It's been a while...
For now I'll just summarize here... though I hope to later post-date more detailed accounts under the appropriate days (maybe moving whatever I start out stuffing here to there...)
My planned "ride" from Sonora Pass back to Tuolumne Meadows to start a ten-day hike between those two points "bailed" for good reason - the Rim Fire. I was intitially really "burned" by her "renegging" on our agreed upon plan for reasons that seemed to me at the time to be an overreaction. However, her overreaction was lucky for me, else I would have been choking in smoke most of this past week hiking from Sonora Pass to Carson Pass - directly downstream from the Rim Fire - committed to meeting Sandy at Carson Pass this Saturday Labor Day weekend.
Instead, packed & ready to leave Santa Rosa last Friday afternoon (after a morning trimming some of ML's hedges and then a 2pm Dr's appointment that got scheduled "last minute" the day before, I overnighted at Steve&Gina's in Alameda, had a "free lunch" the next day (Saturday) at Laura's with Aiden & Patrick there, then headed by "default" toward Sonora as per my original plans.
Approaching Sonora on hwy 120 from the south-west, I could see the plumes of smoke rising from woods at medium distance from the road, with a low "stratus" of smoke over the whole area, though not quite at ground-level so visibility was still good. Stayed a while at the McDonald's in Sonora still trying to figure some alternative logistics for my original hiking plans in that area, (and hoped for some replies to emails sent earlier trying to coordinate something with ML's planned Woods Lake campout for the weekend following labor Day.) Eventually retreated for the night to my side-road camping spot just inside forestland on hwy 108 east of Sonora, noting a silent flurry of ash-flakes falling on my windshield and a definite thickening of the smoke, like sitting downwind from the campfire.
Woke up the next morning (Sunday) to very dense smoke, and thought I might try finding out how to "volunteer" or even find a paid job supporting the firefighters in the area. Stopped at the Forestry Visitor center but it was closed. Browsed the web for a while at McD's and found a bunch of interesting state jobs via the Calfire site but for more "routine" positions with prisons in the area etc - I'll check those out again later........ (yeah, maybe I'll cancel my retirement....)
Then (somehow forgetting to followup on the Volunteering option...) I headed north, via hwy 49 to 4 (over Ebbetts Pass - to check out the extent of the smoke (it was still smokey) and the feasibility of a bicycle loop-back from there, and the PCT trailhead parking - (I've taken a day-hike north from that pass at the end of one of the CNPS campouts at Highland Meadows a few years back now... so I didn't stop this time.)
I continued east & then north on hwy 89 then west on hwy 88 over Carson Pass (costs $5 to park at the Visitor Ctr/PCT trailhead there - whahhh?) getting there about 4:30, about a half hr before Vis Ctr scheduled to close - except it was already closed "due to smoke", except it was quite clear at the time. Walked around a bit then headed east down to the Woods Lake Campground - hoped to ask Campground Host wheterh I could leave backpack or Bear Canister there in case that would help my logistics (I could hike without bear canister north of Sonora to Carson but if then looped back to Tuolumne, would need cansiter again in Yosemite Park.) No CG Host in sight, so just continued on back up to Carson Pass, further north to hwy 50 then east into S.Lk Tahoe, stopping at a bank to check my bal & get some cash before continuing north along west shore, to Barker Pass Road, and up to the PCT Trailhead at Barker Pass. It was crystal clear at the time, somewhat gusty, but walked around to take some good picts of views east to the Lake & general Pano's of the smoke-free skies, and overnighted there at the trailhead. I tentatively planned to do a morning hike up the peak [name?] just off-trail north of the pass before scouting out a possible loop-back from Alpine Meadows or Squaw Valley, or Donner Pass.
Next morning (Monday) it was smokeed-in, so I skipped the morning hike & headed back down to the lake shore and north to Alpine Meadows. Nice Bike paths alonf the lake, and gentle uphill on 89 to Alpine meadows which is about midway between the lake and Truckee, but a steep grade up Alpine Meadows road to the trailhead to Five Lakes and the PCT. Though, I could abandon the bike lower down and road-walk the last mile.
Continued north on 89 (stopping at a McD's near the hwy 80 interchange to check on some potential Bus routes in the area, etc.) then west past Donenr Lake to the PCT trailhead at the pass there, checking out the bike loop-back potential - it's a steep downhill - my brakes will need to be reliable, but otherwise, quite bike-friendly most of the way.
It was still smoke-free, and I considered doing an out & back hike on the PCT north from there to the Hwy 80 PCT crossing, but then decided to to the hike from the HWY 80 trailhead parking area (at the Boreal Ski Area exit just before the Donner Summit Rest Area, because it offered some shade not available here, so I headed west to 80 then east on 80 to the next (Boreal) exit, and did the 7 mile out&back hike in about three hours, with nice photo-ops under slightly hazy afternoon skies. Planned to explore the PCT area north of hwy 80 the next day, so I just drove across the hwy to the north side and overnighted at the Andesite Ridge Rd Trailhead.
