February 6, 2018 - Deer Camp Trail

Title: February 6, 2018 - Deer Camp Trail
Hike Info : Description 

Trail head: Turn out around Yosemite West turnout

Hike Info:

Type: Hiking

Trail: Deer Camp Trail

Destination: As far as we can go

Actual Destination: About four miles along trail

Distance:  8.11 miles

Start Time: 11:09

End Time:    3:50

Travel Time:   4:41 (1.73 mph)

Moving Time:  3:18 (2.46 mph)

Elevation Rise:  607'  ¹

Descent: 435‘

Maximum Elevation: 6,430'

GPS Tracks

 ¹Starting elevation was 5,922’; ending 6,132’ for a 210’ difference. More like an elevation rise of 500’

Description:

Sherri and Rose were to be planning this trip after the ambiguity of times and places to hike from last time. But a couple of things happened. Our good friend Betty is up at Bass Lake and is joining us. Her recently repaired hand limits her for the time being to the trails she can be om. So we thought about doing Willow Creek near Bass Lake. But after a brief reconnaissance, that was a no go-to many place to slip and fall. Also Sherri got sick and cannot go, so it is off to Deer Camp.

Going through Buck Brush

I pick up Rose at 9 and Betty at 10. We get to the Deer Camp Trailhead a little after 11. The weather is cool, but sunny. After putting on our boots we are ready for our hike. This is a hike I have done several times and have noted it is not a destination, but journey hike. The trail is flat, so we are able to walk. But it is closing in on two years since I last walked this trail-back on Memorial Day weekend in 2016 when we backpacked into Deer Camp with Wayne and Michelle. There is a bit of freshness because of not walking on it for awhile.

We are hiking at a pretty good rate-like I said it is flat. But considering how much I have moaned about my lack of stamina and being out of breath, I am going pretty good at 6,000. Betty has not been able to hike for about four months is going good, while Rose with a 16 pound training pack is keeping right up there. It is a good day to walk. Temperature reaches the upper 50’s/low 60’s.

Cranberry Girl

There are three creeks along our path: Rail, Strawberry and Bishop. Each has some wetness to them, but the only one really running is Rail. We stop for lunch after an hour and a half of mostly walking-only a break or two to look at something interesting before lunch. This is a far cry for me from the hikes I have been on for the past month. Lunch is a bit longer than average. But it is a good rest.

I think we will hike another 30-45 minutes, then we should get to a turn around point so we can be back at the car by 4:00pm. So onward we charge. There is a long ridge after Bishop Creek. This ridge separates Bishop from Alder Creek and I would like to round the end of it. But it gets to be time to turn around. (When I check the map the next day, I found that we stopped about a tenth of a mile and 60’ short of rounding the ridge.) There is a big boulder which I rest against for a few minutes. Then we start back again.

Brush at Rail Creek

The return trip has mostly a gradual downhill slant. So we make a bit better time coming back. While the scenery is the same, and does not very, I still enjoy the walk. Just amazing that we are walking this trail this year rather than snowshoeing it. Not saying we did not see snow, or even that there was not snow on the trail. Still an inch occasionally does not mean we need to set on snowshoes!

Dishes on Henness Ridge

Towards the last mile, my legs start feeling tired, but I was able to maintain my stride instead of shortening it. Fortunately, there are little things to help you stop and enjoy. Such as spotting the data dishes at Henness Ridge or a plant along the way. So I still have a little ways to go before being in shape. But I am getting closer.

We got back to the car before 4, then get packed up. I think we all are a bit tired, but glad we hiked it today. When we get back to El Cids, Betty invites Rose and I to a Mexican restaurant in Bass Lake with her husband. After a quick glance at each other, off we went. The restaurant is Casa Velasco. Not sure if it is connected to the Velasco Mexican Restaurant in Prather. Food was pretty good, just a bit spicy making ti sharp. I guess I am getting a bit less of a spice eater in my old age. I drop Rose off at her place at 7:00pm and back home to Fresno by 7:30. I talk with Sherri a few minutes before getting into the shower-she is still pretty lethargic from being sick. Shower feels good.

