Gary-Summer

Tuesday, November 11, 2025

November 11, 2025 - The Other Wawona Loop

Title: November 11, 2025 - The Other Wawona Loop
Hike Info : Description : Extra Photo's : Flowers and Plants

Hike Info:

Type: Hiking

Trail head: Wawona Visitor Center Parking Lot

Trail: Chowchilla Mountain Road, Four Mile Road, Part of the Bills Hill Trail, Wawona Meadow Loop

Destination: Loop

Distance: 6.45 miles

Start Time: 12:17

End Time: 4:47

Travel Time: 4:30 (1.43 mph)

Moving Time: 3:47 (1.71 mph)

Elevation Rise: 1,121'

Descent: 1,102‘

Maximum Elevation: 4,839'

GPS Tracks

Description:

I got up at 5:30. Today we are going to do a hike up at Wawona. Unlike a couple of weeks ago, we will be doing an extended loop around Wawaona Meadows. But first, I have a 9:00am appointment with my dental hygienists. I worked on my book blog-we are having the author of Consummation for my Book Group Thursday and I need to be prepared for it. The hygienist visit went well. I think this was the first time ever that I was told I am doing well with my flossing.

Fall Colors

I get home at 10:10. Rachel comes in shortly afterwards. Steven will not be coming with us. We are able to leave by 10:40 with me driving. It is Veteran’s Day. So I cannot understand this long line of cars heading south on Highway 41. I am just glad we are heading north. We arrived at the Wawona Visitor Center parking area a few minutes before noon. Coming in we had noticed what looks like a prescribed burn a little ways away from Wawona. When we get out of the car, there is a slight smell of smoke. After discussing it, we felt it does not seem to be too bad. So off we will go on our hike.

At 12:15 we started walking up the Chowchilla Mountain Road, but only about ¾ of a mile up. Tthis part of the trip is where we gain most of the elevation. It is huff and puff time for my part. We did not go on the first junction, but the second junction to the Four Mile Road. This second one is a bit overgrown from disuse. Maybe it would have been better to have taken the first junction.

One of the things which I like walking the Four Mile Road happens right at the apex of the triangle between the three roads. There is a tree which stands right in the center of the two roads. In the Autumn, this whole section is covered with leaves, forming a carpet of brown for us to walk on. The trail now does a series of undulations as it climbs its way across Mt Savage-you have to go either cross-country or find a use trail to go to the top.

The Poseiden Tree

As we walk along the Four Mile Road-not the Four Mile Trail, it gives us a chance to talk. The subject of meditation is brought up. Particularly when walking or hiking. We discuss the various aspects of being able to meditate. There seems to be an element of calming your physical body or at least getting in a rhythm where you do not have to think about what the body will do. But there is also an element of letting your mind rest. Silence is part of this. When walking alone, you only get the sounds of nature-the birds, the wind, the crunching of your feet against the ground and sometimes the little trickle of water running down a hillside. These work to calm and help you to focus your mind on the subject of your meditation. In a Christian it is God. In the outdoors, I usually think about God, the Creator and the God who loves me.

Eventually we decide we want to stop and have a bite to eat as it is around 1:40. We spot a nice log about 15 feet above us and we scramble to it. It is a nice log just to set and eat at. I do notice there are some fungi growing under the log.

About ten minutes later, we came to the trail junction down to Wawona Meadow. Something has changed-there is a sign. The first time we walked this, there was a barely noticeable indentation in the mountain misery to guide us where the trail was. Over the years, a bit of flagging was added to a metal pole. Now, the whole world knows where to turn. What fun is that?

Going down Bills Hill Trail

This is a little used trail which I think is part of the Bills Hill Trail. I think it is one of the more enjoyable trails in the Wawona area. We see very few people on it-today the number is less than one. It takes you down from the Four Mile Road to Wawona Meadow. There has been trail work down on it as the downed trees which we used to crawl over have been sawed recently. I have never gone up it, but I think it would tax a person who is in shape, which I am not. But coming down, we see all sorts of trees and brush. Towards the bottom we run into the power lines which come into Wawona. And then there is the service road which goes up to the lower poles. The trail repeatedly crosses this road-you can take the shorter route, but the road is steep.

