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Dick's
Adventures of 2018 - Part 2 |
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Adventures
of 2016 Adventures
of 2017 2018
Part 1 2018
Part 3
2018
Part 4 2018
Part 5 2018
Part 6 |
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Camp
Four and a Half Cabin
San Joaquin Gorge Bridge Trail
San Joaquin River Trail West
Back to the Cabin
Wawona Hike and Camp |
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Camp Four and a Half Cabin
You could probably think of a catchier name
for a camping place than Camp
Four and a Half Cabin. There's surely
an interesting explanation for the name, especially when you
consider that it is just down the road from Camp 4.
But all that is unimportant for the purpose of
this report. What is pertinent is that it's a rustic structure built
in the 1950s for use as a ranger residence, and is now a nicely
modernized rental cabin where I stayed with family and my friend Wes
for three nights, March 23 through 25. Its primary attraction for us
is the location - a mile up the dirt road on the south side
of the Kings River above Pine Flat Reservoir, in the Sequoia
National Forest, surrounded by wildflowers, buckeyes,
and huge valley oaks. And it's only a
short walk of two hundred yards or so from the river.
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Camp Four and a Half
Cabin |
Jack and Colton
across the road from the cabin |
Standing: Mike
Liddle, Dick Estel; sitting Teri Liddle, Johnny Upshaw holding Jack;
Brittany holding Colton |
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During
the week before our trip, we had the heaviest rains of the season,
up to five inches in an hour in some foothill areas, pretty much
unheard of in Central California. To make things even more
interesting, the forecast called for rain every day of our visit.
However, the forecast changed each day, and we hoped for the best. I
had booked this cabin last year, only to have our stay cancelled due
to rock and mud slides on the road in to the location.
On
Friday, March 23, I drove my truck, followed by daughter Teri in her
Toyota Avalon with her grandsons Colton and Jack in the back seat.
Driving on Trimmer Springs Road where it climbs over Secata Ridge
above Pine Flat Lake, we stopped to enjoy the view of a little
waterfall that drops down from the ridge. When we got to the dirt
section of the the road we had to get out and remove tree branches
twice, and roll some small boulders out of the way two or three
times. Other than that, we had no trouble at all, and arrived at the
cabin around noon.
The
cabin is nicely furnished with a generator (in a shed outside), cook
stove, heater, refrigerator, and hot water heater, all of which run
on propane, supplied by two large tanks. The lighting system is
electric, so the generator has to be on when lights are needed.
Visitors must bring their own bedding and towels, and are required to
sweep and mop and generally clean up before leaving. Cooking and
eating utensils are provided, and there are beds for six.
We
brought in our things, while the boys ran around outside, picking
flowers and just generally enjoying being out in the
country. When I
asked if they would like to return next year they said Yes, but a
suggestion of living in such a location permanently was met with a
big NO. (Teri said YES.)
Once
we had things put away it was time for a walk. The road in front of
the cabin is level and paved for about 100 yards, with nice mud
puddles in the dirt section at either end. Wearing snow boots, the
boys approached the puddles cautiously, put a toe into the water
despite directions from Teri and me to STOP, then ran full speed
through the puddles.
About
a quarter mile back down the road there is an unusual cattle guard,
painted yellow on one side and orange on the other. Colton always
likes to walk across these, so we walked up the road in that
direction. As it turned out, both boys were more interested in
climbing on the metal gate next to it, something found in
conjunction with virtually all cattle guards, in case cows
need to be moved from one field to another. Colton also stepped off
the road down a steep bank to a
creek, joined by Teri and Jack.
Along
the road we found a dead salamander, which the boys studied for some
time, turning it over with the sticks they inevitably pick up while
walking in the country. Finally Jack picked it up by the tail,
drawing an "Eewwww" from Colton.
Heading
back toward the cabin, we were distracted by a gate through
the fence on the north side of the road, and went down to the river
by that route. This was followed by a half hour of boys playing in
the wet sand, trying to get into a little section of still water
that was cut off from the main stream, and the obligatory throwing
of rocks into the water. Colton carried handfuls of sand to a
slanted rock and "painted" the entire rock with it,
finishing up with a little wall of wet send at the top. He also
picked up a stick in his mouth like a dog and carried it around. Jack
sampled a dried sycamore leaf, and both boys put miner's lettuce
leaves into their mouths, although they did not actually bite into
them or swallow anything. The adults comforted ourselves with the
thought that it was helping them build up immunities.
Most
of the rest of our party was expected to arrive around 7 p.m., so
the rest of the day was occupied with getting our stuff put away,
playing inside and out, and preparation for supper. Teri put
charcoal into the grill provided on the back patio, and began
cooking tri-tip. At one point we were entertained by a squirrel
which I spotted under my pickup. The boys approached to try to drive
him out, but he moved close to a tire, making him hard to see. After
a few back and forth moves, he ran down the driveway and went under
Teri's car, then disappeared.
Because
of the doubtful weather, we had brought books, games and
cards, and found some of the same already provided in the cabin,
just in case we had to spend a lot of time inside. As it turned out, Teri spent about five minutes attempting to get
past the first page of a book that Colton loves, but there were too
many other things to do, and none of the emergency entertainment
items were needed.
Since
the cabin is a U.S. Government property, a flag is provided, along
with instructions to fly it proudly during good weather. Colton and
I took the flag out to the pole by the front fence, and he enjoyed
pulling the rope to raise it.
