Gary-Summer: May 29, 2021

Saturday, May 29, 2021

May 29, 2021 - Alder Falls

Title: May 29, 2021 - Alder Falls
Hike Info : Description : Menu : Extra Photo's : Animals : Flowers and Plants

Trail head: Mosquito Creek

Hike Info:

Type: Backpacking
Trail: Mosquito Creek, Alder Creek
Destination: Above Alder Falls

Distance: 4.65 miles
Start Time: 11:14
End Time:    4:40
Travel Time:  5:26 (0.86 mph)
Moving Time:  4:29 (1.04 mph)
Elevation Rise: 1,456'
Descent: 451‘
Maximum Elevation: 5,814'

GPS Tracks

Description:

This is the first day of the three-day Memorial Day weekend, and we are going to

Line into the park

Yosemite. Several weeks ago Andrea suggested we go backpacking. Sherri and I had already signed up for lookout duty over the Memorial Day weekend, but after conversing with those who scheduled volunteer lookouts, we said Yes!

Sherri got together the food. One thing which was not resolved was two days or three days, So Sherri packed for three, Andrea got in right before 10pm. By the time 11pm rolled around, I was turning into a pumpkin. But we had a plan and everything packed, ready to be loaded into the car.

Bush Whack Explorers

I woke up at 5:45. First thing I do is to check if there was lightning activity in our lookout’s area-No. Then I decided to eat breakfast. We will eat breakfast in Oakhurst. But I would feel more comfortable eating now. Others get up around 7:00pm. We miss our 7:30 start time by about 20 minutes.

Andrea drives up to Oakhurst. Then we pull into Carl’s Jr. Steven, Andrea and Sherri order a drive-through breakfast. We changed drivers and I drove the rest of the way. That is sort of a misnomer about driving. Shortly past Fish Camp, we got into the line to get into Yosemite. We will stay in line for the next hour and a half. But our backpacking reservation gets us into the park.

We stopped in Wawona

Supersized log to cross

and talked with the ranger, Alex. Sherri picks up our permit and we take care of some personal business and then we are off. We get to Mosquito Creek at 11:15 where several other cars are already waiting for us. Also six backpackers are lying around. While I get ready, Andrea talks with them and they start asking about “where are they?'' and pointing to the map. Andrea turns them over to me, and I go into my tour guide mode. It helps that this is one of our go-to-places so I pretty much know the area.

Shortly afterwards, we took off. Now the real fun starts. A short way up the trail, it gets overgrown with brush. Enough so, I can hardly tell where the trail is. The rest follow me. This continues on for a good ways. Not only that, but the trail takes us up a hill at a good clip. The people who needed help locating where they were pass us by.

After three-quarters of a mile, we get to the junction of a trail coming from Wawona. We stop and rest for a few minutes. But unknown to us, our labors are just beginning. There is still some bush to brush aside (I could not resist!). But add this to having to hop, spring, shinny or crawl over fallen trees. Why you might ask? In January there was a Mono wind event which downed many, many trees in the area. Not just dead ones, but live ones as well. Also several trees are now shorter as the tops cracked and fell.

If it was just one or two logs to go over, that is not too bad, but there were at least ten of them to straddle. One more than a straddle-it was four feet in diameter. Between going uphill and climbing over trees, we are really tired. This is not just me, but all of us. Also it is getting warm as well. Still being out here is good.

The beauty of a fading dogwood

I start to lag behind. But that is not too bad. I pause to admire flowers and scenes. There are several ravines which we cross. One has some dogwoods in them. The flowers are past their prime and have a fading beauty. I consider what the dogwoods have to teach me, particularly about beauty: It fades. But I also know that these trees will also blossom again next year with more beautiful blossoms. How can I be like that? Going through a cycle of growth, sprouting into something pleasing. But also learn to fade gracefully, ready for my next time of growth and beauty.

And speaking of beauty, the trail is not grim and gruesome as I am making it out to be. But along the way, adding refreshment is a bouquet of flowers. I should be reminded to bring along a person who knows flowers, both by name, but also has a love of them.

Rest Stop with a view

We are now on our final push up to the railroad bed where everything is flat. But before we get to our flat walking, there is still a steep climb to go. It seems like each year this trail gets steeper. Looking at my older map, the trail used to have more of a climb-you can still see remnants of the older trail. So I think the new steepness is more my body getting older.

Alder Falls

Once reaching the railroad bed, our pace pick’s up. My breathing does better-no spring in the step yet. I think the steepness, brush and logs have taken that out for today. It just is more enjoyable, even though you can feel the heat growing as the afternoon wears on. This part of the trail is a pleasant enough morning walk. In the middle of the afternoon, the sun can be brutal.

Our campsite

After a mile or so, we round a bend and there is Alder Falls. These falls look better from a perspective. The best place is about an eighth of a mile from them. Even then, I wish there was a bit more shade and a platform a bit more into the ravine to give an unobstructed view. A good spot just to enjoy for half an hour.

But our camp is not getting any closer, so we continue on. About twenty minutes later we came to a spot where we camped a couple of years ago. The consensus is to stop here. It is a nice grove of trees.with an established campsite. We park our bodies here and rest for a little while Andrea and Steve put up their hammocks. Sherri and I eventually erect the tent.

Then it is time for dinner. We talk for a while afterwards and then it is starting to get dark. We know it is time for bed. Before closing my eyes, I realize that we are a little too close to the water to be in conformity with the rules. Next time we know not to camp here, but where?