July 4, 2025 = Park Ridge Lookout

 

Title: July 4, 2025 - Park Ridge Lookout

Hike Info : Description :  Menu 

Hike Info:

Type: Lookout

 

Description:

Chuck's Flag

Maybe I learned my lesson from yesterday. I got up a few minutes earlier. But that was futile as there was no lightning to report. I am glad of that. I got up and started packing as today is my last day in the tower. I get about a third of my stuff down. At least that is a start. Wendy had asked for a new US flag to be put up. Her late husband had wanted that to occur each 4th of July and I am happy to be the one this year to carry on that tradition. I wanted to get a picture of it at sunrise with the wind unfurling it. But the wind did not cooperate. Later it unfurls.

I am able to go for a short walk, maybe a third of a mile. But this feels good. Then back to the tower where I have my breakfast. At 0800 I went into service with both Porterville and Ash Mountain Fire. About 30 minutes later I realize I have not heard either Buck Rock or Delilah go into service. I phoned over and had a conversation with Jeff. Both have gone into service. Maybe they got lost in the static. Or maybe I need to clear ear wax out of my ears. Then it is off the normal duties of a lookout.

 

Early Morning light

 

Bluebird sky days are a joy to a lookout. When you have haze, it is tough to make out anything and your eyes strain to discern objects. The white of the smoke blends in with the dinginess of the air. But today is a day which I can see almost forever. I can see the foothills of the Coastal Range plainly along with its tops. I suspect if I was at Delilah, I might be able to see into Yosemite. A day to love being up here.

On this kind of weekend you get to hear interesting stuff. At the Crystal Springs Campground a cooler and trash can was impounded. I am assuming that foodstuff was not put away and people were not around. Sounds like a bear hazard to me. Or then there are maybe too many people in a place at one time. The Wolverton Road was closed to traffic due to both congestion and too many people parking alongside the road. Just heard that Lodgepole road is closed as well, except for those going into the campground.

Then this morning as I was doing a scan, I noticed a marmot eyeballing my car. It seemed hesitant to approach it. Yesterday someone asked about marmots and I talked about how cars over in Mineral King had to take preventative measures. So I watched him pretty closely. When he goes under my car, I hurry down the stairs to scare him off. But he emerges from the other side and eyeballs me, like he should be the one who is concerned about me. He runs off to some rocks and I resume my lookout activities.

Coastal Range

 

Wendy called me up and told me that my relief is expected to be here around 1700 or 1800. He will call me up. Also talked about some wildlife Buck Rock saw this morning. Things could get interesting if this sighting is verified.

My Favorite Marmot

Fuzzy's Bench

Now I am hearing a woodpecker tapping out his staccato beat on a tree. Another joy of being up here is seeing and hearing the sounds and sights of nature. I wonder what the woodpecker is going to hide and will he remember where he has hidden it?

Lunch, or dinner, is the remains of a couple enchiladas which Sherri made for lookout. I cleaned up the dishes in preparation for leaving this afternoon. This is just the start of cleaning up the cab, not that I had created a huge mess or anything. Still crumbs fall and things get spread out.

 

 

Yesterday there was a fire near Marvin Pass. Yesterday when I looked on WildCAD I saw it as the Gammon Fire. Usually fires are named after some landmark around it. But there was nothing in the area we saw with Gammon nor could I find it on GNIS. Today I was hearing the Incident Commander Trainee calling himself the Gannon IC Trainee-with two N’s. I looked on WildCAD and it said Gannon. There is a Gannon Creek there. When I looked on GNIS, it had been named in 2000. Most of our maps are pretty old, so it is no surprise that we could not find why it was called the Gannon fire.

The last two hours of a shift, particularly on leaving day, are the longest. I am expecting that call saying when my relief is coming. And as that is not coming, the time is even longer. Still there is only 7,200 seconds to count. During that time I get the fire indices, clean the floor and countertops and pack the last of my stuff.

This has been an unexpected day. It is the Fourth of July. I was expecting a ton of visitors. Instead, there was not a single one. At 1800, I go out of service, and start back. I meet my relief on the road. We exchange greetings and I relay some information to him. And then we are both on our way. A short way further I realize there were a couple more things to tell him and leave a voicemail. It is an uneventful drive back home, arriving shortly before 2000.

