2 hikes: Granite Chief/Squaw and Bear Valley

Note from the top:  Last week, one of our hikers did not get some important information and therefore missed the carpools.  She met us at Squaw.  Be sure to read all the way to the bottom of the blog as this software rearranges everything when I post. 

from Maureen:

today 5 of us went to bear valley--- we walked some of the pioneer trail and after lunch the discovery trail.
the weather was very pleasant overall.
right before we sat down for lunch i couldn't believe it when jim opened the cabinet door near the picnic table along the bear river (our hiking group has had lunch here a number of times).
---- when to our amazement was this rat giving birth.
as you can see in the one pic the little bitty baby is emerging.note the tiny ears.
anyway the mother would jump out of her nest when ever one opened the
door. it wasn't too easy to get these pics in the dark cabinet---thank goodness for the flash.and i was not tall enough to see into her nest which i really would have liked to have seen.
but all and all i sure enjoyed taking these pics and of course the others i have enclosed.
i only hope mama rat forgave me for disturbing her in this wonderful time of her life.
i hope you had a great hike today also.

(ed. note:  not sure mama was giving birth as rodent babies are pink and hairless - Pictures by Maureen)

From Clarence:

Hi Hikers~

Last Wednesday the Nine-o-Clockers headed up Hwy 20 for a hike (along with all the huge gravel trucks) . There was 5 of us, so Jim volunteered to drive us all.

Just before Bear Valley the temperature gauge “pegged”. A red light came on the dash and a warning beeper came on to say we were OVER HEATED! Jim pulled off and we decided this was a place to hike as anywhere! Especially because we couldn’t go anywhere.

We went on an “expository” trip around Bear Valley. We saw some nice new views, a few lingering wild flowers, but also some good tasting early BlackBerrys. The hike was short, but sweet.

When we got back to the car, it had cooled down and was drivable. We made a direct drive to the water supply at the PG&E Discovery trail where we filled the radiator with water. Jim’s car drives a lot better with a coolant for the engine!

We had wonderful relief from the heat and smoke, but then we got a reality check when we returned to Glenbrook. No fires in our area, but LOTS of smoke.

The hike for next week is open for suggestions. Weather forecast looks promising. C M(who also took 4 photos)



 

 

EIGHT O'CLOCK HIKE:  (we had similar experience with convoys of double dump trucks and smoke heavy on Hwy 20 all the way back...)

Seven of us wore ourselves out with a difficult, steep climb up the Granite Chief Trail from Squaw Valley.  We were repeatedly told that the PCT was only a mile away but it was a lie.  Well, maybe as the crow flies.  Once on the PCT we decided the Tinker's Knob hike was out of the question and decided instead to hike a ways down to a lake.  Then we changed our minds again and opted for the incredible mountain view of Tinker's Knob, Anderson Peak (where we had been at Benson Hut a couple of weeks ago), and the headwaters of the American River. 

As you can see from the trace, the hike was up, up, up.  Our joints ached and we questioned our sanity.  But the microclimates and views were so incredible.  The High Sierra can be worth the misery.  But the coup de grace came towards the end.  We had decided to go over the shoulder of Granite Chief and then head on the trail to Squaw and (yes - save our knees?) take the tram down.  We took the advertised trail towards Squaw but it being a ski resort; trails and paths became blurred and we had no idea of the route.  We did see a trail leading UP but, being exhausted, we headed DOWN on what was a trail but it petered out on a steep talus slope in viewing distance of the goal.  Oh joy, so close and yet so far.  Not being disuaded, we "hiked" diagonalled down hoping to pick up a distant looking trail at some point.  But it was not to be...we moutaingoated down, down, down to a dirt road - sometimes on our seats, sometimes backwards, sometimes upright.  Luckily nobody got hurt and we made it to a dirt road which we had to climb UP to the tram. 

Next week, the 8 o'clock group is going to attempt Tinker's Knob from Horseshoe Bend up Cold Canyon.  With any luck, we will go across the PCT to Anderson Peak and head down the escape route.  Here's hoping we make it this time.



reticulated