January 9, 2026 - Big Meadows Snowshoeing

 

Title: January 9, 2026 - Big Meadows Snowshoeing
Hike Info : Description : Extra Photo's 

Hike Info:

Type: Snowshowing 

Trail head: Big Meadows Snow Parking Lot

Trail: Big Meadow Road-14S11

Destination:  Big Meadow

Actual Destination:  Overlook area 

Distance:  2.41 miles

Start Time: 1:09

End Time:   3:20

Travel Time:  2:11 (1.10 mph)

Moving Time:  1.34  (1.54 mph)

Elevation Rise:  321'

Descent: 300‘

Maximum Elevation: 7,808'

Minimum Elevation: 7,628’

GPS Tracks

Description:

Snowshoe repair

Clint Eastman said it best, “We have a failure to communicate.” Sherri and I have invited both Steven and Rachel to go up to the snow. In our discussion, it was decided to leave someplace between 9:30 and 10. Rachel texted Sherri and I about 8:40 and said that she was not going to be able to go up. It was a little after 10 when I noticed Rachel’s text. About 20 minutes later I find Sherri and ask her if she is ready. She thinks we are leaving between 10:30 and 11. Steven has not seen the text. So the bottom line is that it is 11 before we leave Fresno.

 

 

Trees and snow

We had an uneventful ride up to Big Meadows, maybe except for a discussion on communicating better. We arrived at 12:40. Upon arrival, we had lunch, then took off about 1:00. There were a couple snowmobilers just starting out. Steven takes off on his skis with Korra tagging along with him. Sherri has some issues with her snowshoes and spends a few minutes initiating repairs. Just as we are about to start moving, a couple who originated from Germany comes up with their dog. They were walking and admired that we had the foresight to be on snowshoes. They also did not like sharing the road with snowmobilers. I for the most part have made my peace that as long as they leave us alone, do not chop up our path, then they can have their fun. I still try to go to places they are not at.

 

 

 

 

We start up the road. Not much to comment on as this is just one of many times we have been up this road. But I do spot one nice view looking towards Redwood Mountain. I am stopping often to regain oxygen into the system; Sherri zooms on ahead. When we get to the junction with the Rabbit Meadow loop, we discuss if Steven has taken the loop or gone on to Big Meadow. To me the ski tracks look old. We will go on towards Big Meadow.

Icicles

Sherri and I have a continued discussion about the conversation on the way up. We get things a bit more straightened out. And then it is onward up the road.

I have set a 2:30 turn around time. We get to an overlook where we can look south about 2:15. The view is awesome. With Shell Mountain to the east, Mt Silliman behind it and then some of the snow covered mountains way to the south. I stay out at the point for a while, soaking it all in.

Sherri on the road 

Now it is time to go back to the car. The return trip is much faster than us going out. We kept looking back to see when Korra and Steven would be passing us. Instead we talked to one skier who was going in to get his evening exercise. We warned him that there were a couple snowmobilers coming. Sure enough, a couple minutes later, they came roaring by.

By 3:30, we were at the car. Steven and Korra were waiting there patiently. How did they get ahead of us? You remember those tracks leading around Rabbit Meadow? They were Steven’s. I guess I need to do better in my track reading.

By 3:45, we were ready to leave. Steven and Sherri had already decided on going to Bear Mountain Pizza for dinner. We ordered pizza when we got to Big Stump. It was ready for us when we arrived at 4:25. Then we head down the hill, stopping at the Clovis Costco for gas. Sherri and Steven went in to pick up some stuff for a potluck Monday night. Then we are home at 6:30, in time to watch Jeopardy.

Extra Photo's

Snow doughnut

Looking toward Big Baldy

Sherri on the road again

July 24, 2024 - Park Ridge Lookout

Title:  July 24, 2024 - Park Ridge Lookout
Hike Info : Description : Animals 

Hike Info:

Type: Lookout

Description:

I got up a little after 0600 and got ready to go to Park Ridge Lookout. I already did the lightning report last night and today might be exciting in our area with all of the strikes. I get off a little before 0700. As I passed by Centerville, I realized that I forgot the string cheese-only a minor inconvenience. At Yokut/Squaw Valley, there is construction going on-a known quantity-and so I am delayed another 15 minutes. I zoomed through the Park’s entrance station-after all I am sort of like a Park person, not quite, but close enough. Then up the Panoramic Point Road to the Park Ridge Service Road. Then another 20 minutes and I am at the lookout. Not a lot to unload after all I am here for only a day. There is even less than anticipated-I forgot my lunch and snack food. In my day pack there are a couple energy bars and some Life Savers to keep me from dying from hunger, as if my body fat would let me down.

