Dick's Adventures of
2020 - Part 3 |
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Ahwahnee
Hills Edison
Point Hike
to Camp 4 1/2 Cabin
Buckeye Helipad
Edison Point Again
Goofy Smith Flat
North Fork & Manzanita Lake
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Ahwahnee
Hills
On
March 27, the
day after our Sycamore picnic area
hike, Teri, Jackie and I drove
(in separate cars of course) to the Ahwahnee
Hills Regional Park on
Highway 49, five miles west of Oakhurst. There we were joined by my
younger daughter Jennifer and her colleague from the Madera Schools,
Donna, along with Kenzie, a large young dog who proved to be well
disciplined on the trail.
This
area was once the site of a tuberculosis sanitarium, and briefly
served as a boys' ranch around the 1980s. The property sat idle for
some time until it was purchased by the County of Madera, which
developed a series of hiking trails and opened it to public use.
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Donna,
Jennifer and Teri near the start of the trail |
Dick,
Jennifer and Jackie |
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The
trails split off into loops here and there, so you can make it a
long or short walk. We followed what is nearly the longest possible
path, around two and a quarter miles total. Along the way we
traveled past huge old valley oaks, walked along a nice creek,
and enjoyed the view of a large pond occupied by ducks and geese. |
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The area
is decorated with many huge old valley oaks |
This
lovely stream runs along one border of the park |
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Clouds
are reflected in this pond at the north end of the area |
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There
are benches for resting along the paths, and we had a view of snow
at fairly low elevations. When we returned to the parking area, we
enjoyed our snacks and took a carefully spaced group photo. There
were not a lot of wildflowers but we saw plenty of fiddlenecks and
popcorn flowers along Highway 41 on the way up from the valley, and
improved our mental health by getting out on a beautiful spring day. --Dick
Estel, March 2020
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A recent
storm brought snow down to the 3,000 foot elevation |
Jackie,
Teri, Jennifer, Donna and Dick stand at a
safe distance while Kenzie relaxes |
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More
photos |
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Edison Point Trail
Since
I went to this location on March
9, why would I go again on March 31? First, this time I was able
to hike with my daughter Teri. Second, a week or more of rainy
weather in mid-March has produced an explosion of wildflowers in the
foothills, reviving what looked like a very poor season.
Following
our current practice, we drove in separate cars to the Edison
Point trailhead, on Trimmer Springs Road parallel to Pine Flat
Lake. Traveling separately is highly unsatisfactory, because one of
the joys of trips like this is the conversation in the car on the
way. It's also not the best thing for the air, but these outings are
absolutely necessary for our mental health.
The
display of new green grass and wildflowers begins at the lowest
foothills, and gets better as the road approaches the lake. A second
batch of grass seeds have germinated, bringing green back to hills
that were turning brown. At one lake overlook I counted eight
species of flowers, dominated by fiddlenecks, purple vetch, and
phecelia. |
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Cows enjoy a new crop of grass along Trimmer
Springs Road |
Fiddlenecks, purple vetch and phecelia create a
colorful pattern |
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From
the Edison Point parking area, you can take the official trail south
to the point itself, where a huge power transmission tower dominates
the landscape. Or you can cross the road and follow a gated dirt
road that runs between the main road and the power line - a service
road to provide access to the transmission towers.