By
now the little guys were anxious for their parents and uncle to
arrive. Grandson Mike arrived about 6:30 and brought in his
sleeping bag. The tri-tip was ready, and while we were eating, Johnny and Brittany drove up. They had eaten
on the way but had a few bites of tri-tip while we debated having a
camp fire. The final vote was yes so Johnny fired up his chain saw
and cut up some fallen branches. With all the rain I was concerned
that we would not find any dry wood, but he chose limbs that were
leaning against other trees, so they had drained nicely and we had a
great evening out by the fire.
As
the hour grew late, people started heading in to bed one by one, or
in the case of the boys, falling asleep on mom or dad's lap. Jack
was the first to go, but Colton held out till 9:30 or so, later than
his Grandma Teri. I went in about 10, leaving Johnny to keep watch
on the fire a little longer.
The
next morning we were treated to an Upshaw breakfast. Johnny brought
his electric griddle and cooked bacon and sausage. I had mixed cocoa
powder and sugar in advance and made hot cocoa, and we had our
choice of toast or English muffins.
After
everyone was well fed and the dishes were washed, we set off on our
major adventure of the weekend - a drive to Black Rock Reservoir,
about 15 miles up the North Fork of the Kings River. With my Ford
pickup and the Upshaws' 4-wheel drive Toyota Tacoma, we drove back
to the paved road, then along the North Fork for several miles to
Balch Camp, location of a PG&E powerhouse and private
residential area. Dinkey Creek runs in from the north here, while
the river takes a turn to he east. The road winds up steeply from
the town, then along the upper part of the deep and narrow North
Fork canyon. Some people find the road a bit disconcerting,
especially where you can look from your car almost straight down
several hundred feet to the bottom of the canyon. Much of the first
half of the road has steep cliffs to the left, with water running
down small falls and dripping out of the rocks. Johnny and Brittany
had to close their sun roof because of water getting into the truck.
Along
the way the road passes below Patterson Bluffs, a wide granite face
that has very nice
waterfall, which drops several hundred feet in
two main parts. The creek crosses the road and tumbles on down the
canyon to the river. Ten miles from Balch Camp a two-mile dirt road
goes in to Black Rock Reservoir, a small PG&E hydro project with
a beautiful lake, with water plunging over the top of the dam in a
small but dramatic man-made
waterfall.
We
stopped and walked down to where we had a close view of the dam,
then drove farther in to the end of the road, where Mike, Johnny,
Colton and Jack set up their fishing
poles. At 4,000 feet, the
temperature was significantly cooler than the 1,100 feet at the
cabin, so we gathered dry wood and soon had a nice fire going. We
had snacks and wandered around looking at the snow on the ridge
above the lake. Although the fishermen didn't get any bites, we all
enjoyed the outing. On the way back home we had views of another
waterfall above the road not far from Black Rock.
The
day before our trip, I had prepared my famous crock pot chili. When we got back to the cabin I plugged in the pot and
got it heated up for our Saturday dinner. While it was simmering, we
got everyone together for a group picture by a big redbud bush
across the road.
Mike
had to work the next day, so was leaving after supper. The Upshaw's
had originally planned to stay a second night, but Johnny was
involved in a major kitchen re-model, so they also left on Saturday,
leaving just Teri and me to enjoy a quiet evening.
I
went out for a short walk, going up the road beyond the cabin, and
discovered a good size creek cascading down the hillside about a
quarter mile from the cabin. Across the river I could see another
party camped at Gravel Flats, one of two developed campgrounds on
the north side. I also saw a live salamander during this walk. By the time I got back it was almost completely
dark. For the first time we noticed that we could hear the generator
from inside the cabin with doors and windows shut. As long as the
boys were with us, there was always enough noise to cover any
outside sounds.
During
the night I heard rain on the roof, fairly hard at first, but it
settled down into a gentle sprinkle that didn't last more than half
an hour. Throughout the weekend we had clouds and sun, but only that
brief shower and a few drops Sunday afternoon.
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Part 2 - Goofy Smith Flat
& Garnet Dike
We had
invited my friend Wes Thiessen to join us for at least one day and
night, and he came up on Sunday morning. Teri wanted to get started
home around mid-day, so we planned a short outing - up the road to
Mill Flat Campground by truck, then a walk from there to Goofy Smith
Flat. I've
written about this location in the past, and Teri had been there
many years ago, but it would be Wes's first visit.
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Tributary creek
running into Mill Flat Creek from the west (Thiessen photo) |
Wes and Dick by the
Kings River |
Along the Kings
River National Recreation Trail |
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Teri
and I had a simple breakfast of cereal, after enjoying a visit by
several wild turkeys that walked down the road. Wes arrived about
9:45, and after he brought in his stuff, we got in my truck for the
two-mile drive to Mill Flat. This was the location I chose for my
first winter camping trip, decades ago. I've driven in past it, but
I have not camped there for a long time. At the campground the road
goes south away from the river and follows Mill Flat Creek for a
number of miles. This road eventually comes out on Highway 180 above
Dunlap, while the creek itself runs out of Lake Sequoia, near the
border of Kings Canyon National Park.
