Gary-Summer: Opal Creek

Showing posts with label Opal Creek. Show all posts

Monday, October 28, 2019

October 28, 2019 – Buzzard Roost, Big Basin

Title: October 28, 2019 – Buzzard Roost, Big Basin
Hike Info : Description : Extra Photo's

Trail head: Big Basin Headquarters

Hike Info:

Type: Hiking

Trail: Skyline-Hihn Hammond Connector, Pine Mountain Trails,

Destination: Buzzard Roost

Actual Destination: Just before Buzzard Roost

Distance: 4.87 miles ¹

Start Time: 2:13

End Time: 5:57

Travel Time: 3:44 (1.30 mph)

Moving Time: 3:04 (1.59 mph)

Elevation Rise: 1,195'

Descent: 1,219‘

Maximum Elevation: 2,009'

GPS Tracks

¹A couple of things. I forgot to turn on the GPS’ when we left the car. So it was about a third of a mile down the path before I turned them on. Second, yes there were two GPS’ involved. Sherri’s Garmin 60CSx had been acting up and I have been using my Foretex 401 to take measurements of our trips. So far, the Foretex seems more accurate with the distance, while the 60CSx seems more accurate with the elevation. That is the measurements I have shown above. The map and profile are from the 60CSx.

Description:

Redwood

Today is a big day. After getting up, we went down to the escrow company to sign papers to sell our parents’ house. That went quickly, so we stopped in to talk with our banker. Before seeing us, she was with another client,. We got our questions answered and said our goodbyes. Now it is time to say goodbye to my brother who will be traveling to Eureka, hoping he can get through the parts of California which is on fire (He did.) Before our day's adventure, we went to REI and used a coupon which was expiring.

Then we took off to Big Basin-making a wrong turn or two, but getting there shortly after 1:00pm. We used our senior pass-I love being older! (at times). Big Basin has you fill out a form if you are hiking, saying about where you plan to go. Sort of a bit unnerving planning on getting lost.

Opal Creek

Our initial plan was to go along and finish a trail we had started earlier. This was a trail which went on the south side of the Blooms Creek. So we made our way down the Opal Creek on the west side, stopping for lunch at the end of a handicap trail. A nice little bunch of redwoods there. I figured out there, I had not turned on my GPS'. Yes, plural. Sherri's GPS, Garmin 60cxs has been giving a bit of readings which do not seem to match with the terrain, so I am trying to see what the problem is.

After lunch, we continue on to the Hihn Hammond Road-the paved part just off of 236. There we sort of changed our plans as well as got a bit confused about which trail we were on. We had started a bit later than we thought we would. Also there was a place called Buzzards Roost which is about a 1,000' climb from where we are. We decided that would be a good place to go to.

Gary sucking air

So we go up the Pine Mountain Trail. Up is the proper word for this trail. It may be because I am sadly out of shape or it is steep, I find myself catching my breath. Of course, it does not help when a tall, slender red-headed guy passes us without breaking stride.

Besides being steep, we pass through hill sides of oak-not the gigantic barrel trunked oaks you sometimes see, but modest ones, growing pretty dense. They block out direct sunlight, leaving a filtered look to the sunlight. Manzanita and other brush cover the ground. While there are not spectacular sights, it is a pleasant enough place to travel.

Stone Sherri climbed

We cross the Pine Mountain Road, not to be confused with the Pine Mountain Trail. For a few feet, the trail levels off, before it starts its relentless climb up. And up we go some more. But not the trail gives some natural breaks in the walking climb. Such as a stone of about six feet which we need to climb up. Or a fallen tree we need to scoot under.

Then Sherri amazes me. She is ahead and comes to a stone include off the trail. She climbs up the stone, about 20’ so that she can get a better view. The old Sherri would never do that. Wonder what has gotten into her? But it does give me a chance to rest some. Once she is down, I tell her I will continue on. Once she catches up to me, we will turn around since it is after 4:00pm.

I go on for ten or fifteen more minutes before Sherri catches up with me. I had found a nice viewing place where I could just barely see the ocean. Also there was a pretty good rock wall to climb, about 8’ high. I think we are about 200 yards from Buzzards Roost. But the shadows are starting to go long. We decided that the Roost would need to wait for another day.

Our turn around point

The trip back is just following the trail back-at least most of the way. Sherri usually is about the same pace going down as going up. But today she is full of surprises and sets a decent pace going back down. To state the obvious, going down is a lot easier for me than going up. The sunlight I was concerned about does not disappear, so we make pretty good time. When we reach the Hihm Hammond Road, we decide to follow that back to 236. This is at the end of the Bloom Creek Campground-which is closed. But the bathrooms are still open, which are made use of.

Gary Walking the Trail

We follow a path which goes beside 236 back to the parking lot. We got back about six, while there is still light, but darkening quickly. At least there is no SAR teams out looking for us. I am a bit pooped, but feeling like I have accomplished something.

Now for the big question: where to eat? We decide on the Foster Freeze down in Ben Lommend. When we get there, hungry, we find that it is closed. We continue down Highway 9 and come out in Santa Cruz. So we might as well go on to our pizza place: Upper Crust. There we have a pizza, a bit slow, or we are hungry, not sure which. Then it is back to Mountain View. When we look in the window, all the staging furniture is gone-we were expecting that, just hoping it would be Tuesday or Wednesday. Oh well. As we are getting situated, Sherri starts to feel sick. So that sort of settles things, we will go back to Fresno Tuesday. So tonight, I sleep for the last time in my bedroom, stretching back fifty years.