We
took this route first, enjoying a view of snow-topped mountains, and
a few flowers we had not seen elsewhere this year, including the
rare globe lily, and the showy mule ears. We also had to be aware of
thick patches of poison oak along the road, some of it still showing
brilliant red new leaves. |
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View of Sierra snow from the power line service
road |
We rarely see more than three or four globe lily
plants |
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Mule's ears |
Resist the temptation to touch the colorful
leaves of poison oak |
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As
an example of how flowers have increased in three weeks, on March 9
I saw exactly three stems of purple brodiaea. On this latest hike we
saw too many to count. The yellow harvest brodiaea was also
abundant. |
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Purple brodiaea likes cool, shady spots |
A relative, harvest brodiaea can handle more sun |
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After
going a little farther on this route than I had on two previous
hikes, we returned to the parking lot and went south on the Edison
Point Trail. This is a loop trail that goes down to the water's
edge, then zig-zags back up to the parking area. We hiked
it several times previously, but it goes straight down the hill
in one place, and is blocked by many fallen trees, and we don't
intend to go on it again. We went the half mile to the point, and
found some nice rocks in the shade where we enjoyed our snack and
lots of flowers, including milkweed, lupines, and a hillside covered
with poppies. |
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Milkweed stands out among the surrounding grasses |
A hillside of poppies and fiddlenecks |
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Our
two-part hike added up to 2.19 miles, and brought my personal total
for the month to 40 miles, the most I've hiked since November, 2016.
It was also one of the warmest hiking days of the year, and even
with a slight breeze, I was comfortable in a short-sleeve t-shirt.
As
we said our goodbyes, we discussed future hikes, the next one to
take place only three days later.
--Dick
Estel, April 2020
More
Photos |
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Hike to Camp 4 /1/2 Cabin
For
each of the last four years, we have made reservations to stay at Camp
4 1/2 Cabin, a former ranger residence along the Kings River, one
mile up the dirt road on the south side. In 2017 we had record rains,
there were slides on the road to the cabin, and our reservation was
canceled. However, I walked
in to see just how bad the road really was.
Everything
worked out fine in 2018
and 2019.
This year we scheduled our family camp for Wawona in May, so my
younger daughter who lives in Oakhurst could join us. However, I still
reserved the cabin for early April, planning to go with my friend Wes.
daughter Teri, and great grandsons Colton and Jack. Unless you've been
living on Venus you know that the whole world's plans for April have
been disrupted.
However,
it's still possible to walk in along the road that goes to the cabin,
and I did just that on April 3, along with Teri and her mother Jackie.
We drove two separate cars the 60 miles to where the dirt road leaves
the pavement and parked there, near the Kings River.
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Spectacular popcorn flower display along Trimmer
Springs Road
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Blue fiesta flowers stand out among the fiddlenecks
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It
was a warm day, with a nice breeze much of the time, and the flowers
got better and better the farther back into the Kings River canyon we
went. Although the most common flowers were probably fiesta flowers,
growing in thick patches of small blue blossoms, the real show came
from the poppies. They grew along the side of the road most of the way
in to the cabin, and created large orange splashes on the hills on
both sides of the river.
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Part of the poppy border along the road to the
cabin
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Typical scene on the hills above the Kings River
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We
also were delighted to see quite a few purple brodiaea, the first
western wall flowers we'd seen this year, and samples of most other
"regular" foothill flowers, including shooting stars, blue
dicks, globe lilies, Indian pinks, and the usual masses of
fiddlenecks. As expected during spring along the river, there was a
fantastic showing of redbud. On the drive home, I saw a hillside
covered with what I'm pretty sure were farewell-to-spring along
the road.
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The showy purple brodiaea grow on the shaded side
of the road
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Rock cliffs above the road offer a perfect habitat
for succulents
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Bright Indian pinks were out in small numbers
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The redbud was at its best along the upper Kings
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Developed
areas, including all campgrounds and the cabin, are closed, but hiking
and "socially distanced" enjoyment of the national forest is
permitted and even encouraged. We were unable to work up any feeling
of guilt when we sat at a picnic table behind the cabin and enjoyed
our lunch, with no other human in sight.
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Jackie and Teri enjoy lunch next to the cabin
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Typical Sierra spring - snow and poppies
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Our
Friday hike marked the end of a full "work week" of
delightful spring weather, but we were well aware that the weekend
forecast called for as much as two inches of rain in the area, and
plenty of snow in the high elevations. We were happy to have scheduled
this outing ahead of the weather change.
