November 1, 2017 - Hart Tree

Title: November 1, 2017 - Hart Tree
Hike Info : Description : Trail Lessons :   Extra Photo's :  Flowers and Plants

Trail head: Redwood Mountain

Hike Info:

Type: Hiking :

Trail: Hart Tree, Redwood Canyon Trails

Destination: Hart Tree

Distance:  8.01 miles

Start Time: 9:14

End Time:  3:34   

Travel Time:  6:19 (1.27 mph)

Moving Time:  5:54  (1.36 mph)

Elevation Rise:  1,612'

Maximum Elevation: 6,447'

GPS Tracks

Looking up a Sequoia

Description:

This is a meetup hike, so we gather at 7 at the Sportsman store. Jeff is driving. We will stop at Grant Grove for bathroom break before heading to the trailhead at Redwood Mountain.

Unnamed Falls on Redwood Creek

We get to the trailhead a little after 9. Our boots start gathering trail dust at 9:15. There is about 20 of us, most of whom I have hiked with before. Looking forward to hiking with all of them today. John is having Korina take the lead. Meetup has potential event organizers accompany an experienced organize twice before going solo.

Autumn Leaves

We quickly separate into speed groups,  or in my case, lack there of.  I am walking with John, Jeff, Bruce and a few others. The first part of the trail is a good downhill, ending at a large Sequoia tree. Here is the junction of our returning trail. We will pass this spot in seven hours or so. But now the group is waiting for us. Off we go to the left, or if you will, the south.

Burnt Tree and Redwood Mtn

It is a normal trail, with the beauty of walking through Sequoia trees. These are not the old trees of Giant Forest or Grant Grove.  But are younger or at most middle age. A certain freshness fills the air, even with the dogwoods showing their red aging leaves of Autumn. Sequoia’s do more than stand for centuries; they refresh the soul, making us humans realize we are so transient.

Good Hiking Form

There is a place along this trail where you can look out over Redwood Canyon and Mountain. While it will never make a top ten viewpoint, it is a pleasant place to stop and look. We move one, going past Buena Vista Meadow with a glimpse of Buena Vista Peak. Once again the Sequoias crowd around us. These are young and slender trees, but still taller than any other tree in the area. We see a pair of backpackers from Louisiana. So we stop and talk with them, exchanging places we have been with places they have been. This really puts us behind the rest of the group. But it is something which backpackers do.

Overlook to Redwood Canyon and Mountain with Dennis

After many stops to picture take, we come to the Hart Tree. The center attraction of our walk. Strangely enough, we do not take a picture of this tree. But we stop for a snack-in our case the usual peanut butter and Nutella sandwich. Korina gets instructions from John about when it is time to move on: when people are talking and not looking tired. So after 10-15 minutes, that is what we do.

East For Falls

We start moving as Korina and John chases us away from a comfortable log to sit on. A short ways after the Hart Tree, we come to the East Fork of Redwood Creek. Here a nice little waterfall greets us. Another Kodak moment which puts us a ways behind everybody else. But it is well worth the enjoyment of this fall, tucked away after the main attraction. So many people come for the big names. But it is the unnamed which may be the bigger hits in my book.

Now it is time to descend into the Canyon proper. Maybe about 400’ drop. This walking is not bad. By this time Sherri and I have dropped back with John as our protector. We meet a lone hiker coming up the slope-going up it faster than we are going down. Of course, he is sweating, we are not. Then we come to Redwood Creek and the log crossing for it. Cathey is inching across, but doing well. John follows her. I am next, followed by Sherri. Thoughts run through my mind, like, I wonder how hard those rocks are and how much they will hurt if I hit them? How deep is that water? But across we go all safe.

 

Autumn Along Redwood Creek

Time to go up the canyon. The rest of our group are also ready going up the canyon. Some of the faster hikers are all the way up, I am sure. Others are chugging up the 600’ climb. Now, normally a 600’ climb just falls into the category of moaning and complaining but nothing to really be  concerned over. Today, I am concerned just because of the past history of the last couple of months-no need to go into my lament. You can read my previous blogs if you really want to know. So I am relieved to be going with a slower group. I find I am going up pretty well. My breath is doing good and the legs are strong enough. I even get to stop and take a couple of pictures along the way. Being slower gives one the opportunity to admire your surroundings. With good companions, we make it up the slope, about 2¼ miles and 600’ in two hours. Not Olympic times, still not bad-we made it.

By the time we reach the top, only nine of us are left. So we go over to Grant Grove for a bite to eat at the DNC restaurant. But it does not open until 5:00pm. So two of the cars decide to go to Bear Mountain Pizza. We decide we want a slightly elevated fare and head back to Fresno. Here we find a Habit burger which fits everybody’s desires. A good way to end the day to have dinner with Rose and Jeff. Now to home for a well-deserved shower.

Trail Lessons: 

• The Spirit which created the Sequoias rejuvenates me.
• It is not the speed, but the enjoyment which makes a hike.

