October 6, 2026 - Park Ridge Lookout

 

 Title: October 6, 2026 - Park Ridge Lookout

PG&E work below

Hike Info : Description 

Hike Info:

Type:Lookout

Description:

This is probably my last time at Park Ridge Lookout this season. It is good to wrap up the season without major fires in our area. But it is also good as I do have plenty of things I can be doing as well. Still I will miss being up here. There is a chance I can staff Delilah, if my schedule and Delilah’s match.

At 540 I woke up. It was another slow getting started day-they all seem that way. It is just me with no one else to blame. I left 700, a bit later than I wanted to, especially since I needed to get gas at Costco. I still got to the Park entrance at 810 and arrived at Park Ridge Lookout 900. I lug my stuff up, some of it with a rope. PG&E Contractors are working on establishing a pole just to the northwest of me.

Setting sunlight through haze - not as bad as it looks. Not enhanced.

Once I finish lugging stuff up, I start doing lookout stuff: observe the weather, raise the flag and scan my area. At 0928, I go into service with both Porterville and Ash Mountain Fire (AMF). Then it is onto the normal things a lookout does: scans and stuff. At 1006, Porterville reports on the weather forecast and the forest staffing. Also AMF/Park staffing is done 1008. Back to doing scans. One of the things lookouts do is to review locations around us. This is what I do between scans. It helps me to identify where things are and I keep an eye on my surroundings.

Most of the morning and into the afternoon, it was pretty routine stuff. I had been hearing road crews below me on the General’s Highway, south of the Wye. Then I heard on the Park radio that the General’s Highway is closed between Quail Flat the the Wye at 1411. Traffic is backing up. Initially the Park said they did not have enough staffing to provide traffic control. Then when the road looked like it was going to be shut down for a while, they sent someone.

I heard Patrol 33 talking to Buck Rock, asking if the highway was still closed. I got on R5 and told her what I heard. Also the Duty Officer told Patrol 33 we will be on extended hours today. First I heard of it today-the lookouts had been warned this might happen. Wendy sent me a text letting me know based upon this conversation. Along those lines, I went on R5 Project and asked Buck Rock if I was to go into service at 0800 tomorrow-negative.

 

 

 

 

Starry night

 

I do not hear Porterville reporting of fire indexes or weather. Delilah Lookout goes home at 1732. Sometime after that, Patrol 33 tried to contact Porterville on one of the command channels. She was told to change to channel 2 as there was an active fire being managed on channel 4. That was the first hint I had about channel restrictions. Sort of makes you think I may not be hearing everything.

At 1855 both Buck Rock and I went out of service and in quarters. I go downstairs and lock up. Then I let Sherri know that I am available for talking. We talked for over an hour until almost 2100. I read and scrolled through my phone until 2200 until I went to sleep.

October 2, 2026 - Buena Vista Peak

 

Title: October 2, 2026 - Buena Vista Peak
Hike Info : Description : Extra Photo's

Hike Info:

Type: Hiking 

Trail head: Buena Vista Trailhead

Trail: Buena Vista Trail

Destination: Buena Vista Peak

Distance:  2.02 miles

Start Time: 10:37

End Time:   12:56

Travel Time:  2:19 (0.87 mph)

Moving Time:  1:19  (1.53 mph)

Elevation Rise:  532'

Descent: 504‘

Maximum Elevation: 7,639'

Minimum Elevation: 7,611'

GPS Tracks

Description:

Start of trail

This morning did not start off very well. Evidently yesterday while timing some things, I inadvertently set my alarm. So the rooster alarm crowed at 5:45. I apologized to Sherri and I got up. I sort of moseyed around doing things which I had neglected to do for the past couple of days. Rachel came in a little after 8; Steven was up a little before 8; while Sherri got up about 7:40.

By the time we are ready to leave, it is 9:07 on the car’s clock. I am driving. One of the things which we discussed on the way up to the Park is where do we want to go with our Alaska Air companion fare? No definite decision, but I think there was some clarification about desires. We stopped at Big Stump once we passed through the entrance station. We then progressed on to the Buena Vista trailhead, arriving about 10:20.

I can tell that we have not been hiking in awhile. It takes us a while to get ready once we parked, about 20 minutes. We hit the trail about 10:40. There is another clue that I have not been hiking much-The trail starts off going up and I am leading. I immediately go into a deliberate pace. That should be interpreted as being that I was making sure I did not suck air. 

 

We quickly encountered a fallen tree which we walked around. One thing which we noted is that the tree cover was sparse. In October, this should not be too much of a problem. But today is a warm day and we can feel the mid-day sun bearing down on us. That tree is not the only one down. Another tree there was no going around and it is about 3 to 3½ feet in diameter, a bit of an obstacle. But we all got over it.

Kings Canyon Overlook

We stopped several times on the way up, making sure there was shade when we stopped. But we make steady progress. I had chosen this trail for two reasons. First it is only a mile up. The second is that there is a good, but manageable climb. I think I need this just as much as Sherri. At least I stop as my breathing gets labored and my heart beats hard. All manageable, just an indicator that my body is not what it once was.

When we reach the top of the ridge, we do our final rest break. When we head out, Steven goes on ahead and reaches the top about ten minutes before us. Somehow this segment seemed a bit shorter than what I remember-usually it is the other way around. Rachel, Sherri and mine arrival is 11:35.

Either way, we all get to the top. From here we enjoy the view, as you should do from a peak. From here, we view two of our lookouts: Buck Rock and Park Ridge. Usually Park Ridge is hidden behind trees, but there it is. I am wondering when was the last time we were up here? Was it before the KNP Complex fire? The answer when I got home was June of 2022, a year after the KNP fire.

Looking towards Buck Rock, there is what looks like a trail. I am not familiar with a trail in that area, so I called Jessi at Buck Rock to see if she knows of a trail down there. No, but there are a couple of roads. But it does not look like a road. Later on when I got home and blew up a picture, I could see that it could be a road.

Looking to the west, there are three predominant features: Redwood Mountain, Redwood Canyon and Big Baldy. That KNP fire devastated the canyon as well as the south side of Redwood Mountain. But surprisingly the upper part of the canyon still has Sequoias standing.

We looked some more, and had an energy bar before we left. The trip down is a lot easier than coming up. On both ways, there is not much in the way of floral. I see a penstemon or two. Also some of the grasses have turned to their Fall colors. We made it back to the car before 1:00.

I drove us back. The question which always comes up after a hike is where to eat? We talked about Bear Mountain Pizza or Habit Burgers in Fresno. Instead of these places,we decided to go Mexican at a place some friends of ours introduced us to: Los Panchos Mexican Restaurant on Kings Canyon. This means delaying eating for an hour, but I guess I will be off to live off of my fat until we get there. The food is good when we get there and we are content after eating. We get home about 3:30, a bit tired,

Extra Photo's

Gary towards the end of the hike

Rachel on the trail

Park Ridge Loookout

Buck Rock Lookout

Some sort of mello plant, I think

Redwood Canyon and Mountain