Gary-Summer: December 2, 2021

Thursday, December 2, 2021

December 2, 2021 - Park Ridge Trail

Title: December 2, 2021 - Park Ridge Trail
Hike Info : Description : Background : Extra Photo's

Trail head: Panoramic Point

Hike Info:

Type: Hiking

Trail: Park Ridge Trail

Destination: Park Ridge Lookout

Distance: 5.62 miles

Start Time: 12:35

End Time: 4:54

Travel Time: 4:19 (1.30 mph)

Moving Time: 2:55 (1.93 mph)

Elevation Rise: 1,145'

Descent: 1,130‘

Maximum Elevation: 7,748'

GPS Tracks

Description:

Today will be the first time back at Park Ridge Lookout since July. Since then the Lookout came close to burning down during the KNP Complex fire. So we are looking forward to seeing the lookout which we first got involved with being a volunteer with the Buck Rock Foundation. After it became evident that the Lookout was safe, some discussion was made about celebrating it. I think there was a facetious comment about decorating Lookout’s tree. Along the way, we meet with a surprise or two.

I get up at 7am. But we do not leave until 11. Sherri is driving, so I am reading Mark Arax’s book West of the West. I only get through a few pages when we reach the foothills when I put down my reading material. We enter Kings Canyon, going through Grant Grove all the way up to Panoramic Point. We get there by 12:20. Once our boots are on, packs on the back and the restroom properly visited, we are off by 12:45.

Our first stop is Panoramic Point itself, only a couple hundred yards away but on a pretty good uphill. There are two German tourists already there. They are enjoying the clear view from this perch. And so do we. It is as clear as I have seen it in the past five years. To the east is Buck Rock, clearly visible. Then to the north we can see Mt Goddard and beyond. looks like even into the Evolution Basin area as Mt Mendel is peaking through.

View from Panoramic Point

Downed trees along the trail

And then we start our hike in seriousness. The first part up to the Point can be the most strenuous, just because it is right out of the chute. Most of the rest of the trail follows the ridge-sometimes on top, sometimes on the eastern side, sometimes on the western. The trail goes in and out of trees. There are times the views are gorgeous and then other times, they play hide-and-seek with us as the trees There are a few short climbs followed by nice level walks. Then it descends into areas between two knolls. There are many trees down-I would assume they came down since September, but I do not know.

Buck Rock

Smoke in Redwood Canyon

Some of the trees hides the viewing places, I look towards Redwood Canyon. Is that smoke? Or is it snow caught in a gully on the side of the ridge Big Baldy is on? We travel on with an eye towards that canyon. When we get to a bit clearer space, we were able to confirm that it was a smoke. It is in the footprint of the KNP Complex. Does the Park want to know about flare-ups? So being good little fire lookout volunteers, we try to get ahold of someone. We tried Ash Mountain Fire-no Verizon service. Ditto with Park Dispatch’s phone number. Then on down the list of Buck Rock-all are not answering their phones. I even try our little low-powered radio-nobody is answering. I see I have the number for the Grant Grove Visitor Center. Leah said that they knew about it.

Gary approaching Park Ridge Lookout

With that, we kept going to the Lookout. Along the ridge we would have a better view than at the lookout, unless we could get up onto the catwalk, but that should be locked. We do stop for lunch at the junction with the Azalea Trail-it is about 2pm.Then on we go. There is a climb on the other side of the junction and then down into a saddle before the lookout itself. And then we see the sight we feared we would not see again, Park Ridge Lookout.

Outhouse and Big Baldy

First thing we do. Opps, first thing is interrupted-Wendy is responding. We talk-the catwalk may be open, at least last week it was. She also sends a picture of a smoke and wonders if this is what I am seeing? No. Looks like this one is to the northeast of Redwood Mountain. Sherri finds that the trap door to the catwalk is locked. In keeping with our somewhat jocular notions, she starts to put up Christmas ornaments. I go and try to find Wendy’s smoke. By going behind the telecom buildings, I can find an opening in the trees and see the smoke-not a nice column like Wendy’s picture, but it seems like it is in the right spot.

Burnt area to the west of Redwood Mountain

When I come back, Sherri has most of the ornaments up. So we go around, take pictures and just enjoy the thought that Park Ridge Lookout will survive another Christmas. Even the old, unused outhouse survived-burn marks all around it. Sherri takes down the ornament, and I go back up and see if there is anymore smoke activity. In some ways this illustrates the differences between Sherri and I. She enjoys the preparation and the celebration, while I get my kicks from being part of something-even if it is only in my head.

Ornaments at Park Ridge

I get to bug Wendy a couple more times. Sherri spotted smoke on the way over, to the west of us. At first, we were thinking: Needle Dump-an area where the Park and Wilsonia burn the small green debris. But as we travel around, I get to thinking this is not where the Needle Dump is. I realize it is closer to Lake Sequoia. Wendy notes that burning is permissible. A few steps later we are seeing across the Kings and there is a large plume beyond Patterson Bluffs, maybe Blue Canyon. They seem to have a lot of prescribed burns there.

We walked back on the service road to the car. This is the service road we drive when we staff Park Ridge Lookout. The first part as we come out is on the east side of the ridge. We spot snow in some of the now dried up meadow areas. Then at the trail junction, we pop out onto the west side. This coincides with the sun lowering in the western skies. We are treated to a sunset with layers of clouds creating a sky of glory.

Not only are the skies golden, but it filters through to the plants we walk beside. The now discolored stocks gain a new glow to themselves. We bask in this as we come to our car. It is fitting that as we prepare to leave, the skies turn from golden to purple inviting us to return back home.

On the way back home, Sherri and I talk about the innocent who are in prison. We go back and forth between the assertion that the innocent should not be in jail and what the process should be to reverse a decision of the courts that these people are guilty. There is no conclusion.and we wear out the conversation by the time we get back to our house around 6:30. We have a dinner at home of tamales given to us by our friends, Cathey and John. A good day.

Background

Redwood canyon

Redwood Canyon

I know we saw at least four smokes and maybe five of them. Here is the list:

Upper Redwood Canyon
Smoke below Big Baldy Trail

A second one is a possibility up on the ridge below the Big Baldy Trail. It may be the smoke from Redwood Canyon

Smoke beyond Patterson Bluffs
Northeast of Redwood Mountain. This is the one Wendy’s picture showed. This picture was taken by the NPS helicopter flying reconnaissance. Later I saw the NPS Facebook post with this picture.
Burning of forest material by Sequoia Lake
Possible prescribed burn in the Blue Canyon area.