Sutter Buttes Summit Ascent

I climbed the Sutter Buttes - North Butte summit on Sunday, November 21.  This can only be done as a guided hike from the Middle Mountain Foundation.

Their description was as follows. 

One of our most challenging treks, this route is a steep, 1,000-foot push straight up North Butte; off trail with no  easy switchbacks. Only register for this hike if you are in very good physical shape and don’t suffer from vertigo. Bring food and water. Limit is 15.

I didn't find this too challenging, we climbed the summit in about a half hour, but it took 90 minutes from the start of the hike to get there.   Our guide stopped every few hundred feet to speak out the natural history of the place.  Once we got to the top were were warned of the danger of climbing the craggy rock that represents the top.  I was a little disappointed.  however, the view was spectacular.

A model of the mountain in the Yuba City museum seems a bit exaggerated.

The peak seems less intimidating from a distance. 

On the climb up. The South Buttes are seen in the background.
Becuase they have radio, TV and cell towers,public access is prohibited. 

Looking down on the valley that is now state park land.

Carpenter Benchmark- Highest Point in Sacramento County

On Sunday, October 3, my 12 year old and I joined a Sacramento Hiking Meetup to the highest point in Sacramento County, the Carpenter Benchmark (828 feet above sea level). The leader of the hike planned a route that included million dollar views as we walked the streets of million dollar houses in Folsom. 

One member of the hike published this Google Earth look at the route.

Hikers on their way to the top, next to cell towers

A view at sunset with downtown Sacramento on the horizon.

My Review of Marmot Titan Backpacking Tent - 3-Person, 3-Season

Originally submitted at Sierra Trading Post

Closeouts . Ventilation, ventilation, and more ventilation. Marmot's Titan backpacking tent is mostly mesh under the weatherproof fly, to keep you exceptionally cool in hot weather and eliminate tent condensation when the mercury drops. Its light weight makes it perfect for casual weekend backp...

Marmot Titan Backpacking Tent - 3-Person, 3-Season

A great buy

By digihiker from Sacramento on 10/3/2010

 

5out of 5

Pros: Easy To Set Up

Best Uses: Backyard, Car Camping, Backpacking

Describe Yourself: Casual/ Recreational

What Is Your Gear Style: Minimalist

Was this a gift?: No

This was a great buy. I saved a couple hundred bucks compared to Marmot's Limelight model. The main difference is that the body of the tent is netting, much like Big Agnes Seed Tent. Unlike the Limelight, this model does not include a footprint or gear loft. I bought a Tyvek sheet for a footprint. Quick and easy to set up.

(legalese)

Horsetail Falls to Ropi Lake in the Desolation Wilderness

On Sunday, Septmebr 26, 2010, I hiked Horsetail Falls to Ropi Lake in the Desolation Wilderness.  I did this with the Sacramento Hiking Meetup Group. I went with five others. The hike was about eight miles, round trip.

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Pyramid Creek Trailhead map. 

The trail head is just past Strawberry about an hour and a half from Sacramento.  The trail is in the El Dorado National Forest.  Pyramid Creek Trailhead is located at Twin Bridges.  The Forest Service has a has a parking lot with a fee of $5.00.  Pit toilets and water are available.  We arrived at about 8:30 and hit the trail at 8:45 a.m.  The trail is initially easy.

At the farthest end of the loop, you will find the tail into the Desolation Wilderness. Filled out the permit for your group and head up trail.  This trial becomes harder to follow.

Eventually we guessed which way to go and followed the creek. It becomes a scramble to the top. This is a good workout and the rock is slick in some sections.  After the long scramble, hike is easier to the lake.  The weather was a surprisingly warm, 90 in Strawberry, but with a slight breeze is was a beautiful day for a hike.

We spent about an hour at the lake.  We returned to the parking lot at 2:30. The drive home slowed to a crawl for some reason around Placerville. 

Top of Horsetail Falls.

Horsetail Falls from a distance.

Horsetail Falls near top

The water on its way to the falls.

Water before the falls.

Ropi Lake.

Another view of Ropi Lake.

