Sierra National Forest
|
Hite Cove Sierra National Forest |
March 21, 2013
Having been assured by local acquaintance Janet that this is a good time for a visit, my day begins at Savage's Trading Post about ten miles west of Yosemite Park. James Savage opened this place for business in 1849.
There are but two spaces for vehicles at the trailhead itself. Both are
occupied, so it is necessary to park across the highway. A dilapidated old
no-parking sign is being ignored by others, so I will do the same.
No other suitable option is in sight.
The trailhead is a private driveway
First view of the canyon
The first three-quarters of a mile are on private property. This is not really an issue, because one would have no reason to venture from the trail onto the steep hillside in any case. The sun has not yet appeared in the canyon; it still is plenty cool, and everything is covered by dew from the morning fog. My first encounter with the local wildlife is a little red guy moving so slowly that there is plenty of time for a couple of photos.
Red-Bellied Newt
It still is early morning around here
The poppies have not opened yet, so it will be necessary to wait until later for good photos. In the interim, I shoot what I can.
Colorful trail
Baby Blue Eyes
A verdant river segment
Near the river bank the trail is rocky and sometimes rough, but not
unpleasant. This is a 27-mile section of the federal
Wild & Scenic River System.
South Fork of the Merced River
The flowers have more or less disappeared
About four miles up the trail, I encounter a lot of old mining equipment.
In 1861 or 1862 a miner named John Hite discovered one of the richest gold veins
in the Central Sierra. For twenty years a mining community flourished right
here. The Hite's Cove Post Office operated in 1868-1869, and again in
1878-1889.
The remains of Hite's Cove
From here the trail is more difficult to follow. I stumble upon a campsite where three male backpackers and a friendly dog are cleaning up in preparation for departure. Shortly beyond the camp, the trail dries up completely. End of the line.
A nice lunch spot
As I munch some gorp, I discover that the camera battery has gone dead; and its replacement immediately dies as well. I seem to have neglected to recharge it. Stupid. My little red backup camera will have to suffice for the remainder of the trek.
Starting back, I observe that the backpackers did a great job at the camp; not a trace of human habitation is to be seen, excepting the colorful little flag on a tree branch, which seems okay. A few minutes later, I overtake the hikers themselves.
The campsite is nice and clean
The three backpackers
After passing through the rocky section of trail at the river's edge,
the poppies begin to appear, providing many nice photo-ops.
⇔
This is why photographers visit this place. Of course, the best results are obtained at the best time of day, and with the best equipment. Unfortunately, those features are unavailable to me right now; but I must do what I can.
The California Poppy season is fairly short, so timing is important
From here it is not far to the trailhead.
Leaving the federal area
Their air-conditioning bill must be monstrous
§: Hite Cove itself has some historical interest for one so inclined.
All of the poppy photo-ops, however, exist within a mile and a half of the
trailhead. Next time I'll come with a fresh camera battery.
On the topo map, the old designated Hite Cove Trail comes in from the north and continues upstream on the other side of the river. Today I saw no evidence of alternative routes.
| Scenery |  |
| Difficulty |  |
| Personality |  |
| Flowers |  |
| Solitude |  |
