Adventure 003, Site 035 – Buck Rock Lookout

Capture California, the Game-2013
Adventure: 003, Site 035 – Buck Rock Lookout
National Registry of Historic Places ID: Nominated
National Historic Lookout Registry ID: 284 (USA)




Team: YOLT
Date:  September 1, 2013
Location:
Coordinates: N 36 44.160 W 118 51.586
Address: Sequoia National Forest, Tulare County, California


Description:
Date Built: 1923


Huell Howser, California’s Gold, says, “For high adventure, this is the place to come.”



Sherri and Gary one of these days will be trained as lookouts with the Buck Rock Foundation—we have had a rather busy summer and our schedule has not coincided with the Foundation trainer's schedule. But in the meantime, we helped out with the Buck Rock Open House being all around gophers: helping people up the stairs, unloading and loading stuff and lugging ice chests from one place to another.



Buck Rock is situated on top of this rock sticking out from the surrounding forest. You can see it for miles away—from Hume Lake, from the General's Highway for instance. But up close and personal you get the feeling of majesticness as it stands in front of blue sky.



The original station was built in 1912. The current station was built in 1923; the stairs were added in 1944. What did the lookouts do before then? There was an old dead log laid against the rock with notches cut in it. I for one would not have wanted to be that lookout. Now with its 172 steps in place, it is just a matter of climbing and overcoming vertigo. The lookout has a fairly modern set up inside the lookout-radios, weather station and even electricity.



One of the special things about Buck Ruck is its history. In 1944, when all the men were fighting World War II. Leatrice Evinger Dotters starting serving as a look out. She stayed on long after the war, becoming the longest serving lookout at Buck Rock. Today, the lookout is staffed by another female, Kathy Ball. Kathy has been instrumental in having Buck Rock maintained and staffed. She created the Buck Rock Foundation which now helps fund and staff three lookouts: Buck Rock, Park Ridge and Deliah.






From NHLR:
The 4A style 14’x 14’ lookout was built from 1917 to 1923 when it was replaced by the 4AR model. Buck Rock Lookout, constructed on the Sequoia National Forest in 1923, is one of only three 4As remaining. It is reached via a suspended flight of stairs.
From the NFS Site:
Why is the lookout named Buck Rock?  Legend has it that if you look at the rock from a certain angle, you can see the profile of an Indian warrior.  In times gone by, we use to call male Indians “bucks” – thus the name.  Native Americans referred to the rock as “Finger Rock”.



References:

• Buck Rock Foundation
  
• Web Cam
  
• NHLR
  
• Huell Howser California Gold #4003
  
• Fire Lookouts Association
  
• Nation Forest Service site
  
• Tulare County Treasures
  

Overall Landmark References:

• National Historic Lookout Registry (NHLR)
  

Adventure 005, Hike 042-Day 23 of the JMT

On Top of Mt Whitney

Capture California, the Game-2013

Adventure: 005, Hike 042-Day 23 of the JMT

Team: YOLT

Date:  July 18, 2013

Location: Inyo National Forest

Hike Info:

Trail: John Muir Trail from Guitar Lake To Trail Camp

Distance: 9.41 miles

Duration: 6:52 Moving

Elevation Rise: 1,892' (we went up at least 3,500'-GPS is off)

Description:
Today is the day-the culmination of the last 22 days of walking the John Muir Trail. We will finish up on top of Mt Whitney, the tallest place in the continental United States.

Gary wakes up at 2:30 and watches the lights of other hikers climbing Whitney to see the sunrise. Sherri wakes up an hour later. Neither can get back to sleep. So by 4:30, we are up and eating breakfast. By 6, we are on the trail. The first 2,000' climb up to Trail Crest is surprising fast, maybe not easy, but we do better than we expected. So we decided to continue on to Whitney. The next 1,000' up has us huffing and puffing for two hours. How slow can we go? But we make it to the top and enjoy our well deserved time up there.

In talking with our son, he says that our daughter is coming over the High Sierra Trail to meet us. But we are two days ahead of schedule. So we are in a quandary about what to do. We decide to only come down as far as Trail Camp before heading out on the 19^th. For more, see our blog, like usual.

