July 1, 2026 - Delilah

Title: July 1, 2026 - Delilah
Hike Info : Description : Extra Photo's 

Hike Info:

Type:Lookout

Description:

It was a warmer night last night. Even the floor was not cold when I got up at 0510. I checked for any lightning and found none. In the process, I realized that how I was interpreting EGP was incorrect. I need to investigate more. But I think that even when I specify a map set, it is not using it to what I specify rather what is on the screen. That explains that when I pull data, I get outside of the parameters that I specified

I have a leisurely granola breakfast and then go out for a walk. I go further than I have on my last several walks and had more of an incline. Does this mean I am getting into better shape? Probably, but neither does it mean I will be going out tomorrow with a full backpack going up a good slope for 10 miles. It is an improvement and I am glad for improvements.

I got back into the cab about 0830. While the walk was good, the trip up the stairs left me pretty tired for 15 minutes. By 0900 I was doing a scan, then took the weather and went into service at 0930, along with Park Ridge Lookout.

Not much went on in the morning. I continued to do the scans and stuff. Buck Rock did not hear who the duty officer was during the 1000 staffing report and asked Park Ridge who also did not hear. I had recorded the staffing and played it back, so I could hear who the duty was-BC31. When Buck Rock asked me, I could tell her.

On the day when I am leaving, I have my dinner at lunch time. Today it is a repeat of Monday: enchilada and Stagg chili beans. By the time I ate and washed up everything, it was a little past 1300. So I took the weather. The relative humidity is still high compared to how we usually are around here. Then another scan and time for a 15 minute rest time.

 

 

Goat Saddle area

A few more scans. I had just finished one of these scans at 1400 when I heard CalFire, FKU, say that there was a wildland fire called the Guide Fire. I could not decipher the location, but it sounded like it was local. I started scanning, but did not see any smoke. This is not unusual as Pine Ridge blocks about 80 degrees of the area to the south of Delilah. Then Porterville calls it out and the smoke starts to rise up over a branch of Pine Ridge called Dude Ridge. I am able to confirm the smoke. In about seven minutes, that puff was gone, before I could get a good picture.

The area I saw the Guide Fire smoke, mostly dissipated 

The rest of the afternoon is normal stuff. Well sort of. At 1525, while I was doing my scan, I saw something big fly across my binoculars field of vision. There are two hawks gliding around, flying the air currents. Then one of them sees something and makes a beeline into the trees below the tower. I never saw it again. But it was fast. Then the second dives into another set of trees to the west. I lost them then. I guess that is the end of the saw. When I looked up the birds in my John Muir Law’s book, I was wondering if it was an eagle of some type.

At 1600, I responded to Sierra’s lookout check in. There are four of us: Buck Rock, Delilah, Miami and Signal. A little while later Mt Tom went into service. It has been awhile since I heard his voice. I have never met the man, but it is good to have him back.

Sometimes during the afternoon, I heard a report of smoke from Miami Lookout. I have a special interest in Miami. We have hiked up to it several times, but it has never been open. I think starting last year it was being staffed. The lookout was reporting a smoke a half a mile from his lookout. A short time later, he gives a legal location, which puts it at Metcalf Gap. I think that is pretty close to the road we walked up to get to the lookout. If I was him, I would not be very comfortable. Sierra and MMU get right on it and nobody sounds panicked.

As the time of 1800 approaches, I get my stuff together and then clean up the lookout. Of course, I am doing my scans. But the last few scans I may not have been as diligent as earlier in the day. I go out of service with Porterville and Sierra. Then take my stuff down, while locking up. As I am about to climb into the car, I find I still have the lookout keys around my neck. I now had to go back and put them away. Then it is time to drive home. I arrived a few minutes before 2000. That shower felt good.

Extra Photo's

Morning view from the outhouse

The early hummer gets the sugar water

Early morning view of the crest of the Sierra. Split Mtn is part of this view

January 23, 2025 - Miami Mountain

 

Title: January 23, 2025 - Miami Mountain
Hike Info : Description :  Background :  Extra Photo's  Flowers and Plants

Hike Info:

Type: Hiking

Trail head:  Miami Mountain Road

Trail: Miami Mountain Road

Destination: Miami Mountain Lookout

Distance:  4.24 miles

Start Time: 11:25

End Time:     2:53

Travel Time: 3:27  (1.23 mph)

Moving Time: 2:21 (1.80 mph)

Elevation Rise:  1,013'

Descent: 1,047‘

Maximum Elevation: 4,332'

GPS Tracks

Description:

I am a bit miffed. I was interested in leaving the house earlier, such as close to 8, even though I was not ready to leave then. Sherri was thinking closer to 10. We actually do leave at 10 with me driving. We get to Miami Mountain Road about 11:10. We could have been there sooner in that there was something going on the road which caused a long line of cars to back up. It is only a delay, not threatening.

