August 6, 2025 - Park Ridge Lookout

 

Title: August 6, 2025 - Park Ridge Lookout

Hike Info : Description : Trail Lessons 

Hike Info:

Type:Lookout

 

Description:

It has been over a month since I have been in a Lookout. Of course, I have been somewhat busy with our Ireland trip. Also last week I was sick last week and probably if I was still sick this week, it would have been a good reason to stay home. But fortunately by Sunday I started to feel better.

Tuesday was the day which I got asked to do things lookout related. First Greg called me and asked me to identify the plug which the stove used. I like talking with him. In some ways it is like talking to myself-I think there are similar thought patterns.We also discussed one of the places which we use to orient the Osborne Firefinder. In particular, it is Burnt Point. We use eight orientation points or lantmarks at each lookout to make sure the FireFinder is oriented correctly. There was some question about what the correct azimuth is for this landmark. Also Wendy called and asked if she could meet me to take up some brochures.

Since this is an up and back, I can fit everything into a daypack, except for water. I get a good night's sleep and wake up at 0500. There is no lightning to report, so that is pretty quick. After eating breakfast, I am ready to go by 0630. I pull my food from the refrig, load the car and am off at 0700. I get to the Hume Lake Ranger District office a few minutes before 00800. Wendy is waiting for me. We talk for about 15 minutes-Wendy is the reason why Sherri and I are fire lookouts. We have only enjoyed the relationship more and more. She has some brochures for me to take up.

I stop at the Big Stump bathroom and then drive up to the Park Ridge Lookout. I get there a few minutes before 0900, plenty of time. It only takes a few minutes to unload the car. It is even faster than I thought it would be. The reason why it is quicker than I thought? I forgot my backpack. The thing which I will miss most is the food for the day. There are a few other things in there, but not essential. I should survive-living off of my body fat.

I get myself set up. One of the first things I do is to take the weather-all seems pretty good. Coming up from the Valley, it seemed like there was a layer of smoke-not sure what fire the smoke is from. But up near at 7,500’, I have pretty decent visibility. I go into service at 0930 with bother Porterville and Ash Mountain Fire.

I start on my first task-trying to figure out the plug. I pull out the stove, not as far as I would have liked. So I can only easily pull the plug out a fraction of an inch. I send a picture to Greg and shortly afterwards he indicates that he really does need to see the male end of the plug. So I reach over the counter and wiggle in and use my finger tips to wiggle the plug out. I did have a thought to use a screwdriver to wedge it out, but then after half a second, I thought how bad of an idea that was. Eventually I got the plug out, took a picture, sent it to Greg. He is happy. So the plug gets plugged in, the stove gets put back into its place, and it even works. 

 

The second part of my task was to come up with what the azimuth was for Burnt Point. I take my view carefully and compare it to our visual book. The visual book has pictures of everything we can see from the lookout and the azimuth for it. I was within two minutes of the visual book value. That is close. I also have a spreadsheet with the computed azimuth from the lat/long of two points. With this one I was within one minute.

Visual	169o30’
Firefinder	169o32’
Computed	169o33’

This gets me to about 1030. The rest of the day is spent doing lookout things. Such as scanning, listening to the radio, and a bit of daydreaming. If you have looked at my Burnt Point page, you will notice that there is a picture of the landmark. I took some pictures of places which I do not have pictures of them before. We shall see how usable they are.

With no lunch, I ignore any rumblings coming from my stomach for the afternoon. It is one of those afternoons which lookouts both are happy with because there is no relevant activity. But it does make the time go past slowly. Around 1730, I got ready to vacate the lookout. And at 1750, I went out of service.

After I text Sherri with my plans to eat on the way down at Bear Mountain Pizza, I start off. At Log Meadow, there is a flock of bovine-I know, cattle do not come in flocks. When I get cell reception, I let Wendy know so she can tell whoever is coming in tomorrow to be on the alert for these beasts. When I get to Big Stump I put in my order and tell them that I would eat in. I got behind a slow car, but that is OK. I get to Bear Mountain Pizza a few minutes after 1900. Apparently they were closing in-restaurant dining when I came in because the guy did not seem to be happy that I was eating in. They turned the sign to close after I got my order. So I eat fast and did not doddle. I get home a little have 2000, a bit tired, but glad I went up.

Trail Lesson: No matter how much you take care to pack everything, chances are that you will forget something. Deal with it and move on.

February 2, 2023 - North Grove Loop Snowshoe

 

Title: February 2, 2023 - North Grove Loop Snowshoe

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

Hike Info:

Type: Snowshoeing

Trail head: General Grant Tree Parking Lot

Trail: North Grove Loop

Destination:  Loop

Distance:  2.39 miles

Start Time: 12:56

End Time:     3:59

Travel Time:  3:02 (0.79 mph)

Moving Time:  2:09  (1.11 mph)

Elevation Rise:  512'

Descent: 488‘

Maximum Elevation: 6,373'

GPS Tracks

Description:

Sherri getting Steven's snowshoes on

Yesterday I moved dirt for some friends. Today I am feeling pretty drained, but not completely. We considered moving our time outdoors to Friday, but I have an OSHER book club tomorrow. So today it is. We do not leave Fresno until about 11:15. It is a pretty smooth trip up to Grant Grove. We get the the General Grant Tree parking lot a bit after 1pm. It does take us a bit to get ready. But we have about two miles round trip, so we have time.