(As a note: As of Oct 31st, the blog entries has not been edited, nor pictures added for Days 15 through 24 of our JMT experience. We hope to have that done sometime in November--I said it would be done in August so do not hold your breath.)

Adventure 005, Hike 041-Day 22 of the JMT

Gary at Wallace Creek

Capture California, the Game-2013

Adventure: 005, Hike 041-Day 22 of the JMT

Team: YOLT

Date:  July 16, 2013

Location: Sequoia National Park

Hike Info:

Trail: John Muir Trail from Tyndale Frog Ponds To Guitar Lake

Distance: 10.6 miles

Duration: 5:09 Moving

Elevation Rise: 1,397'

Description:
Today should be somewhat of an easy day-no passes to climb over. By now, we are ready to make it back to civilization. So we want to be in position to climb Whitney tomorrow. First order of business is to traverse the Bighorn Plateau. From here, we get our first good glimpse of Whitney, even seeing the hut on top. We cross Wright and Wallace Creeks, meeting up with the High Sierra Trail from Giant Forest. Then it is on to Crabtree Meadows. This is our final leg up to Guitar Lake, our campsite for the night. It is a thousand foot climb up and we are tired and hot by the time we pull in. See our blog for more.

(As a note: As of Oct 31st, the blog entries has not been edited, nor pictures added for Days 15 through 24 of our JMT experience. We hope to have that done sometime in November--I said it would be done in August so do not hold your breath.)

Adventure: 009, Bridge 004 – Bailey Bridge across the South Fork of the Kings River

Sherri entering the bridge

Capture California, the Game-2013

Adventure: 009, Bridge 004 – Bailey Bridge across the South Fork of the Kings River

Team: YOLT

Date:  May 24, 2013

Location: Cedar Grove, Kings Canyon

Description:

Bailey Bridge across the South Fork of the Kings

So lets start in with the obvious question, Who is the Bailey Bridge named after? It is not named after a person, but it is a type of bridge. Leading up to World War II, the mechanized divisions of the army were getting heavier and heavier. The old style of temporary bridge replacement could not hold up to these machines. Along came a guy named Donald Bailey and figured out a way to build a strong bridge. Which can quickly be installed, even without a lot of heavy equipment. During WW II, Bailey bridges were erected in all sorts of situations, thwarting German intentions of blowing up bridges. As quickly as a bridge was blown up, a Bailey bridge was put in place. The Army still uses these types of bridges. It has even been suggested as a temporary replacement of the Washington bridge along I-5 which collapsed this year.

When the Kings River wiped out the old bridge a decade or two ago, the National park Service was in a pickle. They needed a cheap way to install a bridge. It would quickly be needed as hiking season was on them. Please they could not bring in heavy machinery. What did they turn to? A Bailey Bridge. They raised up the entrance to the bridge and constructed it, about as quickly as the government could work. So we have a bridge, probably about 150' or so long, anchored by a large boulder in the middle and safe for people like us to walk across.

Adventure: 005, Hike 008 – Return to Roads End via South Trail

Capture California, the Game-2013

Adventure: 005, Hike 008 – Return to Roads End via South Trail

Team: YOLT

Date:  May 24, 2013

Location: Cedar Grove, Kings Canyon

Hike Info:

Trail: Upper Paradise Valley to Roads End via the South Trail

Distance: 11.10 miles

Duration: 5:49 Moving

Elevation Rise: 1,013'

Description:
Nothing like returning back to the car after three days. But even better yet was going back by a little bit different route and enjoying it more. Want to read more? Look at our blog.

Adventure 005, Hike 007 – Woods Creek

Gary at JMT

Capture California, the Game-2013

Adventure: 005, Hike 007 – Woods Creek

Sherri admiring Woods Creek

Team: YOLT

Date:  May 23, 2013

Location: Woods Creek, Kings Canyon

Hike Info:

Trail: Woods Creek

Distance: 11.46 miles

Duration: 6:27

Elevation Rise: 2,622

Description:
This is the second leg of the Rae Lakes Loop. I would argue that it is the least enjoyable of the five days of the loop. Still, that said, if this hike was almost anyplace else, you would get a crowd of people. As it was, we had the trail almost to ourselves, since this was an early season hike. For more, see our blog.

