Gary-Summer: Wawona

Showing posts with label Wawona. Show all posts

Tuesday, November 11, 2025

November 11, 2025 - The Other Wawona Loop

Title: November 11, 2025 - The Other Wawona Loop
Hike Info : Description : Extra Photo's : Flowers and Plants

Hike Info:

Type: Hiking

Trail head: Wawona Visitor Center Parking Lot

Trail: Chowchilla Mountain Road, Four Mile Road, Part of the Bills Hill Trail, Wawona Meadow Loop

Destination: Loop

Distance: 6.45 miles

Start Time: 12:17

End Time: 4:47

Travel Time: 4:30 (1.43 mph)

Moving Time: 3:47 (1.71 mph)

Elevation Rise: 1,121'

Descent: 1,102‘

Maximum Elevation: 4,839'

GPS Tracks

Description:

I got up at 5:30. Today we are going to do a hike up at Wawona. Unlike a couple of weeks ago, we will be doing an extended loop around Wawaona Meadows. But first, I have a 9:00am appointment with my dental hygienists. I worked on my book blog-we are having the author of Consummation for my Book Group Thursday and I need to be prepared for it. The hygienist visit went well. I think this was the first time ever that I was told I am doing well with my flossing.

Fall Colors

I get home at 10:10. Rachel comes in shortly afterwards. Steven will not be coming with us. We are able to leave by 10:40 with me driving. It is Veteran’s Day. So I cannot understand this long line of cars heading south on Highway 41. I am just glad we are heading north. We arrived at the Wawona Visitor Center parking area a few minutes before noon. Coming in we had noticed what looks like a prescribed burn a little ways away from Wawona. When we get out of the car, there is a slight smell of smoke. After discussing it, we felt it does not seem to be too bad. So off we will go on our hike.

At 12:15 we started walking up the Chowchilla Mountain Road, but only about ¾ of a mile up. Tthis part of the trip is where we gain most of the elevation. It is huff and puff time for my part. We did not go on the first junction, but the second junction to the Four Mile Road. This second one is a bit overgrown from disuse. Maybe it would have been better to have taken the first junction.

One of the things which I like walking the Four Mile Road happens right at the apex of the triangle between the three roads. There is a tree which stands right in the center of the two roads. In the Autumn, this whole section is covered with leaves, forming a carpet of brown for us to walk on. The trail now does a series of undulations as it climbs its way across Mt Savage-you have to go either cross-country or find a use trail to go to the top.

The Poseiden Tree

As we walk along the Four Mile Road-not the Four Mile Trail, it gives us a chance to talk. The subject of meditation is brought up. Particularly when walking or hiking. We discuss the various aspects of being able to meditate. There seems to be an element of calming your physical body or at least getting in a rhythm where you do not have to think about what the body will do. But there is also an element of letting your mind rest. Silence is part of this. When walking alone, you only get the sounds of nature-the birds, the wind, the crunching of your feet against the ground and sometimes the little trickle of water running down a hillside. These work to calm and help you to focus your mind on the subject of your meditation. In a Christian it is God. In the outdoors, I usually think about God, the Creator and the God who loves me.

Eventually we decide we want to stop and have a bite to eat as it is around 1:40. We spot a nice log about 15 feet above us and we scramble to it. It is a nice log just to set and eat at. I do notice there are some fungi growing under the log.

About ten minutes later, we came to the trail junction down to Wawona Meadow. Something has changed-there is a sign. The first time we walked this, there was a barely noticeable indentation in the mountain misery to guide us where the trail was. Over the years, a bit of flagging was added to a metal pole. Now, the whole world knows where to turn. What fun is that?

Going down Bills Hill Trail

This is a little used trail which I think is part of the Bills Hill Trail. I think it is one of the more enjoyable trails in the Wawona area. We see very few people on it-today the number is less than one. It takes you down from the Four Mile Road to Wawona Meadow. There has been trail work down on it as the downed trees which we used to crawl over have been sawed recently. I have never gone up it, but I think it would tax a person who is in shape, which I am not. But coming down, we see all sorts of trees and brush. Towards the bottom we run into the power lines which come into Wawona. And then there is the service road which goes up to the lower poles. The trail repeatedly crosses this road-you can take the shorter route, but the road is steep.

