Sutter Buttes, Sacramento Valley
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North Butte Sutter Buttes, Sacramento Valley |
March 24, 2018
For most of my adult life, I have been driving regularly past what is whimsically yet incorrectly touted as the "Smallest Mountain Range in the World." Actually, the Sutter Buttes are what remains of a giant volcano, which fact is easily verified by an aerial view.
Because all access to the area is through private land, the only way to go there is with an authorized group such as Middle Mountain Interpretive Hikes. For a mere $45, my host Spencer hopes to guide me up one of the steepest routes in my experience while teaching me something about the place at the same time. I hope that this aged body is up to the challenge; and it will come as no surprise if I turn out to be the slowest hiker on the trail.
Our group of 15 individuals meets at the nice Sutter County Memorial Museum. Because my new Outback had room for three riders, I am designated as one of the five drivers. Just past the outksirts of town, we negotiate some back roads and a total of seven locked gates in order to access Dean Place, the home of our host ranchers.
Getting started
I'm in the back of the pack already!
An old Indian grinding rock
I love it
The cows are contented
Blue Oak — one of several local varieties
The destination looms
Stopping at a solar-powered contraption, Spencer informs us that its location was not the government's choice; but it is the only place that Grandma Dean would allow it, because it is out of sight of the ranch houses.
A U.S. Geological Survey seismograph
Communications facility on the taller South Butte, three miles away
Approaching the base of the mountain
Now the work begins.
The hillside is quite steep, and there isn't much of a trail
My prediction soon comes true as I begin to fall behind the others due to frequent stops for catching my breath. I had expected to do rather better than this, however; so I must be off my feed a bit.
Looking south at Dean Place
This route is so steep and challenging that I concentrate on just getting
it done rather than thinking about such things as picture-taking.
My legs are struggling as well as my lungs, which does not speak well for my
level of conditioning. Nevertheless, I do manage to finish the
thousand-foot climb just five minutes behind the fast-paced
leaders.
Life at the top
The origin of the summit cable is unclear
Looking northeast
The view north
The woman in the purple shirt is munching on noodles. Whether she somehow managed to pack some hot water for them is unknown.
Lunch break
After lounging for nearly an hour, it is time to depart.
Starting down
Oops! My legs have turned to rubber. It's all I can do to keep on going with only brief pauses. Why it never occurred to me to bring along some knee braces also is unknown; for they might have been of great help here.
The others don't seem to be having any problems
Another hiking group is below
Those folks are learning more about the world around them than about how decrepit their bodies are.
Nice rock
There often is a bird in the scene today
Naturally, there are lots of hawks around here; but the preponderance of birds
in these photographs is due in no small part to the greater pixel-resolution
provided by my new camera (a Canon G5X), which is on just its second
outing. Previously, some of those birds would have looked more like black
blobs after the image size was reduced; so they would have been deleted from
the pictures.
It's a long way down yet
The other group is moving on. I count twenty-two persons.
Last week, thunderstorms were predicted for today. We all are so pleased that it turned out to be a pretty decent day instead.
The herringbone sky is spectacular
Spencer identifies an Oracle Oak
A hybrid cross between a black oak and a live oak, the oracle oak has unique features, such as leaves that resemble both parent species and the fact that it cannot reproduce itself. I never had heard of such a thing.
Dung Flies are yellow. I didn't know that, either.
Been there, done that
Finally at the bottom of the mountain, I learn that the hike is not over, for the group heads off in a new direction.
Westward, ho!
North Butte from the west side
Here we learn about the old missile silo just around the corner. Among other drawbacks, those facilities were hideously expensive to maintain. Many of them were decommissioned in the 1960s.
No high mountains are in view today
Off we go again, this time to the south
I am told that Spencer always gives his group a little extra. I hope that these weary legs give me a little extra as well.
Running water in Huff Canyon
Do cows really come in white?
Climbing yet another hill
That's a Poison Oak vine, which variety is news to me as well
Mercifully, we start back now, toward the trailhead. This takes us right through the hub of the Dean family ranch.
Another unconcerned bovine
Meeting up with the other hiking group
This old barn has served as a meeting place for Middle Mountain management, and it even doubled as a dinner house and movie theater on one occasion. The interesting white ring at its base is caused by water splashing up after having fallen off the roof.
Dean Place and North Butte
The cars are nearby. The two hiking groups head out together, so that all the gates need be reopened only once instead of twice.
Looking for a handout
§: Well, I finally was able to visit the Sutter Buttes!
Despite my relative lack of fitness as compared to the others, I had a good
time today, and I learned a lot of neat stuff.
Guided hikes also are available here in the fall; but I cannot imagine why
anyone would want to come here (or anywhere else in the Sacramento Valley) at
that time, when it is hot and brown and dried-up. Treat yourself;
come in the spring when the weather is mild and everything is green and beautiful.
I have upgraded the hike's rating on the basis of all of Spencer's great stories, including ones about making flutes from elderberry branches and playing with the local ringtail cats.
| Scenery |  |
| Difficulty |  |
| Flowers |  |
| Education | |
The route (counter-clockwise)
