May 1, 2024 - Big Stump

Title: May 1, 2024 - Big Stump

Hike Info : Description : Extra Photo's 

 

Hike Info:

Type: Hiking 

Trail head: Big Stump Parking Lot

Trail: Big Stump Loop

Destination: Loop

Distance:  1.70 miles

Start Time: 11:54

End Time:     1:10

Travel Time:  1:16 (1.34 mph)

Moving Time: 0:59   (1.73 mph)

Elevation Rise:  360'

Descent: 286‘

Maximum Elevation: 6,387'

GPS Tracks

Description:

My hamstring is still bothering me. So the thought is to do something light with a little bit of up and down. We had invited others to come with us., but they had other obligations. It is Steven, Sherri and I who are going. Since this is a short walk, we leave a bit later, at 10:30. 

 

 

On our way up, I stopped at the Hume Lake Ranger District

office in Dunlap. One of the staff had given a presentation on the history of logging and firefighting in the area. He had mentioned that he could give me a pdf of it for the

Big Stump Parking Area

Buck Rock people. Turned out that Tuesdays and Wednesdays are his days off. Another time. Sherri stopped by Clingman Junction and got a cup of coffee and a couple of scones.

Sherri's drink of choice

 

 

 

Sherri takes over driving and we arrive at Big Stump a little after 11:30. There are three chartered buses waiting for us along with lots of students, having fun. We get ready to go and hit the trail a bit before noon.

We have tromped around this trail several times before. The only difference in the actual trail is that the Park has created a different main entrance for it to the west with a lot of rock. But we still descend using the older trail. Some students are throwing snowballs at each other. But a teacher tells them to hold on until we pass. We quickly leave the parking area, with Sherri carrying her cup of coffee, and consequently leaving most of the people.

 

 

 

Steven and the watery path

Going down into the meadow, my hamstring is not bothering me. We talk with a couple of people who are interested in where Sherri got her coffee. They are much faster than us, particularly myself. I just lollygag at the back of us, taking my time, using the opportunity to be slow by taking pictures. This is pretty effective.

We go down the path and circle around the meadow. Part of the loop has us going past a part of what is called the feather bed. We never notice it this time-on previous walks we have. A feather bed is where the loggers tried to break the fall of the Sequoias. A Sequoia has pretty brittle wood so it had a tendency to shatter when it hit the ground. Thus being useful for things like fence posts and shingles. From what I heard even having a bed was ineffective.

As you may have noticed, kids throwing snowballs means that there is snow around. But it is patchy. There is only one time when we cross over a little bit of snow. The temperature is cool, but nice enough that Steven and I are in shorts and a T-Shirt. Also by inference, nice temperatures, patchy snow means lots of water. When we hit the meadow, parts of the path are nothing but a channel of water.

This leads us to the Mark Twain Stump where we meet the coffee people. They are wondering which way to go. I tell them that the loop around is only marginally longer than going back in the same direction they came from. They take off that way. After a few minutes enjoying the area, so do we.

Shortly afterwards, we cross the road going into the Park and continue on with the loop. A slight uphill, nothing strenuous, but I do feel the hamstring a bit. So I continue to pull up the last. There is a tree called the Sawed Tree which is 100 yards off of our trail. We do not go to it. We come to our only patch of snow and make the most of the traverse, extending out the crossing from the six feet of worn snow to going about 50 feet. 

 

Steven in the tunnel

The rest of the trail is just enjoying being out and walking with each other. We go over a few rises, before coming across a downed tree. Sherri points out “feather bed”. Yep, lots of boughs covering this area from the fallen tree. I still do not think it would stop a Sequoia from shattering. There is one more fallen tree to go around and a muddy path to navigate. Then we head through the tunnel under the road and back to our car.

We ordered our Bear Mountain pizza from the parking lot, before heading down. It is about a 40 minute drive. Steven is driving, giving his old parents a break. We got to Bear Mountain Pizza and the pizza had just come out of the oven-good timing. By the time we got back to Fresno it is about 3pm. We are surprised that we hit traffic this early. We still got home before 3:30. For a short day, I am still tired. I guess this hamstring is taking more out of me than I thought.

Extra Photo's

Big Stump Meadow

Moss covered rock

Seasonal creek

Stuff the Sierra is made from: Granite and Sequoia