Adventure: 051, Site 054 - McGurk Cabin

Capture California, the Game-2012

Adventure: 051, Site 054 -  McGurk Cabin

National Registry ID: #79000281

Added to NRHP 6/4/1979

Team: Thing One, Thing Two

Date:  September 14, 2012

Location:

Latitude: 37°40′40″N

Longitude: 119°37′27″W

Address: McGurk Meadow Yosemite National Park

Description:

Date Built: 1895 to 1897

Architect: Davanay,Hugh

The McGurk Cabin in Yosemite National Park was the seasonal home of Yosemite cattleman John McGurk from 1895 to 1897. Located on the edge of McGurk’s Meadow, just to the north of the Glacier Point Road, the cabin was used by a series of owners beginning with Hugh Davanay, from whom McGurk bought the property in 1895. McGurk was evicted by the Army in 1897 after a dispute over title to the land. The log cabin is a one-room structure, about 14 feet (4.3 m) square, with saddle-notched peeled lodgepole pine logs. The only opening is a low door on the south side. The cabin was stabilized in 1958 by Sierra Club volunteers. It is one of the few structures left in the park that remain from the pre-park era.^[2]

The cabin was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on June 4, 1979.^[1]

See Hike number 119 for Thing One and Thing Two’s hike description.

In looking at some of the NPS photos, it looks like this cabin is a few logs shorted than it was 30 years ago.




From an article on log cabins by Robert F. Uhite in the Sierra Club Bulletin, May 1951:
McGurk Meadows.—In McGurk Meadows, one mile west of Bridalveil Creek and about one mile north of the Glacier Point road, is the site of a stockman’s cabin similar in appearance and construction to the cabin in Mono Meadows. Lodgepole logs, notched on the under side only and about ten to twelve inches in diameter, were used to a height of four and a half feet for the walls, the base log being laid on the soil. Fireplace, windows, and flooring have been omitted. Wedge-shaped chinking filled the wide gap between logs. The doorway is four feet high. Shakes were used to cover the roof, which measured nine feet from eave to ridge.

This cabin was intended to have been part of the homestead of John J. McGurk, but through an error in description, the wrong property was filed upon. Thomas M. Again originally filed for the 160 acres intending to claim what is now known as McGurk Meadows, but the description entered into the county records placed the claim well up Illilouette Creek. Hugh Davanay subsequently acquired this mistaken title from Again, and sold to McGurk in 1895, who continued in possession until August 1897, when he was removed by U.S. troops, then the custodians of the national park. Their basis for this removal was the error in the original description of the claim patented by Again; the patent was for an area six miles directly east of his intended homestead. After his removal, McGurk forced Davanay to reimburse him for his loss and Davanay in turn tried to effect a trade with the General Land Office for the desired piece of land, but was refused. The land covered by the original patent was exceedingly rough and was considered worthless; Again could not dispose of it. Thus, McGurk

[click to enlarge] McGurk cabin

Meadows has always been in government ownership although occupied pied by several persons over a considerable period of time.

References:

• Wikipedia
  
• National Historic Registry-Documentation and Photo
  

Overall Landmark References:

• Wikipedia: California's National Landmarks (WCNL)
  
• State of California Historical Resources (CHR)
  
• National Registry of Historical Places (NRHP)
  

Adventure 008, Hike 116 – Circle Meadow

Capture California, the Game-2012

Adventure: 008, Hike 116 – Circle Meadow

Team: Thing One, Thing Two

Date:  September 13, 2012

Location: Giant Forest

Hike Info:

Trail: Circle Meadow trail

Distance: 2.0 miles

Duration: 1:09

Elevation Rise: 161'

Description:
We hiked a series of trails in the Giant Forest Area. This area lies in the Sequoia National Park. It was named the Giant Forest because of the large number of Sequoia Gigantea groves in the area. These gentle trees are the largest oldest living organism on earth. The groves of these Sequoias are few on earth and Giant Forest has these trees in abundance. The Grove at Giant Forest occupies an area of 3 square miles. There are over 40 miles of hiking area within the area, and we did a quarter of them today, spread over several trails.