May 30, 2016 - Deer Camp to Deer Camp Trail Head

Title: May 30, 2016 - Deer Camp to Deer Camp Trail Head
Hike Info : Description :  Menu :  Flowers and Plants

Trail head: Deer Camp

Hike Info:

Type:  Hiking

Trail: Unnamed, east of Deer Camp

Destination:None

Distance: 1.44 miles

Start Time:  6:42

End Time:   7:39

Travel Time: 0:57 (1.51 mph)

Moving Time: 0:54 (1.60 mph)

Elevation Rise: 593'

Maximum Elevation: 7,005'

Trail head: Deer Camp

Hike Info:

Type:  Backpacking

Trail: Deer Camp Trail

Destination: Trailhead

Distance: 8.38 miles

Start Time:  9:50

End Time:    2:45

Travel Time: 4:55(2.33 mph)

Moving Time: 3:16 (2.57 mph)

Elevation Rise: 313'

Maximum Elevation: 6,616'

Description:
First one up again. After looking at the map, I decided that I would go for my morning walk back up the trail and see if I can reach the top of the ridge. It is a pretty good rise, while not pushing myself, I am not stopping very often either. I pass yesterday's turnaround point and keep on going, maybe about a quarter mile. Here I come out on an opening, but not the top and am able to look over the entire Alder Creek drainage. It is also at the 7,000' mark, making it a convenient turn around spot. So after gazing around and taking a few pictures, I started back. Going back to camp is a lot easier than it was coming up. So I made better time. 

Looking West from 7000'

Looking North from 7000'

We got a late start, but that is not too important as the walking will be quick. Why you might ask did we start back late? For no particular reason, just because we could.

Railroad Spike

As has been mentioned before, this trail is more for walking than gawking. So coming back did not bring anything new. Well there was two things actually which I did not see coming over. They both were old railroad spikes. The first was just laying their in the middle of the road. I am assuming somebody found it and put it there. The second was by Rail Creek.

Railroad Spike at Rail Creek

Michelle, Sherri and I stop for a rest, but Wayne has gone on ahead-he actually makes it to the car and then realizes he does not have the keys to it. After our rest, we continue on and try to identify various bushes. Having me as the "best" botanist is sort of like following Jack Sparrow's compass-sort of your guess is as good as mine type of identification.

We meet Wayne on his way back-he is doing double duty I guess, about 3/4 of a mile from the trailhead. A short time later, the car comes into view and we are able to take our packs off. All of us are in the mood for something to eat. El Cid is the stop followed by a Reimer's ice cream chaser. A good way to end the trip.

Data Tower on Henness Ridge

But this entry would not end appropriately if I did not address the question which we started this weekend with: What kinds of people are they? Both Sherri and I enjoyed Wayne and Michelle's company. We found out that we all had the same concerns about compatibility. These fears were unfounded. We enjoyed learning a bit more about Michelle and Wayne, trading stories, sharing tidbits of places we have been and the concerns we have for family. Two more people who were changed from strangers to humans.



Menu

Breakfast	Lunch	Dinner	Snacks
Oatmeal and add-ins, such as dried peaches, strawberries, nuts, granola. Tang.	Peanut Butter and Nutella on Tortilla	El Cid and Reimer's	Clif Bar, Jelly Bellies, Scratch, GORP

Flowers and Plants

Oak or the poison kind?

October 20, 2015 - Deer Camp Trail

Title: October 20, 2015 - Deer Camp Trail

Trail head: Yosemite West

Hike Info:

Type:  Hiking

Trail: Deer Camp Trail

Destination: Bishop Creek

Actual Destination: A little beyond Bishop Creek

Distance: 7.15 miles ¹

Start Time: 9:35

End Time:  1:14

Travel Time: 3:40 (1.95 mph)

Moving Time: 3:32 (2.02 mph)

Elevation Rise: 730'

Maximum Elevation: 6,119'
  ¹The GPS did not sync up for about a third of a mile, so the mileage and elevation rise are an extrapolation and a composite of this trip and others along this trail.