When we come out on the Wawona Meadow Loop, we find the log which we rested on a couple of weeks ago and eat an energy bar. I give Sherri and Rachel a choice: continue on the Bills Hill Trail up to the top of the ridge to the east of the Meadow, or follow the Loop trail around the rest of the meadow. The choice is to do the Loop Trail. That probably is wise.

Walking the Wawona Meadow Loop trail is comparatively faster than going up either of the roads. Still we found plenty of occasions to stop and take pictures while enjoying the company of each other.

Gary

The Meadow has some very historical aspects to it. Such as tucked away in some trees is the site of Galen Clark’s Inn. Or there was once a landing strip in the meadow. Or there were orchards to supply fresh fruit for guests. It is the last item which has a bearing. The Washburns ran a flume from the South Fork of the Merced over to the Meadow. You can still see the flume and where it drained onto the meadow. It has been one of my fascinations to walk the bank of the flume on the over side of Highway 41 around until we are above the hotel. So endeavored to do that. Rachel decides this type of adventuring is not for her and retreats back to the trail. I think Sherri is doing the same thing.

Walking the Flume is Blocked

I try to walk the flume. It has gotten a lot more overgrown since I last walked it before the Pandemic. I detour around part of it. Then bushwack through other parts until I reach a solid wall of young pines. I know when I have been beaten and descend down a steep slope to the trail. I eventually come across Rachel waiting patiently on a log for me. I asked her, “Where is your mother?” “She is following you.” Oh Oh. So we took off looking for her. We were yelling her name and then we heard a response, and then had visual of Sherri. I need to back up a bit. Sherri is coming down the area which I did. When I came through, I noticed a telephone line just about 4½’ off the ground. Since I was lumbering along, I ducked under it. Sherri on the other hand makes a bee line straight for Rachel, not stopping for the line in her path and gets clotheslined, just like in the cartoons. If I was more sensitive, my first response would have been to run over and see if she is OK. But from the way Rachel and I are laughing, you would think this was the funniest thing to have ever happened on earth. After we stoped laughing, we checked on Sherri’s well-being-nothing damaged except for her ego.

Even with this mishap, we are only a short walk back to our car. We get back as the skies are darkening, as this time of year that would be 4:45. Rachel takes up the driving responsibilities. We decided that we wanted to eat before reaching Fresno. I suggested Mexican, to which there were no objections. We decided we wanted to eat at our new restaurant-at least new to us-Los 2 Carnales.

We get home at 7, just in time for watching Jeopardy. Rachel watches it with us. At the end, she goes home and I go to the shower.

Extra Photo's

Wawona Meadow

Four Mile Road

Tree roots by the road side

Four Mile Road covered with pine needles

Autumn Colors

Rachel and Gary on the Four Mile Road

Red Leaf

Sherri and Rachel walking the Bills Hill Trail

Rachel and Sherri walking the Bills Hill Trail

Rachel consulting Mr Garmin

Light and Tree

Christmas tree

Walking the Flume-what was bushwacked through

Flowers and Plants

Phlox

PuffBall

Shelf Fungus

Mushroom

Saturday, October 25, 2025

October 25, 2025 - Birthday Hike on the Wawona Meadow Loop

Title: October 25, 2025 - Birthday Hike on the Wawona Meadow Loop

Hike Info : Description : Extra Photo's : Flowers and Plants

Hike Info:

Type: Hiking

Trail head: Wawona Visitor Center Parking

Trail: Wawaona Meadow Loop

Destination: Loop

Distance: 3.81 miles

Start Time: 11:58

End Time: 2:33

Travel Time: 2:34 (1.48 mph)

Moving Time: 1:57 (1.95 mph)

Elevation Rise: 388'

Descent: 410‘

Maximum Elevation: 4,271'

GPS Tracks

Description:

I slept in until a little after 7. Today marks the celebration of the Earth surviving 72 times around the Sun with me on it. Sherri is planning out this day. But first she needs to go to the Vineyard Farmer’s Market for some stuff for a party next week.