Gary

The first thing we discovered is that I had grabbed Steven’s snowshoes instead of Sherri’s. But she is willing to try to make it work. As a note, tomorrow she will be getting a set of snowshoes just like mine. As we started out, we met a couple from Michigan. They had just completed the North Grove Loop and were in awe of what they saw. And then they wanted more. We suggested Big Stump or Indian Basin. They did ask about Panoramic Point. That is a good view, but it is a six mile walk. Not sure what they will do.

 

 

 

 

Start of the North Grove Loop

Gary hopping a log

I decided we will do our loop counter-clockwise. In retrospect this may have been a good move. Almost immediately we have our own opportunity to have our own time of awe. No matter how often we see sequoias, they evoke a sense of how great this world is. And today, the redwood of the sequoias seem just that much brighter against the blue sky and white snow.

The problem with this trail is that no matter which way you go, you will always be coming up at the end. But As we went down the northern leg, it is the steeper one. There are many magnificent sequoias. But because it is steeper, the center of the trail has had the snow washed away, leaving a three to four foot ravine. We are constantly finding ways along the snow bank above the dirt. Occasionally I will venture away from the snowbank to find a bit easier way. But Sherri likes to stay with the tried and true.

One of many logs blocking our way

Gary doing his wandering thing

There is one place where the trail is completely washed out. I maneuver around; Sherri thinks she can just continue following the berm until she sees what I see and follows me. There is one small rivulet crossing where we had to go down a small bank and the other side. While not tricky, it is a bit of how to spend the least amount of time in the water.

Sherri

And now we are at the bottom of the loop and starting to go back up. This is also an area where the Rough Fire hit particularly hard. Lots of blackened trees. Also many downed logs crossing the trail. Still we are able to get around things good. Both of the water and tree obstacles I am glad we faced going down instead of up. Fortunately it has not snowed in a couple of weeks, so the snow is pretty packed, which makes it easy to maneuver around obstacles.

It is now time to head back uphill. not as many large sequoias and definitely no logs across the path. But we have not had lunch today and so our energy levels are starting to decline as we go up this mile long incline. Still, with the beauty around us, there are many reasons to pause and peruse that which is around us.

We finally made it back to the parking lot at 4pm. It has been a nice walk today. And now it is time to go back down to the Valley. We make it back to our home at 5:30, hungry and content.

Extra Photo's

Sun and Shadow

Sequoia and its burnt companions

Gary dwarfed by a sequoia

Sequoia

Part of a burnt forest

 
Flowers and Plants

Possibly a winterized elderberry

Sequoia

Pine cone

October 9, 2022 - Park Ridge Lookout

 

 

Title: October 9, 2022 - Park Ridge Lookout
Hike Info : Description : Extra Photo's 

Hike Info:

Type:Lookout

 

Description:

Clouds to east

Another late morning for me, getting up at 0700. I think I need it. I do wake up feeling much rested. Of course, it helps going to sleep at 2130 last night. We take down much of our excess stuff from the cab, since we are leaving today. Things like sleeping bags and mat, dirty clothes and a few odds and ends. And then we are ready for breakfast: oatmeal and cinnamon rolls.

 

 

 

Logging taking place

By the time 0930 comes around, we are ready to go into service. We have already done a scan and taken the weather. We also heard

Fire Finder reflections

Delilah go into service-this was the first time we have heard anything from that lookout. Buck Rock will be coming in much later, when she arrives.

A short time later, a couple comes up the trail, but decides not to come up to the lookout. In talking with them, he was a lookout at Park Ridge 20 years ago. She was a lookout at Delilah and worked at Grant Grove for a while. They are staying at a cabin in Wilsonia. We talk for ten minutes, then they go on to east.

 

Looking eastward

 We continue doing our lookout thing. Evidently Porterville is not believing in reporting the weather-nothing at 1000 and then later, no report at 1600. But that does not stop us from doing our assigned tasks. Still no smoke to report, so things are pretty quiet.

And then a whole group of young people comes up. Turns out that they are students at UC Berkeley.

They are up for the weekend and did this hike. They are amused by my explanations of what happens in lookouts, even my puns and humor. I think I have found my audience for my humor-they are all Ph’d candidates in microbiology. They seemed pretty satisfied by what they heard

 

.

