September 26, 2022 - Princess Campground and Park Ridge

 Title: September 26, 2022 - Princess Campground and Park Ridge

   Hike Info : Description : Flowers and Plants

Hike Info:

Type: Hiking

Trail head: Panoramic Point Parking area

Trail: Park Ridge, Pak Ridge Service Road

Destination:  Park Ridge Lookout

Distance: 6.10 miles ¹

Start Time:  10:55

End Time:     4:12

Travel Time:  5:16   (1.16 mph)

Moving Time: 3:11   (1.92 mph)

Elevation Rise:  981'

Descent: 958‘

Maximum Elevation: 7,740'

GPS Tracks

 ¹In the past, this hike has been around 5.75 miles. Maybe that can explain how tired I felt at the end of it.

Description:

The bathroom is not as convenient when one is camping as at home. I woke up around 4am with my human needs. It was a bit difficult getting back to sleep, but I did. I got fully awake to the sky being lighten up by the sun, just starting to brighten the eastern sky, around 6:30.

I read for a little bit, then went for a short walk, less than a mile. The early morning light on the meadows was glorious. Then did the shorter loop around the interpretive trail. The rest of the morning until Sherri got up at 8, I spent in the hammock, reading and resting. Then there are left over pancakes. Not too bad, actually. There are clouds in the sky, which look like a possibili;ty of rain, so I throw the rain fly over the tent.

Hume Lake from Panoramic Point

By 10:15 we leave camp, heading to Panoramic Point. We get to the Point’s parking area and start out by 10:55. It is a short walk up to Panoramic Point, a bit of an uphill. But in recent years, they have made a lower viewing area and the incline has been made accessible to more people. It is a clear and beautiful day. So clear, we can see the ripples on Hume Lake from a slight breeze blowing across it.

We could stay here for a good long time, but admiring the sight and identifying places where we have been. But that would not get us on our hike. As we start walking the trail, I realize how out of shape I am. This trail used to be a “let’s go on a hike this afternoon. Where to? Someplace short, like the Park Ridge trail.” Today my legs are telling me I will be forcing them to complete the hike.

We know this trail pretty well and I am looking forward to the overlook so that we can stop and look around-and rest my legs. Sherri is wondering if that is smoke. I replay, naw, just clouds, as if she could not tell what a cloud looks like. And then I see what she is seeing. Smoke is drifting up from the direction of Hume Lake. But is was so clear a few minutes ago. How could this be. I try phoning Buck Rock, but the line was busy. Then I talked with Nancy at Park Ridge Lookout. She has not heard of anything going on down in the Hume direction. But there is the Caldwell Prescribed Burn to the south west of the lookout. It does not seem like this is the smoke we are seeing-wrong direction.

We start off again, with where is this smoke coming from and how is it affecting our camp? Of course, there are also the threatening clouds to wonder about. Who says hiking is care free?

Buck Rock Lookout from Park Ridge

But after taking a few steps, we found a hiker resting by the trail. He looks vaguely familiar. Have I met him before? And then he introduces himself to us. Wes hikes with the Central Valley HIking Group and we have walked with him a few times with John and Cathey. We talked for about ten minutes. He has been to the lookout and is now coming back. But right now, he is doing some bird-watching, something I have not been able to really do seriously. Actually, any nature thing I have a tendency to identify and forget and have to relearn.

And then it is onward to the lookout. By the time we reach the saddle where the trail briefly intersects the service road, I can feel my tiredness. We also smell and see more smoke. But now I can reach Buck Rock Lookout. She says the smoke comes from the Caldwell Prescribed Burn near Shadequarter Mountain. The smoke is going into the mountains to the south of her and wrapping around her ridge and then coming up out of Hume Lake. Wow! I did not think this was probable. But Buck Rock has an excellent view of this.

We decided to take the service road into Park Ridge Lookout. When we arrive, Sherri breaks out the food and I talk to Nancy in the lookout. She had heard a report from Hume Lake and Buck Rock responded. So she knows where the smoke I was talking about is coming from. I go down and join Sherri for our lunch.

Park Ridge Lookout

Apparently Sherri and I were the advanced wave of visitors to the lookout! After lunch, we go back up and talk with Nancy for a few minutes. We really do not know her, but she seems like someone whom it would be fun to know. One set of visitors came in, then another. I back away from one set, after all I am already pretty familiar with lookout life. But then I get involved with explaining to another group. From that point on, I ended up in “tour guide” mode.

After everybody has left, we say our goodbyes to Nancy,we start off down the road. We decided to take the service road all the way back. After about a mile, a couple of the visitors from Indiana catch up and passes us. This was not totally unexpected as they seemed to be moving pretty well coming in. The issue with taking the service road on a day like today, is that even though there are clouds, the road goes along the west side of Park Ridge, So the sun beats down on us in the afternoon. But we have a good view down into Wilsonia and Grant Grove. We get back to the car by 4:15

It is a half an hour drive back to camp and I am ready for some hammock time. I read and took a short nap. Then Sherri makes a tuna casserole for dinner. We talked for a while and read some more. The smoke we saw from Park Ridge never showed up at Princess. And those clouds dissipated and we are left with a clear night with no rainfall. I am asleep by 9:30.

Flowers and Plants