Menu

Breakfast	Lunch	Dinner	Snacks
Granola	Enchilada	Peanut Butter and Nutella Sandwich	Ritz Cracker, Granola, Jelly Belly

March 29, 2017 - Wolverton

Title: March 29, 2017 - Wolverton
Hike Info : Description : Trail Lessons : Background : Extra Photo's : Animals 

Trail head: Wolverton Parking Lot

Hike Info:

Type:  Snowshoeing

Trail: Wandering / Lakes Trail

Destination:Wandering

Distance:  2.82 miles

Start Time:10:28

End Time:  2:16

Travel Time:  3:48 (0.74 mph)

Moving Time: 2:10  (1.30 mph)

Elevation Rise:  589'

Maximum Elevation: 7,721'

GPS Tracks

Description:

This was to be a trip with two of our friends: Betty and Rose. But Rose did not feel well enough to go so it was Betty only. We picked up Betty in Famersville and proceed on to Giant Forest. We thought that it would be a good idea to snowshoe into Crescent Meadow along its road. But there is a requirement for snowshoeing: snow. The road had been plowed. So we travel on to Wolverton, which is 600' higher. Snow.

Start of Trek

By the time we get unloaded, prepared and made our trips to the bathroom, it is 10:30. There are a couple of meadows in Wolverton which I had thought of walking around, enjoying the relatively flat trek, with an occasional foray into the slopes above.

Small Creek, Sizable Walls

But that was not to be. With the snow melt, Long Meadow was a swamp of snow and water-definitely not going to be enjoyable. So we followed up the other side of the meadow which parallels the parking lot. There two a little creek with five foot snow sides cut off our path to go over to the slopes. So I am content to follow up the creek and see how far we go. One thing which hampered us, particularly me, is that one of my baskets broke off of the pole. It was more of annoyance because occasionally the pole would sink way down into the snow.

That is one of the nice things about snowshoeing. For those who are relatively inexperienced, like myself, you can just wander and not be too concerned about the difficulty, except for steepness of the slopes.

Gary and Betty

The snow is old, so as Betty notices, we are crunching through it. Still that is the only noise we hear.  The silence of a snow landscape is so subdued, so different than our noisy city life.

As we follow the creek up, we start rising up. I realize that we might not be able to continue our course along the creek. So I look at the ridgeline above us and think, let’s see if we can go up there and find something interesting, or at least the Lakes trail.

Our route lead us up the side of a ridge, a bit of a zig-zag course, but well within the abilities of all. From my perspective, it was fun and a bit of a learning time-like how steep of a slope can I go up without sliding down vs digging in my toe. I figure I still have some things to learn.

Whose Paw Print?

Betty and Gary

As we get close to the top, three skiers whiz by up about 40 yards away. We must be getting close to the Lakes Trail. Sure enough, there is a yellow triangle in the distance where the skiers disappeared. We decide when we get to the top of the ridge, we will try to find a good view and stop for lunch. I notice some tracks, some big old tracks. Well maybe not old-less than three days old. I think we have some bear tracks we follow. In a few minutes, we find a nice look at Mt Sillman and a flat place to lay my space blanket down. Score!

Mt Sillman

 

As we munch on our lunch, two snowborders came by. They happen to be the backcountry rangers for Pear Lake. They check on us and continue on down. They are certainly graceful. I guess that is what practice, youth and coordination gives you. 

Sky Candy

Big Feet and Good View

Betty and Sherri ready to leave

Betty Descending

 We continue following the tracks for a few more minutes until they disappear, but we continue on. Nothing too exciting. The trail branches to the right and we decide it is time to turn back. But instead of following the trail which goes below the ridge, we follow the ridge in the hopes of getting some better views. But there are many trees blocking the views, so we catch glimpses of the area across the Topakah Valley. 

End of Trail

Eventually the Lakes Trail meets the ridge and we follow the trail down. It is much easier going down. By now the afternoon soon is starting to make the snow a bit slushy and consequently slippery. It is fun doing a mini-slide down slopes, even though it is pretty easy to fall. We reach the car without further incident around 2:15.

The next question is where to eat? We decide River View Bar and Lounge in Three Rivers will be a good place. Food was good by the fast moving Kaweah River. A good place to relax after our walk today. We drop off Betty at her car and proceed back to Fresno. Our arrival was about 6pm. Showers always feel good.