Which one is the General Grant Tree

There is a game we play as lookouts called, “What is that?” You have to find what the person is talking about, give the azimuth and distance and a location. Evidently my eyes are better than Sherri’s as I see just before the Hogback where there has been some logging done. Then we have a discussion with no resolution about which of the trees towering above a ridge is the

Looking down into Grant Grove/Wilsonia

General Grant Tree. Our lookout visual book says one thing, Sherri says another and I am hedging on a third, but I think Sherri may be closer to the actual. Finally, I am seeing the parking lot at the Grant Grove Visitor Center. After Sherri gets properly oriented, so does she. Then there is the fire station at Wilsonia which we can pick out.

We get a few more visitors. But all in all, it is a quiet day. At 1800 we go out of service with both Porterville and Ash Mountain Fire. With the later, we just barely caught them before they left. By the time 1820 hits, we are on our way out and get back home by 2000. Glad I was able to catch a few days at Park Ridge before it closed for the season.

Extra Photo's

Virga or does this precipitation touch the ground?

Clouds and Virga around North Guard and Mt Brewer

Early morning view

September 27, 2022 - Princess Campground and the North Boundary Loop

 

Title: September 27, 2022 - Princess Campground and the North Boundary Loop
Hike Info : Description :  Extra Photo's : Animals : Flowers and Plants

Hike Info:

Type: Hiking 

Trail head: Grant Grove Parking Lot

Trail: North Boundary Loop Trail

Destination: Loop ¹

 ¹I did not turn on my GPS. I discovered this a good way through our walk. Sometimes it is good to be free of that burden.

Description:

I woke up at daybreak this morning. Sherri is just returning from a trip to the little girl’s room. And I go off to make my own trip. Then I go and observe the meadow in the morning. Having seen yesterday’s meadow picture, you can understand how radiant it can be when the new sun shines through it.

Gary after retrieving backpack

Today is the last day of our trip. It is always a bitter-sweat time, no matter how long or short the trip is. There are regrets in leaving a place which I enjoy; doing stuff I like doing. But there is also the call of home, with its comforts and showers and routines well known which I find contentment in. In this case, it is the continued work of tearing out the front lawn and putting a front which is more water efficient.

As we get ready to leave, we have already talked about returning and other trips. But will we make that effort? I hope so. Our last breakfast is oatmeal. By 10:20, we have broken camp and are heading towards Grant Grove.

The General Grant Tree Parking Lot is a short distance away, so we have our boots on the ground by 10:50 and walk the North Boundary Trail Loop. About a hundred yards onto the trail I realized something-I forgot my pack. So I go back while Sherri continues up the trail. Later on I discovered I did not turn on the GPS either. I guess it will be one of those days.

Sherri among the Sequoia

We take the less traveled way to begin our trek. There is a small, unnamed creek which goes east from the parking lot. We follow that for a short way, then cut over to the General Grant Tree. Beyond the General Grant Tree is the Gamblin Cabin and there is the short connector trail to the North Boundary Loop.

We go counter-clockwise and meet the first obstacle: a fallen tree across our path. But it has a slight break which allows us through it. We see parts of the upper pieces of the Grant Tree. But what amazes us even more is about a 30’ section of trail just littered with Sequoia cones. We have seen many Sequoia cones, but never so many in one place and so green, like they just dropped.

Beginning of Autumn

The day is warming up and I can tell I am not moving very fast, but neither is Sherri. Guess that makes us a good pair for this hike. We get to the junction which goes to the horse corral and then head more northwest to the edge of the Park. This climbs a ridge which overlooks Abbott Creek. By this time, it is noon and I use the excuse of waiting for Sherri to stop and rest for about 20 minutes, looking up at the clouds passing overhead. Poor Sherri only gets 17 minutes.

 

 

 

 

Matchstick Tree

This ridge is the edge of where the Rough Fire back in 2015 burnt to. It is a good example of why prescribed burns are so effective. This section was burnt a couple of years before the Rough Fire. When that intense fire came, there was a lot less fuel to burn and it just stopped, unlike the western end of the grove where large trees were burnt to matchsticks. .

Then coming down the ridge, we descend into a sea of green brush-where the land is recovering from the fire. In the midst of green, there are a few flames of red showing that Fall is right around the corner.

There is one more ridge to climb. And when we reach the top of this ridge, we keep with tradition: we have our lunch break. From our vantage point, we can look down onto the paved trail which goes to the General Grant Tree. So we know our path is coming close to an end. We, or maybe it is I, who decide, let's not do the North Grove loop. We do complete the North Boundary Loop, going through the Grove, back to our car.

By this time, it is 2:30 when we get the car going. We reach our home in Fresno around 3:40 and unpack. I am tired, but good. A shower always feels good after a trip like this. When Steven gets off of work, we send him out to the Doghouse Grill for dinner.

Extra Photo's

Early Morning at Indian Basin

Unknown Sequoia

Gary chugging up the trail

Looking up at the young trees touching the clouds

Brush growing up after Rough Fire

Delilah Lookout

Animals

 
Flowers and Plants