Rachel comes over a little before 9. By 9:40 we are all in the car-Steven, Rachel, Sherri, Korra, Friday and myself. We have been trying to avoid going into the National Parks during the shutdown. But we have decided to go to Wawona in Yosemite National Park today and hike around the Meadow there.

Autumn Leaves in Wawona

But first, there is some interest in retracing the route I went on Thursday. These were various historical places in the foothills of Madera County. Now mind you, we will not hit all the historic places, probably not even a third of them.

We start by heading north on 41, then head West at Four Corners. Then we turn off to go towards Henley Lake and Raymond. Along this road, I start telling about the various places I learned about: the Adobe Ranch, Minarets/Media, Raymond, the Summit House and the Black Kid monument. Someplace after Raymond, we got off the route I thought we were on and hit 41 again at Corsegold.

That is just as well as I think the others were maybe at the limits of their tolerance for this tour. We went through Oakhurst and then Fish Camp. There is a line at the Park’s entry station. But there is nobody collecting entry fees, so we just chose a station which does not have anybody in it. Rachel drives us over to Wawona where we park, take care of business, and get our packs on.

Wawona in Red

Sherri picked the trail around Wawona Meadow for several reasons. We have not done much hiking lately and this is a nice, scenic walk. Also, the dogs are allowed on it. As an added bonus, even during busy times, this trail has a tendency to be one where you can enjoy a measure of solitude.

Given that, we start our walk. The sky is overcast and the temperature is in the last 60’s. Perfect for hiking. Even Friday is up to walking, or in her case, her little legs are trotting. One of the defining aspects of this day is the Autumn colors. It is that time of year where this area simply shines. The yellows and reds are everywhere. The trail seems like a tunnel through this cave of leaves. It fills you with wonder and awe and reverence for the bit of creation we are walking through.

Gary, Steven and Rachel walking the trail

It is always good to walk with my family on my birthday-yes, I do miss having Andrea with us, but I have a great deal of gratitude that Steven and Rachel make the effort to be with me. I am not forgetting Sherri as I have taken her places which she may have wished she stayed home. We have gone to those places and experienced the awe of seeing the best of this world.

Gary the Photographer

At the far end of the meadow, a bit short of two miles we stop and have lunch. We enjoy the break, not so much needing a rest, but just a break. Even Korra and Friday seem to enjoy this break. Then it is off for the remainder of the trail.

Gary, the birthday boy

This trail is not built for excitement, but for contemplation and discussion. One of the discussions we had was about me hiking solo. Since last May when I fainted, I have been careful about not going out on my own. Even though 7 out of 8 days in the Lookout I was alone. I pondered the wisdom of venturing out solo. Rachel volunteers to go with me whenever I would want to go. To me this is not the reason to hike alone. There is a sense of freedom walking by yourself. A sense of isolation just me and my God. Everyone needs those times and places like that.

Fall Color on Mt Savage

There is no conclusion to this discussion. No yes or no But there is the recommendation that I do things like stretches and things which will improve my balance. Rachel suggested chair yoga.

Wawona, when we get back, is pretty vacant. We have only met about five groups of people on the trail. We load up and head on back home. As we approach Oakhurst, the question is, should we stop for ice cream at Reimers. Unless there is a reason not too, the answer will almost always be yes. Reimers has a new flavor, Ooey Gooey. Most of us have a scoop of this flavor. Pretty good.

Then we get back home. Not sure if it is age or birthday expectations, but I am content to become one with the couch. Steven is making a stuffed pizza for my birthday. Pretty tasty. Then a relaxing shower to end a good day out.