Description:
Got up at 5:20 this morning after a restless night sleep. Must have been a bit nervous as this is the first time in three months which I have put together a meetup hike. But we got out the door by 6:30, got gas at Costco and made it to Kohl's by 6:45. Carl and Jerry J were already waiting for us. By 7:08 we had almost everyone here which was going, except for one person. But she zoomed in from Merced. That made 16 here in Fresno. We stopped at the Tenaya Lodge for bathroom and coffee and picked up Lori and Sonya, making all the people who signed up for the hike.

We get to the turn off for the Deer Camp Trail with losing only one car. The turn off to park is a bit tricky and is easily missed. But the missing car turns around and we get ready to go with my pre-hike talk which boils down to two things:

• Don't get lost
• If you do get lost, take someone with you.

Hikers on the trail

The first 100' is the hardest, a gentle 20' rise to get us on the railroad bed. looking back, it is somewhat impressive seeing my following-even though I suspect "my following" is here more for the hike than me. But I can live with the delusion.

Anyway, enough of my delusions. The trail is essentially flat and so the walking is quick. I end up hiking with Kelly, my first time walking with her. The miles go fast when there is pleasant conversation.  We stop for the first time at Rail Creek where I talk about this creek's history. Jerry J points out this is the benefit of walking with Gary-the additional benefit of a tour guide.

Fresh Buds

As we walk along, I notice a few things which I find unusual. I stop by a dormant looking bush, only to find that new buds are forming all over it, and this is October. The rain earlier this week may have been mistaken for Spring rains instead of a prelude to snow. Still, it is refreshing to look at the forest around us.

Just beyond Rail Creek

Then there is a meadow in this forest which though mostly brown now is holding the promise of a pleasant green for the Spring. This is where I think the area was competing to hold the Winter Olympics in the 1920 when Lake Placid won the bid. Glad it went back east.

We stop briefly at Strawberry Creek. No great lecture, but I do note that what they are standing above is stone work from the railroad. Then it is off to Bishop Creek. We cross one of the dry washes and continue on to the second branch of Bishop where our rendezvous point will be. What's this? Our lead group is coming back. Carl notes that he went about a third of mile beyond our stopping point. So we find a nice sunny spot and enjoy a time in the sun for lunch.

On our way back, I talk with my friends Doug and Sally. This is Sally's first hike with us, and I am pleased they have come out. The forest is a good place just to talk and we do talk about several things, such as our old place of employment and current activities.

Soon we reach the start of the trail, while tired, it is a good tiredness. Jerry J suggests we stop in Oakhurst at DiCiccio's, which we do. The poor waiter did his best with a group of 18 people, and he did well. But with 18 people coming in, the food delivery was slow, but good. We got home just around 4:30. A good day and the first hike I have organized in three months.

May 13, 2015 - Henness Ridge and Deer Camp Trail

Title: May 13, 2015 - Henness Ridge

Trail head: Yosemite West

Hike Info:

Type:  Hiking

Trail: Henness Ridge Service Road

Destination: Henness Ridge Lookout

Distance: 1.83 miles ¹

Start Time: 9:32

End Time:  10:56

Travel Time: 1:23 (1.37 mph)

Moving Time: 0:49 (2.31 mph)

Elevation Rise: 284'

Maximum Elevation: 6,330'

 ¹The mileage has varied between 1.80 and 2.13 miles. I think it is pretty close to 1.8 miles

Description:
Last January, I scheduled a snowshoe hike, but lacking snow, we turned this into a regular hike. The hike did Henness Ridge and Deer Camp Trail. There was six or seven of us who did this hike then. Today, we are doing another meetup hike, but this time we have a pretty large group of close to 30 people.

Like most of our hikes, we meet at Kohl's at 7:00am and head out to Starbucks in Oakhurst where we pick up Judy and Barney. Then it is off to Yosemite West to start our first hike of the day.