When we come out on the Wawona Meadow Loop, we find the log which we rested on a couple of weeks ago and eat an energy bar. I give Sherri and Rachel a choice: continue on the Bills Hill Trail up to the top of the ridge to the east of the Meadow, or follow the Loop trail around the rest of the meadow. The choice is to do the Loop Trail. That probably is wise.

Walking the Wawona Meadow Loop trail is comparatively faster than going up either of the roads. Still we found plenty of occasions to stop and take pictures while enjoying the company of each other.

Gary

The Meadow has some very historical aspects to it. Such as tucked away in some trees is the site of Galen Clark’s Inn. Or there was once a landing strip in the meadow. Or there were orchards to supply fresh fruit for guests. It is the last item which has a bearing. The Washburns ran a flume from the South Fork of the Merced over to the Meadow. You can still see the flume and where it drained onto the meadow. It has been one of my fascinations to walk the bank of the flume on the over side of Highway 41 around until we are above the hotel. So endeavored to do that. Rachel decides this type of adventuring is not for her and retreats back to the trail. I think Sherri is doing the same thing.

Walking the Flume is Blocked

I try to walk the flume. It has gotten a lot more overgrown since I last walked it before the Pandemic. I detour around part of it. Then bushwack through other parts until I reach a solid wall of young pines. I know when I have been beaten and descend down a steep slope to the trail. I eventually come across Rachel waiting patiently on a log for me. I asked her, “Where is your mother?” “She is following you.” Oh Oh. So we took off looking for her. We were yelling her name and then we heard a response, and then had visual of Sherri. I need to back up a bit. Sherri is coming down the area which I did. When I came through, I noticed a telephone line just about 4½’ off the ground. Since I was lumbering along, I ducked under it. Sherri on the other hand makes a bee line straight for Rachel, not stopping for the line in her path and gets clotheslined, just like in the cartoons. If I was more sensitive, my first response would have been to run over and see if she is OK. But from the way Rachel and I are laughing, you would think this was the funniest thing to have ever happened on earth. After we stoped laughing, we checked on Sherri’s well-being-nothing damaged except for her ego.

Even with this mishap, we are only a short walk back to our car. We get back as the skies are darkening, as this time of year that would be 4:45. Rachel takes up the driving responsibilities. We decided that we wanted to eat before reaching Fresno. I suggested Mexican, to which there were no objections. We decided we wanted to eat at our new restaurant-at least new to us-Los 2 Carnales.

We get home at 7, just in time for watching Jeopardy. Rachel watches it with us. At the end, she goes home and I go to the shower.

Extra Photo's

Wawona Meadow

Four Mile Road

Tree roots by the road side

Four Mile Road covered with pine needles

Autumn Colors

Rachel and Gary on the Four Mile Road

Red Leaf

Sherri and Rachel walking the Bills Hill Trail

Rachel and Sherri walking the Bills Hill Trail

Rachel consulting Mr Garmin

Light and Tree

Christmas tree

Walking the Flume-what was bushwacked through

Flowers and Plants

Phlox

PuffBall

Shelf Fungus

Mushroom

Saturday, November 8, 2025

November 8, 2025 - Giant Forest

Title: November 8, 2025 - Giant Forest
Hike Info : Description : Flowers and Plants

Hike Info:

Type: Hiking

Trail head: Giant Forest Parking Lot

Trail: Moro Rock, Soldier, Alta Trails

Destination: Loop

Distance: 3.63 miles

Start Time: 11:53

End Time: 3:21

Travel Time: 3:27 (1.05 mph)

Moving Time: 2:35 (1.41 mph)

Elevation Rise: 767'

Descent: 740‘

Maximum Elevation: 6,774'

GPS Tracks

Description:

Today it is just Sherri and I who will be hiking.While I do enjoy hiking with my children, there is something which is good to hike with my wife. As often as I have done that, it does not get old doing that-it is something special to have a wife who is not only willing to hike, but enjoys it.