To get to Miami Mountain Road, you go up Highway 49, passing Nipinnawasee and going over a saddle. Immediately upon descending, there is a little road, hidden, on the south side, left, of the road-you blink and you will miss it. We go up a few hundred yards and there is a split. This is where you park.

Smoke we spotted

We hit the road, because our way is the Miami Mountain Road. There is a sign saying this road is not recommended for automobiles. I think this is generally true. At least with our Highlander, we have good clearance, built in places, if the gates are unlocked, it would take some pretty deft navigating to drive to the top. But we are walking this, so we do not care.

Sherri and the Lookout

 

 

I remember this road giving at least a quarter mile grace before rising. Either the road has changed or my memory is faulty. there is no grace and we start climbing almost immediately. We get to a Y and head to the left and continue to climb.

It is a warm day in the 60’s, unlike in Fresno where it was mid-30’s. So I am hiking in my T-shirt. My big decision for the day is do I take off my pants legs? No, at least not now.

We continue going up. I do not poop out like I did on Bishop last week, but Sherri is definitely doing better than I am. I am going to make it, but I will be doing it slowly.

 

 

Gary almost to the top

And I have some excuses to stop and gawk. As we look down towards Nipinnawasee and Ahwahnee, we see several columns of smoke. Besides just practicing our skills in detecting smoke, we pretty much ignore them. As we approach the southern part of the road, I look over, almost due east of us and see in the distance what looks like a pretty hefty smoke way in the distance. A bit later when I caught up with Sherri, I pointed out this smoke. It looks more like something of significance.

Miami's Shower

The road rounds back and heads north. We are now on the west side of the ridge and in the shade, for the most part. While not terribly cool, we come across some white stuff in the middle of the road. On our return trip, I examined this white stuff a bit closer-it is white, cool to the touch and melts. Sounds like frost to me. That is on the way back. Going up, though, I just want to make it up to the top.

 

 

Frost on the road

And we are close to the top. One final turn and the lookout is in sight. The road up to it is about 100 yards long. From the top, we can still see the smoke to the east-now it is more like southeast. I decided to call Sierra Dispatch, which I do. I give a description which I am not sure is really good. But I do give a description of the smoke, the azimuth-149 degrees from Miami Lookout. But I do not have maps of the area, so that is the best I can do.

The road goes ever onward

We had our lunch and rested. We picked the shaded side of the Lookout. When we left, we noticed a couple of things. First, the Lookout has been inspected last year and is in need of some work, mostly corrosion issues. Would I want to climb those stairs and work here? But it does have an added bonus, which I had not seen before-a shower! With what looks like both cold and hot water! None of our lookouts have this.

We took off about 1:30. It is a lot easier going down than it was coming up-well duh! While Sherri showed more strength coming up, I moved faster coming down. It seems a lot faster coming back, but the time difference is only about 15 minutes. When we approach our car, I see a cherry picker bucket parked close by. The man from ArborWorks and I talked for a few minutes, before we got into our car.

We managed to leave about 3:15 with me driving. We get back to Fresno and run into traffic. So we do not get to our house until 4:45.

Background

Later, I sent an email to Sierra Dispatch with a better description and location, with one of the pictures I took.

Extra Photo's

Sherri and Gary with Miami Lookout

Smoke to the east

Sherri almost to the top

Miami Mountain Lookout

Devil's Peak with Signal Lookout

Eastman Lake

 
Flowers and Plants

Manzanita

November 14, 2023 - Lewis Creek

 

Title: November 14, 2023 - Lewis Creek
Hike Info : Description : Extra Photo's : Flowers and Plants

Hike Info:

Type: Hiking

Trail head: Cedar Valley

Trail: Lewis Creek

Destination: Red Rock Falls

Distance:  6.59 miles ¹

Start Time: 9:50

End Time:  3:30

Travel Time: 5:40  (1.16 mph)

Moving Time: 4:33   (1.45 mph)

Elevation Rise:  1,537'

Descent: 1,544‘

Maximum Elevation: 4,321'

GPS Tracks

  ¹The GPS shut off before the end of the trail. There is about a half mile missing from the original. On the attached GPX file, I have filled in the remaining portion of the trail from another GPX file.

Description:

Lewis Creek

I woke up at 6:30-maybe a bit earlier than I meant to, but not unreasonable. About the time I finished my granola breakfast, Sherri and Steven got up. I washed dishes and finished getting ready. We managed to leave by 8:30-mostly because they were waiting on me. On our way out, we met Don-talked for about ten minutes before we headed out.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Steven on the trail

Of course, we do need to know where we are going. We know the general direction: north along 41. We are leaning towards either Lewis Creek or Wawona. But there are also other options such as a Forest Service Road out of Yosemite West, Miami Mountain or even Briceberg. When we roll through Oakhurst Sherri is asleep and Steven is involved in something on his tablet. So it is up to me.