We picked this trail after leaving Congress trail. Close to Circle Meadow is The Cattle Cabin. Before the national park came into being the owner of this cabin pastured his cattle in Circle Meadow. He slaughtered the animals creating all sorts of blood. After the park came into being he provided meat to the soldiers protecting the park. This kept him from being removed from the land. The trees on this trail are striking. You have some named trees and groups of Trees like the Founders group, Black Arch, Room Tree and Pillars of Hercules. Thing One and Thing Two even found a tree that looked like an animal. This trail had a control burn on it earlier this year. Hopefully that will prevent a disastrous forest fire. This trail was a nice trail that took us back to Crescent meadow.

Adventure 008, Hike 115 - Congress Trail, Giant Forest

Capture California, the Game-2012

Adventure: 008, Hike 115 - Congress Trail, Giant Forest

Team: Thing One, Thing Two

Date:  September 12, 2012

Location: Giant Forest, Sequoia National Park

Hike Info:

Trail: Congress Trail

Distance: 1.7 miles

Duration: 0:58

Elevation Rise: 185'

 









Description:
We hiked a series of trails in the Giant Forest Area. This area lies in the Sequoia National Park. It was named the Giant Forest because of the large number of Sequoia Gigantea groves in the area. These gentle trees are the largest oldest living organism on earth. The groves of these Sequoias are few on earth and Giant Forest has these trees in abundance. The Grove at Giant Forest occupies an area of 3 square miles. There are over 40 miles of hiking area within the area, and we did a quarter of them today, spread over several trails.



Thing One and Thing Two started this trail after completing The Trail of the Sequoias. Even though we have done this trail many times, it has been a while since we had hiked it. The trail has been improved and is now ADA accessible. It has fond memories as we used to take our children on this trail when they were young. We are now surrounded by lots of people, consequently we are missing the solitude of our previous trail. But it is always great when others are introduced to the beauty of these trees. This trail has several named giant trees which include The President, Chief Sequoyah, The Senate group, The House group, Telescope tree , the Learning tree and of course The General Sherman tree. The General Sherman Tree is the largest organism of earth. It measures 275 high and 103 feet around the tree. The trail also boasts the 4^th, 5^th and 29^th largest trees.

Adventure: 008, Hike 114 - Trail of Sequoias

Capture California, the Game-2012

Adventure: 008, Hike 114 -  Trail of Sequoias

Team: Thing One, Thing Two

Date:  September 12, 2012

Location: Giant Forest, Sequoia National Park

Hike Info:

Trail: Trail of the Sequoias

Distance: 3.1 miles

Duration: 2:11

Elevation Rise: 680'

Description:

We hiked several trails in the Giant Forest Area. “The Giant Forest forms the heart of Sequoia National Park - here are found the largest trees on Earth, including General Sherman, which holds the world record for the most massive living thing. An area of just 3 square miles contains dozens of magnificent groves of sequoias, most of them easily accessible next to the main road. An extensive network of trails provide access to many peaceful places amongst the trees, and to other scenic features like meadows, streams, fallen logs, granite domes and mountain viewpoints.” ¹

We started on Trail of the Sequoias after being on the High Sierra Trail and ended this trail when we came to the Congress Trail. The Trail of the Sequoias is correctly named. There was one Sequoia after another being all ages, heights, and widths. They were standing, leaning, and laying flat on the ground. We came to one Sequoia that had fallen across the trail. Thing One decided to go over the huge fallen Sequoia. It was bigger than either Thing One or Thing Two realized. We had to abandon that idea and walk up the steep side of the mountain to get around it to continue down the trail. The giant trees were magnificent. The trees at the beginning were younger and smaller than those closer to The Congress Trail. The trees were getting larger and larger so we were wondering how large the tress would be. We were not disappointed. We only saw four other mammals on this trail. There were two individuals from Altadena and a mother bear and her cub from the forest. This trail was one drop dead gorgeous tree after another. Thing One and Thing Two plan on doing this trail again.