Although
I've driven past Mill Flat a number of times in the last ten years
or so, we planned to walk the final stretch. This was good, because
the gate across the road at this point was locked. A short distance
up the road there was a tree across the road which we could not have
moved or driven past, but which we could step over easily. A little
farther another more challenging tree blocked the road. Wes and I
made our way past where the base of the tree was against the bank,
stepping in mud and balancing on
rocks, while Teri chose the more
direct route of going through the upper branches lying in the middle
of the road. She does this sort of thing on a regular basis in her
job inspecting PG&E power lines.
A
little more than half a mile past the gate the road runs through a
level area close to the creek. When I first saw this place the words
"Goofy Smith Flat" were painted on the rock that makes up
the road bank. The letters have become more and more faded with
time, and in 2015 the words were barely
legible. Across the creek is an old
cabin which I insist is where the mysterious Mr. Smith lived and
did whatever goofy people do in that area.
On our
walk up and back we enjoyed views of the
creek, which was running
big, as well as wildflowers and green grass all over the hills.
About half way between the gate and the Flat a good size tributary
creek ran in from the west.
Once
we got back to the cabin, Teri finished loading up her car and
headed back to town, while Wes and I had a light lunch. He had
brought his bike and wanted to ride up the road, but first we went
down to the river. The first thing I noticed was that the flow of
the river had diminished somewhat since we were there Friday. Two
trees where the rope swing hangs over the river were in the water
two days earlier, but were now at the river's
edge. Colton's sand
sculpture had dried out and collapsed slightly, although the slanted
rock was still covered with sand.
There
are lots of trees and bushes down by the river, the most dramatic of
which are the big sycamores that can be found along waterways
throughout the foothills. There was also some redbud, and a small
forest of bush lupine in bloom. Here and there we saw ponderosa
pines, which usually do not grow below about 3,000 feet. These
trees, as well as cedars, are often seen by larger streams, which
carry cones and seeds downstream from the higher elevations.
We
returned to the cabin and Wes unloaded his bike and set off up the
road in the direction of Mill Flat. After a short time I followed on
foot, going only as far as the big creek just up the road to get
some photos. During these excursions, we felt a very few drops of
rain. When I got back I intended to take a nap, but ended up
spending most of the time getting a start on cleaning the cabin. Wes
rode almost to Mill Flat, exploring two campgrounds between the road
and river - Camp Four, and Green Cabin Flat Camp, which does not
actually have a cabin of any color.
Wes
was in charge of dinner and breakfast, and had brought lasagna from
Trader Joe's. When he returned from his ride, we turned on the
generator, figured out the oven, and enjoyed a glass of wine while
we waited the hour required for cooking. We worked on solving the
world's problems, without finding a workable solution, but worldly
cares were forgotten as we had a great supper of salad and lasagna.
As we entered the cabin after our outing, Wes saw a lizard, which
disappeared behind the couch and was not seen again.
As the
sun started to go down, we decided to take a late evening walk, and
headed west on the road toward the cattle guard and beyond. We were
treated to some amazing views of the surrounding hills lit up by the
setting sun, and Wes did his best to capture at least a hint of what
we saw in photographs.
The
next morning we had another visit from the wild turkeys, with a big
tom strutting and fanning his tail feathers, impressing the four
females with him as well as Wes and me. Wes cooked up a pot of
oatmeal with blueberries and raisins added to give us energy for the
day's activities.
Before
our trip, we had discussed several options for our Monday hike,
which would take place after we finished cleaning and moving out of
the cabin. We decided to drive up the dirt road on the opposite side
of the river, eight miles to a trailhead, and walk in for a mile or
so. The road ends at what used to be Garnet Dike Campground, but is
now designated as a raft put-in site (you can still camp there).
This marks the start of the Kings
River National Recreation Trail. It goes along the river for a
mile or two, then climbs up the canyon and over a series of ridges
and drainages, finally reaching Garlic Meadow Creek. I have
backpacked to this location and camped there at least three times,
but the six mile journey is not one I would try now. The trail goes
past the creek a mile or so, and it's possible to go out on a steep
slope and get a look at a nice waterfall where the creek drops down
toward the Kings River.
The
road proved to be in very bad condition in spots, and at its best
allowed speeds of no more than 15 MPH. Driving the mile from the
cabin to the paved road, then up the Garnet Dike road took us almost
an hour. Of course, we had to stop a few times to photograph poppies
and the
river. When we got to the trailhead, a couple was unloading
kayaks from their pickup and we talked to them briefly. They were
from Montana, and spend four months each year making their way up
the west coast, starting at Anza-Borrego
Desert State Park, kayaking and mountain biking. They were
camped downstream at Kirch
Flat, and had a small motorbike which the
man would ride back up to their starting point to retrieve their
truck.
We set
off on the trail, which is an old dirt road for the first few
hundred yards, and then becomes a hillside route for a while, with a
steep high ridge on one side and a drop-off to the river on the
other. It then went down to river level, and we continued about a
half mile in this section. We had crossed a small creek near the
beginning of the trail, and when the trail crossed a larger
tributary, we decided that was a good spot to rest and have our
snack. Throughout the hike we were walking among poppies, bird's eye
gillia, redbud, blue dicks, bush lupines, filaree, popcorn flowers,
yellow brodiaea, and the
usual unknown species. Miner's lettuce was in bloom with larger than
usual flowers, in big white patches.