Extra Photo's

Light and Autumn Leaves

Tunnel Log and Sherri

Redwood Canyon from Overlook

Buena Vista Peak and Meadow

Tunnel Log

The thinker at East Fork Falls

Tired Old Man

Trees in Full Color along path

 
Flowers and Plants

Fungi on Stump

Dogwood Berries

April 15, 2014 - Redwood Saddle via Hart Tree

Title: April 15, 2014 - Redwood Saddle via Hart Tree

Trail head: Redwood Canyon

Hike Info:

Type:  Backpacking

Trail:  Fallen Goliath and Hart Trail

Destination:Redwood Saddle

Distance: 6.11 miles

Start Time:  10:33

End Time:     5:09

Travel Time: 4:36 (1.33 mph)

Moving Time: 3:25 (1.79 mph)

Elevation Rise: 1,631'

Maximum Elevation: 6,564

Description:

Last night was awesome. There was a full lunar eclipse. We got up at 11:45 and watched it till it was full, around 12:05. Not as red as the newspapers would have us believe, but watching the last of the silver light escaping from the moon was just fascinating. But it was cool, so we turned in.

Realized I had not sent a Spot message last night. But I think everybody realizes that the I'm OK message is not a guarantee. So I am sending it out this morning. Last night Sherri and Jerry heard what sounded like an alarm clock going off. This morning heard it myself. I think it must be the twirl of a bird. Now which one?

Before everyone got up, I went for a short walk down the canyon. I had fiddled around long enough that this walk will not be too long. The term down the canyon is a misnomer. Yes it is down the canyon, but the 3/4 of a mile I go is climbing a small ridge, which is OK with me. I am more thinking, praying and meandering than really walking. It is nice-birds are talking and squirrels are scurrying, and the morning is cool, but not cold. The sounds I heard last night may have been an Oregon Junco. They seem to have no fear of me-not flying away, just singing or whatever they call their sounds.

When I return, everyone is up and we have our breakfast of oatmeal and fruit and nuts. We are slow in getting packed. But it is enjoyable to move slow around the camp. But one side effect is that it is later when we actually do get on the trail

Log Crossing Redwood Creek

It is 10:30 and we are just starting on the trail again.  The first little bit is backtracking up the trail to the log across Redwood Creek. After us safely making it across the log, we start our climb. It does not take long for us to start climbing. And not too much after that before we stop for breath. This will be the routine as we do our climb up the south side of the canyon.

We do the 3/4 of a mile to the Fallen Goliath pretty quickly. Steven shows he is the youngster of the group by climbing up on this mammoth fallen sequoia and walking on it. The rest of us are content to gaze up at him. We do a picture take here. Then it is off to continue on our walk up.  Note: This is the last time we will have seen the Fallen Goliath. On April 23rd, a man set fire destroyed this log.

Men at the Fallen Goliath

Prettiness surrounds up. But I am sure that prettiness is not the word to describe how regal these trees look. And to think we are able to walk in the midst of them. So impressive. One particular seen has the redwood in the background with a Meadow front stage. There is a redbud a few weeks away from bloom. Anyplace else, this Meadow would garner second and third looks. But here, it is overshadowed, literally by the big trees.

Steven on top of Fallen Goliath

Fallen Goliath as it was

Lunch at the falls

 We stop beside a little unnamed creek, maybe a quarter mile before the Hart Tree. While not a good lunch place, we did have lunch here, it made up for up the lack of accommodations with this pleasant little waterfall, which has cut a small, narrow groove through 20' of rock. We are about to leave when a group of college students come up and have lunch here as well. We talk with them and leave.

Hikers

The Hart tree, named after Michael Hart, is a little ways off the trail. We meet another couple who is enjoying the trail and wants to know how far down the Fallen Goliath. We talk for a time. They leave and we enjoy the tree for a few minutes before we also depart.

Hart Meadow and Buena Vista Peak

The trail has now pretty much reached its peak and we walk some rolling ravines and ridges. When passing by Hart Meadow, there is an opening which reveals Buena Vista Peak, where an old fire lookout once stood. There are a few exposed places and the afternoon sun cuts through our clothing. Fortunately, when it becomes warm, we dive into forested areas.

Hiking among the redwoods

Redwood Split

We reach a hollowed out log cabin and then the junction to the Redwood Canyon Trail. From here we start our last quarter mile trudging up an old road. Steven and Jerry have already made it up to the car, while Sherri and I complete our walk out. On the way back to Fresno, we stop for some vitals at Bear Mountain Pizza. Good to eat when hungry.

Place: CA-Hart Tree

Hart Tree (Grant Grove)
(36° 41′ 42.8″ N, 118° 53′ 28.38″ W)

Description:
24th largest tree in the world-once considered to be the fourth largest. Named after its discoverer, Willaim Hart in the 1880's, along with Hart Meadow. He owned a sawmill and almost 100 acres in this area during the 1880s.


Trips:

• April 15, 2014 - Backpacking Trip
• November 1, 2017 - Day hike to Hart Tree

References:

•  Wikipedia
•  Redwood Hikes - Redwood Mountain Grove
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Pictures:

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