Trail Lesson:

Anytime I am in the snow I think of that verse which says Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow (Is 1:18). Fresh snow is so white, so clean. But as it ages, debris and dirt get mixed in and it no longer looks that blinding white. Is that not like me? While grace never diminishes, I need to be re-covered with His grace to look clean.

Background
The Wolverton area used to be a ski recreation area.



Extra Photo's

Sherri and Betty

Sherri and Betty descending

Animals

Bear Track

August 17, 2016 - Wolverton to Heather Lake and the Watchtower

Title:August 17, 2016 - Wolverton to Heather Lake and the Watchtower
Hike Info : Description : Trail Lessons : Background :  Extra Photo's :  Flowers and Plants

Trail head: Wolverton

Hike Info:

Type:  Hiking

Trail: Lakes Trail including The Hump and The Watchtower trails

Destination: Heather Lake and the Watchtower

Distance:  8.00 miles
Start Time: 11:02
End Time:   6:42
Travel Time:  7:39 (1.05 mph)
Moving Time:  4:43 (1.70 mph)
Elevation Rise: 2,070'
Maximum Elevation:9,434'

Description:
This one started as an overnight trip to Pear Lake, then a day trip up to Pear Lake. Now it is lets see how far we can go and just enjoy the day out.

Sherri at the start of the trail

By the time we leave Fresno, it is close to 9:30 and we get to Wolverton a little before 11. Sherri takes off. But I stop and talk with a backpacker from Carlsbad. He has a "Take A Hike" T-Shirt which features the three Sierra National Parks: Yosemite, Kings Canyon and Sequoia. He has hit the trail in all three of these and will return back to teaching next week. But he had a grand time. We talk about different places. He mentions the Lost Coast and I tell him it is on  my list of hikes to do.

After talking for 15 minutes, it it time to rejoin Sherri. But she has stopped only a hundred yards up the trail, waiting for me. Foolish woman! You would think that after close to 40 years she would know how long I could chat with someone?

The thing about this trail is that it is a long and grinding uphill. The trail is not content just to defeat you, but to pulverize you into trail dust. So why do it? Because you know there is rewards to those who preserver. Sort of like life you know, just because there is pain and suffering, is the end result is worth it, you continue to endure. If not, you look for an alternative.

We eat lunch at the Panther Gap trail junction. I also am testing out our SPOT device. It did not function reliably during our abbreviated JMT trip. During lunch, a couple of young women came up-Nikki and Sonya.  They are from Fresno and this is a different Sonya than the one we usually hike with. We talk for a while and then they leave right before we do.

The Hump trail is about a quarter mile from our lunch break and that is the trail we take. It is used during the Spring and until the Watchtower trail is safe from ice. But the disadvantage is that it does go a couple hundred feet higher than going via the Watchtower. Also this is not a trail of grand vistas but through the woods. Also there is no downhill on it. It is all up. And that is what we do, climb to the top of the Hump, and there we start to get our reward.

Looking North From the Hump

Gary enjoying the view

At the top, we stop for a break. Or do we stop to gawk? Either way it was time for a rest. And if our resting spot gave us a view, who am I to complain? From our vantage point, we can see across into the Tablelands. This is a treeless area at the headwaters of the Topakah Creek. No trails go through there, but it is a favorite cross-country route for many people. Another test of one of our SPOT devices.

Then we drop down a couple hundred feet and join the Watchtower trail to Heather Lake. There we met some hikers. One has a good nature comment of, you are close, you are almost there. I apologized in advance and replied I was going to get metaphysical on him by asking "What does he mean 'almost there'? I prefer to think that I am here." He replied that he really liked my comment.

Gary heading towards Heather Lake

But my new friend was right, we made it to Heather Lake in just a steps. While Sherri went off to visit Nature, I stayed by the lake. Our now old friends, Sonya and Nikki then strolled up. We talked for a good length of time while relaxing by the lake. Nothing deep, just friendly. But then it was time to leave.

About this time, we raise the question, have we told Steven, our son who is taking care of my Mom, that we are out hiking? We think so, but cannot think of a specific conversation. Will try to reach him on the way down.

Heather Lake

Gary on the Watchtower Trail

Instead of coming back via the Hump, we will take the more scenic route of The Watchtower. This trail is cut into a cliff, giving a great view of the Tablelands and the Tokopah Canyon area. But it is not for those with vertigo or a concern for falling. One slip and you will have a one way flight to the bottom, maybe a thousand feet down. On the other hand, bring your camera since each step you take presents new opportunities for pictures of the oooh and ahhh quality.

