August 28, 2016 - Woodchuck Creek

Title:  August 28, 2016 - Woodchuck Creek
Hike Info : Description : Menu : Animals : Flowers and Plants

Trail head:Woodchuck Creek

Hike Info:

Type:  Backpacking

Trail: Unnamed

Destination:Blizzard Camp on Woodchuck Creek
Actual Destination:Woodchuck Creek, same place we camped on Aug 25, 2016

Distance:  6.21 miles

Start Time:  9:35

End Time:  3:42   

Travel Time:  6:06 (1.02 mph)

Moving Time:  4:39 (1.34 mph)

Elevation Rise:  446'

Maximum Elevation: 9,976'

GPS Track

Description:
As I was getting out of my bag to do some business in the middle of the night, I realized that with my new camera, there is a night/star mode. So this is a good time to try it out. Fortunately, it was not too cold-just cool enough that I did not want to mosey too long. So I was able to shot a couple pictures-one at 60 seconds; the other at 15. They look pretty good.

Night Sky at 60 second exposure

I suspect that we can never describe the glory of my Lord. That we get a brief look at glory is grace to us. No wonder God had to shield Moses when he passed by. When at sunrise, when the sun starts to bask the mountain sides, this is when I get reminded of the beauty which is His.

I got up around 6:30. The light was already starting to shine but not directly on me yet.  Loper Peak catches the light early.  I had my quiet time just asking in these mountains I time alone just pondering.

Sun on Loper Peak

So once again we are little bit lazy in getting started. We have our breakfast, well some of us did. We shorted our oatmeal and so Rose have gave us some oatmeal also. By the time which we got packed and ready to go it is 9:30. But we are not worried about the times it is mostly downhill today. We should get to where we camped Thursday without too much problem. The question is will we get all the way out today and do we want to?

One of many meadows

We leave the same way we did yesterday, that is along the west side of the lake, not following a trail for the first third of a mile. It is fine just walk along the rocks picking our way through. Eventually we hit up the trail and get up to the trail junction. This is where we split from yesterday. Instead of going to Crown Pass we head west and head back to Wishon Reservoir.

Talus field

Going down a different trail is interesting and I keep in the back so that I can stop and look around. While there is not a lot of variation to scenery, it is good to just to feel for this area. Like a lot of the High Sierra's, there is a sparseness to the trees which makes the forest seem open and and alive. The open part of the trail is good, letting the clean air infiltrate our lungs.  The decline is moderate. We pause once before the junction to Chimney and Marsh Lakes. Now the trail goes down a little bit more. We stopped and break a limit for a few minutes.

Loper Peak

Here Sherri, before an interesting grouping of rocks, she discovers that her camera lens will not retract. After much work, I was able to get the lens to retract somewhat properly. But the thing about this kind of probably, you never know if the camera is focusing properly or is a bit off.

Snow sign at Lunch Meadow

Rose

As you go down the trail it doesn't get steeper but the side of the mountain does. But the Forest Service has done a great job of grading the trail so that it will be a gentle decline. I'm not sure I would want to come up, but at least it seems like it would be a good climb rather than something which will leave you whimpering. We get to the meadow which we ate at Friday. We stop and eat here also. Sherri has been walking pretty good and she got here about 10 to 15 minutes before Rose and I did. So she is all rested up. Lunch is peanut butter and Nutella and crackers.

Sherri and Rose leave a few minutes before me. I catch up on some some of my blog entries-recording them rather than trying to write them in with my fat fingers into a tiny cell phone keypad. Also The Lord of the Rings has been calling me, so I spend more time reading. So I'm about 10 minutes behind them but that is good because I can go at my own pace and enjoy a little bit longer stride.

Rose resting

Hiking around a tree

After about a half an hour I catch up with them. They are now going down the steeper parts of the trail. Eventually we stopped and rest maybe about a quarter mile above where we camped Thursday. Rose and Sherri take off again. They are a few minutes ahead of me. I should have realized how close we were to our old campsite, but I did not. They continue on past our old campsite. When I come to it, I recognize it and then chase after them, literally whistling them down.

