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2018
Ramblers Hikes Page 3
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The
Ramblers are Carolyn Amicone, Julie Hornback, Wes Thiessen, Don
McClellan, Sue Wirt, Elsa Sweeney, Ardyss Webster, and Dick Estel, former colleagues at the Fresno County
Department of Social Services, and former CDF firefighter Allen
Ward. Every month or so we get together for
a short hike, good conversation, and lunch. |
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Photos
Related Links
More
Travel Reports 2017
Hikes 2018
Part 1 2018
Part 2 |
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Taft
Point Nelder
Chimney Tree Trail
Millerton Blue Oak Trail |
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Taft Point
My first
visit to this location was in 1982. The
Ramblers went in August
2015 and I went a few
weeks later with daughter Teri and a friend of hers. For some reason I am able to remember trails as
being easier than they really are, and I told the people going this
year that our route was "fairly level, with some ups and
downs." I'm still getting harassed about that.
But
we all survived and had a good time, and saw some unexpected sights.
Our party consisted of Sue Wirt, Ardyss Webster, Wes Thiessen, Dick
Estel, and Allen Ward, a friend and high school classmate of Sue's.
He is a retired CDF firefighter, and has some issues with one leg,
but he made the hike with no real problems, even though it was
longer and somewhat harder than advertised.
The
trail starts on the Glacier Point Road in Yosemite
National Park, about 14 miles from the main southern access
road, Highway 41. We
had been warned that parking at the trailhead was very crowded, so
we left the city by 8 a.m., but we still had to drive past the
parking lot and find a spot along the road that proved to be three
tenths of a mile from the trail, adding over half a mile to our
total hike. Once we got our packs and boots on, we made the
sometimes tricky walk along the road to the start of the trail, and
took the left fork to Taft
Point. The other choice is Sentinel Dome, where Wes and I hiked
in July.
Our
parking difficulties were forgotten as we walked among red firs, western
white pines, Jeffrey pines, and a seemingly endless array of ferns
turning yellow for fall. |
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We all
need someone to lean on |
Ferns
turning gold with the arrival of fall |
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The
trail had a lot more up and down than I remembered, and the last
hundred yards or so were particularly challenging, with a steep, rocky
stretch as we approached our destination. There were many places
where we had to step down eight inches or more, using our poles to
maintain balance. For some of us, this was too big a step, but Wes
managed to find short detours where the drop was only a few inches
and led us safely toward The
Fissures. According to the unofficial web site, "These immense vertical gashes in the valley wall were caused, it is now believed, by an epic battle between Mothra and Godzilla, during which Mothra slashed at his scaly foe but missed and raked his talons against the
cliff side instead." OK, that may be a bit fanciful, but the
reality is equally dramatic - natural fractures separating the rock into two pieces that have not yet slid apart. These fissures
range from two to ten feet across and offer some dramatic
views.
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The big
fissure to the right runs in at a right angle from the valley rim |
One of
several smaller fissures that run perpendicular to the big one |
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The
most unusual sight along the trail was several people in suits
and ties. We soon learned that they were part of a wedding party
that had chosen the magnificent views from Taft Point as a backdrop
for their vows. We chatted briefly with the bride and groom, and
wished them well. We also met hikers who advised us that some people
had set up a slack line at the edge of the cliff. Although the
photos and Wes's video
make it look like a crazy daredevil stunt, the rope walker was
wearing a harness fastened to a safety line, and when he did fall,
he just experienced a short bunji-style drop of about eight feet,
and quickly got back on the rope. (In the video, scroll in to about
the 1:40 point to see him get up and walk the rope.) |
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You have
to sit on the rope and think about what you're about to do for
a while |
Don't try
this at home - or anywhere! |
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Even
without daredevil activities, there's plenty at Taft Point that takes your
breath away. Beyond the fissures, you can walk up the rock a short
distance and go right to the edge of the cliff. One website makes a
big deal about the lack of railings, and that was true in 1982, but
some time since a short section of safety railing has been installed
at the highest point. There's still plenty of room near the top
where you can walk right up to the edge and look over, with no
protection. Perhaps it's best to lie down and peek over the rim as I
did in 1982.
