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thehikingviking · 3 years

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Dardanelle Cone from Sword Lake Trailhead

Dardanelle Cone is an impressive yet overlooked peak that lies just north of Highway 108 in Stanislaus National Forest. I’ve had my eyes on it as a secondary objective, but as of late it jumped to the top of my priority list. I have a family cabin in Sonora which I thought I’d have access to for life, but at the time of this writing, my aunt is currently trying to buy out the other family members. With future access unknown, I planned several trips across the summer utilizing the run down cabin as a basecamp. Asaka and Leif would come along for the ride, and enjoy the amenities of a bed, running water and a kitchen. In addition, I invited several other hikers to spend the weekend of June 11-13th at the cabin since there were plenty of extra beds. June 11th was a Friday, but I had a company day off in the name of mental health. While most wouldn’t arrive until later, Mike Toffey was able to join, and for that day we chose Dardanelle Cone.

Upon arriving at the cabin on Thursday afternoon, I went through the standard checklist of turning on the water and the electricity, but for some reason the oven would not turn on. The only way to fix it was to call PG&E. They told me that they would send someone out by 9pm at the latest. I asked what would happen if they didn’t arrive by that time, and she said that they would come the next day, which was fine by me. I was happy as long as they didn’t come in the middle of the night, and I was promised that would not be the case. On my last trip with Mike, I was awakened by PG&E, so this time I wanted to avoid the same outcome. 9pm came and went, so we went to bed and I drifted off into a deep sleep. Suddenly, I was roused in the middle of the night by flashing lights and banging on my door. I checked the time and it was 2am. I begrudgingly went outside and talked to the guy, then listened to him fumble around in the attic for the next hour. So much for a good night’s sleep.

The next morning I woke to find a letter on the door from PG&E. Apparently nothing was wrong, but he switched some old cables anyways. That must have been the issue because the oven now worked, which meant Asaka would be able to cook dinner for us. I felt pretty haggard though. How many times can PG&E wake one man up? Mike and I hopped in my Jeep and we drove to Sword Lake Trailhead at at the end of Forest Rte 6N06. I wasn’t sure what to expect of the road, but found it passable for 2WD vehicles. There were a lot of cars at the parking lot, but this was a popular trailhead for backpackers. The trail was easily discernable and we followed it through the forest. Just off the trail was a snow plant, which I first observed in the Yosemite area as a kid. This plant has no chlorophyll, so it derives its nutrients from fungi beneath the soil.

The forest would part in areas, exposing the striking peaks above. The first watchtower that came into view was Dardanelle West. We planned to climb this peak on our way back.

We walked at a quick pace as the trail cut through Wooly Mule’s Ears and Monument Plants. Dardanelle North poked over the trees ahead of us.

The trail led to McCormick Creek where we found a large group of campers. One older gentleman asked if if we knew how to reach Jenkins Canyon further to the east. We were not sure, so sadly couldn’t offer him any help. In the backdrop stood the unofficially named Dardanelle Butte.

-Dardanelle West

-Dardanelle Butte

We continued hiking up the trail until it faded and disappeared among knee high brush. It had taken us far enough, and we were thankful for it. Dardanelle North looked close, so we decided to climb that first. We approached via a brush free ridge, but the rock formations ahead looked impassable.

I got news the previous night of a major design error related to one of the GPS modules we are designing for the new iPhone. Apparently our BAW (Bulk Acoustic Wave) resonators were using capacitors intended for a different filter process, and this severely impacted the quality factor of our GPS filter, which led to degradation of 0.5dB on noise figure. We were the leading vendor up to this point, but this error was a major setback. With the first form factor proto build approaching, we needed to have an internal call to discuss our strategy with the whole business unit and the Sr. VP of the entire division. This was scheduled for 9am on our day off (6pm in Munich where are designers are located), and since I had service, I felt obligated to dial in and join the call. So much for mental health.

Mike went ahead to scout the route. It didn’t look like we could get through the rocky bluff ahead. I gave it less than a 50% chance, but Mike was confident. It wasn’t long before I saw his head pop over the edge. Once my call was over, I followed his route through a gap in the volcanic rocks, finding a class 2 way through.

I then cut back and walked to Point 8948 on the topo. To the south was Dardanelle Butte.

To the southwest was Dardanelle West.

To the northwest was Mokelumne Peak.

To the northeast was Dardanelle North.

To the southeast was Dardanelle Cone. It didn’t look trivial from our vantage point. Mike wasn’t confident that we would be able to climb it by traversing the ridge. There were steep patches of snow and loose cliffs surrounding the peak, but I gave us a greater than 50% chance. We were playing off of each other's confidence.

From the point we continued along the ridge towards the higher Dardanelle North.

