Gary-Summer: April 7, 2025 - Stevenson Falls

Title: April 7, 2025 - Stevenson Falls
Hike Info : Description : Background : Extra Photo's : Animals : Flowers and Plants

Hike Info:

Type: Hiking

Trail head: Italian Bar Road

Trail: Million Dollar Mile (SCE)

Destination: Stevenson Falls

Actual Destination:

Distance: 6.98 miles ¹

Start Time: 10:20

End Time: 2:25

Travel Time: 4:05 (1.71 mph)

Moving Time: 3:16 (2.14 mph)

Elevation Rise: 828'

Descent: 837‘

Maximum Elevation: 2,345'

GPS Tracks

¹My GPS stopped on the return trip about 1.4 miles from the Falls. The rest of the trip is stitched together from the trip out. The Start and End times is what I noted down. For a more complete view, see my blog entry for January 3, 2025.

Description:

Yesterday during our Fresno family meeting, we said we would go on a hike today. Even though we went to Stevenson Falls in January, since it is Spring, we might get to see some flowers in bloom. Let us hope so.

Jose Creek

I got up at 6:30 and got myself ready for an 8am departure. We actually left at 8:20 with Sherri driving. Our first stop is Costco to fill up with gas. We probably could have easily made it. But I really would rather not get stuck down there without cell service. Sherri is trying a new thing, paying with her phone’s wallet. We still need to work on it. I think it is a matter of getting things right with the membership.

Sherri actually drives all the way. The first part of the route is an ordinary road. But when we leave Auberry, the road starts to get a bit more “interesting”. Particularly when we turn off onto Jose Basin Road. But Sherri keeps on going. When we turn onto Italian Bar Road, the road gets more curvy, more narrow and steeper. And Sherri drives us all the way to the parking area for the Million Dollar Mile. We arrive a few minutes after 10.

But before we hit the road, Sherri cannot find her day pack. Did she bring it? Where was it left? What is crucial in there? Sherri is able to get a bottle of water, but she is missing her sunscreen. I have some energy bars and more water if needed. So we start our walk about 10:20

There is more exposure to the sun than there is earlier in the year. So Sherri is bundled up since she lacks her sunscreen. On the other hand there are flowers. I misquote Jesus to her, telling Sherri to that our heavenly Father looks after the flowers, so she should let her earthly husband and son look after her. Not that she really took us up on this.

Looking east

California Golden poppies

You may think the previous statement was facetious, but it isn’t. There are flowers everywhere. I go from the edge of the road to the edge of the road to gawk at the flowers. There is lupine and redbud, of course, which provides the purples and a reddish-lavender. But then there are the delicate little white flowers, some blue dicks, fireweed, and the orange is provided by California Golden Poppy. This is not just a patch here and then a small patch there. But there were flowers throughout our walk. Even the rocks have water dripping from them and the greenness of plants hanging on.

Throughout this walk, I stop and look, then catch up only to stop and look some more. Not so much looking over the San Joaquin River or the mountains around. Today’s walk is more about the flora.

But Stevenson Falls almost always catches your attention. Today is no different. The Falls are not at its fullest, but pretty full. When you stand right, the sun filters through the dropping water, sometimes providing a glow and other times a glistening.

Rivulet off a rock

Redbud

We drop down in the shade, close to the rock wall. Direct sunlight is a bit warm. This is a pleasant place to have lunch. Right beside where I am sitting are several flowers. Always nice to have a bouquet of flowers to be at your side while you munch on your peanut butter and Nutella sandwich. Heaven must be something like that.

Sherri left about ten minutes before Steven and myself. By the time I got off the ground-it takes a bit more to get off the ground these days-it is 12:40. I am even more delayed as I cross the Stevenson Creek bridge. A couple of women were taking selfies. I took their pictures, which they were appreciative of.

Coming out of Stevenson Falls, the Million Dollar Mile Road goes on a long uphill. I am wondering how I will be doing on this. Actually, I do well. I kept a steady pace going up it, stopping only at the top for 30 seconds at the top. But I have not caught up with either Sherri or Steven. As we get to the adit a bit more than halfway to the car, I do catch up. I give Steven my car fob and he goes on ahead.

I walk with Sherri the rest of the way. Nothing exciting, just walking. Well, there is an SCE helicopter flying the lines. It is warm, but we have plenty of water. We got back to the car about 2:30. Steven drives us back. I guess I no longer need to drive-I can be chauffeured everywhere. Of course, after a hike, there is always the pressing question: Where do we want to eat? The answer after much shoulder shrugging is Pieology up in northern Fresno. By the time we get home it is closing in on 5.

Background

I met a new fellow lookout afterwards. He used to work for SCE and travelled this area. We swapped stories. I did ask him if there was any truth to a SCE truck being crushed on the bridge by the Falls. He had not hear of it, but he had heard of windows being blown out.

Extra Photo's