Grouse Ridge Lookout

On Saturday, September 5, 2010, I did the Grouse Ridge hike with the Sacramento Trail Mix Hiking Meetup.  This is located about a two hour drive from Sacramento in the Tahoe National Forest.  The hike takes you around a number of lakes and follows some old mining trails.  The end point of the hike is a visit to the Grouse Ridge Lookout.  This Forest Service fire lookout was built in 1923, but has been vacant and vandalized since the 1970s.  You cannot go into the building, but that may change as a group is looking into restoring the building. You can walk around the balcony, which was quite windy.  The Lookout provides a beautiful vista at an elevation of 7707 feet.

Island Lake from the Grouse Ridge Trail.

A view from Grouse Ridge.

The Trail up to Grouse Ridge Lookout

Outhouse at the end of the world (or at least Grouse Ridge.)

Someone in the group posted this video of the trip.

Old Sacramento Undergound Tour

I did the Old Sacramento Underground Tour led by the Historic Old Sacramento Foundation on Saturday, August 21.  In the early 1980s, I took an archeology course that dug underneath the the concrete slab of a building in Old Sac.  It was fascinating to find numerous artifacts buried at this site and to handle something that hadn't been seen in over 100 years.  Needless to say, when I learned about this tour, I was excited about it.

1930s era photo show passages under sidewalk

I bought the tickets online.  While I could have purchased them at the door, they often sell out early on the weekends and I wanted to guarantee our spots on the tour.  I found the cost a bit high.  $15 for adults and $10 for kids ages 6-17.  When you buy them online you are charged a "convenience fee" of $2.25 for each ticket.  A family of four will pay $59.00 for a 55 minute tour.  The price did not include admission to the museum, which is $3.00 each.  New total price $71.00.  The museum is a worthwhile add-on.  We only had a half hour to check out the place before it closed, 45 to 60 minutes would have been better.   You must also include the cost of parking, which will run another five to ten bucks depending on how long you spend in Old Town.  The museum sells a very nice 30 page "Official Souvenir Guide" about the tour for an additional $14.95, which I bought. So, a family of four could spend $95 for a two-hour history review of Sacramento. 

The helmeted tour group head to the Eagle Theater in Old Sac.

We met at the Sacramento History Museum.  The twenty tour participants were given green hardhats and a headset with a radio receiver that is worn around the neck.  The headset did not give any prerecorded information, but was used exclusively to amplify the tour guide's voice.  This worked well, and I am sure puts less strain on the vocal cords of the guide.  From the museum we walked to the Eagle Theater and watched a video that provided background information.  Basically, after particularly devastating flood in 1862, it was decided that the city would be raised an average of 9 1/2 feet.  The tour highlights the subterranean spaces below the sidewalks.  According to the tour guide there never was a network of connected tunnels, because tunnels crossing the streets were never built, as the cost for raising each building was the responsibility of the individual owners.

I enjoyed the tour and I thought the guide was was energetic. I also learned some things.  I would recommend it to others interested in Sacramento's history...if you are prepared to pay for it. 

An old archeology pit under a building

Tour guide demonstrates house jack.

Lower American River Rafting

On Wednesday, August 11, I took the two kids rafting down the Lower American River.  We selected River Rat as the company we rented the raft from.  There are basically two companies that service this stretch of the American River: River Rat Raft & Bike and American River Raft Rentals.  They both start at the same place, but River Rat has a bit longer route, adding about an additional 45 minutes to the trip. 

We rented a four person raft for $50.00.  We also paid $4.00 per person for the return shuttle fee.  Additionally, we paid a required county parks boat launch fee of $2.50, plus a optional raft damage waiver of $2.00. 

After renting the raft, we were told we could walk it down an "eight of a mile," or place the raft on the car room and drive it down.  We chose the latter.  It is a good thing, because it seemed like it was a much longer road than they suggested. It was pretty easy driving the raft down, even though only gravity held it onto the car roof.  I ended up parking in the county parking lot for another $5.00.  We then had to carry the raft to the water.  

The day was not in the mid 80s, and was quite pleasant.  We were told that the trip would last about 3 hours, but it was really four and a half.  We made a stop of about 20 minutes to a small island about halfway down to stretch our legs. 

A stop on the Lower American River.