Gary-Summer: November 26, 2022

Saturday, November 26, 2022

November 26, 2022 - Hitchcock Meadows

Title: November 26, 2022 - Hitchcock Meadows
Hike Info : Description : Extra Photo's

Hike Info:

Type: Hiking

Trail head: Big Stump Parking Lot

Trail: Hitchcock Meadow Trail, Sunset Trail

Destination: Hitchcock Meadow

Actual Destination: Beyond to a ridge above Sequoia Creek

Distance: 2.53 miles

Start Time: 9:55

End Time: 1:10

Travel Time: 3:14 (0.78 mph)

Moving Time: 2:25 (1.05 mph)

Elevation Rise: 516'

Descent: 500‘

Maximum Elevation: 6,349'

GPS Tracks

Description:

Carol, Emily and Sherri on trail

In October I was talking with Carol at a potluck. She mentioned she and Emily liked to go for a hike around Thanksgiving day. I indicated I would like to tag along. When Sherri talked with her in November, they planned to go out on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. We went to Hitchcock Meadow in September. Evidently this trip stuck with Sherri,because that is where the women planned on going

More of Emily, Carol and Sherri

Sherri and I left our house at 8 and picked up Emily and Carol about 8:30. Then it is off to Big Stump. I asked if anybody wanted to stop at Clingman’s Junction for coffee. Evidently that was not a winner of a suggestion. But right after we pass by, I see Micah running along 180. Micah is one of our fellow fire lookouts.

Surprisingly the Big Stump Parking Lott is not very full. But there is something which I did not think about: snow covers our trail. I asked if anybody is concerned about this? Not unless the snow is deep. I love these women! We get ready and start walking a few minutes before 10.

Our first obstacle is right after we leave the parking lot. The trail drops by ten feet on very packed snow/ice, making things potentially slippery. We all make it down and start our walk. I am not sure why, but I start us off down the trail. It is relatively easy to see where we are going-people have already trampled down the trail. The operative word here is down. The trail leads us down. We stop occasionally just to admire what we are walking through. Big Stump does not have a monopoly on large stumps. We pass by some, too many when you consider how majestic they must have been 150 years ago.

Gary and Emily

I do watch my step. Even though the footing is solid I know it would be easy to slip. We come to Hitchcock Meadow, which is also covered by snow. There is a sense of plainness to this view, which is also pleasant to the eye. There is a pool and a stump, along with a few Sequoias scattered around. We gaze at this view for a while before deciding what to do next. We have three choices. First, just go back to the car. Second, continue on with this trail, and lastly cross the meadow and pick up the Forest Service road on the other side of the meadow. We decided to continue on this trail since we are energetic.

Bearing Sign

This is the Sunset Trail and eventually it would end up at Grant Grove. I do not think we will be traveling that far today. But the sun is out, the trail is obvious and the company is enjoyable-at least I enjoy them.

Reflection in pool: Hitchcock Mdw

We follow the trail, sometimes snow covered, other times we walk on bare ground. The trail rolls along with the terrain. One of our stops is a trail back up to the General’s Highway. It will meet with a road to the Needle Dump and then continue up to Park Ridge as the Azalea Trail. A fragrant trail in late June, early July.

When we stop for a few minutes, we spot a sign in the distance. Too far away to read, but too close to ignore.I satisfy my curiosity by taking off to figure out why they posted this sign so far off the trail. What does the sign say? Do not disturb the bearing tree I look around, wondering what they were taking a bearing off of. And there it is, about 20 yards away. What is it? Just an old style legal marking. I go around and meet the trail up there.

On our return

After circling around and meeting the trail, I consult with my fellow travelers. I saw a rock outcropping along the ridge we are on. Looks like a good place to eat lunch. From here, we can look west and northward. It is a good view. We see where the trail would descend down into Sequoia Creek and Ella Falls, but we do not see the water from the creek, nor the white tumbling of foam from a fall.

After a satisfying lunch break, we decided to head back. It is pretty much the same going as well as coming. I can tell my boots are getting a bit old, and maybe I am as well. I can definitely feel the cold of the snow and am wondering if the wetness from the snow is seeping through-it wasn’t, at least when we got back to the car my socks were dry.

We stopped by Hitchcock Meadow. I noticed the pool was very reflective. I tried to get some reflections of a big stump and some Sequoias. I was only moderately successful.

And then it was back to the car. An enjoyable hike with enjoyable people, even though there was more snow on the ground than what I expected. I am glad we came up today, even though it meant a day away from slaving away on our front yard. We dropped Carol and Emily off and made it home a little after 3.