A few weeks prior, we had tried to check off some TrailQuest miles, but due to lingering snow we couldn't claim some trails due to uncertainty of actually being on the trail. So, we once more found ourselves heading up to Buena Vista Peak, this time with hardly a trace of snow--and with JKW.
The top of the peak was as The Pink One and I had remembered, although we had approached it from a completely different route.
We hung out on top for a bit taking pictures...
...but eventually had to retrace our steps to set up for the next trail.
Our intention was to drive as close as we could to the summit of Big Baldy to minimize the amount of walking that still-recovering JKW would have to do. Eventually, some lingering snow and a few large downed trees lengthened our road walk. However, we were soon enough on the Big Baldy trail.
The Pink One and I left JKW on the summit for some TQX exploration to the south.
In fact, we ended up following an old trail that was in decent shape, although fallen trees had obscured a few sections.
We couldn't resist hiking down to a Clouds Rest-like granite ridge.
The ridge offered excellent views of the northern forks of the Kaweah River...
And Chimney Rock.
Meanwhile, JKW was hanging out on Big Baldy reading (or playing a game...?).
We eventually had to leave our granite playground behind.
On the way back, we checked out a subdome that had some more nice views.
From here, the Pink One headed back to the car, while I returned to Big Baldy to hike the trail back with JKW.
The short hike back to the car was quite enjoyable, but JKW's still-recovering foot was done with hiking for the day.
On the other hand, I had a few sections of TrailQuest to finish in the Grant Grove area, so after getting dropped off at Panoramic Point, I headed to the top of the Manzanita Trail. The afternoon hike along Park Ridge was quite pleasant.
The spring flowers were a nice contrast to the several feet of snow that had covered the ground the last time I'd been here, a few months ago.
The views from the Manzanita Trail itself were decent--it was possible to see the tops of the Grant Grove sequoias from a few places.
The next day all three of us went to Little Baldy to hike this trail--something made much easier by it not being under several feet of firm snow.
In fact there was only one small patch of snow.
The views from the summit were of course excellent.
While we didn't retrace the cross-country return hike the Pink One and I had done previously, we still did some off-trail exploring on the way back down, and were treated to some different perspectives of Little Baldy.
We arranged to finish the short connector trail with still-closed Dorst Campground and have JKW pick us up. (This connector is about -0.2 miles long if you go by the trail signs at the campground and the Little Baldy trailhead itself...) The trail was mostly viewless and wooded, but it ended near a small creek that flowed from a nice little meadow.
After returning to the trailhead and having lunch on an off-trail dome, we had to return home. Despite almost all the trails being repeats, they were also mostly new... and official TrailQuest mileage!
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/21/2017 08:24PM by basilbop.
