go and play in the snow again.

Betty and Sherri Finishing Off The Day

I go a bit further down the road to scope out the Boole Tree road. Looks like there is good parking. A Facebook friend went last week and enjoyed himself. Sherri and I had gone last year. Looks promising. Now we return home. We decide to see what the snow is like in the Delilah area. We can drive past the paved area up to Mike’s place. We could probably go beyond-others have, but it looked a bit sloppy, so we decided not to. Also, the snow is not more than a foot deep, melting fast with large areas of exposed dirt and brush. Does not look fun to play in. We get back to Fresno a bit before 6pm. A good day. Glad to see Betty again.