03/25/03:
Traveled the 40 odd miles from Isabella to Bakersfield to do some chores. Isabella does have a reasonable number of stores, etc. but I didn't find a laundromat.
CA-178 is another great drive to Bakersfield through the Kern River Canyon. Lots of high walls and steep slopes most of the way. Lots of wild flowers too.
03/26/03:
Temperature in the 40's and so were the winds.
Headed north along the Kern River past Kernsville into Sequoia National Monument. Last year, in February, the road was closed past Johnsondale because they don't plow in the winter. It was still closed this year but not because of snow. There's a sign that say Closed for next 10 miles because it is too dangerous. It leads over towards Sequoia National Monument but I guess I'll have to go around.
The road to Big Meadows goes off to the right at that point and ends in 23 miles. For some reason they closed this road off too after 5 miles. Western Divide Road was also closed.
I was only at 4800 feet. Big areas above 4000 feet seems to have been burnt. Really sad. Did see my first bobcat crossing the road in front of me. Kinda gray, less than 2 feet tall, less than 3 feet long. Didn't get much of a look of its head.
Hiking River Trail:
Just before Johnsondale, the road crosses the North Fork of the Kern River. A nice trail follows along side of the river. Some fire back in here too. The North Fork cuts into the canyons close to 1000 feet leaving steep slopes with some vegetation. Not much water for this time of year. Would have expected a lot of snow melt. Since there isn't any snow on the nearby peaks I guess they didn't get much this year.
I followed the trail for an hour or so and then turned back.
03/27/03 Hiking Whiskey Flat Trail (Fairview Trailhead):
This trail is 14.5 miles one way and runs along the Kern River from the north end of Burlando Road in Kernsville to McNally's Lodge in Fairview. I started at Fairview and crossed the Kern River via a foot bridge. Wild flowers were everywhere, several different types of purple, white and yellow flowers, entire fields of them.
After crossing the river the trail follows between the river and a field. A lot of erosion makes the trail difficult to follow for a while but then leads up an incline. Here it looks like you can take the high road to a different trail. I took the low trail.
After 1.5 miles I came to a pretty creek flowing into the Kern River. I couldn't find a way across it without getting wet. Previous experience told me my feet are too tender to be walking on rocks in freezing cold water. The real kicker was I had no baggies to protect my camera in case I fell in the water.
I spent a half hour or so wandering up and down the creek looking for a good spot to cross. Not a lot upstream but I did find a possible near the mouth of the creek. Worked my way almost all the way across hopping from boulder to boulder. Couldn't make the last few feet though. When I was younger and sprier (and more foolish) I would have tried it and probably have made it (or not). As it was, I turned back but I'll be back for this hike when I have more appropriate gear.
03/28/03 Hiking Packsaddle Trail (4.6 miles round trip):
30's last night; frost on windshield. No wind. Started up the trail at 7:45. Pretty steep trail rises 800-900 feet in first mile. More burn area, this time mostly manzanitas. The trail drops down into another valley with more burnt manzanitas. From here the trail moves along a small stream and then rises up another 150-200 feet or so.
It took me almost 2 hours to reach the cave containing stalactites and stalagmites. The cave is about 50 feet deep and 10-12 feet high. The buttholes have been here with their graffiti and have carted off much of the formations. Just a bunch of nubs hanging down from the roof of the cave.
03/29/03 Hiking Whiskey Flat Trail (Fairview Trailhead):
Back on the Whiskey Flat Trail again this morning. Brought my flip flops this time and had the camera wrapped in a big baggy in case of an unexpected swim. I knew the creek I had to cross would be cold and it was. The crossing was only 15-20 feet but my feet and shins were numb by the time I got across.
On the other side I was greeted with another burn area of scorched manzanitas and chaparral. Fields of different kinds of yellow and purple flowers helped make up a little for the devastation of the fires. Off to the south are ridges rising several hundred feet. The northern view is all rugged peaks.
After a while the trail veered away from the Kern River, a disappointment. I continued 4-5 miles but the trail stayed away from the river and became a lot of sharp ups and downs. That got old in a hurry. My knee was bothering me so I used that as an excuse to turn back short of the two hour mark.
I could see the fishermen were out in forced on the way back.
03/29/03 Hiking Tobias Creek Trail (9.6 miles round trip):
Picked up the Tobias Creek Trail a half mile into the Whiskey Flat Trail at the unsigned fork. This time I took the right fork up and over the top of the hill. Here I found trail signs for Tobias Creek Trail as well as Flynn Canyon Trail.
The Tobias Creek Trail follows Tobias Creek (duh...) upwards for 2800 feet. I had no expectations of going that high. I just wanted a nice day on the trail. More burn areas of manzanitas and chaparral as the trail wound up along several saddlebacks. Lots of flowers and the water rushing over numerous small falls could be heard as I climbed higher.
I went 3-4 miles and had only risen 600 feet or so. According to the trail description that would leave 2200 feet in the remaining mile or so. That didn't sound like fun.
The trail dropped back down to the creek and entered a forest. A nice set of falls cascaded down from higher up. I couldn't get a good angle for a picture so moved out on a sloping, 10 foot boulder. I moved carefully down the boulder and then decided to sit down before I fell down. Bad move! The rock was totally smooth from 1000s of years of fast moving water flowing over it and I started to slide. I dug my feet in and managed to stop the slide but now I was stuck about 5-6 feet from a drop into freezing water.
"I'm going for a swim" went through my mind and there wasn't much doubt it would happen. I had enough traction to maintain position but couldn't push myself back up at all... and here I am with a $500 camera, a $250 GPS, my wallet, to say nothing of my poor, old, delicate bod. I thought it would be a good idea to get the camera back in its protective baggie. While working on that task it occurred to me it would make more sense to just toss my pocket book and gear up to safer ground. That worked and then I began working to get my boots and socks off. That gave me enough traction so I was able to work my way out of trouble.
That also killed my enthusiasm for the hike.
03/31/03:
Lost a day somewhere. Drove from Lake Isabella to Bakersfield to Porterville to Springville and then up CA-190 through Sequoia National Monument. That's a pretty 25 mile drive up to about 6500 feet. The road was closed to public access 20 miles from Johnsondale.
The drive is up through mountains and forests. I saw some large Ponderosa pines but no Sequoias. Not much in the way of camping except for a couple of campgrounds. Most of the forest roads were closed. Didn't see much in the way of trailheads either. Way to much commercial and residential areas. Dunno why this is a national monument. I don't plan on going back.