View from the Watchtower Trail

Sherri looking across the Tokopah Canyon

The Watchtower

By the time we reach the Watchtower, it is pretty late. So we do only a brief stop and gawk. Enough to take a few pictures and then move on. It is about 3 miles back to the car and mostly downhill. We meet an older couple who are struggling a bit. but who are taking a small break. They comment about how hard this trip is. Hard yes, but not too bad for those in shape-I only think it, not say it. Am I getting wiser in my old age?

By the time we make it back to the car, the shadows are getting long and I have not been able to reach Steven to confirm that he is taking care of my Mom. I do a final test of the SPOT and place it on top of the car. We decide to see if the Lodgepole cafe is open. It is and we have a hamburger. Sherri calls Steven and finds out, no we have not told him we went hiking. But an intelligent son that he is, he has deduced it. As we pass by Squaw Valley, I hear a thump off of the car, and nothing else. We continue on. By the time we get home, it is after 9pm and we are tired.

Trail Lesson:

Being "here" is much better than even being "almost there."


Background
We have two SPOT devices: SPOT Satellite GPS Messenger (Ritto) and a SPOT Connect (Shirley). The devices are named after our pets. In the past they have worked OK, with  80-90% success. But during our JMT walk, Ritto only connected once out of the three nights. So this hike, I wanted to test it out. Below is the results-it is an e-mail I sent my brother. I also sent the contents of the e-mail to the SPOT people.

I am not sure if I have an endorsement of the SPOT or throw it away decision. After our aborted JMT attempt and getting only one out of three signals to be received, I have been trying to get the SPOT Messanger to work. First the endorsement:

We had come back from our hike out of Wolverton in Sequoia NP. I wanted to get one last "OK" message sent. So in the parking lot I set off the "OK" message and set it on top of the car to transmit. It actually did transmit. I also had Tracks on.  But as you might have guessed, I forgot the SPOT on top of the roof. As i am driving home last night, I hear a clink on the roof, but not sure what it is-this happened just outside of Squaw Valley. I get home, do not find the SPOT device. So before going to bed, I look at the SPOT map and there it is at the corner of Lovewell and Hwy 180. I get up this morning and there is a ton of tracks at that location. This morning I drove back out there and was able to recover the device.

So why am I about to throw it away?
1) When out on the trail, two out of three OK messages were not received.
2) Last Saturday I walked around my neighborhood with Tracks on and with trying the OK button a couple of times-55 minutes. Not one was received.
3) Yesterday I set on TRACKS at the start of our hike, around 11am. We finished up a little before 7pm. I pressed OK three times. I got one of them. The first two times was once at lunch around 12:30; the second when we stopped for a rest at the top of the Pear Lake Hump. Both times we were stationary about 20-30 minutes. The one time it did show was the one which I left the SPOT on top of the car. The TRACKS on the trail was only a little bit better. I had six tracks left between 2:30pm and 4:40pm. One wonders what happened to the tracks between 11am and 2:30 and the those between 4:40 and 6:45pm.

While I will not "throw it away", until I understand better why it is not reliable, it will not be relied upon. Sounds like a support call.

On a recent backpack trip I got three out of four messages from "Ritto" and three out of five from Shirley. SPOT support has offered a discount on a new SPOT. But then I also got a notice that SPOT is raising their service fee by about 33%. So I am not sure I will renew. I have a month to think about it.

Extra Photo's

Up the Tokopah Valley

Trail View looking west

Alta Peak on the Right

Trail Through Two Trees

 
Flowers and Plants

July 30, 2014 - Watchtower and Tokopah Falls

Tablelands

Title: July 30, 2014 - Watchtower and Tokopah Falls

 Trail head: Wolverton Parking Lot

Hike Info:

Type:  Hiking

Trail: Lakes Trail

Destination: Watchtower

Distance: 6.59 miles

Start Time:  8:29

End Time:   1:24

Travel Time: 4:55 (1.34 mph)

Moving Time: 3:48 (1.73 mph)

Elevation Rise: 1,972'

Maximum Elevation: 8,910'

Description:
When I think of a hike up to the Watchtower, I think of a good climb through forests and then a single place to find a sight worth the climb. But today, I got all of that and more.

