Gary-Summer

Wednesday, January 19, 2022

Title: January 19, 2022 - Snowshoeing Princess Campground, Indian Basin Grove Trail
Hike Info : Description : Extra Photo's

Hike Info:

Type: Snowshoeing

Trail head: Princess Campground

Trail: Indian Basin Grove Trail

Destination: Loop

Distance: 2.23 miles

Start Time: 11:12

End Time: 2:48

Travel Time: 3:35 (0.62 mph)

Moving Time: 2:09 (1.04 mph)

Elevation Rise: 351'

Descent: 324‘

Maximum Elevation: 5,959'

GPS Tracks

Description:

Today we will be going snowshoeing with Betty, Rose, and Carol. It has been a long time since we have been outdoors with them. Carol is a new addition to our group. I think that there will be a lot of good compatibility. The plan is to go up to Indian Basin again. Both Rose and Betty will be driving. So at 9:00am, actually a little later, we leave to pick up Carol on the way out. We meet Betty and Carol at Bear Mountain Pizza’s parking area. It is a good reunion and introduction.

One of many stumps

Then we continue on into Grant Gove, stopping at Big Stump for its amenities. I get asked about going down into Big Stump. It is his first time in the area and he wants to see Giant Sequoias.I describe what I think he will find down in the Meadow, including snow and it's condition. I recommend them coming back to Big Stump in the Spring or Summer. Also that the General Grant Tree is very accessible right now and they will be able to get close to it.

We continue down the road about twenty minutes or so to the entrance to Princess Campground where there is a wide turnout. Here we unload and buckle on our snowshoes. Betty is ready to go and helps Carol-her first time on snowshoes. When I get ready, the three of us start walking, with me playing the “know-it-all” guide, explaining to Carol the walking on snow with snowshoe technique-not that there is much. Sherri and Rose come along a little bit later.

Sherri, Betty, Carol

The snow is pretty crusty and packed. There is a path well walked on until we head off from the road to Princess Campground. We take the fork to the Indian Basin Grove Trailhead. It is a couple hundred yards to the trailhead, and an open outhouse, which we take advantage of.

From there, we start going clockwise around the Indian Basin Trail. The route is much the same as when Sherri, Steven and I did it in December. Instead of Steven breaking snow, I am. But it is not very tough. The snow is older and I am not sinking very far down. Also while there is not the drop-dead gorgeous type of views of many other trails, there is enough beauty around that we can stop frequently and gaze. Also our stops include reading interpretive signs. There is admiration of how the Meadow stretches from the road all the way around us and far up towards Park Ridge.

A part which we did not do in December goes further south around a rock outcropping. There is a bit of ying and yang here. We get to admire the Meadow even more. But we come up against a place where it would not be very fun to continue on, so we retreat around the rocky area. Here we stop on some bare rock and have a snack break. When we look at one of the rocks, there are some grinding holes

After our break, we go about 150 yards and find a snow sculpture. We take various guesses about what they were trying to make and eventually decide it was a moose. Looks pretty good once we identify what it is. Another reason to stand around and gaze, much to my pleasure.

Moose Ice Sculpture

The afternoon is still early and I ask if they are up to continuing on to parts unknown? Being more intrepid than I am, they all say yes. Last time, we found a gate. This time, I thought we could go up the road a ways. But the bottom of the gate is frozen in place, so this plan did not get implemented. So we went back up like we did last month and found the trail again.

There were not any sightings of any animals. But there were many tracks. Some rabbits, some deer and maybe a cat. Rose and Carol bonded over discussing what was what and what the animal may have been doing. That is why I thought there would be compatibility.

And now we come back around to the trailhead. We take lunch break before taking the last third of a mile back to the cars. It still is early enough that none of us make plans to eat together, but late enough that we do not want to linger. So after saying our goodbyes, we head out. My car makes a brief stop at the Visitor Center. I ask about how far down the General’s Highway is it open to-Quail Flat and the Kings Canyon Overlook. Sounds promising for a future expedition. We get home, at dropping off Carol, in time to have dinner with Steven.