April 9, 2014 - Rim Trail and Back to Foresta

Title: April 9, 2014 - Rim Trail and Back to Foresta

Trail head: Cascade Creek

Hike Info:

Type:  Hiking

Trail: Old Big Oak Flat Road and the North Rim Trail

Destination: El Capitan

Actual Destination: Ribbon Meadow

Distance: 7.54 miles

Start Time:  8:08

End Time:   1:21

Travel Time: 5:12 (1.45 mph)

Moving Time: 4:25 (1.71 mph)

Elevation Rise: 2,256'

Maximum Elevation: 7,791'

Cascade Creek

Description:

At end of Trip

I woke up cold and I had slept cold last night. But I do not think it got too much below freezing. Usually I sleep pretty snug, but last night with my new sleeping bag, I definitely did not sleep well. So when it became somewhat light, I got up and just walked around a bit. Went up and down the Old Big Oak Flat Road. Not very far either way. The snow where we walked yesterday on the other side of the bridge had refrozen and the melted snow on the bridge had frozen. But on our side of the bridge, there was water trickling down from melted snow.

After awhile Andrea got up. We had our breakfast of oatmeal and stuff. Then off we went after telling Sherri, who was still warm in her bag that we were gone, and me going back to get fresh batteries for the GPS and camera. Oh yeah, the camera, had to go back and get that as well. Andrea could have committed me to an institution dealing with memory issues then.

Andrea's Good Side

But despite my mental capabilities, Andrea and I start off on our trek to El Capitan. If we make it, it will be a 16 mile day with our return trip to Foresta. The first half of a mile is down the Old Big Oak Flat Road until we hit the trail junction for the Rim Trail at Gentry Station, not that Gentry Station is there anymore, but it was at the site. Actually, looking at some old books, I think this is where a toll station for gentry's was.

  

Snow and Andrea

Anyway, we start up on the Rim Trail. The first quarter of a mile, not too bad. And then it goes up and up and up. Looked like in places there is a 24% grade. It is still cool, but we start to shed our outerwear. Glad I did not bring my jacket along. Even so, Andrea eventually puts my stuff into her pack. At 6,000' we start to hit patchy snow, mostly in the shade. We also get some views of the Cascade Creek drainage. 

I quickly realize that with Sherri not being with us, I am the weakest link. Not so much in being able to keep up the pace, but in being able to take a breath.  But I still do pretty well and Andrea patiently slows down for an old man. Early I had mentioned that I thought at 7,000' we would hit snow pretty continuously, and we do. Not deep, maybe about a foot or so, maybe two feet in the shade. Just enough to make us work at it. We cross the ridge at the top of our climb, about 500' above El Capitan.

Andrea at Ribbon Mdw

But it is getting to be elevenish an we still have over two miles to go. We get to Ribbon Meadow and see nothing but a field of snow. With our trip back, we decide that it is time to turn around and head back to camp. But first, we rest and take in some energy bars at Ribbon Meadow. The sun feels good enough to stay here for a long time, which we do. But reluctantly we get up and head back down the trail we came up.

Andrea and Gary on morning hike

Our trip back to camp is a lot quicker and easier--most of it downhill. But we do realize how steep we came up as we walk down. My legs are starting to feel the deadness which the climb induced. Andrea, who did a half-marathon a couple of weeks again, still looks strong. Even with the faster pace, there is delight in looking around and seeing the west end of Yosemite Valley and Cascade Creek area. I will say the last little bit from Gentry's to our camp showed how much the climb took out of me. Even though we go up maybe 150', the legs were aching. I was glad to get back to camp and sit for a bit. Also having lunch there was not bad either.

Hike Info:

Type:  Backpacking

Trail:  Foresta to Cascade Creek

Destination: Foresta

Distance: 4.00 miles

Start Time:  2:28

End Time:   5:00

Travel Time: 2:31 (1.59 mph)

Moving Time: 1:55 (2.09  mph)

Elevation Rise: 363'

Maximum Elevation: 6,149'

Description:
After lunch, we retrace our steps from yesterday. We are returning back to the car. Seems a bit cooler than yesterday-whether it is an illusion or reality, I am not too concerned with. We will be going through the part where we felt it was hot yesterday.

Stream Crossing

We pretty much walked the trail non-stop, with the exception of the Tamarack Creek crossing. Sherri and I took off our boots, while Andrea decided to do some gymnastics with a log and some rocks and made it across--even with her pack on today.

The difference between yesterday and today is that we have a perspective of traveling in reverse. Instead of heading towards the Valley, we get to see the burn area in front of us. There is a sense of ghostly beauty to it. The burnt out hulks of trees standing upright; the shrubs just starting to come back again. The demarcation after Wildcat between burn and green is startling-where before it was going from the heat to refreshment; today it is going from a friendly world to something of a deadscape-but not quite dead.

Andrea

We are glad to get back to the car. After discussing plans, we realize that we all are tired. Andrea has a three hour drive back to the Bay Area; we have two and half hours. So we part ways. It has been a joy to hike with Andrea this past couple of days. We stop at Todd's in Oakhurst before reaching home around 8pm.

Bridalveil

Gary and Andrea hiking

Ragwort?