We park at the turnout by Azela Lane off of Henness Ridge Circle. Gathering 25-30 people is a bit more of a challenge than the six people we had there before, but it happens. We gather by the gated road and have our group picture before following the service road to the lookout. The trail is a service road up to the lookout. The first third of a mile is the most climbing we will do all day long, and that is about 200'.

When we round the last curve up to the lookout, there is general excitement-most of the group had not seen this lookout before-which is the first thing which attracts the attention. Then, lookout out into the South Fork of the Merced is the second thing which brings the ahhhs. The lookout is being worked on by NPS, so they scurry over to an asphalt pad. People wonder if this is the site of the original lookout-no, it is a helipad for emergencies.

Then we have an unexpected pleasure. A gentleman comes riding up on a bike and Sherri introduces him as a construction manager with NatureBridge. NatureBridge is building a a new center on Henness Ridge, close to Highway 41. Moose, the manager, told a bit about the project how it will be giving back the center at Tuolumne Grove, and how this area is less environmentally sensitive than along the Tioga Road. Also he talked about the lookout and encouraged us to write the park superintendent. Currently, the Park is searching for ways to use this lookout.

Time to turn back and return to the cars for the second hike of the day. But one piece of excitement is that we started hearing shouts of Moooseee! Moooseee! as Moose biked by us.

Title: May 13, 2015 - Deer Camp Trail

Trail head: Deer Camp Trail Head

Hike Info:

Type:  Hiking

Trail: Deer Camp Trail

Destination: Bishop Creek

Distance: 6.62 miles ²

Start Time: 11:17

End Time:    2:44

Travel Time: 3:27  (1.92 mph)

Moving Time: 2:49 (2.35 mph)

Elevation Rise: 392'

Maximum Elevation: 6,245'

 ²Other people were getting mileages into the 8's. But the 6.62 miles on this GPS is consistent with the mileage we did in January.

 
Description:

The Deer Camp Trailhead is just across Highway 41 from Yosemite West. A couple of cars do an authorized detour to Chinqupin, a mile or so down the road for the facilities which flushed. So it took a while to get gathered back up again before heading out. This gives me a chance to talk with a couple biologists who have gone up the trail to study owls. They are waiting for a couple more of their team to return.

Meetup group on the trail

Being an old railroad bed for the Yosemite Lumber Railroad, and then later the Sugar Pine Railroad, our trail is pretty flat. One of the things which Moose told us was that the engine turnaround was about where the NatureBridge center was being built. Something new I picked up. A little ways away there was a long incluine set up to bring logs down to El Portal. There they would load the sugar pine lumber onto the Yosemite Valley RailRoad to be hauled down into the valley for cutting. The include, form what I understand had a mechanical donkey at the Yosemite West end which would control the lumber going down. Sometimes the men would ride the cart down, sometimes with unfortunate results.

But now it is time to hit the trail. As we discovered in January,  this is one of the easiest trails in Yosemite. Level and calming. Not much in the way with the big bang scenery. But this forces me to look at the usually less noticed things. There are some flowers out, but not many. Instead, we spot places where the logging of the sugar pine was done. Or just noticing the pines, dogwood and aspen we walk through. It is good to be out here, letting ones overstuffed mind enjoy the relaxation of the area.

Meadow and its Stumps

Also the sky is a bit overcast and we do get hit by a few drops of rain. Just enough to keep us going. This is also true of the coolness as well-it keeps us moving. I still have my long sleeved shirt with my pants, not shorts. Still feeling comfortable.

We start passing by Rail Creek, then Strawberry and finally get to Bishop. But on the map, it shows another segment of Bishop, so we walk there as well. This is about half of a mile further than we walked in January. I will say, there is not much there, maybe if water was running, I would say something else. We are walking this for the enjoyment, not the destination-have I said that before? This is our stopping place and we have lunch.