I started the morning by stepping outside and immediately decided to go back inside. The sky was dark and clouds were ominous. So I went back inside to get my rain jacket. Now I am prepared, I think. On the drive to Kohl's, saw a couple flashes of lightening-well, maybe not all that prepared.  At Kohl's, picked up Brian W and went ahead to load Bill and Richard on the way. Even driving up, we saw lightening flashing from the clouds down to earth. There was a few drops of water hitting my windshield. After a break at Big Stump, we traveled on to the Wolverton parking lot, the beginning of our hike.
 

Cathey and Audrey walking through meadow

This hike is nearly a consistent uphill coming in. We start with a good climb out of the parking lot until we meet the ridge overlooking Lodgepole. The word overlooking is a bit of an exaggeration as the view into the Tokopah Valley is mostly obstructed by trees. But that is OK since the trees have a tendency to keep this trail cool and are enjoyable to walk through, even in bright sunshine. But today, it is overcast with a bit of concern about rain, not that the rain ever shows up.

Now the more  from above is this: surprisingly there are flowers presenting themselves, particularly in the meadows. Not so much surprising that there are flowers here, but that there are flowers here now, with as little water as we have had this year. There are some Columbines and Indian Paintbrushes. But also several varieties of whites and yellows, with blues. Just an eye opening time. There is more to this trail than just the Watchtower.

Across from the Watchtower

We reach the junction with the Panther Gap Trail-the same one we walked with the meetup group in mid-June. But we take a left, and shortly ignore the cross-over Hump Trail to Heather Lake. The rise is still moving us upward, but not as steep, until right before the Watchtower.

Once we climb a few switchbacks, the Tablelands open up for us. This is the area beyond the Watchtower in the upper Tokopah drainage.  Just an amazingly inviting country. Sherri and I have done Pear and Moose Lakes. But the area beyond is calling me. We can see across to Silliman Crest and that area. 

Tablelands

Watchtower cliff

John

The Watchtower is a place just to rest and cogitate, but not if you have vertigo. The trail brings you to the edge of a 1,100' drop straight down. Most of us enjoy the view, but from a distance at least six feet from the edge. The actual Watchtower is about a hundred feet across a chasm. Some of our group go around and climb up it and enjoy that sight.

Now it is time to return back to the cars for more fun. The return trip is backtracking along the trail we just came up. For some reason, it is easier to return going down. But somehow I am now feeling more tired. We get down just five hours after starting. Time for another walk, but this time gentler.

Trail head: Lodgepole Campground

Hike Info:

Type:  Hiking

Trail:  Tokopah Falls Trail

Destination:   Tokopah Falls

Distance:  4.01 miles

Start Time:   1:46

End Time:     4:16

Travel Time: 2:30 (1.60 mph)

Moving Time: 2:08 (1.88 mph)

Elevation Rise: 502'

Maximum Elevation: 7,155'

The Watchtower

Description:
For the second part of the day, we scurry over to the Lodgepole Campground. There is a trail head inside the campground. So we park on the south side of the Marble Fork of the Kaweah River, cross the bridge. The entrance to the trail is just beyond the bridge on the north side. In case this sounds familiar, our meetup group did a hike in March to some falls on this fork.

The trail is gentle, at least compared to the Watchtower.  So this does allow for conversations to occur, rather than the gasping for breath which happens on high altitude climbs. So I walk with a couple others and get into a conversation with Audrey, a third grade teacher with FUSD. Just a pleasant time to chat about people whom we both know.

Tokopah Falls, or trickle

Marble Fork of the Kaweah

But back to the trail. Towards the Falls, we get into granite blocks which we climb through. We come out to the trail's end, where the falls are. Or I should say, where the falls should be. But now there is only a trickle coming down. Sort of a disappointment in the falls. But as John said, you can just imagine how beautiful they would be-he is ever the optimist! People start to leave and I walk back with John and Cathey.

Bear Cub

The hike back is on the same trail. But it amazes me to see how different the same dirt can be going in a different direction. Just the trees and the creek and looking down valley have a different perspective. And a bear cub gently grazing for his huckleberries. Wait! A bear you say? Well really a cub about 30' from the trail. Several of us, and others, stop to gawk and take pictures. I was told that after I left mama and and another cub came up.

Grouse

Not much more after that, except for a grouse posing for a picture. We get back to the trail head and the car. Our car decides to continue back to Fresno rather than stopping for a bite to eat. I get back to home around 5:30.


Trail Lesson:
Prepare to enjoy the beauty you do not expect.