Mid Sierra Musings: May 2019

Wednesday, May 29, 2019

Million Dollar Mile Revisited

Dale Matson

Click on Photographs to Enlarge

Hike Route

In my previous posting, I covered the 8-mile round trip hike to the Stevenson Creek Waterfall and bridge. During our hike we had two observations of Golden Eagles but with a wide-angle landscape lens, it was futile to even take a photo. I believe there are nests along the San Joaquin and that it is a kind of flyway.

With this in mind I decided to walk up the road beyond the gate for a couple of miles (400’ gain) with my Sony A9 and 100-400mm GM lens. I also added a 1.4X TC which extends the reach considerably with little weight gain, a loss of one stop of light but no loss of sharpness.

I wanted to get up the road far enough so I could sit and get a good view up and down the San Joaquin River far below in the gorge. I initially tried a finger of land that did no work out b/c there was so much brush obscuring the view. You can see on the map where I initially went off the road. I went further up and took advantage of an area filled with tailings from an excavation that gave me a good view.

I sat for about 3 hours to no avail but got some more landscape shots from 135mm to about 600mm. It is quite a contrast when compared to the 16-35mm GM lens I used on the previous trip.

This experience reminds me so much of my late father, the fisherman, who patiently waited for hours for the fish to bite… different venue, same disposition.

Some Views Along Jose Basin Road

Creek Flowing Below One Lane Bridge On Jose Basin Road

Jose Creek From Italian Bar Road

Jose Creek Flowing Under Bridge On Million Dollar Mile Road

San Joaquin River Near Power Plant #3

Helicopter With Litter

Cows Grazing Across The River

Return View Of Jose Creek

San Joaquin River From Jose Basin Road Telephoto

Rugged Countryside

Combined video of Jose Creek and San Joaquin River

Saturday, May 18, 2019

Hike To Stevenson Creek Falls May 2019

Dale Matson

Click On Photographs To Enlarge

Stevenson Creek Falls

For the particulars on this hike, see my previous posting here:

https://midsierramusing.blogspot.com/2017/04/hike-to-stevenson-creek-falls-on.html?showComment=1558182829072#c1502028574724793437

When you come to a fork on the Jose Basin Road, there will only be a sign that has Jose Basin Road bearing right. The unsigned road bearing left is Italian Bar Road.

We had an excellent cool and sunny start to our hike along the U.S. Forest Service Road known as the Million Dollar Mile road. The initial climb is civilized since the road was once a railroad bed. This road is closed to civilian traffic but can be walked and biked.

There is about 420’ of gain outbound but the return is not as severe a climb on tired legs. Be careful of the Poison Oak on both sides of the road! The first creek crossing early on is Jose Creek which flows into the San Joaquin River below. As you walk the nearly four miles toward Stevenson Creek Falls along and above the San Joaquin River, you will be walking the section of the river between Mammoth Pool reservoir above and Redinger Lake below. There is a trickle “waterfall” on the right outbound for water resupply if you have a way to treat or purify it before you get to the falls.

We were amazed at the overwhelming flow of Stevenson Creek Falls when we arrived. The flow rate is based on the release rate from the dam at Shaver Lake. You could barely see the bridge and we certainly were not going to attempt crossing the bridge this year (Compare it to the previous posting). A service vehicle for SoCal Edison carefully and cautiously crossed it and disappeared until it reappeared on the other side of the bridge.

While we were walking the route two Golden Eagles flew past us above the river. I was set for landscape with the Sony A7R3 and the 16-35 2.8 GM lens so there were not bird photos.