Sherri on Moro Rock Trail

We leave the house at 9:30 with Sherri driving. As we go down Highway 180, I casually ask Sherri how much gas is left-less than half a tank. This calls for a gas stop at the Valero at the corner of Academy and Kings Canyon. I put in five gallons, even to give us a comfort level today. Turns out gas is a little bit cheaper up the road in the foothills.

We stopped at Big Stump for a pit stop. I take over driving down the General’s Highway. We get to Giant Forest at 11:40. Our boots hit the ground a few minutes before noon on the Moro Rock Trail.

Just a note, we have done this route several times before. I noticed that the Moro Rock Trail at times I have called it the RimRock Trail. Later today day, I noticed a sign with RimRock on a different trail. There seems to be more people on this trail than what I have seen before. Still, it is not a congo line of people, so the walk is still enjoyable.

At the start, we get a view of Deer Ridge which seems like it should have more of a name since it is so prominent. This area got burnt in 2021 with the KNP Complex Fire. so the trees are sparse. We quickly get into the land of the Sequoias. Also there are several broadleaf trees which are in various stages of being deleafed. What leaves remain show color.

We get to where the trail turns towards Moro Rock, but that is not our route today. There is a large Sequoia where the various roads come together. About 1, we eat our lunch by this tree. Several groups go by us, looking us over-I do not think they were jealous of our peanut butter and Nutella sandwiches.

We temporarily leave our trail and walk about a third of a mile along the road to Crescent Meadows. At the Buttress root system, I play photographer and take pictures for a couple of groups before we move on. Before the Tunnel Log, we turn off of the road and onto the Soldier Trail. There we stop for a few minutes. Sherri’s phone will do satellite messaging. She wants to make sure she can use it, so I find a log while she plays with her phone.

Usually the Soldier Trail has maybe two or three people on it. While I am sitting there, at least two groups go by. When a third couple -a father and daughter I think-goes by, I make a comment about my private trail. They stop and we have a friendly talk. By this time, Sherri had joined me. I found out that they are from Minnesota where Sherri and I are going in June. Naturally we asked about what they think we should see. Turns out that Alice works at the aquarium in Duluth where Rachel will run her half-marathon on. Alice gives us some places to go:

Devil's Kettle
Generally, the North Shore of Lake Superior
Grand Marias

Alta Trail

They take off and we take off shortly after them-we will not be catching up-they look like they can travel. When we traveled the Soldier trail in November, it has been a week earlier. There usually is a brightness of red and yellow leaves, offsetting the red bark of Sequoia Gigantia. Today the deciduous shrubs and trees are mostly bare. Still, walking this area is usually peaceful. Today, there are more people than we usually see. It still has a sense of peace about it. I guess this is what Randy White, in his book Consummation! calls a vigorous peace.

We stop for a few minutes at the top of a 6800’ ridge to eat an energy bar. The rest of our trip will be downhill. The part off of the ridge is a step 200’ When we descend this slope, we come to a trail junction. It is starting to get dark, so we elect to go down the Alta Trail rather than head over our traditional route to Bear Hill. The Alta Trail takes us down another 200’, but a bit less steep. We stop occasionally to see light streaming through the trees and the few remaining Fall leaves.

The trail wraps around to the Giant Forest Museum. There we crossed the highway to the parking lot and our car. We could have probably made it to Bear Hill as it is 3:30 when we got back to the car. We are content with what we did today.

By the time we get back to Fresno it is dark and we are hungry. DiCicco’s on Kings Canyon sounds like it is a good place to fill our stomachs. Steven joins us about ten minutes after we get seated. We are content.