Or you can just casually dangle your feet over the 3,000 foot cliff,
as Tim and
Scott did back then. |
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Taft
Point as viewed from the northwestern most part of the fissure |
The
Ramblers: Dick, Sue, Allen, Ardyss and Wes |
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From
Taft Point there is a fantastic view of the western end of Yosemite
Valley. You can see Yosemite Falls, or rather where it will be after
the rains come, but nothing much east of that - no Half Dome, no
Vernal and Nevada Falls. You are looking down at the top of El
Capitan, and down the river canyon, well below the valley, you can
see the rounded top of some granite cliffs that are not visible
when you're driving in the canyon.
The
elevation at Taft Point is 7,500, about 300 feet higher than Glacier
Point, so the limited valley view is compensated for by a more
extensive view of the high country beyond the northern rim. |
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Looking
down at the rounded top of El Capitan. You can climb it from the
valley, or hike out from the Tioga Pass Road north of the rim |
A high
angle view of cliffs in the river gorge below the valley |
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We
walked down away from the rim and found a shady spot with good rocks
for sitting, and enjoyed a robust snack. This gave us the
much-needed energy to climb up from the rim through the steep rocky
section to the forested trail beyond. Along the way we enjoyed the
shade of the red firs, the most common tree along the way, and found
a place for the official "Wes on the Rock" photo. |
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The
predominant tree along the trail is the red fir |
In the
woods, we found a perfect spot for the traditional "Wes on the
Rock" photo, a bit less breath-taking than his first
time at Taft Point |
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By
the time we reached the trailhead, whoever said it was a
"fairly level" hike was in danger of being expelled from
the group. There is some debate over whether I used those words, or
if maybe Wes was responsible. The email records are being reviewed
as this is written.
The
trail is said to be 2.2 miles round trip, but that does not take
into account the wandering around people do when they reach their
destination, trips off the trail to look at ferns, and in our case,
the six tenths of a mile round-trip walk along the road between
trailhead and where we parked. In the end the hiking app on my phone
said we went 3.25 miles, and I have tested it against known mileage,
so I think that was pretty accurate.
It
must be noted for the record that we drove through areas where the Ferguson
Fire this summer burned over 96,000 acres and caused the closure
of parts of Yosemite National Park for several weeks. It started
near the confluence of the main Merced River and its South Fork, and
burned its way up both canyons. North of Wawona the road goes high
up along the canyon of the South Fork, and there were places where
the trees were blackened
sticks, and the ash on the ground gave the appearance of a
dusting of snow. There was a short stretch of damage along the
Glacier Point Road. Fortunately the places of beauty greatly
outweighed this sad sight.
Despite
the physical effort of our hike, we had a great time. Sue, Ardyss
and Allen had never been to Taft Point before, and were suitably
impressed. The hike took so long that we decided not to stop for
lunch, but instead went to the Wawona
Store for snacks as needed. It was after six before we got back
to the valley, and Allen still had another hour's drive to Visalia.
(The sign on the store actually says "Big Trees Lodge
Store," but those of us who have lived near Yosemite most
of our lives will never stop using the historic
original names.)
As
we said our farewells, we agreed that our next outing will be at
Nelder Grove, where the trail is fairly level, with just a few ups
and downs.
--Dick Estel, September 2018
More
Taft Point Photos |
(Ferguson
Fire photo courtesy Susan Crandall) |
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Nelder
Grove Chimney Tree Trail
Let's
open this report with Wes's traditional after-hike message:
What an amazing adventure! Today the Ramblers traveled to
Nelder Grove above Oakhurst to hike the Chimney
Tree Trail. This loop trail follows the California Creek on two sides. We caught the
fall colors in the "nick of time" as the slightest breeze dislodged the leaves of the
dogwood, azalea, oak and other deciduous trees and plants. It was a wonderland of color with the sun "back lighting" these leaves. We followed the rule of John Muir by sauntering through the forest stopping every few yards to "ooh and
ah" over the natural
beauty. We walked under a green canopy of the forest enjoying what the Japanese call
"forest
bathing." And we were all the better for it. |
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Dogwood
lit up by the sun |
Sun-lit
dogwood stands out in the dark green forest |
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This
outing was special for a couple of reasons. First we welcomed Allen
Ward as an official member of the Ramblers. He met our rather
demanding qualifications of hiking with us for the second time. Even
more heartening to long-time members, it was the first time
since December that Don was able to join us, after dealing with
health issues that required him to use a walker for several months.