.

1 http://www.americansouthwest.net/california/sequoia/giant_forest.html

Adventure 058 - Treehouse

Capture California, the Game-2012

Adventure: 058 - Treehouse

Team: Thing One, Thing Two

Date:  September 12, 2012

Location: Crescent Meadows, Sequoia National Park

Retry:
No matter how hard we tried, Thing One and Thing Two just loved what Tharp did with his treehouse. It just seemed so, well, Thingy. So we will not inflict the world with our drawn tree house rendetion of Tharp's Log

Description:
Last week we were wandering around Giant Forest and saw the many big trees. Thing One thought, what a wonderful place to a tree house, in a Sequoia Tree. Think of those mighty boughs holding you up! What a great feeling it would be to sleep amongst the sequoias—the agelessness of them, the majesty. But how do you get up to them? That rope ladder would be very, very long?

























Well some guy named Tharp—see our historic adventure #34 for background—did have his house in a sequoia. All the great ideas are taken! But he did solve the problem of the climb. He found a fallen sequoia, which over time had been hollowed out. He added a side and front for protection. Then put in a table and bench seats, along with a fireplace and a place to sleep. And as Thing Two would say, wala! We have a treehouse. Pretty neat, ah? So for this year, that would be our tree house—a house made out of a giant sequoia right there in Giant Forest. What a place to live!

See our historic adventure for more info on Tharp and his log.



Here is what we did with last year's adventure:


Item: 58 - Tree house
Team: Tired 'Tirees
Date:  Oct 5, 2011
Link: Treehouse of Dreams

Desc: It is finally a rainy day in Fresno, so we can do a rainy day adventure. (Of course, if you do look back, we did sneak a rainy day adventure last month.)

A tree house, the fantasy of young males. The place where you are the captain, the owner, the boss. There is no one else who can order you around up there. This is the stuff which dreams are made from.

Several years ago, I read a story by GK Chesterton, an author which I love, about different, literal events. The book was called The Club of Queer Trades. One of the stories was about a strong military man who was suspect of lying and possibly of murder all because he told the literal, but maybe a bit incomplete truth. Chesterton has a way of captivating the fantastic, while being witty and true.

So shortly after this, I noticed in our local paper, a story about the trauma being experienced by Micheal Garnier who was trying to start a hotel business. That is a hotel in the trees. Yes a treehouse hotel. You have to see some of their video's--they are just fantastic. When these folks fought with their county engineers, they finally won when they had 66 people up in one of their houses.

So our picture is based upon one of these hotel tree house's. No I cannot draw this way, but I can work Photoshop some. The original photo is from the Out'n'About Outffiters site.

Oh yeah, did I tell you that they have a zip line course as well. Unfortunately, this is in Oregon. The place is called Out'n'About Outfitters and no, I have never been there and do not know these people.

Adventure: 051, Site 034 – Tharps Log

Capture California, the Game-2012

Adventure: 051, Site 034 – Tharps Log

National Registry ID: 77000117

Team: Thing One, Thing Two

Date:  September 12, 2012

Location:

Latitude: 36°33′40″N

Longitude: 118°44′29″W

Address: Giant Forest, Sequoia National Park

Description:

Date Built: 1861

 Thing One and Thing Two were wandering around in Giant Forest the other day and came across one of our old favorites—Tharp's Log. Tharp spent the summers in the mountains and the winters around Three Rivers. He would herd the cattle around the area. The cabin is really a hallowed out sequoia tree, with all of the amenities of home.



Tharp's Log Sign: Hale D. Tharp, pioneer resident of Three Rivers locality, visited Giant Forest in 1858 accompanied by two Yokut Indians. He lived in this rustic cabin each summer from 1861 until Sequoia National Park was established in 1890. He used the nearby meadows as range for his live stock.
Tharp, recognized as discoverer of Giant Forest, died at his Three Rivers ranch home on November 5, 1912 at the age of 84 years.






References:

• Wikipedia
  
• NPS Site-Application for Registry
  
• NPS Site-Photo's of Site