Each
time we have stayed at the cabin, we have been visited by wild turkeys
in the mornings. We did not expect to see them on this visit, but as I
was driving home, I came upon a half dozen of them, taking their sweet
time crossing Trimmer Springs Road just past where it leaves the
lakeside. It was a fitting end to a special spring day in the
foothills
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--Dick
Estel, April 2020
More
Photos
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Buckeye
Helipad
On
April 7 Teri and I set off for the foothills, in separate cars as
required by the strange times we are living in, hoping to hike at San
Joaquin Gorge. We knew we might not accomplish this goal for a couple
of reasons. This has become a very popular area, with the parking lot
nearly full even on weekdays, especially with a lot of people not
working. We had decided if it was crowded, we would go somewhere else.
And there was always the possibility that the area would be closed.
When
I reached Smalley Road, the turnoff from Powerhouse Road, there was a
notice that the campgrounds and "recreation areas" at the
Gorge were closed. This seemed at big vague to me, so I continued down
Smalley till I came to the border between private and pubic land,
where the gate was closed and locked. How hard would it have been to
include four simple words on the sign: "The trails are
closed."
I
returned to the Power House/Smalley junction and met Teri a few
minutes later. We decided to drive up Auberry Road through Meadow
Lakes and Alder Springs, a scenic route that goes up from Auberry at
2,000 feet to join Highway 168 at 4,400 feet. After that we headed
down the section of Highway 168 known as the "Four Lane" and
hiked at the Buckeye
Helipad. I had done this in December,
2018, in reverse order, and we were both familiar with the scenic
views along Auberry Road.
The
weather for the day was clouds and sunshine, and as we drove along the
places where we would have an unobstructed view of the Sierra, the
clouds were in control. Later we had glimpses of snowy peaks through
the trees, but never a view like this
one from 2018. At the highest part of the road there were small
patches of snow for several miles, and the temperature dropped down to
39.
It
was the same when we arrived at the Helipad, which is located at just
under 4,000 feet, but walking quickly warmed us up. There is a dirt
parking area off Highway 168, where it cuts across a rocky hillside.
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Another sign at the entrance announces that hiking,
biking and horseback riding are permitted here
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A section of the highway at the base of this
rocky slope can be seen at the lower left
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It's
only a short walk to the
pad itself, but then a dirt track goes up hill, levels off, goes
up again, then drops down to an area that has been disked up. Along
the way we had views of the mountains in the Kings Canyon area and to
the southwest.
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View of an area that has been cleared and plowed up
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Vista to the southwest from the trail
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We
went down to the plowed up area, stopping to check out a large
bulldozer and disc that appear to have been sitting there for some
time. New grass and plants have had time to grow in
the dirt clinging to the dozer tracks and disc. We went a short
distance past this point, then returned and sat on the dozer while we
had our snack.
There
was a bush lupine and some fiddlenecks by the entrance road, manzanita
in bloom and a few small filaree blossoms along the trail, but
this was not a wildflower hike. Instead we were impressed by the large
number of black oaks in the area. They are not yet leafing out, but
provide some color with a few dry leaves from last season.
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Sitting and rusting
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A few of the many black oaks in the area
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With
our snack finished, we made our way back up the steep, rutted track,
enjoying the shifting views of clouds and blue sky
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This section of the road is steeper than it looks
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Clouds to the west
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Although
we could not hike at our planned destination, we saw some great
scenery, got to drive through snow, and enjoyed a hike of just under a
mile and a quarter. We were expecting rain the next two days, then
another good hiking day on April 10. Watch for news about that.
--Dick
Estel, April 2020
More
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Edison Point Again
Are
we running out of places to go? You might think so, considering that
this was my third visit to Edison Point this spring - a solo hike on March
9, a walk with Teri on March
31, and now with Teri and Jackie on April 10. One week earlier the
three of us had hiked along the Kings River above Pine Flat Lake. In
between we had several days of rain, with more than an inch watering
the foothills, and a foot or more of much-needed snow falling in the
higher locations.