He was still not up to hiking, but brought his walker (for
occasional use), his chair, and a book, and set up an outpost at the
Interpretative Center while the rest of us hiked.
As
noted above, we walked on the Chimney Tree loop trail, which starts
a short distance from the Interpretative Center, and goes gently up
hill parallel to California Creek, crosses the stream on a bridge,
and winds its way back to the old road between the campground and
the Bull Buck Tree. This is now the "short trail" to the
Bull Buck, having been closed to vehicles for several decades.
We
had the trail guide prepared by Brenda Negley, who served as
campground hostess for several years, following in the footsteps of
her grandparents, who held the job for 20 years. With support from
the US Forest Service, Brenda and others placed numbered wood markers
along the trail at various points of interest, with descriptions
available in the trail guide. Sadly, most of the markers were
missing, and some had been moved far from their proper location.
This
did not detract from our enjoyment, since we could recognize many of
the features, and those we didn't see were there and part of our
experience. Some of the notable stops include a section of sequoia
log which was cut by
ax, one of only two trees felled in that
manner. There are many stumps along the way, part of a total of 277
big sequoias cut down for posts, shingles and shakes, mostly in the
1880s and 1890s. The forest consists of many young sequoias, along
with white fir, ponderosa and sugar pine, and cedar. As often
happens in our warming, drier climate, we saw a few wildflowers.
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Azalea
decorates an old stump from logging days |
There
were a few of these late-blooming lupines throughout the area |
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There
are only a few mature sequoias along this trail. We
easily recognized the California Tree, the first large tree most
people notice along the trail (its marker was
stashed away in the burned out opening of a nearby stump). The trail's
namesake Chimney Tree is also easy to spot. It was burned out in the
middle in the early 1900s, so that you can stand inside it and look up at the sky - but
the tree still lives, tribute to the hardiness of these wonders of
nature.
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Wes at
the base of the California Tree |
Like many
big sequoias, the California Tree has a dead top |
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The
Chimney Tree |
Looking
up the "chimney" |
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After
a gentle climb parallel to the creek, the trail crosses on a bridge,
and it's an easy downhill stroll from there. Beyond
the bridge we had good views in several spots of
the Old Forester
tree, 299 feet tall. This was named to honor long time Sierra
National Forest Supervisor Walter Puhn. When Walter was informed
that a tree was to be named in his honor, he declined to have his
name on it, but instead suggested the Old Forester name to honor all
the Sierra foresters before and after his tenure. |
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Sue and
Ardyss on the bridge over California Creek |
Wes on
the bridge |
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Top to
bottom view of the Old Forester |
A fallen
sequoia log, surrounded by dogwood and evergreens |
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Of
course, it's almost illegal to visit Nelder Grove without a stop at
the Bull Buck
Tree, a couple of hundred yards from the end of the
Chimney Tree Trail. The name comes from the term for woodsmen who
felled the trees and "bucked" them into logs. The woods
boss was called the Bull Buck. This tree is certainly one of the
most impressive trees in the grove, as well as the most accessible
and one of very few that offers a top to bottom view from a distance
that does not require straining one's neck. This was not the case
the first time I saw it in the late 1960s, but the Forest Service
cleared a path uphill from the tree, so that it's easy to view it
and take photos of the entire tree. At the end of the path is a
bench constructed by the late John and Marge Hawksworth, long-time
campground hosts.
