September 25, 2022 - Princess Campground and Big Stump

 

Title: September 25, 2022 - Princess Campground and Big Stump
Hike Info : Description :  Extra Photo's

Hike Info:

Type: Hiking 

Trail head: Princess Campground

Trail: Indian Basin Interpretive Trail

Destination: Loop

Distance:  1.0 miles ¹

Type: Hiking 

Trail head: Big Stump Parking Area

Trail: Big Stump

Destination:  Loop

Distance: 1.52 miles ²

Start Time:  2:10

End Time:    3:19

Travel Time:  1:08 (1.34 mph)

Moving Time:  0:56  (1.63 mph)

Elevation Rise:  503'

Descent: 203‘

Maximum Elevation: 6,381'

GPS Tracks

 ¹No GPS track. Just an estimate 

 ²The GPS got turned on about an eighth of a mile along the trail after descending a ways. So the proper distance is about 1.67 miles

Description:

Gary getting ready for breakfast

It is our 46th anniversary! What better way to spend it but by doing something which both Sherri and love-camping! Well maybe backpacking might top it.

Last night was cold. Sherri was up a lot last night-I only got up once to relieve myself. But my mattress had deflated. I got up at 7:30 while Sherri got up at 8:15. I read and had my quiet time. It is pancakes for breakfast. We discovered that the eggs were left behind. That may put a damper on french toast tomorrow. But the mix can be used without eggs, just a bit more satisfying. I mixed up the batter and discovered I had put too much, way too much, mixture in. We will be substituting pancakes for bread at lunch and probably have enough for breakfast tomorrow. It could be worse.

 

 

Clouds rising above a ridge

In August we took John and Cathey on the Indian Basin Interpretive Trail by the campground-we have also snowshoed this a couple of times as well. We did this walk just to get our legs stretched out and to enjoy the morning without much of a strain on us. We heard a couple of gunshots to the northeast of us-we are on Forest Service land and deer hunting season started this weekend. While we feel pretty safe here, the pop’s can be a bit disconcerting.

As mentioned, Sherri was up last night, so our mile walk was enough for her. When we got back to camp, she was OK sitting in a camp chair, then taking a short nap in the tent. I had some hammock time. I do not have it set up right. I am missing a carabiner, so I have improvised. My butt is rubbing against the ground. We had our pancake, peanut butter and Nutella lunch. Now to decide what to do.

Gary crossing a downed Sequoia

I am not terribly energetic and Sherri is even less so. We will save doing the North Boundary trail up to Panoramic Point for another day. The Big Stump loop sounds like a good walk and just about what we need to do. We go back to the Big Stump Parking area where the Dark Sky viewing was held last night.. We grumble about a van with high school students who decide to park in a red zone next to the bathroom-you would think they would have more ability to walk a few steps than a couple who are a year from seventy.

Enough grumbling. It is a good day and we start down the trail. We notice that a new trail is being put in. Maybe next year it will be usable. We quickly get to the reason for the name of this area. We wander around, coming to Big Stump Meadow. Even get to walk across a fallen Sequoia. We come to the far end of the area and see the Mark Twain Stump. This stump is huge. I wonder what it looked like before the loggers got to it (just saw from the link, it was not the logger, but the US Army which wanted to prove how big these trees were.).

Sequoia

 

 

We cross the highway to continue on with the loop. This takes us above the area, where we can catch glimpses of the grove. Once the trail does its short rise, we more or less follow the mountain contour. It is a bit more sunny and a bit more warmer, but pleasant. We stop and sit on a pine stump to enjoy and relax a bit. A short way further, we descend to go under the highway, through a tunnel. This leads us back to the parking area.

 

 

 

 

Mark Twain Stump

Instead of just going back, we took a drive down Burton Road. I was hoping to make Little Boulder Creek and see if the trailhead is now open-it is not and will be closed at least until August 2023. But it is a long drive and when I see a sign saying 5 miles further, we decide to turn around. I had forgotten how long of a drive it was. Still this is a very pretty drive with to die for views of Kings Canyon and beyond. When we got back to Quail Flat, we returned via 10 Mile Road. This will be closed until next year starting tomorrow. We descended and drove by Hume Lake. Then onto Princess Campground.

 

Night sky-with false coloring, from Indian Basin

We got back to our site just before 5. I start off by blowing up my air mattress. After 45 minutes, it still is not firm. Sherri makes us dinner of grilled cheese sandwiches and soup. Hits the spot. We wait until it gets almost dark and then take Celeste down to the Meadow. She is decent at seeing things a bit closer. While last night, we were spotting far away clusters and galaxies, tonight we are into planets and stars in general. Saturn is already up. Then Jupiter rises above a ridge in the east. We enjoy the night sky for 45 minutes before we head back to our little cloth abode.

 

 

 

 

Our 5 star room

We manage to climb into bed by 9. My mattress is already deflated. I read until 9:30 and then close my eyes for the night.

Extra Photo's

Night Sky

Did Jupiter really move that much in 20 seconds?

Gary on the Big Stump Loop

Big Stump Meadow

More of Gary walking the Big Stump Loop