The cab is hot, but starts cooling down once I open the windows and the door. I suppose that is the reason why we do not live in glass houses with a tin roof. I take the weather and go in-service by 0930. I talked with Buck Rock about yesterday and also about the status of radios-we still are under channel restrictions. Then it is the start of a normal day. Still no weather or staffing at 1000. I go about my lookout business, scanning the area and listening to the radio and making sure I remember where things are in the 1,000 square miles of area which I scan.

A couple from Seattle admires the view from the lookout. We talk for a while about prescribed burns and life as a lookout. They are now going to try to find a lookout to rent as a vacation spot for them.

While scans can be routine and a bit mind numbing, if you let yourself be open to what you are seeing, there can be times of wonder and amazement. On one of my scans, I see this magnificent bird approaching. Probably a hawk, probably a red-tail since they are in the area, but the markings looked like a Cooper, not that I am an expert or anything, and it came right towards me proudly showing its breast feathers. This is one of those times in which it is better to stand in awe than try to get a picture.

Around 1045 Patrol 33 calls me. She is wondering about the lightning report and what was reported around Buck Rock. Yesterday when she was in Kings Canyon, she was looking up the south walls and thought she saw some smoke. But nobody else seemed to see it. We talked about where the lightning was. I told her about a strike about a mile north of Buck Rock and gave her the legal location for it. Then talked about importing the report into Avenza. But she had some technical difficulties, so we could not work through it.

But both of these lead up to how the rest of the afternoon is. Patrol 33 goes to the Kings Canyon Overlook. Even though the Overlook is less than three miles away, it has a totally different view than what I see. She spots a great deal of smoke beyond Buck Rock, someplace around Tornado Meadow. That is an area which is blind to Buck Rock. So Patrol 33 starts to make her way towards the area.

There is a hang glider off to the west, I am assuming it launched from Sontag.

Division 3 is concerned about the smoke and starts maneuvering units to vantage points to try to come up with an exact location. Only one unit was able to identify a source, but was having difficulties saying where it was. When a smoke is behind a ridge there is no accuracy in placing the fire. This went on for several hours without success. A helicopter from Trimmer was brought in to see if they could figure something out. They were not successful.

Meanwhile the Park has told Porterville about a fire on top of Poop Out Pass. It is called the Pass Fire. A couple years ago there was a fire on that pass which originally was called the Poop Fire, at least for overnight. I noticed on that one, the name got changed. So calling it the Pass Fire does not surprise me. While the helicopter is in the air, Division 3 has them fly over to the Pass Fire and take pictures and do a size up for him. It is a single tree with little or no vegetation around it. So it is not going anywhere. I could not see the smoke as it was behind a ridge from Shell Mtn.

 

 

Now that these areas are not being as much of an issue, I try to put more effort into cab life. To be clear, even while all of this is going on, I have been scanning and doing my lookout stuff, but there is a certain amount of focus on something active like this. But since it is after 1700 and I intended to go home at 1800, I do clean up chores to end the day.

Finally at 1750, I am doing my last scan and as I walk around the catwalk, at the very end of the scan, I see some discoloration looking towards Loggers Poin

First signs of a smoke

t. I stare at it for a while and decide it is smoke. It looks like it is about 2.5 miles from the lookout, just to the south of a direction line to Loggers. I call Division 3 on this as it looks like it may have been part of the Big Stump Rx-turns out it was not. Division 3 wants a bit more info on location. When I looked again, the smoke looked like it moved ¾ of a mile closer. So I revised my location. Division 3 thinks this may be a new wildland fire. Was there lightning in the area? No, not yesterday. Another unit wonders if this is drift smoke from the Park Ridge RX. It does not look like it. But then I look over where I saw the smoke ten days ago. There is the same patch of white through the trees. It is drift smoke, which is a good thing because it is a known quantity. . I have my own “sneaky” smoke.

Smoke is a bit closer

At 1755 I had gone out of service with the Park. Now that my smoke is resolved, I go out of service at 1812. By 1820, I was in the car ready to go down the mountain. The battery on my phone has died, so I finally get enough charge by the time I get to Grant Grove that I send out texts to various people. I got home about 2020, tired. But there is no rest for the wicked as I need to pack for a trip to my daughter's tomorrow. I still manage to take a shower and am in bed by 2200.

 

 

 

Animals


 

Hawk of some type

Same Hawk

Unknown

February 23, 2024 - Cherry Gap Road

Title: February 23, 2024 - Cherry Gap Road
Hike Info : Description : Extra Photo's : Animals 

Hike Info:

Type:  Snowshoeing

Trail head: Cherry Gap

Trail: 13S77

Destination:  About a mile or  maybe a bit more.

Actual Destination:  Close to the top of the hump on Hoist Ridge

Distance:  2.61 miles

Start Time:  10:45

End Time:      1:26

Travel Time:  2:40 (0.98 mph)

Moving Time: 1:41   (1.55 mph)

Elevation Rise:  541'

Descent: 338‘

Maximum Elevation: 7,094'

GPS Tracks

Description:

Start of our walk

It has been awhile since we have been out with Betty. Really looking forward to it. And then a new addition to our group, Laura. She is part of a book group I am involved with. None of us, except for Steven will be going very far today.