The
Bull Buck is neither the largest nor tallest tree in the grove, but
it has the largest circumference at ground level, owing to its
dramatically flared base. And its size is nothing to scoff at -
it's the second largest tree at Nelder, and the 43rd largest Sequoia
in the world - a respectable position among perhaps as many as
10,000 significantly large trees. The
Yosemite
Hikes page offers an assessment that I cannot improve on: "The Bull Buck Tree is not only humongous and humongously old, but also serves as a sort of platonic ideal of tree aesthetics, pleasingly proportioned with a nicely arranged selection of bark, branches, and leaves, providing the kind of profile that any sky would feel flattered to have rising in front of it. You get the sense, gazing on it, that this is what other trees should aspire to. If you count yourself a looker-at of trees, in short, this one belongs on your list." |
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Never
hesitate to take one more photo of the Bull Buck Tree |
Elsa,
Dick, Sue, Ardyss and Allen enjoy a rest at the Bull Buck vista |
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Elsa
joins the hundreds of visitors who have been photographed at the
base of the magnificent Bull Buck Tree |
The
thick, full top of the Bull Buck |
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After
we had properly communed with nature at this special spot, we made
the short walk back to the campground, and on the Interpretive
Center. When we arrived Don was nowhere to be seen, although his
chair and walker were there by a picnic table. Despite his physical
limitations, he has been an avid camper and hiker for decades, so we
were not worried about his safety. He soon came ambling down a
nearby hill. With the
temperature barely above 50 degrees, he had gone to find an open sunny spot. We hikers had been comfortable
walking with two or three layers, but of course, Don spent most of
his time sitting. He did make the 100 foot walk down to the Big Ed
Tree, and proudly announced that he had hit 500 steps for the first
time since his health problems began early in the year.
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Big stump
in the interpretative area |
The
Ramblers: Ardyss, Wes, Sue, Allen, Don, Elsa and Dick |
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The
only picnic table was in deep shade, so we set up our folding chairs
in a sunny spot and enjoyed the sandwiches we had picked up in
Oakhurst. We reflected on what a fine day we had been blessed with,
with brisk autumn weather and blue skies. At 5,000 feet elevation,
we realized that this would probably be our last mountain outing of
the year. But plenty of trails await in the foothills and even in
the valley, and our monthly adventures will hopefully continue for
many more years.
--Dick
Estel, November 2018
More
Chimney Tree Trail Photos |
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Blue
Oak Trail - Lake Millerton
With
colder weather approaching, the Ramblers chose a low elevation destination for our November hike. Ardyss, Sue, Don, Dick, Wes, and
Allen met on November 15 at a shopping center in the small town of Friant, just
down river from Friant Dam. From there we drove in two vehicles to
the entrance to the Millerton
State Recreation Area, paid our $9 fee, and continued to the
trailhead for the Blue
Oak Trail.
This
trail follows the shoreline of Lake Millerton, and goes through
endless specimens of its namesake tree, as well as an occasional
live oak, plus willow near the water. There are also rocks and
boulders of all sizes in interesting shapes - no doubt partly
sculptured by the rising and falling of the water level over the 80
years of the lake's existence.
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A serene
vista with the dam to the right |
Rock
formations sculpted by the elements |
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Don
is still not ready to hike, so he set up his chair in the shade of a
willow tree between the trailhead and the water line, which is down
a good distance from the high water mark. He could move from shade
to sun as conditions dictated, and also enjoyed a little walking
down to the shore and to a nearby rock pile.
The
rest of us set out on the trail, always hopeful of spotting one of
the eagles that nest near the lake. This was not to be, but we did see a
redtail hawk, several ravens, a rabbit, and a goodly number of
ground squirrels. On the water there was a flock of
birds, most
likely coots. |
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Don had
his choice of sun or shade, and a nice view of the lake |
Ravens
joined us at several places along the trail |
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On
our previous hike we've had a good view of the Sierra Nevada
upstream from the lake, but smoke from fires in northern California
hid the higher part of the range. We had to be satisfied with the
nearby foothills.
On
most of our hikes some feature of the landscape catches Wes's eye,
and he focuses on that in many of his photos. On this day it was the
shore, with the dramatic rock formations and ever-changing views of
the lake, and part of the time he walked down by the water, well
below the trail. This enabled him to capture an interesting shot of
the rest of us hiking single file along the grass-lined trail.