The
wildflowers keep getting better with each visit, and this time was no
exception. I had spotted a small patch of farewell-to-spring on my
drive home from our cabin hike on April 3. This time they covered the
road banks in many areas. Tall blue ground lupines made an appearance
on the trail, and grew in profusion along Trimmer Springs Road. We
also saw white lupines, bush lupines, poppies, fiddlenecks, popcorn
flowers, phecelia,
purple and yellow
brodiaea, milkweed, common madea, and some we could
not identify.
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Lupines by Trimmer Springs Road
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White lupines along the trail
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Poppies are thicker each time we go to the
foothills
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A mix of popcorn flowers and purple vetch
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It
was also a good day for bird-watching. I saw a wild turkey while
driving up on the main road, and during our hike we saw hawks,
buzzards and an eagle. None of them posed for a decent photo. We also
saw a lot of deer
tracks on the trail.
When
we reached the point, Teri went up the hill to the east and got our
first photo of the year of owl clover, as well as a close look at the
thousands of poppies scattered all over the hillside.
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Jackie watches as Teri explores the hill above the
point
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Her exploration revealed a nice patch of owl clover
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We
enjoyed our snack sitting
on rocks in the shade, where we had a view of the lake, plenty of
flowers, and a wildlife guzzler surrounded by fiddlenecks.
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A perfect day at Pine Flat Lake
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Wildlife
Guzzler near Edison Point - rainwater flows
down the metal panels into a concrete basin below
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When
we got back to the parking lot, there were a dozen cars there, but we
only saw one group and one solo runner on the trail. The rest had
apparently made their way down to the lake for fishing.
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Teri and Jackie, almost done with the hike
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View up the Kings River canyon from Trimmer Springs
Road at Piedra
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Although
our outing lasted two hours and 45 minutes, we only logged 51 minutes
of hiking time, covering just under a mile and a quarter. We used the
rest of the time enjoying fantastic spring weather and the beauty of
the Sierra foothills, a needed respite from the grim news that
assaults us every day.
--Dick
Estel, April 2020
More
Photos
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Goofy Smith Flat
I
have a long-standing habit of giving names to landmarks that lack one.
Sometimes I learn that the mountain or dome or camping area already
had a name that just didn't appear on the map. Sometimes my name is
better - would you rather hang out at Bald Mountain Base Camp or
Stargazer Rock?
However,
I didn't make up the name Goofy Smith Flat. When I first visited this
location, it was painted on the rock cliff beside the road, along with
an address. Sadly it's almost completely washed
off. Where Trimmer Springs Road crosses the Kings River and begins
to follow the North Fork, dirt roads go east on both sides of the main
river. Three miles up on the south side is Mill Flat Campground, where
the road turns away from the river and follows Mill Flat Creek. This
route takes you to Goofy Smith Flat, where there is a small building or
cabin made of corrugated metal on the opposite side of the creek.
Research
revealed that no one can tell me anything about Mr. Smith. Was he a
miner? A cattleman? Was he really goofy, and if so, was he
certifiable? I've asked members of the county historical society, and
they know nothing. A search on the Internet is no help, although at
one time it led me to my own earlier
page about the area, or my visit with Wes and Teri in
2018.
But
that was then and this is now, and on April 16 Teri and I drove in
separate vehicles to the locked gate at Mill Flat Campground, and
walked on the dirt road for a little over a mile to the notorious Mr.
Smith's old stomping grounds. If you followed this road to its final
destination, you would come out on Highway 180, a few miles up from
Dunlap on the route to Kings Canyon National Park. The gate by the
campground has been locked for at least two years, with no
explanation.
Of
course, we were not there for the history or any of that stuff - we
were there for the flowers. They seem to be better with each of our
trips into the foothills, and more profuse the farther up the river
canyon we go. It helps that we have had brief storms about once a week
in April.
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Chinese houses and common madea along Trimmer
Springs Road
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We haven't been able to identify this rather showy
flower
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Driving
the winding road beside Pine Flat Lake, we had spectacular view of
lupines, fiddlenecks, popcorn flowers, and above all, poppies.
