April 21, 2023 - Goat Meadow Snowshoe

 

Title: April 21, 2023 - Goat Meadow Snowshoe

Hike Info : Description : Animals

Hike Info:

Type: Snowshoeing
Trail head: Goat Meadow Snow Play
Trail: 5S06
Destination: An hour and a half
Actual Destination: Buffin Meadow
Distance:  2.84 miles  ¹

Start Time: 1:15

End Time:  4:00

Elevation Rise: 611 '

Descent: 611‘

Maximum Elevation:5,762 '

GPS Tracks

 ¹I forgot to bring a GPS along. So I created a track on Google Earth to approximate our trip.

Description:

 

We have not been snowshoeing in over two months. So we will go someplace easy. I am thinking of Goat Meadow. Since it is a Friday, not many people should be there. Steven asks a pertinent question: are we hiking or snowshoeing? I reply snowshoeing.

Sherri putting on snowshoes

But first, I sleep until 7. I do a few things, eat breakfast. Yesterday I bought a new lawn mower, a Kobalt electric corded mower. Since I am not seeing anybody up, I prepare to mow the lawn. I see Steven up and then Sherri. But it does not look like anybody is quite ready to go, so I finish mowing and edging the lawn. Mower works great. Lots easier than my older gas one.

Korra, the snow dog

By the time we get ready, it is a little after 11. Not only is Sherri and I going, but Steven has the day off so he is coming, along with Korra. Sherri starts us off and drives to Oakhurst. Then I drive up to Goat Meadow. You know that question Steven asked? There is a lot less snow on the way up 41 than there was one week ago. Maybe we will hike. I also suggest a few alternatives.

 

 

 

Steven and Gary going past a slash pile

We eat lunch at Goat Meadow and then decide that there is even snow to snowshoe with. By this time, it is about 1:15. I do not see the road I am looking for. So we just head off up a promising slope. Lo and behold there is the road. It is road 5S06, the road I was looking for. 

Sherri and Steven

Almost as soon as we hit the road, the snow disappears from the road and the surrounding area. So we take off our snowshoes and walk about ten minutes before hitting enough snow to walk on. Will this be the story of our hike?

Along those lines, Steven and I talk a bit and I make the comment that this is more of a journey trip than a destination. He agreed with me. But after ten minutes of walking, there is enough snow to put our snowshoes back on again. We just follow the road as it climbs up. We do come across three more places where the snow gives out, but there is only 10 to 20 yards of bare ground. So we just walk gingerly across these areas, hoping for the best.

 

 

More of the snow dog

 

 

The uphill is wearing on me. I am hoping to make it at least to the junction with 5S43. Also my 90 minute travel is coming into play. Just as I am thinking that we should turn around, Sherri wants a picture of all four of us. I spot a clearing ahead and hope that we get a good backdrop.

When we get there, this snowshoe turns from a journey trip to a destination. We see Mt Raymond and in the distance is White Chief Mountain. There is an unnamed mountain just to the north of Raymond which looks like it should be named. Also there is a horse corral right there. We have arrived at Buffin Meadow.

Gary, Steven and the road

After some pictures, we turned around. It is a lot easier going down 600’ than going up. But I think both Sherri and I are a bit tired, so Steven and Korra go on ahead. After about an hour of travel, we come to the car and are ready to be off our feet for a little while.

Steven drives us out of Goat Meadow. Now the question is what do we do for dinner? Mexican seems to be the choice for us. When we come to El Cid’s, it looks like it is filling up fast. So we go into Oakhurst and ate at Plazuelas Mexican Restaurant-Sonya friend of ours first told us about this place. The food is good: Sherri has a Rib Eye Taco, Steven a Birria de Res and I have a Super Burrito. The meal was a bit more than I was expecting. But like I said, the food is good. We made it back to Fresno with me driving about 6:30. We are pretty tired, but in a good way.

 

Animals

 

Spider on snow?