Reluctantly
we turned our steps back to the west and back to my truck. Driving
out we had a view of a nice seasonal waterfall a few hundred yards
up from the road on the north side. I had seen this waterfall once
about 30 years earlier during an ill-advised attempt to camp in the
area when steady rain was predicted. Wes had driven out from the
cabin and left his Highlander where the dirt roads meet the
pavement, so we parted ways there and headed back home. To top off
the weekend, as I was crossing the Sycamore Creek bridge along Pine
Flat, a bobcat ran across in front of me. I slowed down to make sure
of what I had seen, and he had also stopped just over a rock barrier
and was sitting there checking me out.
During
our weekend, we all agreed we'd like to do this trip next year.
While writing this report, I've been thinking about the fact that
it's very nice in the foothills in April, and perhaps I will make a
return this year. If so, you'll be the first to hear about it.
NOTE:
The US Forest Service web site for the Kings
River National Recreation Trail contains incorrect directions.
Highway 180 does NOT turn into Trimmer Springs Road; it is Belmont
Avenue that does this.
STATISTICS
(For those keeping track, mainly me): Including the drive to Black
Rock and to Mill Flat, it was a 173 mile round trip.
I hiked a total of just under eight miles, a little more than five
and a half hours of hiking time. Yeah, we walk slowly.
--Dick Estel, April 2018
Camp
Four and a Half Photos |
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San Joaquin Gorge
Bridge
Despite
big rains in late March, I have been feeling the approach of warm
weather, reminding me it's time to do some more foothill hiking
before it gets too hot. So
on April 3 I drove the 35 miles to the San
Joaquin River Gorge,
planning to enjoy spring wildflowers as I hiked down the
Bridge Trail to the river, and perhaps a little beyond. |
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Fiddlenecks grow by
the tens
of thousands all over the Sierra foothills |
Blue oak wears
leaves of bright green in the spring |
A bumper crop of
baby blue eyes
competed with the fiddlenecks |
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From
the turnoff near Auberry to the parking lot, I saw more cars
driving in than usual, but there were still several spaces available at the
trailhead. A group of about eight was heading up to the San
Joaquin River Trail, while three hikers and their dog went down the Bridge
Trail ahead of me. On my hike I met or was passed by about a dozen
people, all taking advantage of an excellent spring day.
The
weather was warm, with a little breeze, so I was comfortable in a
short-sleeve T-shirt for the first time in a few months. Along the
road I saw thousands of fiddlenecks, lots of
bush
lupines, and a few
other flowers. Along the trail, with time to stop and look around, I
identified over a dozen species, with the fiddlenecks dominating.
There were also more baby blue eyes along the trail than I have ever
seen before. Other species in good numbers included popcorn flowers,
fiesta flowers, bird's eye gillia, redbud,
filaree,
phecelia, and
poppies. There were lesser numbers of owl clover, miner's lettuce,
tall ground lupine, dove lupine, Sierra star, and blue dicks.
Buckeye blossoms were just barely starting to develop.
Everything
was fresh and
green, well watered by recent rains, and there was
water in three of the little creeks that cross the trail. The river
itself was quite low and the water appeared murky.
When
I reached the bridge, I did not stop to rest as I usually would, but
kept going to the trail junction a little farther up the hill. After
the short climb to this point I decided I had gone far enough, and
sat on a nice rock to rest. I probably stayed there about 15
minutes, including time spent setting up the camera for a self
portrait.
Walking
back down the section of trail from the junction to the bridge, I
saw an unusual light tan
lizard, as well as a more common darker
one.
Although
the return trip is mostly up hill, it seems less difficult than it
did a few years ago, when I was not doing much hiking. I thought
about how I had hiked this trail back in the 80s without much
thought of it being difficult. Later it became longer and steeper;
now it has gone back to being just a moderate hike.
I
got back to the car about noon, and took my lunch to a picnic table.
I had my current book with me (via the iPad Kindle app), and enjoyed
my peanut butter sandwich and an orange.
Although
I had some errands to do when I got back to town, I was home and
ready to relax by mid-afternoon, already thinking about where and
when I would go for my next foothill hike.
--Dick Estel, April 2018
Bridge
Trail Photos |
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San Joaquin River
Trail West
The west end of the San
Joaquin River Trail starts at the
Finegold Picnic Area on Millerton Lake. It goes about 14 miles to
the San Joaquin River Gorge, but when I hike from the west, I
usually go in about a mile and a half. This is far enough to take me
through an amazing array of wildflowers, including those that favor
the shady lower slopes, and those that thrive in the open sun of the
upper part of the trail. |
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Chinese houses and
yellow daisy-like flowers |
Finegold Bay on
Millerton Lake |
Harvest brodiaea and
popcorn flowers |
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The trail
starts right at the edge of the upper level of the lake at 600 feet, and
rises to 1,200 feet at the top of a saddle that marks the usual end
of my hike. In the past I have tried to go a little farther each
time than ever before, but eventually the law of diminishing returns
kicks in, so I just went as far as I felt like, about another
quarter mile past the saddle. It was heartening to see that the lake
is nearly
full to capacity.
At
the right time of year, this is an excellent wildflower hike, and
with a fair amount of rain, and plenty of warm days in between
storms, the flowers are very good this year. The only species that
is out in huge numbers is the fiddlenecks, but on this hike I
counted at least 22 different types of wildflowers that I could
name, plus a few of the "unidentified" variety.