Tuesday morning I was smoked-in, but it seemed to clear as the sun rose so I kept to my plans, left my car there, bicycled back across hwy 80 to the PCT trailhead I was at yesterday, locked my bike there & hiked east along the "loop Trail to the PCT then north under hwy 80 and generally north-west along a small lake adjacent to the west-bound rest area (lots of kids romping around the maze of trails there - I can imagine some of them getting lost...) going a bit further up thePCT than intended, missing an unsigned link shown on the map but maybe the map was wrong... Back at the car, I decided to hve 2nd look at the bike route down from Donner Pass, so headed back west on hwy 80 then east to Donner Pass... then remembered I left my bike back at hwy 80. So back to fetch bike then back to the pass and down to Donenr Lake, then anotehr stop at the McD's to backup picts & check more bus options (trying to find transportation between S Lk Tah & Echo Lake and seeing how schedule changes after Labor Day...) Finding nothing suitable online I thought I'd ask someone at the train depot in Truckee, got some info there (no real good news.)
Now mid-afternoon it seemed late in the day due to heavy smoke, so I decided to get $20 of expensive gas and head further north on hwy 89 to the Sierra Buttes area, stopping first at the PCT trailhead at Loves Falls, which has poor parking possibilities, then east to the Wild Plum Rd Campground which has good access to the PCT with trailhead parking. Not quite late enough in the day yet to camp, I continued on to have a look at Sierra City, then backtracked east a bit (stopping at an odd set of waterfalls by the road with an oversized parking turnout and a memorial to a police officer, then on to the intersection with Gold Lake Rd at Bassetts, which has a quaint single pump gas station still operable though the place just closed a few minutes before I arrived. Drove north on Gold Lake rd a mile or two to a side road to overnight under clear skies.
Wednesday Aug 28 still smoke-free though somewhat hazy, partly cloudy, I continued north to the Gold Lake Boat ramp and 4x4 staging area. Leaving with camera but no pack or water just intending to take a quick look at the condition of the road, I walked the rough cobbly jeep road westward along the south side of the lake, past some occupied camp sites along the lake, and up the ridge toward a junction with the PCT at ridge-top. got somewhat hazy views of the lake, passed by little Gold Lake and a picturesque meadow, up to a newer cabin next to the burned ruins of an older cabin with spectacular views of the lake, and up to the PCT crossing at a saddle with poor views. Returned from this 3.5hr hike by noon. Continued north to Graeagle (where I filled my tank with gas oddly at a 10cent per gallon discount for using my Safeway card.)
Driving on, stopped at a local burger stand at the Johnsville-LaPorte Rd intersection (which as a PCT crossing) to ask about the condition of the road (it is gravel most of the way.) Decidied to bypass that for now, headed on to Quincy, shopped for some fruit & vegs at Safeway, then drove on to the Bucks Lake Summit PCT trailhead. This looked promising, steady bike downhill from there back to Quincy, hopefully hwy 70 bikeride is feasible. Headed back to Quincy & westward on Hwy 70 to Belden, picking up a young hitchiker on the way (he was out of work moving from one family member to another.) Stopped in Belden (an old hotel & cabins & campground compound hidden on south side of a 1 lane bridge crossing the Feather R.) Asked the bartender wheterh I could leave backpack there overnight, they are all set up for PCT kikers with shed for hiker's resupply packages, etc, and open late and "campsite host" available all hours. I said I may be back next day.
I wasn't quite ready to commit to doing that hike, Hwy 70 would eb a very treachurous bike ride, NO shoulder, big trucks & cars going hwy speeds on windy single-lane rd with lots of blind corners. Very suicidal! On the way back up to Quincy, I devised a way to possibly survive this by being ready to stop & dive into ditch or hug the cliff wall if oncoming car and car behind or blind curve behind me. Also, will want to adjust my back brake 1st which at the moment is slightly weaker than front brake is. also, two mirrors, one on handlebar & one on helmet. also, I have three flashing taillights - have them all powered up...
From Quincy, I decided I'd check out the PCT TH on the Quincy-LaPorte Rd, driving up this paved but windy hilly rd til dusk, overnighting on a ridge-top at 6pm with good reception of KPFA evening news.
So this morning, Thursday Aug 29, continued on looking for PCT crossing but missing it, ending at Little Grass Vly Reservoir, a gravel rd on SW shore to the dam, poor views of lake through trees except at the dam, then back up to find the PCT crossing. Ended up going back & forth a few times finally recognizing it un-signed from the rd at a "T" road intersection with the trail "split" with short road-walk inbetween inconspicuous trail tread and faded PCT emblems on trees set back abt 50ft from road. Why so discrete here?
Backtracked a bit to take the other end of the Johnsville-LaPorte gravel rd that I'd asked about the other day at the burger stand. This turned out to be quite a rugged road with varied surfaces and slopes, with some very picturesque vista's along the county border past some of the most prominent peaks in this region [name them.] First gear most of the way abt 25 miles [confirm length] took most of mid-day to get back to the burger stand on hwy 89/70. I then headed back northwest to Quincy, to do my laundry and have some pizza at the place next door, where I've been all this afternoon typing this.
I was intending to head south on 89 from the burger joint intersection, to check out in more detail the Sierra Buttes area, which seemed like a potential day-long loop hike or LaborDayWeekend longer loop hike that I could invite some of YOU-ALL to join me in this coming weekend (alass it's a bit late now - again... last such intention I frittered away the opportunity to setup was the Rae Lakes Loop hike in the high Sierra from Kings Canyon Roads-End, a few months back now it seems?) I guess I'll leave that exploration for tomorrow. I'll be heading back in that direction now.
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