Mike and I split up as we approached the base of some volcanic pinnacles. Mike took a challenging route along the top of the rocky ridge while I took a more conservative route along the base. My route was a class 2 sidehill until I reached a chute on the west side of the summit pinnacle. From the top of the chute, I did a couple short class 3 moves until I was able to reach the summit. To the west were Point 8948, Dardanelle West and Spicer Meadow Reservoir.

To the north were Bull Run Peak and Peep Sight Peak.

To the southeast was Dardanelle Cone.

After a long time of not seeing him, Mike finally showed himself on a lower pinnacle. Apparently his route was much more complicated than mine.

I waited for Mike to complete his traverse and then we signed the register. Bob Burd had visited the peak only three days before us.

We dropped off the southeastern side of the peak and began our ridgeline traverse.

It was wide open country and we made quick time down to the saddle. This must have been the way to reach Jenkins Canyon, and I’m not sure how the man from earlier couldn’t find his way over the saddle. It looks class 2 for the most part and there was even a cairn constructed here. There were some footprints running the ridge here and I’m pretty sure they were Bob’s from a few days earlier.

Mike and I had several strategies to climb the cone. It looked like the safest bet was to attack from the south, however the shortest approach was from the north. We decided to attack head on, and if we ran into anything impassable, we could circle around to the back side.

I was hoping to follow Bob’s footprints all the way to the top, but those disappeared. Simply the fact that I knew someone else had been out here recently trying something similar gave me confidence. The higher we climbed, the easier the remaining route looked. We entered some knee high brush, but beyond a short stretch of it there looked to be some fun scrambling.

There was a snowfield blocking our route, but the moat above it allowed for safe passage.

From there we had an easy class 3 wall to surmount. Both Mike and I took more sporty routes to spice things up.

At the top of the wall, all that remained was class 2. In a way I was a little disappointed since it looked much more challenging (and fun) from below, but at the same time I was relieved to know I would make the top.

After a steep final section, we made it to the summit. To the southwest was Dardanelle Butte.

To the northwest were Dardanelle West, Spicer Meadow Reservoir and Dardanelle North.

To the north were Round Top, Bull Run Peak, The Sinister and Peep Sight Peak.

To the northeast were Silver Peak, Highland Peak and Airola Peak.

To the southeast were Stanislaus Peak, Sonora Peak and Night Cap Peak.

To the south were Black Hawk Mountain, Granite Dome, Three Chimneys and Eagle Peak.

-Dardanelle Butte

-Dardanelle West

-Dardanelle North

We were doing well on time and energy. We had covered 7 miles up to this point, and we felt up for one more peak. We considered Dardanelle Butte and Dardanelle West. After some deliberation, we decided to go for Dardanelle West because we had beta for the route and the name was more official (It’s named on Google Maps). From all our vantage points throughout the day, Dardanelle Butte looked almost unclimbable, so we decided to maybe come back another day when we were a little more prepared. We started off SSW following the ridge. Towards the end of the plateau, we came across a man made rock formation. Our best guess was that this was some sort of Native American shrine.

We were unsure if we could even drop off this side. We looked off the edge and started down hoping for the best.

We snaked through several volcanic pinnacles, still concerned we would cliff out, but after enough progress, we could see an entire class 2 route down to the saddle. We found what looked like a bear print in the dirt below.

From the saddle we dropped down to McCormick Creek on our way back to the trail. Dardanelle West loomed across the canyon.

We started off on a use trail, but it disappeared quickly. Maybe this was only a bear highway. It was alright though because the cross country travel was easy.

McCormick Creek was a relief to find because it meant the end of steep downhill hiking.

We followed the creek until we picked up the trail downstream.

When appropriate, we left the trail and began cross country towards Dardanelle West. I looked down and found my first ground plum, which is edible and was used by Native Americans as food and horse medicine.

We encountered a little bushwhacking at first, but then emerged on an open ramp that connected us with the GPS track we had pre-loaded in our phone.

The ramp led to a drainage which we followed uphill.

Bushwhacking got pretty bad at one point, so we angled to some rocks and climbed straight up. This was the most challenging climbing all day.

Once atop the rocks, the brush thinned out and the cross country travel became easy. The face of Dardanelle West looked similar to the geology of Devils Postpile and the nearby Columns of the Giants.

I was getting pretty tired by this point. We wondered if we would have more climbing ahead of us, but instead we found an easy class 2 route all the way to the top of the ridge. The rock formation to our west looked very impressive, but thankfully was not the peak since it looked unclimbable.

The summit was another big chunk of volcanic conglomerate to our east.

There were two summit challengers. We climbed the southern one first.

To the northeast was Bull Run Rock.