Sherri trucking on

Is this man happy?

After returning to the old campsite we talked about what we want to do. The consensus is, why hurry and push our way back? Even tomorrow we can get back before 5 and still be good. On the plus side, we can spend one more night in camp-isn't that a good thing? So we decide this is a good place to stop for the day. We are about 5 3/4 miles from the car and it should take another 3 hours to get back. So I get to enjoy another day of rest. how do I do this? By laying out on a rock by Woodchuck Creek and continue my reading.

While we are setting up camp, Adam and Jason come by. They are also looking for a place to camp and I show them where we have looked last Thursday. They seem to be okay with that place. Our camp is set up and we are content just to relax until dinner time. After dinner, all go to bed, except for me. i am waiting for the dark to try some more night pictures.

Mountains beyond Wishon Reservoir

Menu

Breakfast	Lunch	Dinner	Snacks
Oatmeal and add-ins, such as dried peaches, strawberries, nuts, granola. Tang.	Ritz Crackers, Tortillas, Peanut Butter, Nutella	????	Clif Bar, GORP, Propel, CytoMax, Scrytch, Coffee Candy, Jelly Belly

Animals

Morning Glory

 
Flowers and Plants

August 27, 2016 - Crown Pass

Title: August 27, 2016 - Crown Pass
Hike Info : Description :  Background : Menu : Extra Photo's 

Trail head: Woodchuck Lake

Hike Info:

Type: Hiking

Trail: Unnamed

Destination:  Half Moon Lake
Actual Destination: Crown Pass

Distance:  4.90 miles

Start Time: 9:34

End Time: 4:12

Travel Time:   6:37 (0.74 mph)

Moving Time:  3:27 (1.42 mph)

Elevation Rise:  744'

Maximum Elevation: 10,306'

GPS Tracks

Early morning sun on Loper Peak

Description:
Note: I wrote this up once and then lost it. I think a second re-write almost always loses some of the vitality of the first. But this blog is principally about recording hikes so i can relieve them later.

I woke up around 5 and went out to do my business. When I came back in, I just laid there for the next hour and a half. It was relaxing. As light started hitting the tent, I got up. I am the first one up, even though I think I heard Rose rolling over.

Breakfast crew

I had my quiet time, enjoying the morning silence. I attempted to play my recorder but found out that I've lost any sense of fingering. Will have to work on that.  I did see Finger Rock and Mt Hoffman-not the Yosemite one-which we see from Delilah.

Bear hang and Laundry Line

The morning is a slow morning. But that is OK, it is a day hike rather than having a heavy pack on our back. Our goal is to get to HalfMoon Lake, about 3-4 miles away. So we don't need to rush or anything. That shows in how we are moving around camp, rather lackadaisical. But that is OK since there is no pressure and that is not why I hike.

Laundry water

We have our breakfast oatmeal like usual. I have my electronics all charged up. Then string a laundry line and place my sleeping bag on it. Now it is time to do the laundry. Amazing how dirty our clothes can get in two days. Then we just mosey around some more and eventually get everything packed for our day trip.

Mylar Balloon

Towards Marsh Lake

 We start walking about 9:30, traveling on the west side of Woodchuck Lake. There's not a trail on this side of the lake, even though I noticed several other sets of footprints over here. It is easy to walk, here as there not many obstacles. So far it is a pleasant relief from the climbing of the last couple of days. As a bonus, we get a better view of the lake as well as the area what we've come from. I get to show Rose and Sherri Finger Rock and Mount Hoffman. But in a tree we find a surprise: a Mylar balloon at 9,900'. How far those things travel.