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Leaves
changing color, and a view of the golden foothills across the lake |
Wes, the
lone hiker, searching for the perfect photo by the shore |
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An out of
this world vista |
Allen,
Ardyss, Sue and Dick, in serious hiking mode |
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Of
course, we found a place for the mandatory "Wes on the
Rock" photo, and also created an "Everyone on the
Rock" pose, with Sue volunteering to stay safely on the trail
while she snapped our picture. |
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Wes on
the Rock |
Almost
everyone on the rock |
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This
trail runs from the state park to a private marina, a distance of
around two miles. Except for one time when we left a vehicle at both
ends and hiked the entire length, we have always gone about a mile,
then turned back. This time we did not turn back until we had gone
farther than ever before. At the end point there was a buckeye tree
which I photographed. Looking at the photo later, I noticed a nest
in a blue oak beyond the buckeye.
We
made our way back to our starting point, where we found Don right
where we had left him, although he reported that he had wandered
down to the water and explored the area a little. We took our group
photo next to his shade tree. |
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Photographing
this buckeye tree in fall color, we also captured a nest in a blue
oak beyond it |
The
November Ramblers: Dick, Wes (in front), Don, Sue, Allen, Ardyss |
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In
keeping with tradition, we went back to our meeting place in Friant
and had lunch at the Pizza
Factory. And in another tradition, Wes summarized the day in a
post-hike email:
Today the Ramblers hiked over
two and a half miles along the Blue Oak Trail at Millerton Lake. With no rain this season, the landscape was "California Golden" and the water level was quite low, exposing islands and rock formations not usually seen. We looked hard for eagles that are known to nest in these
blue oaks. One passing hiker reported an eagle sighting near the water's edge. But for us, seeing those majestic birds was not to be. We did have a great time of laughter and camaraderie. As many of you know, Don is a nature lover. His health did not permit him to join the hike. Instead, he found a comfortable spot near the trail-head and soaked in the beauty of the lake. We all had a good time.
We
discussed the possibility of a December visit to the Mariposa Grove
of Sequoias in Yosemite National Park, weather permitting. As this
report is being completed at the end of November, the winter storm
season has begun in earnest, bringing several feet of snow to the
mountains above 6,000 feet. It looks like our destination will more
likely again be in the low country.
--Dick
Estel, November 2018
More
Blue Oak Trail Photos |
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Photos
(Click to enlarge; pictures open in new window)
(Photos by Wes
Thiessen and Dick Estel) |
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Taft
Point
Nelder
Chimney Tree Trail
Blue Oak Trail Photos |
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Taft Point |
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We
couldn't even see the official parking area, a third of a mile down
the road from Sue's RAV4 |
In a
land of granite, this big quartz outcropping provides a startling
contrast |
East
of the big fissure is a ridge with interesting rock formations |
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Ardyss,
Sue and Allen rest among the rocks and manzanita |
Sue
looks quite comfortable, one step from a 3,000 foot drop-off |
Near the
trailhead, a stately Jeffrey pine |
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Heading down the tricky last 100 yards |
Looking
up the Big Fissure |
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Nelder Grove Chimney Tree Trail |
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A fallen dogwood branch
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Dogwood
by a section of an old sequoia log |
Sequoia
log used for posts |
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The stately Old Forester Tree
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One of
the few sequoias to lose a battle with fire |
It's
hard to see, but there is a small evergreen growing on top of this
old stump |
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Green mold or lichen on a fallen log
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Ponderosa
pine, dogwood, and lots of young trees |
Black
oak along the trail to the Bull Buck |
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Fall scenes along the Chimney Tree Trail, October
2018
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Blue Oak Trail
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Falling water level creates a striking pattern of
parallel line
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Looking up river past weathered rock
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Willow by the shore
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This dead blue oak invites hikers to pose under its
natural arch
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Wes finally came back from his shore explorations
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Seeds for next year's flowers
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Keeping a sharp eye out reveals nature's artwork
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The trail goes through a narrow passage here
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Coots on the lake
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Related
Links |
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Taft
Point |
Slack
Rope Walking Video |
Yosemite
National Park |
The
Fissures |
Taft
Point Video |
Wawona |
Yosemite
Names Dispute |
Ferguson
Fire Map |
Ferguson
Fire Photo |
Nelder Grove |
Chimney
Tree Trail |
Bull
Buck Traril |
Bull Buck
Tree |
Big Ed
Tree |
Dick's
Nelder Photo Page |
South
Shore Trail Info
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Millerton
State Recreation Area |
Pizza
Factory |
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