Outing Reports
Yosemite Backpack Reports, Summer 2011 ~ by Elaine Gorman
The Tuolumne River level was unusually high this summer, and we bit our fingernails as we anxiously awaited our July 20 departure into the Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne.
Two days before the hike we heard an encouraging report that Yosemite backpackers had been safely hiking the 32 miles from Tuolumne Meadows to White Wolf. We set out on a casual stroll through the northern
half of Tuolumne Meadows, with only knee-deep crossings of Delaney and Dingley Creeks. We had our first glimpse of the Tuolumne's power at Tuolumne Falls -- the kinetic energy of the water was rushing and roaring within its confines of granite. Further downstream, LeConte and Waterwheel Falls displayed magnificent "rooster tails". Spending 3 days hiking and camping along our beloved Tuolumne was magical. We even met and chatted with John Muir (actually Howard Weamer, who portrayed John Muir in the recent PBS special of Muir's life in America)!! Our steep ascent to Harden Lake was ameliorated by great views, a long lunch stop at Morrison Creek, and yodeling opportunities. Other highlights of the trip included rock art in Pate Valley, wildlife (rattlesnakes, bears, and deer), and lush gardens of wildflowers.
Thanks to Tim, Jerry, Anita, Jim, Russ, Chris, and Paul for joining me.
Our 17th annual Summer Backpack began with a hike across the unusual "buttressed arch" dam of Eleanor Lake. After a brief lunch stop at Frog Creek cabin, we ascended almost 2000 feet to Laurel Lake, where we had a much anticipated dinner. Day 2 took us to Vernon Lake, where several of us took advantage of splashing in this beautiful granite-rimmed lake. On Day 3, three of the party had to reverse course and leave the scheduled hike due to a minor injury that prevented one person from continuing upwards as planned. Meanwhile, the rest of us began some serious off-trail hiking on Day 3, as we negotiated rock ledges and exposure on our way to secluded Branigan Lakes. The three fishermen in the group happily practiced catch-and-release with the trout.
On Day 4, we continued our cross-country meanderings through talus and brush, as we skirted the other Branigan Lakes. When we reached Falls Creek and the Jack Main Canyon trail, the mosquitos were out in full force. At our campsite at Mahan Lake, we enjoyed swimming in the refreshingly cool water, but beat a hasty retreat to our tents at sunset, thanks to the mosquitos. We descended Moraine Ridge on Day 5, dropping about 4000 feet, and camped at relatively luxurious Frog Creek cabin site. The next morning, we were back at the vehicles by 10 am, and we enjoyed a leisurely lunch at Black Oak Casino (we recommend the lunch buffet). Thanks to Randy and Jerry for co-leading and organizing, and to Tim for help with cross-country route-finding. Kent, Jean, Sylvan, Patty, & Christi joined us on this fun adventure.
Escalante Adventure ~ by Elaine Gorman
Our Russian Olive eradication project in Utah began early on April 10. Way too early. Delta-Sierra Outings Leader Paul Plathe rang the doorbell at 2:30 am, and shortly afterward, Russ arrived. We managed to cram 6 days worth of backpacking gear into the Prius and headed south. And although it was dark and slightly spooky outside,
I breathed a huge sigh of relief.......our trip was delayed and almost cancelled due to snow in western Utah, and the possible shutdown of the federal government.
In Barstow, we began to maintain cell phone contact with Tom, our volunteer from Apple Valley. After driving through the Mojave Desert and approaching St. George, Utah, with its surrounding tilted multi-colored layer cakes of rock strata, I felt I had made the final transition into the southwest. We picked up Glen Canyon National Recreation Area ranger Bill Wolverton at his home in Escalante, then we headed to our favorite local restaurant and met Tom. As we were finishing dinner, Don, Andy, and John S. arrived to join us. Back at Bill's house, we admired the kitties then headed to Bill's basement where we were given the deluxe "tour" of his model train collection.