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Poppies above the Kings River
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Looking north from the road along Mill Flat Creek
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The
floral beauty continued during our walk, with lupines vying with
poppies for dominance. We saw several species for the first time this
year, including one of our favorites, Chinese houses. Also making a
first appearance were mustang clover, foothill gillia, yellow-throated
gillia, and climbing brodiaea.
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Poppies and lupines
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Owl clover
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Mustang clover and poppies
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A dramatic hillside of poppies
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All
along the way we had views of Mill Flat Creek, which cascades down
through a rocky bed with few areas of still water. Most of the way the
road is about fifty feet above the creek, although cows have made
narrow, muddy trails down to the water in a number of places. Neither
of us was tempted to try them. At the flat the road reaches the level
of the creek, and we were able to easily walk through the rocks and
grass for a closer look. We also found a perfect flat rock with room
for us to sit the proper distance apart while we enjoyed our lunch.
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Mill Flat Creek descends from Sequoia Lake
just outside of Kings Canyon National Park
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Teri by the road at Goofy Smith Flat
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For
the third time saw a wild turkey and a bald eagle. We enjoyed a walk
of a little more than two miles, with a few gentle ups and downs, but
generally easy walking on the smooth road
bed. Although we took nearly three hours for our journey, my phone
recorded only 70 minutes of moving time. That's what happens when you
have to stop and enjoy the
scenery every hundred feet or so.
--Dick
Estel, April 2020
More
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North Fork Ranger Station & Manzanita Lake
After
so many spring hikes to places we've been many times, on April 23
Teri, Jennifer, Jackie and I went to a place that only Jennifer and
her husband Rod had
hiked before. The first stop was not exactly unknown territory - it
was the ranger station in North Fork, a small Sierra village south of
Bass Lake. I'd stopped there with the Ramblers to use the facility,
but did not even know that there was a small hiking trail. It's
the Cedars
Interpretive Trail, a mostly paved loop of just under a mile, that
goes down into the valley of Willow Creek, then back to the road and
up to the parking area. Another loop section was closed for repairs,
but there's a rumor that some hooligans of my acquaintance hiked on it
last week.
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Teri, Jackie and Jennifer on the trail
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Rod where the trail is a boardwalk, a week earlier
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Walking
along the trail where it ran parallel to the creek, we spotted several
deer on the other side. Hiking and driving we saw many hawks and
buzzards, and while I was on the North Fork Road where it ran between
two banks, two wild turkeys flew overhead. In a tree in front of the
ranger station there was a baseball-size bird's nest.
Although
winds up to 25 MPH were predicted for parts of central California, we
experienced only a few gentle breezes, which were welcome on this very
warm sunny day.
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Jennifer on her hike with Rod
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A compact, well-made bird's nest near the ranger
station
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After
returning to our cars, we drove about two miles up Road 222, which
eventually goes to Bass Lake. However, we stopped instead at Manzanita
Lake, a small facility downstream from Bass Lake at the 3,000 foot
level. There is a picnic area there, and a sort of trail or road along
the west side of the lake. We walked to the dam and back, adding
another mile to our total, and enjoying spring growth and a few flowers.
We
enjoyed our lunch near the lake, joined by several ducks who seemed to
be finding natural food among the gravel. There were probably a dozen
other people there with several kids playing in the water. Since it's
snow melt that passes through a larger, deep lake, it was surely too
cold for us, and in fact none of the adults in the other parties
seemed to be getting wet.
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Manzanita Lake
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Manzanita Lake dam
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The spillway
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Ducks joined us for lunch
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After
enjoying our lakeside excursion, we set off for home in our three
separate vehicles. Instead of following the North Fork Road back out
to Highway 41, I turned left at O'Neals
and took Road 211, AKA Hildreth Road, into Friant. Along the way I
enjoyed several miles of spring beauty with lots of spectacular
flowers. I also saw another deer.
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Happy cows along Road 211
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Spring has lasted later than usual this year
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With
the temperatures shooting into the high 80s and even 90 degrees, we're
planning one more foothill hike in the Pine Flat area before the heat
dries out the grass and sends the flowers into dormancy.