Across the valley to the east was Dardanelle Cone.

To the south was the Stanislaus River Canyon.

To the southwest was Donnell Lake.

To the west was the alternate summit. We walked over there next.

There was some type of survey marker here. We had a full view of Spicer Meadow Reservoir.

I felt satisfied. I’m sure Mike wanted to get Dardanelle Butte as well, but we had a big hike the following day and I knew my limits. It was still early season and I was not yet in shape. We dropped back down to the trail, this time avoiding the brush to the best of our abilities. Once on the trail, we cruised out of there.

The three peaks totaled 14 miles. We drove back to the cabin where Leif and Asaka were waiting. Daryn, Colin and Dully would show up later that night. I texted Bob later on about being just a few days behind him. He asked if I did Dardanelle Butte, which I did not. He then gave me a hard time telling me that it was the best one. I guess now we have to go back.

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thereisgrandeur · 6 years

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A juvenile Leadbeater’s possum (Gymnobelideus leadbeateri) captured in Baw Baw National Park, Victoria. This little marsupial is listed as critically endangered due to unsustainable logging of old growth forests and severe bushfires.

#zoology #wildlife #nature #conservation

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millwallpaul1885 · 3 years

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at Thompson Dam - Baw Baw National Park https://www.instagram.com/p/CHmHtE6BDa-gDvgd92xkgyMRmYI6MFB0Cm5FJQ0/?igshid=eq6nq3od1v21

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phgq · 4 years

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GenSan sets pre-‘undas’ visitation schedule

#PHnews: GenSan sets pre-‘undas’ visitation schedule

GENERAL SANTOS CITY – The city government will allow residents to visit their departed family members and relatives buried in public cemeteries here for at least two weeks next month amid the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic.

Mary Ann Bacar, head of the City Housing and Land Management Office, said in an advisory on Thursday the Antonio C. Acharon Memorial Park, the city’s main public cemetery, and other facilities will be open to visitors starting Oct. 15.

She said the cemetery will be totally shut down during the observance of “undas” or the All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day from Oct. 31 to Nov. 2.

But she said they are still waiting for the executive order that will be issued by Mayor Ronnel Rivera.

“We are currently cleaning up and repainting the tombs in preparation for the (visitation period),” she said.

The national government, through the Inter-agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases, ordered last week the closure of all cemeteries, columbaria, and memorial parks during the “undas” or from Oct. 29 to Nov. 4.

The move was aimed to prevent crowding in cemeteries during the period that could trigger the spread of Covid-19.

Access to cemeteries and related sites here were not prohibited but visits have been limited due to the restriction on large gatherings and non-essential movement due to the increasing cases of Covid-19 local transmission.

The city has nine public and private cemeteries situated in eight of the area's 26 barangays.

These are the city's main public cemetery in Uhaw, Barangay Fatima, the public cemeteries in Barangays Conel, Tinagacan, Mabuhay, San Jose, and Bawing, the Monte Cielo cemetery, the Chinese cemetery, and the Forest Lake Memorial Park.

Over 40,000 people converge annually in local cemeteries during “undas,” making the safe physical distancing measure difficult to implement.

Bacar said the ongoing cleanup and repainting of tombs at the cemeteries is supported by the mayor’s spouse Jane Rivera, the chair of the city’s tourism council.

She said the project was aimed to prevent people from staying longer in the cemeteries during their visits. (PNA)

***

References:

* Philippine News Agency. "GenSan sets pre-‘undas’ visitation schedule." Philippine News Agency. https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1116508 (accessed September 25, 2020 at 01:01AM UTC+14).

* Philippine News Agency. "GenSan sets pre-‘undas’ visitation schedule." Archive Today. https://archive.ph/?run=1&url=https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1116508 (archived).

#Philippines #News #Filipino #Pinoy #Tourism #Politics #Culture #Editorial #Environment #Society #History

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myinnerlandscape · 7 years

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500px com Baw baw national park pinterest

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pottiii · 7 years

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I caught you today... 🌄💓#sunsetsession #sundayfunday #sundaywalk #spring (at Baw Baw National Park)

#sunsetsession #sundayfunday #spring #sundaywalk

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junker-town · 5 years

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Here are the NBA players you can trust to handle a bat situation

And also, here are the ones you can not.

The NBA has a bat problem. It’s true. In the past month alone, eight bats have been spotted in three different NBA arenas: Utah’s Vivint Smart Home Arena, San Antonio’s AT&T Center and Indiana’s Bankers Life Fieldhouse.

Bats aren’t birds that fans typically laugh at until they fly away, because they’re freakin’ bats! Bats aren’t funny! They’re terrifying to most, do not belong at any sporting event, and most definitely shouldn’t be near the court. Yet the nearly blind mammal finds its way to the hardwood time and time again, sometimes bringing the whole squad for a group outing.