At breakfast the following morning, we were joined by John V., a resident of Salt Lake City and arch enemy of Russian Olive (RO). Paul and Bill quickly finished up the Sierra Club and Park Service paperwork, and we headed toward Egypt trailhead. After dividing up the gear and food amongst our group of 9, we took a few beginning photos, then headed down the steep sandstone rock on the cairn-marked trail. It was cool and overcast, and we had our trail lunch near the Escalante River. Bill took us on an overland ledge route, which saved us many river crossings. We had fabulous views of the river, side canyons, and soaring sandstone cliffs, alcoves, and formations. After crossing a gigantic sand dune, we splashed through the Escalante, and soon entered our base camp for the next 6 days.
The following days were spent battling invasive, non-native Russian Olive. Armed with a chainsaw and a crew of "swampers" with Pulaskis, Bill cut down the large RO shrubs which lined the Escalante. Standing knee-deep in the cold water, the swampers would pull the cut material into the river. The rest of us hand-sawed through smaller stands of RO, and sprayed the stumps with an herbicide -- ironically named "Habitat". We cleared around the larger diameter RO, preparing the area for future chainsaw crews. Our efforts were further challenged by the vast amount of flood debris which had piled up on the upstream side of the vegetation. Expletives were often heard as we were repeatedly stabbed and slashed by the 2"-4" thorns. As we tiredly gathered our tools at the end of the day and headed back to camp, we felt a sense of accomplishment as we walked through the RO-free riparian zone.
Our group swelled to 10 as Michael M. joined us on the 2nd day of work. Obtaining drinking and cooking water, preparing dinners, and washing pots for a group this large were monumental tasks. We crossed the river to get spring water, hauling a dozen 1.5-gallon containers back-and-forth. Someone was often at the industrial-strength Katadyne water filter, purifying drinking water. John S. and I were the dinner cooks, and kept everyone fortified with Tortilla Soup, Mac n cheese with smoked ham, mashed potatoes with chicken/vegies/gravy, and Rice Krispy treats. One consequence of our invasion of our camp spot, which saddened me a bit, was that we soon had numerous trails from kitchen to tent to the Escalante. In the evenings, we usually stayed up a while to catch the first stars, enjoy the light of the waxing moon, tell jokes, eat popcorn, and when Bill wasn't repairing equipment, listening to his tales of canyoneering in the desert. Our camp activities were often accompanied by the gobbling of wild turkeys.
One afternoon, Bill took us on a field trip to a couple of nearby side canyons. We had the privilege of seeing ancient, undisturbed Anasazi granaries, which contained centuries-old corncobs, with the mud cement showing fingerprints that were left behind during construction. We also saw a beautiful pot, broken into a couple of large pieces. Walking several hundred feet above the Escalante, we were treated to magnificent views of the river and the stunning red and orange sandstone.
On our last day, after an early visit to our camp by the Easter Bunny, we hiked out along the eastern side of the river. We hiked by large patches of purple vetch and ready-to-bloom cacti. Our friction walking skills were tested on the steep Wingate sandstone ledge. The weather had warmed up during the week, plus we were now climbing over 1000 feet, so we gladly took a break at Fence Canyon where we checked out some petroglyphs of bighorn sheep and turkeys. After lunch, we made our final ascent to the trailhead.
Back in Escalante, Tom took off to make it back home by midnight. The rest of us showered and enjoyed dinner together before we left for California. Abrazos y besos to Paul Plathe for organizing this fun and worthwhile outing. His leadership is admirable. Ranger Bill Wolverton inspired us all with his dedication to re-wild the Escalante by removing Russian Olive. To mis hombres on the outing......Thanks a bunch, I had a blast, and I look forward to next year's trip.
To learn more Bill's project, and how you can volunteer, go to
http://www.math.utah.edu/%7Esfolias/canyontales/wolverton/articles.php
If you are interested in joining Paul next year, you can contact him at gorgescramble@comcast.net.