Flowers and Plants

Wednesday, November 5, 2025

November 5, 2025 - Search for the Muir Snag

Title: November 5, 2025 - Search for the Muir Snag

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

Hike Info:

Type: Hiking

Trail head: Gate on road 13S50

Trail: SQF Road 13S50 and a segment of 13S31

Destination: Junction with 13S07

Actual Destination: Beyond the junction and onto 13S31

Distance: 3.43 miles

Start Time: 11:37

End Time: 2:48

Travel Time: 3:10 (1.08 mph)

Moving Time: 2:09 (1.59 mph)

Elevation Rise: 516'

Descent: 551‘

Maximum Elevation: 6,277'

GPS Tracks

Description:

Sequoia and Gary

I get up at 6:30, not knowing what we will be doing today. We had talked about hiking a couple of days ago, but there was no decision. Also there was nothing about going with dogs or no dogs. When Sherri gets up, that is the question. After talking, we decided to go hiking. With the last minute decision, Rachel cannot go, but Steven can. Korra also agrees to go.

When we pile into the car, we have no idea where we are going, we just want to go. Going north is out because of the rain which is going to occur just north of Fresno. So we head east. Three weeks ago, we wanted to look for the Muir Snag, but were stymied by it being hunters being in season. But today there should be little which stops us.

I start driving at 10. We only stop at Big Stump. Then off to the road to the Muir Snag area. We get there about 11:25 and start walking at 11:45. We will be walking along road 13S50 which is just east of Converse Mtn.

I had not found a definitive location for the Snag, but from the description, I am thinking it is about ¾ of a mile up this road. Even if we do not find it, this is a pleasant day to walk this road. The storm to the north has us with clouds overhead, but not much of a breeze. So while not hot, the day is not cold. Just right for walking.

The road goes up, but for the most part, the grade is not bad. I suspect Sherri and I are just out of shape. There are a few divots to allow water runoff which runs across the road. They are easy to cross on foot, but I am sure our Highlander would scrape bottom on some of them.

Steven and I trade leads, as we look high and low for the large, dead Sequoia which Muir found. We see many young living Sequoias, some stumps, but no snag. I made it to the junction with Forest Service road 13S07-Sherri and I hiked that road a couple of years ago, through the Indian Basin Grove.

I wait there for about 10 minutes.Sherri and Steven do not show up, but Korra comes along to check on me. So I head back. I find Steven looking down into where a dry unnamed creek is. When I get to Steven, I see the object of his interest-his Mom. She is about 50’ below the road. She is exploring, looking for the Snag. Steven goes down to join her and I follow a few minutes later. We searched in the area, but no success.

We wander our way back up, with me about five minutes behind. Once we get to the road, we travel on to the junction. I noted that it looked like if we went around the bend in the road, we might be able to have a better view and that is what we do. While there is a good view, there are some trees which hamper it from being a great view.

We find a log and have our lunch at 1:10. I am thinking if I follow this road a little ways further, I might have a better view of Kings Canyon and across the way to Spanish Mountain.. But the road starts to go more on the south side of the ridge instead of the north. I realize that I am walking on road 13S31 which will eventually bring me back to Highway 180. When the road started to drop sharply, I decided I would turn back. Korra has been racing back and forth. I did notice a place which looked like an old road, but it was pretty dug up with logs having fallen across it. Still no great view.

So I make my way back to where Steven and Sherri are waiting. Sherri has noticed a mound beyond Rodgers Ridge. I think it is part of Patterson Mountain. We started back and I noticed a different peak behind the upper part of the ridge. At first I thought it was Kaiser Peak, but after consulting PeakFinder, it looks like it is Eagle Peak.

We walk back down the road, eyeballing everyplace where Sequoias are, but there is no sign of a massive dead Sequoia. Steven goes down one place, but no joy.Either we are blind or the Muir Snag is someplace else. Still it is a good walk.

A couple of things which we did see. First there was a puffball fungus. These are always interesting. Then there is a little vole right in the middle of the road. A pretty cute little thing.

By 2:45 we got back to the car. Steven takes over the driving responsibility. We all are in agreement that stopping at Bear Mountain Pizza is a good idea. We get home at 4:30.