North part of Woodchuck Lake

South part of Woodchuck Lake

We continue to walk towards the trail, starting to rise to meet the trail. When we come to the trail, I walk straight over it, while telling Sherri and Rose to where I think the trail actually is. After we get on the trail, we continue to climbing until we meet the junction for Marsh Lake. The trail starts gently meandering, rising without much protection from the sun. But there are many meadows. I stop and gaze at many of these. When we get to the top of the rise, we meet Adam and Jason-our friends from the past couple of days. They are heading to Woodchuck Lake, neighbors again. They tell us that where we are at is the best view of Crown Lake and that there is a 900 foot drop going into Half Moon Lake.

East Looking from Crown Pass

Since this is a nice place to eat lunch, overlooking Crown Lake we decide to do just that. Afterwards,  things get a lot more leisurely-I guess contentment does that to you. Rose and I take a side excursion along the ridge. Many excellent views. When we came back to Sherri, we just sit around and talk and talk and talk until the breeze cooled us off  get a bit.

One thing which catches my eye is out by the Middle Fork of the Kings River. I spot the backside of Tehipite Dome. The Dome stands high above Tehipite Valley-reportedly Kings Canyon answer to Yosemite Valley. Many years ago our family tried to make it down the Middle Fork to Tehipite Valley, but we were driven out by coming across many rattlesnakes. Ever since then, the name Tehipite evokes a since of a forbidden place. Memories of my Dad flood my mind and I wonder if he would have been satisfied with this view. It also gives me a sense of appreciation for him and how he and Mom brought both my brother and I backpacking, starting at an older age when most people are on the decline. Today is two days short of the first anniversary of his death.


And then it's time to reach race are steps back to the Woodchuck Lake. When we reach the place which we caught the trail, we decide to go off trail again to the west side of our Lake since its it is a bit shorter.

Woodchuck Lake from the trail

This gives us a couple hours just to enjoy the camp life. The laundry is mostly dry, so it is taken  down.  Besides that, I mostly read and attempt to send out our Spot messages.  Rose wades in the lake and gets her self clean. I take the hint and a little bit later I do the same. There is a nice sandy beach on the north side of the lake. A meadow flows down to almost the lake's edge with a barrier of sand before the water. It is great just wading out and getting wet, cleaning off trail dirt and sweat. After getting all wet, I sun myself on the meadow grass, getting dry and warm. What a life!

Now it is time for dinner. Sherri and I are having Tamale Pie Freestyle. I am hungry and enjoy the meal. Sherri has a little bit more than she can eat, so I devour most of that as well. It is important to leave a little room for treats. What do we have? Girl Scout thin mint cookies. Satisfaction all the way around! We are just about ready for bed. But before we retire to our tents, there is sunset. Orange skies and dark trees-fantastic! The alpine glow off of the east side of the lake is not as intense as other places, but still pretty. And now, we can go to bed, around 8pm. Evidently we are tired as we do not continue with A Walk in the Woods.

Background
Since we visited the area, a new fire  broke out on Sept 15, 2016, about 5-6 miles south of Crown Lake. Appropriately enough, it is called the Crown Fire.

Alpine Glow on Woodchuck Lake

Menu

Breakfast	Lunch	Dinner	Snacks
Oatmeal and add-ins, such as dried peaches, strawberries, nuts, granola. Tang.	Ritz Crackers, Tortillas, Peanut Butter, Nutella	Tamale Pie Freestyle ,  Thin Mint Girl Scout Cookies	Clif Bar, GORP, Propel, CytoMax, Scrytch, Coffee Candy, Jelly Belly

Extra Photo's

Finger Rock and Mt Hoffman

Gary overlooking Crown Lake

Sherri relaxing

Northeast of Crown pass

Crown Lake and Beyond

Southeast from Crown Pass

More of Finger Rock and Mt Hoffman

Blackcap Mountain, Mt Goddard and many other peaks

Three Sister

Sample of a meadow

Places: CA-Marsh

Marsh Lake-9,429' (Courthwright Reservoir) (37.0320428, -118.8913845)
Marsh Lake-9,029' (Bloody Mountain) (37.5064089, -118.9796888)
Description : Trips : References : Pictures 


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