My
hike started at 9:30 a.m. on April 10, and with my propensity to stop and study
the flora and the scenery, took three hours with a round trip
measure of two and three quarters miles. It was a good day for
wildlife, as I saw about eight ground squirrels running across the
flat area below the parking lot as I started, and several more on
the hike. There was a flock of quail at the trailhead, and several
lizards in various places.
Going
back down, I left the trail and made my way down and across a
drainage, a side trip I had done once before. The grass was short
enough that this part of the walk was fairly easy, but it would not
be wise to try it in years when the grass is tall, or in the late
part of spring when it's getting dry.
For
those keeping track, the wildflower species I saw included
fiddlenecks, popcorn
flowers, blue dicks, purple
brodiaea, harvest
brodiaea, elderberry,
poppies, foothill gillia, birds eye gillia, miner's lettuce,
phecelia, tall ground lupines, dove lupine, bush
lupines, filaree,
lacepods, Sierra star, California jewel
flower, fiesta flowers, Chinese houses, thistle, and yellow clover.
This
type of hike makes me want to get out into the foothills as often as
possible while it's still nice and
green, but I have a lot of other
things scheduled in April, so this will probably be my last hike at
this location until the fall. At least I have a hike at the San
Joaquin Gorge scheduled, and a one-night return to Camp Four and a
Half Cabin. Stay tuned!
Dick
Estel, April 2018
San
Joaquin River Trail West Photos
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Back to the Cabin
In
my report
on our family trip to Camp Four and a Half
Cabin, I mentioned that I
was thinking of going back again this year. On April 30 I did just
that, this time accompanied only by my older great grandson, Colton. |
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Raising the flag |
A major earth-moving
project |
Common madea and
purple brodiaea |
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Colton's
dad Johnny brought him over on his way to work, a little before 7:30
a.m. I had just started breakfast, so after we got Colton's stuff
transferred, we said goodbye to Johnny, I finished breakfast, and we got
everything else loaded up, leaving Clovis about 8:30. I knew there were
people staying at the cabin the night before, and check-out time is
1 p.m., so I didn't want to arrive too early. To make the trip
longer, I planned to stop for a short hike, and a visit to
an area I thought Colton would enjoy.
About
35 miles into our 60-mile trip we stopped at the Edison
Point Trail by Pine Flat Lake. I've hiked here several times,
most notably in March three
years ago. The first part of the
trail is a service road to a
power transmission tower, but the very start of it is very steep. As
I expected, Colton ran up this part. The entire loop is not that
long, but is very demanding, and I had no thought of going farther
than the half-mile jaunt to the top of the point itself. However, a
tenth of a mile into the walk Colton was ready to go back. I
don't think the walk was a problem; he just didn't find this trail
very interesting. Of course, I can spend a half hour going 500 feet,
examining each species of flower and studying each variation in the
distant views. Although this hike was short, we saw quite a few of
the many wildflower species that brightened our trip. Most notable
here were Mariposa lilies, not in a thick carpet, but scattered
around in groups of a couple dozen or so within a twenty foot square
section in several locations.
We
continued on along Trimmer Springs Road, and saw a rare sight - the
lake was up past the Sycamore Creek Bridge, something I have not
seen in 20 years or more. It was also almost up to the Big Creek
bridge, where we turned off on the dirt road and drove in a few hundred
feet to the rock artifact I refer to as The
Waterworks, and which
some call a weir. There are at least five of these structures, all
built in drainages that lead into Big Creek, and I've written about
them before. They all have concrete basins or small dams built into the drainage.
Most have steps leading up the steep hill beside them, and various valves and what appear to be water gates.
The
steps are more and more difficult for me every time I go up, but
kids almost always go up with ease, and Colton was no exception. He
was quite impressed with this
location, especially when I explained
I had been there with his dad when Johnny was twelve or so. This was
one of the things he talked about at length when Johnny picked him
up the next evening.
The
steps end at the level of the top of the dam, 30 feet away from it, but in the past it
has been fairly easy to walk across the hillside to the rock and
concrete structure. However, this time a fallen oak tree blocked the
easy route, and we had to get past a barbed wire fence. There were
only two strands, and I was able to step over and Colton went under
with no difficulty. We chose a different route going back out.
We
got back on the paved road and continued the final leg of our
journey past the upper end of Pine Flat, across the bridge over the
Kings, and up to the dirt roads that lead up both sides of the
river. Our destination is on the south side, one mile in from the
pavement. Since we arrived about 11:30, I was not surprised to see
that the previous occupants were still there, but I was happy to see
that they were loading their vehicles. I talked with them briefly,
and was informed that neither the cooler nor the hot water heater
were working.
Colton
and I were both hungry, so we drove two miles up the road to Mill
Flat Campground and had a lunch of cheese, crackers and vegetables
at one of the picnic tables there. I had planned to walk down to the
creek, but access from the campground is very steep, so we skipped
that. On the way back I drove in to Green Cabin Flat group camp, a
large camping area with a few picnic tables, fire rings and a
toilet. It's a sand and gravel flat with bush lupines and other
vegetation, but is fairly open with few shade trees. It's a place I
would camp only if other areas were unavailable.
When
we got back to the cabin a little before one, the previous occupants
were gone, so we carried our stuff in. I had trouble opening the
combination lock, but it finally worked, only one of several
problems we encountered with the cabin. Since we had lit the water
heater with no problem the previous month, I suspected the people
there before us were just doing something wrong, but I could not get
it started either (not a big deal for only one night). After bringing
our sleeping bags and clothing in, our next activity was to raise
the flag, which Colton enjoyed last time also.