Superbowl Sunday Snowshoe Hike ~ by Monica
Our snowshoe hike to Calaveras changed venue due to a lack of snow. On the way up to the Dodge area, we kept looking out the window and not seeing any snow! Fortunately, when we got there, the conditions were still good for us. It was a lovely sunny day! The snowshoeing was smooth and we even had a patch of pine needles to sit on for our picnic lunch. We did a nice loop over the Bridge and around Burnt Bowl, then headed back uphill. There were 12 in our glorious group, some beginners, and everybody did great! We all had a good time eating Chinese food together and getting to know each other. Thank you to Ann, a leader from the Sonora area, for agreeing to co-lead and be sweep!
Mt. Diablo ~ by Elaine Gorman
We couldn't have picked a more beautiful day -- the day was sunny but not too hot, and the mud from the recent deluges was mostly dried up. We started the "Giant Loop" near the Visitor Center, where we picked up new maps and wildflower guides. As we began our hike up Mitchell Canyon, we passed groups of birders, families, and mountain bikers. Approaching Deer Flat, the lush vegetation became more xeric, and the ferns and stream-side plants were replaced with chaparral and Coulter and Gray pines.
We had lunch under the still-bare branches of blue oaks at Deer Flat, with expansive views to the north of the communities and wind turbines along Carquinez Strait. On our way to Deer Flat Creek, we found a deep, wide pool. Some hikers chose the poison oak route, while the rest of us rolled up our pants, took off our shoes, and waded in. Refreshing!! We chose to descend on the Middle Trail, which gave us a view of several waterfalls in the ravines of North Peak and Mt. Olympia. When not dodging the tendrils of poison oak, we were able to enjoy some early wildflowers -- lupine, shooting star, chocolate lily, star zigadene, hound's tongue, and Indian Warrior. On the Donner Canyon trail, we saw a flock of wild turkeys, and Alan answered their gobbles with a Tarzan yell. We were a bit tired as we neared our vehicles -- we had climbed 2300 feet and hiked 10 miles. We relaxed with cold beverages and Mexican food in Brentwood before we headed home. Participants included Tim, Cyril, Alan, Bonnie, Arleen, Jim, Monica, and me. Special note: Alan and Bonnie have joined the Yokuts on several outings and activities since November. They met on a Yokuts hike at the San Joaquin National Wildlife Refuge. So, take a hike, get your feet wet, explore nature, and meet a special friend. The Sierra Club may improve your love life
Powell and Chewing Gum Lakes on Sept. 25 ~ by Monica
The weather was perfect for our hike to Chewing Gum Lake. We had beautiful sunny skies with fluffy clouds and cool temperatures. Sandy, JoAnne, Shirley, and I enjoyed the vista from the overlook at Gianelli and Lake Powell was in fine form with some rather large Pussy Paws. At Chewing Gum, we spied some interesting creatures in the lake, which JoAnne later identified as “that strange insect larvae we saw in the lake is a hellgrammite. It is the larval form of the Dobson fly (not the dragonfly)”.
There was also a family of ducks cruising around. Overall, it was a beautiful day!
A Week in Yosemite Valley ~ by Elaine Gorman
The sight and sound of Bridalveil Fall -- mist and thunder -- greeted us as we entered Yosemite Valley. Roadways and paths were edged with blooming dogwood trees. The cliffs on both sides of the valley were topped with glittering snow, and dozens of ephemeral cascades bounced their way down the granite walls. Our car was filled with camping gear, ice chest, and other necessities for a week of life in Yosemite Valley and service at the LeConte Memorial Lodge.
Under the tutelage of curator Bonnie Gisel and her scottie dog Atwood, myself and two volunteers from San Diego, John Fankhauser and Bob Fullerton, greeted visitors, explained the exhibits, and helped set up for the evening programs. We had the opportunity to meet hundreds of visitors from all over the United States and other countries. The LeConte Memorial Lodge (LML), originally built in 1903 near Camp Curry, but located since 1919 just west of Camp Curry on Southside Drive, is a beautiful building with granite walls and a steep wooden roof. The LML is named for Dr. Joseph LeConte, charter faculty member of the University of Calif., Berkeley, who taught Geology and Natural History courses. He was also a friend of John Muir and charter member of the Sierra Club. The LML served as the first visitor center in Yosemite, a meeting place for Sierra Club members, and housed a Sierra Club library. These activities continue today, with the addition of a children's corner where young visitors can play with nature-related toys, create art, or read one of the many childrens' books. There are also several interactive displays on John Muir, Joseph LeConte, the Sierra Club, and climate change.
