Hike Info : Description : Background : Extra Photo's
Type: Snowshoeing
Trail head: Quail Flat
Trail: Ten Mile Road, Road 13S45
Destination: None-turn around at 2:30
Actual Destination: End of improved section of 13S45
Distance: 3.28 miles
Start Time: 1:06
End Time: 3:44
Travel Time: 2:37 (1.35 mph)
Moving Time: 1:59 (1.65 mph)
Elevation Rise: 516'
Descent: 499‘
Maximum Elevation: 7,024'
Description:
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| Sherri |
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| Ten Mile Road |
By 11:30, we are on the road. The fiddlenecks and a smattering of poppies are coming out as we approach Yokut (Squaw) Valley. Spring is getting closer. When we reach Big Stump, the parking lot is filled. So we do not even get the opportunity to use the restrooms. Onward to Quail Flat. The road past Quail Flat has not been completely plowed yet. So the parking area instead of being its usual occasional car is packed. Do we go up to Princess I think or go someplace else? Fortunately we do not need to make that decision as we spot a place to park.
We have lunch and then get our gear on. Usually we go down Burton Road, but today Steven and Sherri head down Ten Mile Road. I am wondering is this a mistake? But the indication is they want to do something different. Steven is on skis and Korra takes off with him. That is the last we see of them for a couple of hours. I convey that I am looking at a 2:30 turnaround time. I do not have a destination objective, but even if I did, a turnaround time is good because we do not always make an objective at a reasonable time.
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| Gary |
We watch Steven and Korra go off down the road, even though Korra keeps returning to check on us slow ones until Steven gets too far ahead. There are a couple large ruts going down Ten Mile Road. They do not look like snowmobile tracks, but I do not know what else it is. It does make snowshoeing more interesting picking our way in and out of these ruts.
We get about a half mile down and see a road going up the ridge. Steven has continued down Ten Mile Road. My thinking is going up this road is preferable, as I like going down coming back rather than slogging up a grade. Sherri and I go up, but first I leave a message in the snow for Steven in case he comes back up before we get back.
The road is Forest Service 13S45. Later on I look at a topo map and see that this is also designated as a Nordic Skiing route. The ruts not only go down Ten Mile Road, but start up 13S45.But then there is another puzzle: the tracks stop just a hundred feet in and from there on is virgin snow. Looks wonderful.
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| Spanish Mountain |
Both from Ten Mile Road and from 13S45 we see across the Kings as well as Buck Rock. But the views for the most part have trees framing the scene or intertwined in it. Still, there is something which is appealing looking out over this section of the Sierra (actually there are very few sections of the Sierra which I feel are not worth looking at.)
We go up about a half mile up 13S45. It has good solid snow, which has been settling for a couple weeks. So walking on it is a pleasure. Even I am able to feel good going up the slope. One drawback: there are no dramatic views. “Only” trees and snow are what can be viewed.
It is getting close to our turnaround time. Sherri is ready to go back, but I would like to go on up a short way to a horseshoe turn. So I leave Sherri and continue on up. I get there in a couple minutes. The road starts to level out and since I have about seven minutes to turnaround, I continue on. I quickly came to the top of the ridge. And lo and behold, there is my view! I can see across the Kings to Spanish Mountain and the Obelisk. Looking more westward, there is the Patterson area. Then closer to me, there is he basin where Hume Lake is. And by Hume is a smoke cloud. Wait Smoke! I remember that the Forest Service was doing some burning in the area. This must be it.
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| Indian Basin Smoke |
After taking a few pictures, I head back down. I got to the place where I left Sherri. I see her tracks heading back. I just follow these tracks down. And about a quarter mile later I caught up with Sherri. Down we go. Sherri and I both think this is a trail we will be doing again.
We get to the junction with Ten Mile Road. I check the ski tracks to see if Steven has been by. I only see his tracks going down. So I erased my message. Sherri goes on ahead while I lag behind to see if Steven will come around the bend. By my calculations he is anywhere between right behind us to 45 minutes.
There is a reason why I wanted to go UP 13S45 rather than further down Ten Mile Road. From the junction we back up to the car. I stop every so often to look behind, but no Steven=it also gives me a chance just to take a small break. After a while I hear a mechanical sound. A minute later, a Toyota ForeRunner comes into view. This is an ah ha moment. Now I understand the mystery of the tracks. They are vehicle tracks, not snowmobiles. They pass by and I go on. Shortly before the parking lot, I caught up with Sherri.
We get to the car around 3:45 and start putting away our equipment. Steven gets in as we put stuff away. And then it is off to go back to Fresno. It is a pretty easy drive back and we get back home at 5:20. Another good day.
Background
Smoke. The smoke was from a pile burn in the Indian Basin area which Sequoia National Forest had set. This was part of an effort to clear fuels from around Sequoia groves throughout all forest lands. Indian Basin close to Princess Campground. We would have been right in the middle of the smoke if we had gone there.
Extra Photo's
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| Snow and Pine Cones |
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| Patterson and Spanish Mountains |
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| Stack of rocks by Ten Mile Road |
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| Buck Rock and its lookout |
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| Looking to the northeast |
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