I
was interested to see if the river was higher or lower, and of
course, Colton is always ready to play in the sand and water. On our
previous trip I had noticed two trees near the edge of the river.
The water was above them on Friday, and below on Monday. This time
it was half way
between. Colton went to work creating a winding
track for a toy he had brought, the famous Yellow
Submarine. Sadly,
he knew nothing about the movie or the song.
We
then checked a slanted rock that he had covered with sand in March.
It had rained since then, and all sand was
gone, so he got busy
replacing it, carrying large handfuls of sand from various sources,
the wetter the better. I then remembered I had brought my folding
camp shovel that I've owned for decades, and we went back to the
truck to get it. He has played with it before, and on the way back
to the river, broke into a run, eager to get into wholesale sand
movement. He
finished the "sand on the rock" project, then just had a
good time moving sand around, using both shovel and hands.
After
about an hour of this, we returned to the cabin and I swept sand
from his jeans, washed the submarine in a bucket of water, and got
ready for a walk. We went up to the cattle guard about a quarter
mile west of the cabin. Colton enjoys making his way carefully
across these barriers, but he had way more fun climbing and swinging
on the adjacent gate. I was able to push it a full quarter turn in
one direction, and the faster I moved it, the better he liked it.
My
reward for this walk was getting to see a large number of wildflowers along the
road. The dominant flower there this time was common
madea, a large
yellow daisy-like bloom. There were also a lot of Chinese houses and
purple brodiaea along the shady side where the bank rises up
steeply. Others seen in good numbers included poppies, vetch,
miner's lettuce, filaree and harvest brodiaea.
We
walked back down the road to the cabin and a short distance beyond
to a small creek that runs into the river from the south, crossing
the road. The flow was noticeably less than it had been in late
March. Along this area I picked a "tree star" for Colton,
his name for sycamore leaves. These trees had been bare during our
earlier trip, but were now displaying soft, slightly fuzzy new leaves.
When
we got back to the cabin, I got dinner started - macaroni and cheese
for Colton and a pork chop for me. Based on other things he likes, I
am sure he would have liked the chop but he refused to try it.
We
spent the evening reading some kids books I had brought for him, all
of which he has heard before. His favorite is a very well done book
about the tropical rain forest, which inspired him to become a
jaguar part of the time. When it was almost dark we put on our
headlamps and went out for a short walk, just to the end of the
paved section in front of the cabin. We also went out right before
we went to bed, just on the back patio. It was completely overcast,
but we were treated to an amazing
sky view with the moon lighting up thin sections of the clouds,
creating an effect like marble. I
went outside twice more during the night - the first time it was
completely clear, while the next time it was sprinkling. This
shower, which started about 3:30, didn't last long, but there was
enough to create small puddles in the road.
We
both woke up around 7:30, but didn't get up right away. As we were
talking, Colton said "What's that noise?" I did not hear
anything, so we went out to the living room. "I heard it
again," he said. We looked out the window toward the back yard,
and saw four wild turkeys strutting and fanning their tails. We
carefully opened the back door to get a closer look, but they heard
us and left. They didn't run, just walked quickly past the generator
shed and out of sight.
We
got dressed and went outside and took down the flag, and I gave
Colton a lesson in flag folding. This was followed by breakfast,
Apple Jacks for him and Honey Bunches of Oats for me. I always have
muffins with breakfast, and he ate one on our first camping trip
last year. From then on he declared them to be "yuck" and
has a piece of toast instead. After breakfast I took a few photos of
the inside
of the cabin.
Next
we loaded up our stuff, cleaned the cabin, and got started
for home. When I got in the truck, Colton was pretending to be
asleep, but by the time we got on the road, he was napping for real,
and slept all the way home. Where the dirt road meets the pavement,
I saw two deer go down the bank toward the river. Both coming and
going we saw lots of cows along Trimmer Springs Road.
As
planned, we stopped first in Old Town Clovis, where Colton
immediately woke up. We planned to eat lunch at Scoops,
an old-fashioned ice cream parlor that also serves light meals, then
visit an antique store that had something I knew he would like.
Walking down the street, I noticed that the Dry
Creek Museum was open, so we went in there for a while. To my
surprise, Colton enjoyed this, and asked to return when we came back
from another camping trip a week later. At the restaurant we
had hot dogs, then got our
dessert. A "scoop" at Scoops is
equal to two or three normal scoops, and Colton was only able to
finish half of his. Of course, I was willing to take care of the
rest.
We
then went to Fifth
Street Antiques, a mall-style store with a number of stalls
where different dealers offer a wide variety of antiques,
collectibles, and just plain good junk. One section has some very
nice model trains, and Colton enjoyed this as expected. However, the
thing that seemed to really catch his eye was a Boris Karloff head. I
explained that this was the subject of "Monster
Mash," one of his current favorite songs.
If
I had any doubts about his appreciation for this trip, they were
removed when he announced that he would like to live at the cabin,
as long as Mom, Dad and Jack were there too. We are definitely
planning another family outing there next year.