Korra

We will be meeting Betty at Big Stump. We do not have enough space in the car for Laura so she will need to drive up there. At 8:45 she comes to our house for a 9:00am departure. Sherri goes with Laura to use her pass to get into the Park. Steven, Korra and I are the last ones to get to Big Stump. Laura and Betty have already been introduced, so we are all ready to start our snowshoe adventure.

 

 

Spanish Mountain

We move over to Cherry Gap. Instead of going west towards Converse Basin, we are going east along Forest Service Road 13S77. We used to do this road with cross-country skis. Today for the first time we will do it with snowshoes. That is except for Steven who will be on skis and Korra with her paws. This is also Laura’s second time on snowshoes-we will see if she goes again with us.

Top of Park Ridge

We got to Cherry Gap about 10:20. Then spend some time getting ready. Our shoes hit the snow at 10:45. The first hundred yards is a bit bumpy, but then the snow levels out and we just need to contend with the upward trajectory of the road. Mind you, it is not a steep climb, but enough of one that I felt the drag of going uphill..

 

 

 

The Hill

 We get our first views of Spanish Mountain across the Kings. It is spectacular. But this view goes away as we turn a corner and are masked by pine and fir trees, I am feeling pretty good, with only a bit of shortness of breath. Laura calls my attention that Sherri and Betty are falling further behind. I guess I am doing better than I expected.

Steven, te skier

Steven is far ahead with Korra. The sun keeps hiding behind the clouds, poking out occasionally. It is warm enough that we start shedding some of the outer clothes and gloves. A good day for snowshoeing.

I can tell that we are starting to tire out. I have set in my mind a goal of two hours of moving. Since we are going uphill, I figure we will do about 75 minutes in and 45 back. I am asked how much longer: about 15-20 minutes. And then magically we come to the top of Park Ridge-I was mistaken at the time as I thought at this end it would be Hoist Ridge, but Hoist is to the west of us and Park Ridge curves around a bit.

The ladies are a bit tired, but I am interested in a hill to the north of us, Hill 7124. So I started up it. I see Korra coming down it and I see ski tracks. I thought Steven was going to the south. Then Steven comes down. He says there is a really good view from the east side of the hill. So I go on up and he goes down.

Hume Lake and beyond

He is so right! It makes the trip pretty much worthwhile. While I am gawking, Steven comes back up. And then I see Betty and Sherri coming up. Laura’s hips are starting to ache, so she is staying down in the flat. Steven gets a picture of us. From this vantage point, we can see up the Middle Fork of the Kings, the Monarch Range and then eastward to the Crest of the Sierra. University Peak, near Forrester Pass is viewable as well. Then looking a bit southeast is Buck Rock and Shell Mountain. Pretty grand.

 

 

 

 

 

Buck Rock

And now we start our trip back. Steven, on skis will make better time, so he decides to do a bit more exploring up the road and over the hill. Poor Korra, she is confused. She starts back with us and realizes that Steven is not with us and heads back. But I do not think she can find him and we lose track of her. About halfway down, she comes bounding along, without Steven.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Peaks seen from Hill 7124 from the PeakFinder application

Going back down is easier than going up. Laura and I discuss the advisability and practicality of always hiking going up as you go in and down on the way out. I try to do that, but there are times that it is not a good plan. Surprisingly, I am doing well. After my January COVID it seemed like whenever I exert myself, I would tire pretty easily. Today, I'm doing well.

Korra, waiting for us

As we approach the cars, Steven comes up behind us. Korra seems happy to have him back. We get back to the cars at about 1:30. It is close to the time I was thinking it would be. We suggest stopping at Bear Mountain Pizza for some pizza-surprise. Betty and Laura are agreeable to this. So off we go. We order the pizza at Big Stump and it is ready when we get to the place. Here we split up and proceed to our separate homes. A good and tiring day.

Extra Photo's
 

Hume Lake and Beyond

Korra

Laura, Sherri and Betty

Looking Northwest

Looking Northwest

Looking East

 

  Animals

 

September 8, 2023 - Big Baldy

 

Title: September 8, 2023 - Big Baldy
Hike Info : Description :  Extra Photo's : Animals : Flowers and Plants

Hike Info:

Type: Hiking 

Trail head: General’s Highway

Trail: Big Baldy Trail

Destination: Big Baldy

Distance:  4.50 miles

Start Time: 8:22

End Time:  12:09

Travel Time:  3:47 (1.19 mph)

Moving Time:  2:47  (1.62 mph)

Elevation Rise:  1,225'

Descent: 1,064‘

Maximum Elevation: 8,215'

GPS Tracks

Description:

I had realized a day or so before that I had not been hiking since we came back from Oregon. When I asked Sherri about going for a hike, she said that she was too busy and that I should go. So I thought about where would be a good, short hike and Big Baldy came to mind. Maybe because all of last weekend I was looking at it.