Our return trip is the reverse of our walk in. So we were concentrating on the return trip rather than on enjoying the woods. But as Cathey said, as the trail goes on, the woods just seem to close in. I do not think it was like the Babes in Toyland movie, but more that this is a trail which allows you to enjoy the woods when we walk, excluding other influences. You are not laboring, but loving the journey. But all things come to an end and we find ourselves back at the trailhead.

 Some cars have left, and we leave shortly after arriving. Our friends, the NPS biologists, are at the trailhead-they returned to pick up some things. We stop in Oakhurst at the South Gate Brewery to enjoy a meal before going back to Fresno. Sherri and I stop by Kaiser to take in our weight management class before heading home.

Unknown

Dogwood-start of blooms

Western Wallflower

January 24, 2015 - Henness Ridge Lookout and Deer Camp Trail

Title: January 24, 2015 - Henness Ridge Lookout and Deer Camp Trail

Trail head: Yosemite West-Azalea Lane

Hike Info:

Type:  Hiking

Trail: Henness Ridge Lookout Service Road

Destination: Henness Ridge Lookout

Distance: 2.13 miles

Start Time:  9:05

End Time:  10:20

Travel Time: 1:14 (1.72 mph)

Moving Time: 0:51 (2.50 mph)

Elevation Rise: 388'

Maximum Elevation: 6,277'

 Description:

This walk was originally meant to be a snowshoe hike. But there was one requirement lacking-SNOW!  So we turned it into a hike in two parts. The first is fast becoming a favorite short hike. 

Leslie and Sherri on way to the Lookout

We meet at Kohl's at 7. We have six people on the hike-ten signed up for it. But we have Leslie and Dennis as well as Rachel and Sherri from my family. A sixth hiker is Eric whom I have not hiked with before, but have seen as going on several meetup hikes. As the day progresses, I enjoy talking with Eric throughout today. After a brief stop at Starbucks in Oakhurst, we progress on. We do see Jodie and Dana, but they are going on another hike as well as Mark D's group who is climbing Chilnualna Falls.

We get to Henness Ridge around 9. A bit cool, but comfortable. Way warmer than a January morning at 6,000' should be. We scurry on up the service road to Henness Ridge lookout. Our group is impressed with the view, and slightly skewed on directions. Sometimes being on top of something has you a bit turned. Sherri and I talk about our lookout experiences to the amazement of the group, spending a while just admiring what we are seeing. Then stopping for a group pose before returning to the cars. But now it is onward to the next adventure.

Trail head: Deer Camp Trailhead, across from Yosemite West

Hike Info:

Type:  Hiking

Trail: Deer Camp

Destination:Strawberry Creek

Actual Destination: Bishop Creek

Distance: 6.08 miles

Start Time:  10:35

End Time:     1:36

Travel Time: 3:00 (2.03 mph)

Moving Time: 2:20 (2.61 mph)

Elevation Rise: 547'

Maximum Elevation: 6,236'

Description:

Dennis and Eric walking old Railroad bed

I have never hiked along this section of the Deer Camp Trail, so going with 5 other people will be an adventure, which I am looking forward to. Someplace I read this trail was an old railroad bed used for lumber trains. That makes sense since we will be crossing a creek named Rail Creek (turns out that was a false assumption. Rail Creek gets it name because of the place where they made the railroad ties.). Also where parts of this trail meets up is over at Alder Falls which I know is an old rail bed.

After making use of the facilities at Chinquapin, we come back to the trail head, right across from Yosemite West. The turnout is a bit hidden, but having scouted it out before, we don't do much searching. Plenty of room to park our two cars.

The first 50 yards, we do a slight rise which we buzz through. And that is the last time we see any signs of significant elevation gain-and this gain may have been 30-40', if one is overly in need of altitude gain. The rest of the trail is about as flat as you can get in the Sierra's. I have previously said that I thought Lyell Canyon was the flattest trail in the Sierra's, but I will be modifying that trail to being the flattest on the JMT. We speed along-for us-at about 2.5 miles, talking and enjoying the sights.

