Re: MLK weekend on the OBOFR

Well, it was time for the annual MLK weekend snowshoe trip to Dewey Point, the problem being the obvious lack of snow. Instead, we decided to start at the Foresta Road trailhead (just up from the junction of 120 and the Foresta Road turnoff) and head east, camping in the Cascade Creek drainage a couple of nights and heading out to the valley floor via the OBOFR. I had been up the OBOFR as far as Rainbow View, but the rest of the hike was new territory for me. Thanks to the tremendous posts by wherever, basilbop, chickon and others for their helpful advice!

It was a good trip to take given the strange winter conditions. I wore my summer low top hiking shoes for the trip. We encountered a few spots where there was snow and ice on the trail for maybe 20 or 30 feet, not enough for me to worry about spikes, etc. (which I had left in the truck anyway). On the trip up to the Devils Dance Floor we did hit maybe a foot of old snow in the Tamarack Creek drainage where it was sheltered, and had some minor post holing, but it was nothing to worry about.

On Sunday we did a day hike from our camp over to the Devil's Dance Floor.

The view towards the Valley from the Devil's Dance Floor


An image on top:


Being as it's the 150th anniversary of the Yosemite Grant we looked for, and found, the survey monument for one of the corners of the Grant (near Gentry's). Here is the reference marker for that point:


Cascade Creek is flowing where it is not frozen over



And the Old Big Oak Flat Road is still hanging in there...



In doing some research on the OBOFR, I found this quote..."one wall below Gentry and above Fireplace Creek is especially unique. The majority of rockwork was done by Italian stonemasons, but this particular wall was apparently built by Chinese labor. It is a high wall, eight or nine feet in places, built to hold the road around bedrock. Because the wall was built partially on a large tree, it was constructed with a sharp corner in it to allow the tree some room for growth. It affords an interesting illustration of the early construction methods and the care with which the road was hung on the side of the mountain. " Perhaps this was the spot?

Nice, thanks for posting!

Sweet. I need to get up there one of these days. Thanks for posting.

Thanks for the pix! As you probably know, I'm a huge fan of the old roads in the Park and I always love to see pictures of them.

I recognize that particular retaining wall you show. I don't remember reading about it having been done by different workers but I may just be forgetting it. I do, however, remember thinking that it had a distinctly different style than the other walls along that stretch of road (or along any other old road sections that I've been on, for that matter). Knowing how brutal an environment it can be along that stretch of the OBOFR, it's stunning that these walls are still in such remarkably good shape! Chinese, Italian or any other nationality, those guys knew what they were doing!

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DavidK42
Thanks for the pix! As you probably know, I'm a huge fan of the old roads in the Park and I always love to see pictures of them.

I recognize that particular retaining wall you show. I don't remember reading about it having been done by different workers but I may just be forgetting it. I do, however, remember thinking that it had a distinctly different style than the other walls along that stretch of road (or along any other old road sections that I've been on, for that matter). Knowing how brutal an environment it can be along that stretch of the OBOFR, it's stunning that these walls are still in such remarkably good shape! Chinese, Italian or any other nationality, those guys knew what they were doing!

The info came from here OBOFR National Register PDF....lots of interesting info!

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Bearproof
The info came from here OBOFR National Register PDF....lots of interesting info!

Thanks for the link...I'd not seen that document before and found it a very interesting read.

FYI, for anyone who missed them the first time around, there have been some very interesting (at least to me!) long threads about the various old roads on this board over the last few years. Also, check out this message for links to some pretty detailed histories of each of the 4 major 19th century roads (Tioga, BOF, Coulterville & Wawona).

Thank you. I would like to do some of those roads sometime. Even if I don't, I find that it is interesting to learn about the old roads.

Great post and photos. Thanks.

Thanks for confirming that I do in fact meet forum folks on the trail sometimes. I was on the Dance Floor that day with friends.

Was that your group that I took the picture of? Wish I had known. Maybe all forum users should have a secret handshake or some other way to identify themselves readily.

Pink chicken hats, perhaps?

Perhaps the vacuous stare or the drooling.

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Old Dude

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Bearproof
Pink chicken hats, perhaps?

Couldn't find any. Maybe this will work: http://www.ske-art.com/skestuff9/B00A2CN9NQ

Hmmm I think I prefer Old Dude's "vacuous stare and/or drooling"

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Bearproof
Hmmm I think I prefer Old Dude's "vacuous stare and/or drooling"

You wouldn't if he was above you.

Maybe this? http://www.ske-art.com/skestuff9/B0047XHITM

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eeek
Maybe this? http://www.ske-art.com/skestuff9/B0047XHITM

or this one: http://www.ske-art.com/skestuff9/B00449B6BK

(Higher rated plus free shipping!)

.

This might work too: http://www.ske-art.com/skestuff9/B00108MFAY

Except that our chick-on might feel a bit insulted in being compared to a turkey.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/08/2014 06:39PM by plawrence.

Def. should go with the turkey hat. It's fitting for you turkeys.

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Bearproof

Maybe all forum users should have a secret handshake or some other way to identify themselves readily.

Offering a fellow hiker a Twinkie usually does the trick.