Besides being steeped in Sierra Club/Yosemite lore at the LML, we had time to explore Yosemite Valley. On our days off, we hiked to the top of Yosemite Falls, to Snow Creek's confluence with Tenaya Creek, and to Vernal Falls. We were able to participate in Yosemite Association hikes, attend Lee Stetson's portrayals of Muir at the Yosemite Valley theater, and go to evening ranger programs at our campground. During our week of service, the evening programs at LML included presentations on hiking Half Dome, Native American Storytelling, and the famed Yosemite camping trip of John Muir and Theodore Roosevelt.
Spending time in the campground with Bonnie, John, and Bob, was also enjoyable. Sitting in our campsite and looking up at North Dome, Half Dome, Glacier Point, Cloud's Rest, Royal Arches, and Yosemite Falls was awesome. Each night we were serenaded by chorus frogs, and once by a coyote. During the day we had sightings of deer, coyote, bear, and lots of birds, including a close inspection by a pileated woodpecker.
If you would like to be a volunteer at LeConte Memorial Lodge, contact Bonnie Gisel at bonnie.gisel@sierraclub.org. I recommend the month of May, when crowds are diminished, the mosquitos haven't hatched, and the campgrounds are quiet. I have already signed up for next year. Please visit LML the next time you are in Yosemite Valley. To learn more about the LML, check out the website, www.sierraclub.org/leconte. Donations are welcomed.
Yokuts Backpack trip report ~ by Elaine Gorman, photo by Tim Ford
Yokuts 15th Annual Summer Backpack began with a bang -- and a clap of thunder, a flash of lightning, and a barrage of hail and rain. We hurried up and over the pass out of Leavitt Lake and dropped down to the West Fork of the West Walker River. By the time that we set up camp, the sun had come out, and our first delicious trail dinner of burritos with fresh avocados was savored. Marty, Kent, Randy, and Elaine sang the rest to sleep with our melodious crooning. The next day we headed up to the "lady lakes" -- Harriet, Cora, and Helen. We left the trail and hiked over the cross-country pass to Tower Lake. In the shallow pond near camp, we watched a myriad of aquatic life -- a garter snake, fairy shrimp, tadpoles, and water insects. Early next morning, we headed up the pass between Tower and Mary lakes. The maps were marked "glacier" and "icefield", so we didn't really know what to expect at the top. Randy scouted the way and waved us up. A beautiful flower-filled valley greeted us on the other side of the pass. We walked by Mary and Tilden lakes, stopping for refreshing dips along the way. It was dark and cloudy when we got to Otter Lake, and had a brief hail storm before dinner. The next day brought us to Lower Twin Lake, where we were given a positive fishing report from some campers. Although Sylvan and Tim angled a bit, the lake was too choppy for successful
fishing. Our neighbors brought over some of their leftover trout which we enjoyed. That evening, the singers were joined by Carl, Christi, and John K. John surprised & delighted us with his rendition of "El Paso". The next day took us past Black Bear, Bigelow and Snow lakes. Summit Meadow was absolutely stunning with purple, yellow, and blue blossoms. Our last camp was at High Emigrant Lake where we were treated to Carl & John's Freaky Wheat with 'shrooms and tomatoes, while the marmot family on the nearby rock pile watched us enviously. D uring our evening hike we explored some basalt columns, our own diablito postpile. Jon S., Sylvan, and Tim added their voices to the evening sing-along. Our last day had us hiking on the old mine road, up and over Big Sam, and our last fantastic views to the south. We enjoyed dinner and beverages at El Jardin in Twain Harte before we headed home, with hugs all around, particularly to our long distance travelers -- Karen from Colorado and Jim from Vermont. Our memories of this outing will always include the magnificent wildflowers, fantastic views, Marty's geology talks, a capella concerts, yummy dinners, and shared love of the wilderness.