 

Trailhead warning of burnt trees

I got up at 5am with the idea that I could be on the road by 6. I had breakfast, did my lightning report, and got ready to go-my day pack had already been packed. So the only thing I had to do was grab my pack, and then my boots and poles from the car. I was taking the Ranger instead of the Highlander-Sherri can have the more comfortable drive, but I get the stick shift. Finding the boots was easy, but where are my poles? I could not find them So I took my old poles, the ones Sherri uses to snowshoe with and got on the road at 6:15.

I had a brief stop at Big Stump at 7:25, then got held up in construction on the General’s Highway. But I still got to the trailhead by about 8. It should not be to long to get my boots on and hit the trail. But I did not start walking until 8:25. How come?

Burnt Trees

There was a Jeep parked at the trailhead. The other guy was texting something and about the time I got ready and was locking up the truck he finished and said that the cell tower kept dropping. I noted that Park Ridge had a cell tower. He knew about it. Why? Because he had been a lookout at Park Ridge for 9 years, overlapping with Mattie Sims, the legendary lookout of Park RIdge. We talked for awhile. and then he went off to hike Weaver Lake and then climb Shell Mountain. That seems much more strenuous than my Big Baldy hike.

With that in mind, I start my walk. While I am huffing and puffing pretty good, I still am moving at a reasonable pace.The trail is one of my standard ones. It consists of following a ridge line. Sometimes the trail makers have us going up and over the hills on the ridge; other times we go on the side of a hill. At one point I texted Sherri a picture saying I am almost there, which surprised me. But that “almost” is more like half way. Even though I see the end, there is still ¾’s of a mile to go and at least half of the ascent to climb. I am the only one on the trail so I enjoy the solitude.

Big Baldy Benchmark

At 10 sharp, I stand on top of the Big Baldy benchmark. I have arrived. I give Sherri a call and we chat for a few minutes. I figure I would take in the view and enjoy my time up here. It has been two years since I have been up here. The view has changed, particularly to the north. Instead of seeing the majesty of Sequoias in Redwood Canyon  or gracing the sides of Redwood Mountain, I am seeing devastation. The trees look like burnt matchsticks. The Sequoias are still recognizable, but only as being the tall skeletons sticking about the rest of the devastation. Sadness at the loss of such magnificence.

 

 

 

 

As I stand up to take a few pictures before I leave, a couple from Michigan come up. They ask me where Kings Canyon is from here. I, being a tour guide at heart, point out the general course of the Kings River and where the canyon starts and many of the peaks along the way. Also I suggest they visit Buck Rock to see higher up into the backcountry of the Sierra. We talk about their travels-they wanted to go to Death Valley on this trip, but it is closed after Hilary came through-the storm, not the person. So they had gone up the coast and hit the Pinnacles and now they are here. Apparently I have them snookered as he states that I seem to be pretty knowledgeable. He then asks about Sequoias. I show them what the KNP Complex did to our trees and where they grow in California. Then progressed to talk about the Coastal Redwoods as well as China’s Dawn Redwoods. I guess that will teach them to ask questions 🙂

Buck Rock Lookout

And now I start on my way back. It is a lot easier and faster going down. I do spend more time looking at the burnt husks of trees. This ridge was one of the edges of the fire. I think the firefighters were trying to stop it from spilling over this ridge and going down into the Montecito Sequoia Lodge area. Along the way, I met three people from England who were getting used to breathing at 8,000’. Interesting to hear their accents. There were now several groups of people going up the trail. Some which looked like they could run up the trail and others looked like they would struggle. Just glad all are out and glad I got to spend time alone at the top.

One of the groups, a couple of middle aged women, had just climbed a fallen tree, about four feet in diameter. They gently asked, in my words not theirs, if an old man wanted assistance to get back over the tree. I smile at this now as I must have been looking particularly hobbled, but I did decline their offer. It does say something about them that they would offer to help.

I got back to the truck at 12:10. I ate lunch on my tailgate before heading out. The construction was still there, holding me up for 20 minutes. I got home about 2:00pm, finding it was vacant. Sherri was out with a friend to find clothes to wear for an event. So I was able to clean up before she got back and make myself presentable.

Extra Photo's

Looking east

Selfie on top of Big Baldy

Fire scarred Redwood Mountain

Lone tree overlooking Redwood Canyon

Burnt Trees from KNP Comples

Buck Rock Lookout

Looking into Redwood Canyon

Park Ridge Lookout

Animals

Painted Lady

 
Flowers and Plants

Scarlett Ghilia

Shelf Fungi

Chinquipin