Extra Photo's

North Looking

A rock on the trail to climb

Gary maneuvers under an obstacle

Wednesday, December 20, 2017

December 20, 2017 - Waterman Gap to Jay Camp

Title: December 20, 2017 - Waterman Gap to Jay Camp

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

Trail head: Waterman Gap

Hike Info:

Type: Backpacking

Trail: Skyline to the Sea

Destination: Jay Camp

Distance: 8.12 miles ¹

Start Time: 9:18

End Time: 4:29

Travel Time: 7:10 (1.13 mph)

Moving Time: 6:36 (1.23 mph)

Elevation Rise: 2,194'

Descent: 2,103’

Maximum Elevation: 2,049'

GPS Tracks

Skyline to Sea Trail

¹It took about a quarter of a mile for the GPS to start registering. This is added to the mileage. Also as a note, most signs indicated it was 9.5 miles for this segment. We saw a sign post which put this mileage at 9.5 miles, same as yesterday.

Description:

It rained last night so we have a little bit of a late start this morning about 9:20 or so. It started raining around 2:00am and kept on raining until about 5:00am, with a few drops afterwards. We got up around 7:00, but the rain has slowed down our start. The rain fly is wet-both inside and out, Sherri sleeping bag has gotten wet around the foot area-maybe from condensation.

Sunlight on Trail

More Sunlight

Breakfast was our traditional oatmeal and granola and fruit in anything else which way which would go into us we spent some time trust trying to dry out and getting packed not having really backpack in awhile. So with tea in Sherri’s hand, we are able to start hiking around 9:15.

My memory is the trail follows a service road to close to the junction of Highway 9 and 236. But my memory seems faulty as a separate trail heads off up a hill and then drops to highway 9. We cross it and start walking the STS again.

Sunlight filtering trees

Gary going uphill

And this is where two things confront me. The first, the memory of this stretch is being gently rolling. Instead, it is a steady climb, not bad, still a climb, and it went on for a ways. The second thing is, you know how I lagged behind on hills yesterday? Well, it was not an isolated phenomena. In a few minutes, Steven and Sherri disappeared and I got to hike in solitude.

Now solitude is not bad and I do enjoy walking that way. The sunlight through the trees gives a feeling of cleansing of the forest after a rain. The rain has washed the forest and the the sunlight now makes everything look sharp.

After walking an hour alone, I finally catch up to them. But I had rested only a few minutes before, so I continue walking on. In five more minutes, we cross 236 and head around to the upper part of Boulder Creek. We are still in the lush part of the Park as we climb up to China Grade. But once we cross 236 again, the whole environment changes from forest to chaparral. When we have hiked this before, it has been hot. But today, the sun is still low and the heat is not there.

STeven at rest

We find a rock to sit on and have lunch. The usual fare-PB&Nutella and crackers. We sit around for 30 minutes, enjoying having the load off of our feet.

Lunch Rock

The next mile and a half leads us across the face of a ridge which normally is very warm. But today it is nice and refreshing. After the cool of this morning,. Manzanita and madrone replace redwoods and dogwoods. Just going to a different side of a ridge changes so much. We have shed our long sleeve shirts and are hiking with T-shirts on.

Now comes a steep drop into the creeks which feed Opal Creek. That pleasant warmth disappears as we descend into the darkening light of the gullies of the Opal Creek drainage. The light is so dim, many shots were wasted because of slow shutter speeds. On the way down, we past a memorial grove called The Loving Parents-Steven insists, without much coercion, that we pose here.

Loving Parents

But the subdued light also brought out some of the deeper colorings. The greens appeared richer, the water darker, and soils browner with fungi everywhere. The walking was on flatter ground, a relief from out steep earlier downhill or the starting long uphill.

View from Ridge

Once we get to Opal Creek, it is a straight shot to the Big Basin Headquarters. The problem? It is is three miles to there and a ways further to Jay Camp. That means a little less than two hours of walking. It will be close to making it to camp before dark.

Colorings

Even for tired bodies, the walking is easy. Also there is a lot of eye candy to relieve the mind. When we reach a road, the question comes up: road or trail. I decide on road because I think we will make better time, which we do. After an hour and a half, we come into the populated areas of Big Basin. That means restrooms. Unfortunately they are locked for a long ways. But we find two handicap openings which we take advantage of.

When we get to the headquarters, Steven and I have a discussion about how much further Jay Camp is. Steven was right, about a quarter mile. He goes ahead and finds a good site for us, #5. Among the trees, it is starting to get dark. We get our hammock and tent up in the light. But dinner is cooked in the dark. With the dark, comes cold. So after cleaning up, it is straight to our bags we go for a good night of rest.

Background
STS: Skyline to the Sea Trail

Breakfast	Lunch	Dinner	Snacks
Oatmeal and add-ins, such as dried peaches, strawberries, nuts, granola. Tang.	Ritz Crackers, Peanut Butter, Nutella	Mountain House Beef Stew,Hot Chocolate, Girl Scout cookies	Clif Bar, GORP, Propel, CytoMax, Scratch, Coffee Candy, Jelly Belly