The Dance Hall

Snow Plant

Sherri and Andrea

April 8, 2014 - Cascade Creek

Title: April 8,2014 - Cascade Creek

Trail head: Foresta

Hike Info:

Type:  /Backpacking

Trail: Parts of Rim Trail

Destination: Cascade Creek

Distance:  4.65 miles

Start Time:  11:31

End Time:     3:46

Travel Time: 4:14 (1.10 mph)

Moving Time: 2:50 (1.64 mph)

Elevation Rise:  1,709'

Maximum Elevation: 6,144'

Description:

We started out planning this hike to take people who have not been backpacking before. But things did not work out, so the remaining sojourners are Andrea, Sherri, and myself. But that is good too because we get to spend time with our daughter.  The other change in plans was the location. Almost no snow all winter. But last week a couple of feet dumped in the Sierra's-which is a good thing. But our original destination up Alder Creek has more snow than I want to camp in. For years I had been eyeballing a trail out of Foresta. This is not a summer-time trail as there is a lot of exposure to a sun. Even today with it being 90 in Fresno, it will be warm on the first part.

On the way up to meet Andrea, we had an incident. We stopped in Oakhurst to pick up a Subway sandwich, which by the way, we have had good success in stopping here. This time is no different. But when I open up the bear canister to put the sandwiches in, a strong scent of wine, along with a bit of light purple appeared. Our wine bag had sprung a leak. Lots of stuff in the canister was wet and some of it leaked onto my shirt and pack. After using the Subway bathroom to clean up the mess-thanks Subway-we were able to leave. At the entrance station we examined the pack. We just needed to clean up a bit more, but most everything, except for the pack had not been affected. So we are off to meet Andrea.

We got to the trail-head a little after 11, over an hour late. Andrea had gotten here at 9, so she has had a long wait. The first order of business is to repack my backpack after making sure there was nothing affected by the wine flood of 2014. Then we are off, around 11:30.

Dead Forest

Tamarack Falls

After crossing the road, we started our climb. While today is warm, this trail could have been a lot hotter. We sweat a lot-some of it gets into my eyes. But we continue on up this initial climb. The A-Rock fire¹ of 1990 came through this area and the area is still recovering (since writing this, I found out that a fire came through in 2009). For the first miles, there are only burnt tree trunks still standing. There is old dried up manzanita bushes which show some signs of life-that is besides the grasses and a few wildflowers. Maybe as compensation, we see some falls by Tamarack Creek in the distance.

After a mile and a half of this, being under the noon sun, we see the first signs of forests, firs it looked like with some incense cedars. Wildcat Creek is close by. We see the Dance Hall and the Devil's Dance Floor at the end of Wildcat. Now this trail is looking a bit more like a Sierra trail. After crossing Wildcat Creek, we stop for lunch. Not too bad of a place, just enjoying the mountain air to enjoy our Subway sandwiches.

Andrea&Gary after Tamarack Creek

Tamarack Creek

Enjoying the hike

But now it is onward. We have down the major part of our climb so it is more of a relaxed pace. With us being under the trees, the walking is nice, the uphill is moderate, conversation flows freely, but being the afternoon, we are a bit warm. But that changes in a few minutes. Except for the slope of the hillside, you would not realize you are just a quarter-mile above some of the falls of Yosemite-not the famous ones, but the ones Wildcat, Tamarack and Cascade Creeks create.

Sherri

But this comes to an end-not the conversation or steep hillside, but the warmth. We need to cross Tamarack Creek. As much as we scout around for a place to cross, Andrea only finds a suitable place to cross-without her pack. Sherri and I take off our boots and wade across. That snow-fed creek is COLD! Certainly no thought about how warm the air is. We get dried off and start on our way again. Now it is less than a mile to Cascade Creek. I am a bit concerned about crossing this creek, just because of its size and I think I have read in a blog how this guy had to travel a ways to find a way around it.

Cascade Creek

But we come to Cascade and find a bridge, and snow. It is getting later in the afternoon. A bit too soon to stop. But looking at the map the next water is four miles away after a pretty good climb. Also this snow is spooking me so I think it is better to camp here. There is a nice spot to stay, with a good fire pit, close to the creek. So camp we do.

Wanderings

After pitching the tent and looking around a bit, we go for a short wander up towards Tamarack Flat along an old road. It turns out this is part of the historic Old Big Oak Flat Road. We do not get very far, maybe a third of a mile when we are stopped once again by Tamarack Creek. With snow all around it, we decide to cross it, but to head a bit towards Cascade Creek on our way down. Just wandering, nothing spectacular.

Sherri, Andrea, Gary enjoying the fires

Dinner is the other half of our Subway sandwich. Andrea brings along split pea soup, which tastes good warm. A fire is started and the evening air turns chilly with the setting of the sun. We wait until we can see stars--well I do not wait, but fall asleep while seated by the fire. But it is nice just being here, enjoying the companionship of wife and daughter.

Hike Info:

Type:  Hiking

Trail: Tamarack Flat Road and wandering

Destination: Cascade Creek

Distance: 1.12 miles

Start Time:   4:46

End Time:    5:39

Travel Time: 0:52 (1.29 mph)

Moving Time: 0:41 (1.64 mph)

Elevation Rise: 265'

Maximum Elevation: 6,261'

 ¹There are several interesting references to this fire. It appears that not only did A-Rock fire burn this area in 1990, but also the Big Meadow controlled burn in 2009. For more references, see the following links:

• Southern California Public Radio
• NPS Big Meadow Fire site
• New York Times article

• 

  Tributary

  

  Falls along tributary

  
  

Place: CA-Wildcat

Wildcat Creek (El Capitan)
Wildcat Falls   (37.72328°N 119.71697°W )

Description:


Trips:

• April 8, 2014 - Overnight trip to Cascade Creek
• April 9, 2014 - Return trip to Foresta

References:

•  World of Waterfalls
• Waterfall Database
• Wikipedia
• Waterfall Record
• 
  

Pictures:

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