 When I see the sign for Cedar Valley, the start of the Lewis Creek Trail, so I take the road down. We take the usual 15-20 minutes to get ready to get ready to hit the trail. While getting ready, a white car drives up with a couple females. As we are leaving, they ask a couple of questions about the trail. Sherri and Steven leave-they know how I can take a simple question and stretch that into an elaborate answer. And I do just that.

 

 

 

Corileu Falls

I take off with the ladies. We talk about various things-both how easy it is to take your own home turf for granted, and how you need to look beyond the obvious at the common. About the time we caught up with Sherri and Steven, I introduced us and asked their names: Bonnie and Sherri. Notice the name-same spelling as my Sherri! They are from San Luis Obispo. We would catch up to them at both the bottom and top of Corileu Falls.

On other trips I have described the trail. While the route is about the same and so is the climb to Corileu Falls, the condition of the trail is different. Last Winter’s storms have done a number on the trail. It will get worse as we climb up the slope which Corileu comes down. But before we ascend, we gawk at Corileu. Corileu is always something to look at, even this late in the season.

Crossing a washed out section of trail

Bonnie and Sherri asked if it was worthwhile going to the top. Yep! is the answer, even though down here is more attractive. So they leave while we finish gawking. We climb up-Sherri and Steven go up the shorter, but harder way, while I take a more leisurely track. We meet Bonnie and Sherri for the last time when we reach the top-they are about to go on down.

We rest for a few minutes, complete with Jelly Bellies. Then off we go. This section is only a gradual climb. The junction with the trail from Highway 41, there are signs warning that the bridge is out. We knew this already. Yesterday the Sierra Seniors hiking group had done this same trail. Judy’s comment was that the group had developed a new game-inching along the logs. We follow suit. The only one of us who got wet was Korra who enjoyed her splashing.

Gary crossing Lewis Creek sans bridge

For some reason after crossing Lewis Creek, I started feeling tired. Not sure why, but I could tell as I have lost the spring in my step, particularly going uphill. Still the trail gives me enough reason to stop and look. Autumn has hit these trees big time. Mostly in the form of yellowing leaves, interspersed with flaming red. The trail goes up, but more in a rolling manner. Eventually we came to Red Rock Falls.

Steven on the trail

Steven and Korra are waiting for us. There we have lunch and rest. And I rest some more. I do not take the opportunity to go down to the bottom of the falls-and neither does anybody else. After sitting around for a half an hour, we started off. Steven and Korra take off, while Sherri and I take a more leisurely pace. But we are mostly going downhill, so my lack of energy is not a factor.

 

Top of Red Rock Falls

 

 

 

One thing I noticed since the last time I was up here was how much graffiti there is. Rocks have been tagged; the ends of fallen trees are tagged. Do these people think that their “art” improves on nature? Or are we just showing our falleness? Also there is a lot of litter. Unfortunately I do not have any garbage bags in my pack, so I am not on litter patrol today.

 

 

Sherri traversing a fallen log

Steven is waiting for us at the Lewis Creek crossing. We know what we are doing crossing the creek, so not nearly as exciting crossing it the second time. Since Steven and Korra are moving faster, Sherri gives them the car keys and they take off. Going down the slope is a bit more challenging than going up, for some reason. Looking down rocks with scree on them is never a calming look in my book.

But we make it down without mishap and pause at Corileu Falls. For some reason, in the subdued light the Falls look better than we saw them in the morning. So what can we do, but stop and look for a while. We then continue our return trip back to the car around 3:30-Steven and Korra are patiently waiting for us.

So the only question remaining is what do we want to do for nourishment? That gives us about 15 minutes from leaving the trailhead at 3:45 to make a decision. Since Steven brought along a flask from Southgate, that is our destination. We must have hit the sweet spot as Southgate is usually crowded-today, we got right in and are served. One thing you do not have to worry about Southgate is if their food will be any good-it is. The only decision is what to choose. I had a chicken Philly sandwich. It was soooo good. We made it back to Fresno before 6pm. In time to take a shower before Jeopardy. Another good day.

 

 Extra Photo's

Korra enjoying Lewis Creek

Gary

Korra and Lewis Creek

Steven and Korra

Corileu Falls

Us: Gary, Sherri, Steven and Korra

Autumn Leaves

Gary after crossing Lewis Creek

Sherri crossing Lewis Creek

Sherri walking the trail

Autumn Coloring

Colorful Tree

Sherri among the trees

Autumn Leaves

 
Flowers and Plants

Poison Oak