August 18, 2021 - Big Baldy

 

Title: August 18, 2021 - Big Baldy
Hike Info : Description : Extra Photo's 

Trail head:  Big Baldy Trailhead

Hike Info:

 

Type: Hiking

Trail: Big Baldy

Destination: Big Baldy

Distance:  4.44 miles

Start Time: 3:49

End Time:  7:18

Travel Time: 3:28  (1.28 mph)

Moving Time:  2:56  (1.52 mph)

Elevation Rise:  1,041'

Descent: 1,020‘

Maximum Elevation: 8,219'

GPS Tracks

 

 

Description:

Like so many of our times out the last year and a half, what we did was not what we planned. The plan was to go backpacking. But the last few days have become pretty smokey. So we decided to go on a series of day hikes. Even that did not work out so well. We left Fresno after 2:00pm. So our hike will be a short one.

Sherri on the trail up

Even without much traffic, it took us until 3:30 to reach the Big Baldy trailhead. And then another 15 minutes or so to get boots and ready to go. This is a bit later than I am comfortable with. So in my mind I am wondering if we will be able to make it to Big Baldy. I am thinking of a 5:30-5:45 turnaround time.

This trail is not a surprise to us-we have been on it several times. But our memories of it are different. That is why we keep coming back to the same trail-to refresh old memories and to create new ones.

While the trail is short, there is some uphill. But it is not a continuous up. The trail follows hills on its climb up Big Baldy. Going up, the down part of the mounds contain relief. But coming back it will be “I do not remember so many times we went down coming up.”

One of the things about this trail is the amount of places we can see out to. But today, as was noted earlier, there is lots of smoke, particularly that it has settled into low lying areas. We do not smell or taste the smoke-else we would turn back. If it is that bad, why damage our lungs needlessly?

At the top

We stop for a Jelly Belly break. As we look around, we see a mound of bear scat, at least we hope it is bear scat. But there are no tracks which makes me wonder where the bear is? We go on and reach the summit of Big Baldy by 5:25-in front of our turnaround time.

We rested for about 15 minutes on the top. Also we let our family know that we will be late for our family Zoom time this evening. Also a picture was sent out. They think the picture of us is good. Like I said earlier, the smoke creates more of an image where the grime has spoiled the area, not like clouds where they give a sense of cleanness against a green wooded landscape. As I am writing this, I am thinking that smoke is like a counterfeit cloud. It is a cloud, but not one which brings health and life to the land, but a reminder of death. It is a counterfeit in the same way was we substitute happiness for joy, consumerism for contentment, sex for love, idols for God.

At 5:45 we leave and make it back to the car. We pass two couples who are going up to Big Baldy. I am thinking that as late as it is, they are going to be going very quickly up there, or they are going up for the sunset. Hope they have a flashlight. One couple notes there is a bear in an area below us. When we pass through, no bear, just the scat we previously noticed.

Smoke looking westward into the Central Valley

We got back to the car at 7:15. We tried to order pizza, but Bear Mountain Pizza just closed when we got in touch. What to do for dinner? We phone into our Zoom time. It is good to hear their voices. We make it down to Fresno and stop in to Habit Burger-there is a bit of a line-before getting home around 9:00. A short day, but glad we went on this hike.

 

 

 

 

Extra Photo's

Sherri and Gary

On the way down