Mainly for my own record, the flower species observed included yerba
santa, buckeye, elderberry, phecelia, poppies, Mariposa
lilies, white lupines, dove lupines, medium-size blue lupines, bush lupines,
farewell-to-spring, unidentified yellow-flowered bush, vetch, miner's lettuce, common
madea, Chinese houses, purple brodiaea, harvest
brodiaea, climbing
brodiaea, blue dicks, fiddlenecks, filaree, globe
lilies, mustang
clover, clover, Sierra star, blazing star, bird's eye gillia, yellow
throated gillia, and a one inch diameter orange flower that I've
seen once before, on the Finegold Trail.
--Dick Estel, May 2018
Back
to the Cabin Photos |
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Wawona Hike and
Camp
My
daughter Teri has been organizing hikes in the Sierra mountains and
foothills for the last couple of years. Maybe "organizing"
is the wrong word. She posts a notice on Facebook saying when and
where, a group of her friends (and friends of friends) have access, and whoever shows up does
the hike. While the group is mostly women, due to my connections
I've been invited, and have been able to make most of them. On May 5
the destination was Wawona in
Yosemite
National Park, and her
grandson Colton was also invited. |
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Chlorophyll-free,
the snow plant adds a bright spot |
Dick, Lucy, Emily,
Colton,
Teri and Kara, holding Bella |
Colton Upshaw, trick
rider |
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Teri
drove up in her motor home on the 4th and spent the night at the
Swinging Bridge trailhead, about two miles from the highway. On the
morning of the 5th I picked up Colton at 7:15 and drove up Highway
41 to the parking lot at Forest Road where Teri was waiting. We were also joined by Kara,
Lucy and Emily. I've been on other hikes with Emily, but had not
previously met the other two ladies.
Our
plan was to hike the Wawona Meadow Loop, a distance of a little more
than four miles. I was not sure if Colton would be up to this long a
hike (it's right at MY limit), but his dad said "He can do
it," and no one suggested that he couldn't. I privately thought
to myself - it's fine to say he can do it, but Johnny would not be
there to deal with any problems that might come up.
We got
started a little after 9 a.m., crossing the section of the meadow
that has been made into a golf course. The trail then goes north on
the west side of the meadow through a forest of ponderosa pine,
cedar, firs, black oaks, and dogwood. There are numerous plants
and bushes, most of which I can't identify, and quite a few wild
flowers.
About
a mile into the hike Colton asked me when we would be going back. I
realized that he's used to trails where we walk in then back out;
this was his first time on a loop trail. I explained that the trail
was a circle, and we would get back to where we started. I also
suggested to Teri that we have a rest and a snack, which I think was what he
really wanted. This proved to be effective, and we were soon on our
way again. Near the mid-point of our walk we found a large rock with
room for all six of us to sit while we had lunch. After a group
photo nearby, we continued our journey, with one more short snack
break for Colton.
This
trail is close to level, with just a little up and down. There are
views of the meadow at various places along the way, and enough
variation in the terrain and
vegetation to make the entire trip
interesting. The last quarter mile is the most challenging, not
because of the hiking, but because you have to walk right along the
side of the main road. Most drivers obey the 35 MPH speed limit and
are aware that the area has a lot of pedestrian traffic, but it's
still necessary to be alert along this stretch.
We got
back to the motor home about 1:30, with two and a half hours of
actual walking time, and total mileage of 4.23. Colton was
disappointed that Kara, Lucy and Emily were not going to camp with
us, but their plans were for a day trip only. We said our goodbyes
and drove the short distance into the woods and our campsite at the
trailhead.
We
didn't do any more hiking that day, just had fun hanging out around
camp. Colton set a new record for altitude with the Stomp
Rocket, and Teri fixed us a delicious dinner. I did take a short
walk by myself on the Swinging Bridge trail, going about half way to
the bridge.
The
next morning we had a visit from a
grouse that wandered under and around the motor home, and stayed
near us for at least five minutes. After breakfast Teri left, and
Colton and I hiked to the Swinging
Bridge. He was sad about Teri not being with us, but when we
arrived at a small creek that crosses the trail his attitude
improved 100% and he played in the creek for several minutes. We
continued on to the bridge, went across, enjoyed looking at the rushing
river, and started
back. On our previous visit on December 31 we had noticed a
small fallen log that had limbs just right to stand it up and create
an "animal" that could be climbed
on and "ridden," so Colton spent quite a bit of time
at this spot.
We got
back to my car and headed for home. Driving through
Oakhurst we had a long delay. There was an accident at the Highway
41/49 junction, and it took us over a half hour to get through town.
At some point I said to Colton, “we’re finally going home.” His reply: “I don’t want to
go home, I want to go to downtown Clovis
and go to the museum and ice cream place.” (This was what we had
done returning from the cabin a week earlier).
When we got to Highway 45
about 15 miles from home, I
stopped and called Brittany, his mom, and invited her and
brother Jack to join us for ice cream. Colton
slept most of the way home, and was hard to wake up when we got to Clovis
. We had to wait about five minutes for Brit and Jack, and Colton fell asleep
again sitting at
one of the outdoor tables. After Jack and Brittany arrived, he got
woke up pretty good and enjoyed his ice cream.
Colton
is a creature of habit, and I suspect he will want to go to Scoops
after every camping trip from now on. Of course, I don't think I can
complain too much about having to eat ice cream.
