Gary-Summer: June 15, 2023 - Starlight Trail

Thursday, June 15, 2023

June 15, 2023 - Starlight Trail

Title: June 15, 2023 - Starlight Trail

Hike Info : Description : Background : Extra Photo's : Flowers and Plants

Hike Info:

Type: Hiking

Trail head: Big Meadows Snow Trailhead

Trail: Starlight Trail (SNO-29E14), 14S11G, Big Meadows Road, 14S14

Destination: Little knob overlooking the General’s Highway

Actual Destination: 14S14 around T14S, R29E, Sec 17, SW

Distance: 5.08 miles

Start Time: 10:09

End Time: 2:19

Travel Time: 4:10 (1.22 mph)

Moving Time: 3:08 (1.62 mph)

Elevation Rise: 671'

Descent: 668‘

Maximum Elevation: 7,843'

GPS Tracks

Description:

I did my usual thing this morning-my lightning report. Then breakfast and got the final touches ready to go hiking. That includes making lunch. There are three slices left in the bag, so I make three half sandwiches. That means I should have a peanut butter and Nutella sandwich for lunch tomorrow.

Big Meadows Road

We leave a bit after 8:30 with me driving. Sherri falls asleep and I drive right by Clingans Junction where she wants to pick up a cup of coffee-my bad. We get up to the Big Meadow Snow Trailhead a bit before 10. The gate to Big Meadows itself is closed. There were two men coming out in a truck. I talk with them a bit. They let me know that the road is a long way from opening-there are drifts 5-6’ high. Does not sound like Buck Rock will be staffed anytime soon.

Without much more ado, we start off. When we walked the Starlight Trail before, we could find the blue markings on the trees. Today, they seem a bit rare. We know the general direction. and climb the small ridge. Steven sees another markings across a ravine, but we have spotted a road at the top of the ridge. Either way I think it would be a good choice. Steven’s way we would follow the Starlight Trail. The road will be easier to walk. We choose the road.

Unfortunately, the road is not the one I thought it was. The road is 14S11G which promptly dumps us onto the paved Big Meadows Road. I thought we were a ways further. We walk the paved road. For some reason, going down the road, my legs feel a bit tired, but when I stretch out my stride and speed it up some, my legs feel much more relaxed.

Steven on road 14S14

Sherri climbing a 4 1/2' snow drift

We then found road 14S14 after walking further than I thought it was. Most of the Big Meadows Road is clear of snow, but then there are places where the snow comes close to covering the road. You can tell where vehicles have made it through, but only one at a time.

14S14 is a well used forest service road-well, when it is open. You can find many places where people have dispersed camped. But today, ours are the only tracks, except for a few way at the end of our travels today-they were mostly indistinguishable from melting and freezing again and melting somemore. With as deep as the snow is, I was concerned that we might be postholing with each step-not much fun. But the snow seems pretty well set up, and not icy. Almost as good as walking on dirt.

What's for Lunch? Korra asks

Around noon, we found a log to have lunch. Sherri and I have a peanut butter and Nutella sandwich, plus Doritos’. Well, Sherri was not too watchful of her sandwich, but Korra was. She put down the sandwich on the log, turned away and it was gone, much to Sherri’s distress. Then she dropped the chips-Korra liked them as well. But Sherri did not go hungry. Remember I made three half sandwiches? Sherri got the extra one. Korra eyed that one as well. But Sherri kept a good grip onit. Did I have foresight when I made three? Or was Sherri just lucky?

After lunch we continue on for 20 minutes. I was hoping to make the top of a ridge. But I heard a low rumble.With lightning predicted in the area, we felt it was prudent to turn around and return.

Buck Rock Lookout

The return trip returns us along 14S14. Just beyond our lunch spot, I had seen a Starlight marker. We discussed using that trail. But as tempting as that seems, we decided to continue with prudence with the possibility of rain and lightning. This brings us back to the Big Meadows Road.

We follow the road, resisting the temptation to follow 14S11G back to Starlight. The only thing unusual is we have a jeep pass us by-nothing like what the Forest Service would use. By the time 2:20 comes around, we are back at the car. Sherri wanted to be back by 3, so we beat that mark.

Since it still is early, I am interested in seeing what Grant Grove looks like. It is almost completely clear of snow. Even the gate to Panoramic Point is open.Wonder when Park Ridge Lookout will open? With that, we turned around and returned back to Fresno. We walked into the house at 4:30. A good day.

Background

Lightning. Turns out that there was no lightning even close to us that day. So it must have been a truck going down the General’s Highway.

Park Ridge Lookout. As I was writing this up, I just got word that with a little bit of fortune smiling on us, Park Ridge may open up by July 1st, just in time for the 4th of July holiday.

Extra Photo's