Rail Creek trickle

Deer Camp Trail is just flat out pleasant to walk on. Relaxing, most places two or three people can walk together and enjoy each others company-which is what we did. Pleasant is a good word since this is a journey of no jaw-dropping vistas, just forested lands. In spring when there is run off and the world is wet I suspect  the ground will be littered with wildflowers. We are the only ones making sounds, all is quiet, since we are about a third of a mile down the trail. The trail does parallel Highway 41 until 41 drops away on its route to the Merced.

Little meadow close to Strawberry Creek

We come up to Rail Creek-it actually has a little bit of a water flow. But it is enough for us to stop and look. On the upside of the trail, the water trickles into a culvert pipe, but does not emerge on the other side. Should call the water department and tell them we have a leak or something? We travel on and come to what would be a wondrous meadow in the Spring. I think this was a site of the proposed Olympic games in the 1930's-went to Lake Placid instead-I am glad. Shortly afterwards we get to Strawberry Creek. No water there and a bit in the shade so we travel a hundred yards up and find glorious sunshine and have our lunch.

Some snow, lots of dirt

We do feel like hiking a bit more, so we make Bishop Creek in about 10 minutes after eating lunch. It is time to turn back. I have said this would be an easy hike, and it is. This will put us at 8 miles for the day, which is beyond most people's definition of easy. But between the group's experience level and the flatness of the trail, it is well within the group's capabilities. We return the way we came. Nothing heart stopping, just a lot more of enjoyable peacefulness. We do see across the way. Eric spots the antenna for data communications on Henness Ridge. Also we can look across the drainage to see where we have come from at Bishop Creek.

We get back to the cars about 1:30. The only other people we saw on the trail was right at the end-four college kids with some beer. We decide to head on down to Oakhurst and stop at Southgate Brewery for eats. All enjoy and get back to Fresno by 4:30. About the time we start to leave Southgate the Chilnualna folks come in, looking mighty pleased with themselves. But I think we had a good amount of pleasure ourselves today. My conclusion about our new trail? This is not a destination trail-where you are going somewhere, but a journey trail where you enjoy where you are walking.

Henness Ridge from Deer Camp Trail

Trail Lesson:

We don't need extreme beauty to make a walk pleasurable-good scenery, good sunshine and good people help.

Bishop Drainage

Rachel contemplating Rail Creek

Places: CA-Rail Creek

Rail Creek-5,233' (El Capitan)   
(37.6288202, -119.6954426-Mouth)

Description:
I cross Rail Creek, named not for the railroad that ran here, but before that for the trees that once provided particularly good fence rails. Just beyond the trickling creek is the Rail Creek ski run, another historic spot, cut back in the late 1920s in preparation for hosting the Olympics. You’ve never heard of the Yosemite Olympics because the games went to Lake Placid, but to be viable,... From Loyd Schutte's Yosemite Blog

From GNIS: In Yosemite National Park, flows southwest to Elevenmile Creek 10.3 km (6.4 mi) north-northwest of Wawona and 16 km (9.9 mi) southwest of Yosemite Village. Also called Eleven Mile Creek: U.S. Board on Geographic Names. Geographic Names Post Phase I Board/Staff Revisions. 01-Jan-2000. Board decisions referenced after Phase I data compilation or staff researched non-controversial names.



Trips:

• January 24, 2015 - Meetup hike along Deer Camp Trail
•  May 13, 2015 - Meetup hike to Henness Ridge Lookout and along Deer Camp Trail to Bishop Creek
• October 15, 2015 - Meetup hike along the Deer Camp Trail 
•  May 28, 2016 - From Yosemite West to Deer Camp, backpacking with Wayne and Michelle
• May 30, 2016 - Returning from backpacking trip 
• February 6, 2018 - Day hike with Betty, Rose, and Gary along the Deer Camp Trail. 

References:

•  Running with Nemo on the Yosemite Blog - good background information'
• GNIS 1986 naming form. Some background on Eleven Mile Creek
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Pictures:

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