--Dick Estel, May 2018
Wawona
Hike & Camp Photos
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Photos
(Click to enlarge; pictures open in new window) |
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Camp
Four and a Half Photos
San
Joaquin Gorge Bridge Trail
San
Joaquin River Trail West
Back
to the Cabin
Wawona Hike & Camp |
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Camp Four and a Half Cabin
(photos by Brittany Upshaw, Wes Thiessen and Dick Estel) |
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Secata Falls |
Picking wildflowers |
Colton and Jack
ready for a hike/ride |
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Exploring the creek |
Teri helps Jack on
the gate |
Jack with rocks and
a stick |
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Colton did a lot of
digging |
Covering the rock
with wet sand |
The finished project |
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On
Friday the trees were in the water, but by Sunday
the river had
dropped enough to leave them on land |
Patterson Falls by
the Black Rock Road |
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Water ran down the
rocks everywhere
(by Brittany Upshaw) |
Teri, Mike, Johnny,
Colton and
Jack check out the dam |
Black Rock Dam |
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The snow line was
only a few hundred feet above us |
The fishermen |
Colton |
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Gathering firewood |
The fire felt good
at the 4,000 foot elevation (BU) |
Mill Flat Creek |
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Bright green moss
and a wet rock |
Wes along the road
to Goofy Smith Flat |
Debris line shows
the water level during the storms a few days earlier |
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This tree was a
challenge for all of us |
Teri took the most
direct route (WT) |
There was redbud
everywhere |
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A huge sycamore by
the Kings River |
A quarter mile from
our camp, this stream deserved the name of Cabin Creek |
A big buckeye
dominates this view from our "back yard" |
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Corral across from
the cabin |
Sunday night sunset
(WT) |
Tom let it be known
that he was Boss Bird (WT) |
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Wes
always stops to smell the flowers |
Dick on the Kings
River National Recreation Trail (WT) |
Looking west down
the Kings River from the trail |
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Striking rock
formation set off by clouds |
Huge sycamore root
seems to be reaching toward the river for a drink |
Redbud
in bloom by the river |
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One of many huge
valley oaks near the cabin |
Lupines at Green
Cabin Flat campground |
Brilliant sunset
clouds |
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Ths seasonal falls
appears only after big rains |
Poppies above
Trimmer Springs Road |
Fiddlenecks beside
Pine Flat Lake |
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San
Joaquin Gorge Bridge Trail |
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Lupine along the
road into the Gorge |
The ubiquitous
filaree |
Dead branches among
all the new life |
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Fiddlenecks against
the sky |
Close-up shows how
fiddleneck got its name |
Phecelia up close |
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The section of the
trail I call Lupine Point |
Bush lupine at the
point |
Baby blue eyes
close-up |
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Poppies appear in
only a few locations |
Redbud near the
bridge |
A slightly rare
tan-colored lizard |
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Dick resting near
the trail junction |
The bridge and the
murky San Joaquin River |
A classic spring
scene |
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San
Joaquin River Trail West |
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Quail at the start
of the trail |
Fiddleneck close-up |
Purple brodiaea |
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Clouds over the
ridge |
Blue oaks abound
along the trail |
The upper part of
the trail is the place to see lots of bush lupines |
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Poppies, phecelia
and a lupine |
My reward for going
cross-country was this log house |
Bull pines and
clouds |
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Mostly fiddlenecks
and popcorn flowers |
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Back
to the Cabin |
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Colton at the Edison
Point trailhead |
Dick on the trail |
Hills above Pine
Flat Lake are quickly turning brown |
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On the steps at the
"waterworks" |
View of the dam from
below |
Colton on the dam |
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Poppies on the hill
across from the cabin |
Here's where we
compare water levels
(compare March levels here) |
The Yellow Submarine
works on sand also |
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The slanted rock,
washed clean |
Gathering wet sand |
Re-covering the rock |
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The slanted rock,
restored to
it's proper sandy condition |
Better than swinging
on a star |
The Kings River near
the cabin |
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Chinese houses |
Harvest brodiaea |
This flower needs to
be identified |
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Globe lilies |
Colton on the road
near the cabin |
Camp Four and a Half
Cabin and a big valley oak |
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Inside the cabin -
front door |
This painting
emphasizes the western theme |
Flowering bush along
Trimmer Springs Road |
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Pine Flat Lake is up
past the Sycamore Creek Bridge for the first time in decades |
Back in Clovis - ice
cream at Scoops |
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Wawona
Loop Hike and Camp (Photos by Kara, Colton and Dick) |
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Colton near the
start of the trail |
The dogwoods were in
full bloom |
Close-up of 4-inch
blossom |
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Downed logs must be
climbed |
Colton and Dick
enjoying a rest |
One of the best
things about hiking - crossing creeks |
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The southeast corner
of Wawona Meadow |
An old rail fence
surrounds much of the meadow |
Typical view along
the east side |
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Our camp visitor, a
grouse |
Riding the horse-log |
South fork of the
Merced River just above the Swinging Bridge |
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Dick on the bridge |
Colton on the Bridge
Trail |
Yellow violets |
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Indian pinks |
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Related Links |
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Camp
Four and a Half Cabin |
Cabin
Creek Video |
Garnet
Dike Rafting |
Kings
River Trail |
Black
Rock Road |
Kings
River Wildflowers |
San
Joaquin River Gorge Special Recreation Management Area |
All
my reports on hiking and camping at San Joaquin River Gorge |
San
Joaquin River |
San
Joaquin River Trail |
Millerton
Lake |
Sky
Harbor Hiking |
Wawona |
Yosemite
National Park |
Swinging
Bridge |
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