--Dick
Estel, April 2020
More
Photos
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Photos
(Click to enlarge; pictures open in new window) |
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Ahwahnee
Hills Hike
Edison Point Trail
Camp 4 1/2 Cabin Hike
Buckeye Helipad
Edison Point Again
Goofy Smith Flat
North Fork & Manzanita Lake |
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Ahwahnee Hills Hike
Photos by Dick, Teri, Jennifer & Donna |
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Snow on the hills
above Oakhurst |
Old schoolhouse at
Ahwahnee Hills |
Break time |
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Donna and Kenzie
take a rest |
Kenzie gets VERY
affectionate |
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Edison
Point Trail |
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Teri at the far
point on the power line service road |
Pine Flat Lake from
the service road |
Blue dicks, another
brodiaea variety |
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The bull pine trunk
on the right fell right
between two small blue oaks |
There was one small
patch of lupines on the trail, but we saw many more by Trimmer
Springs Road |
These brodiaea grow
right in the middle of
a patch of poison oak |
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Dick on
the trail |
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Camp
4 1/2 Cabin Hike
Photos by Dick & Teri |
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Looking down into
the valley of Hughes Creek
from Trimmer Springs Road |
Rock formation with
dead grass next to the dirt road |
Looking down at
redbud and the river |
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It's a
magical year for California poppies in the upper Kings River Canyon |
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Buckeye
Helipad |
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The Buckeye Helipad |
The wind sock |
Manzanita in bloom |
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The trail continues
an unknown
distance beyond this open area |
Dirt in the disc
supports new grass |
This charming
creature appeared
as we were ready to leave |
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Dick on
the bulldozer |
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Edison
Point Again |
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Filaree
appears early and stays late
all over the valley and the foothills |
This
little flower has a precarious
spot in the parking lot |
Harvest
brodiaea |
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Visibility
marker balls where the
power line crosses the lake |
Teri and
a few thousand poppies |
One of
several hawks we saw |
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The
fuzzy-looking phecelia |
Dick at
Edison Point |
Jackie
rests in the shade |
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We saw
lots of deer tracks; deer, not so much |
Although
beautiful, this thistle is an invasive species |
Purple
brodiaea adds color to this
foothill landscape scene |
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Goofy
Smith Flat |
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A showy,
unidentified flower |
Mariposa
lilies |
Poppies
appeared on the slopes
above and below the road |
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Teri on
the road to Goofy Smith Flat |
Is this a
mutant blue lupine? Or just faded? |
A
fantastic cloud formation |
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Phecelia
at the flat |
Globe
lilies appeared frequently along the dirt roads |
These
orange succulents were thick in the rock cliffs beside the road |
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White
lupine at Goofy Smith Flat |
The Great
Salt Lick |
Only a
few letters remain from the sign that identified this location as
Goofy Smith Flat |
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North
Fork Trail, Manzanita Lake, Sierra Foothills
Photos by Jennifer & Rod Neely & Dick Estel |
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In 80
years I've seen lots of signs but not one lion |
Teri and
Jackie by the railing |
Jackie,
Teri and Dick on the road
next to Manzanita Lake |
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Newly
opened black oak leaves |
Blossoms
next to Manzanita Lake |
Flowers
along Road 211 |
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A
tranquil Sierra foothills scene |
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Related Links |
|
Ahwahnee
Hills Regional Park |
Highway
49 - The Golden Chain Highway |
Madera
County |
Pine Flat
Reservoir |
Edison
Point |
Dick's
Pine Flat & Upper Kings Travel Reports |
Camp
Four and a Half Cabin |
Kings
River Special Management Area |
California
Poppies |
San
Joaquin River Gorge |
Buckeye
Helipad |
Meadow
Lakes |
Wildlife
Guzzler |
Visibility
Marker Balls |
Mill
Flat Campground |
Mill
Flat Creek |
Bass
Lake |
Cedars
Interpretive Trail |
North
Fork |
Manzanita
Lake |
O'Neals |
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