Through each bat encounter, we learn something about our favorite athletes that we never thought we’d see. Bats bring out the literal fight or flight instincts in the seven-foot fraternity of basketbros, and it’s entirely hilarious.

We have one true King in the world of bat-hunting: Manu Ginobili, the single-motion bat-sassin known famously for spiraling a bloodsucker from the air down to the floor in a Halloween game against the Kings in 2009, executing the swiftest pest control cleanup of all time. That’s why fans in San Antonio chanted his name in the most recent spotting of a quintet of fang-havers on Thursday.

“We want Manu chant” now going on during delay of game due to bats @spurs #spurs @manuginobili pic.twitter.com/TxFcxM2jkS

— Ellie Holmes (@ellierosetx) February 1, 2019

But others haven’t basked in the same glory as Ginobili. Here’s who we can confidently say is and is not afraid of bats.

Definitely Afraid of Bats

D’Angelo Russell

The No. 1 person not to be around during a bat-pocalypse is D’Angelo Russell. He’s not going to make it.

Once the bats showed up at the Nets-Spurs game on Thursday night, Russell ran to the tunnel. Seriously.

When D'Angelo Russell saws bats at the Spurs game ✌ #bye #nba pic.twitter.com/XuohZHShmq

— Nicole Perez (@nicole_perez1) February 1, 2019

He has a history with bats, going back to his time with the Lakers. Bats came out during a practice at AT&T Center before a game against the Spurs, and Russell recording his feelings, saying, “They vampires to me. They eat people.”

D'Angelo Russell, on bats "where's Ginobili when you need him?" "They all vampires to me" pic.twitter.com/SZIRJXhmEc

— Harrison Faigen (@hmfaigen) January 12, 2017

[Note: Bats do not eat people.]

Trae Young

A close second to Russell is Young, who is known to be terrified of birds. His dad, Rayford, confirmed this to SB Nation via a Tweet:

Truth to that whole story is...Trae grew up in Europe while I was playing, and anytime we took him to the park or the city center he would never feed the pigeons. They would always scare him once they started flying

— Ray Young (@rayfordyoung) February 5, 2019

[Note: Trae Young’s dad also thinks I’m hilarious. That has nothing to do with this story, but it needs to be said.]

But yeah, Young is having none of this bat action. He claims that he’d run into the tunnel too, if faced with a bat. Young said that he’s afraid of “anything that flies.”

”If you’re not afraid of bats I dont know who you are,” said Young.

When asked if his son was afraid of the Hawks’ team mascot, Trae’s dad avoided answering.

Donovan Mitchell

Bats interrupted Mitchell’s warmup in January, and he “was not cool with that.”

“I’m glad [the team’s mascot] came because I would not have finished my warmup. I would’ve went straight to the locker room.”

| "I was not cool with that, at all. I'm glad the bear got him 'cause I would not have finished my warmup, I would've gone to the locker room." pic.twitter.com/WLNtya3rjX

— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) January 26, 2019

Rudy Gay

In the second round of bats at AT&T Center, Gay straight up just ran behind a referee in fear. He booked it. Was not having a second of these dang bats.

best moment of the NBA season right here The bats return to the AT&T Center. Rudy Gay bails. LaMarcus chucks the ball at it. Bench throws towels. *glass shatters* BAW GAWD HERE COMES THE SPURS COYOTE DRESSED AS BATMAN WITH A NET AND HE GOT IT!!! pic.twitter.com/ediKLkYheO

— Rob Perez (@WorldWideWob) February 3, 2019

Myles Turner and Thaddeus Young

On Feb. 7, a bat appeared in Indiana, and nobody flinched harder than Turner and Young.

A pair of seven-foot dudes and you can’t trust either smh.

Kevin Martin

The retired former Kings guard hasn’t gone on the record to talk about bats, but it’s very obvious that he is not a fan. He was in the background of Ginobili’s famous swat, and you can see him flinching as Ginobili strikes.

NOT Afraid of Bats

Manu Ginobili

This one is obvious. Watch our bat savior, in all his glory, take one down.

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The Spurs Coyote Mascot (twice)

San Antonio’s oddly sexual wolf-creature is an expert with a net.

Watch him go! He even has a designated uniform for the stunt.

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The Jazz Bear Mascot

Donovan Mitchell’s savior came in the form of a mascot bear that’s known to temporarily steal children, but that’s neither here nor there. He can also catch bats!

Pau Gasol

Gasol was ready to go on Thursday night, with five bats in sight. He rolled a towel, ready to whip them from the air, but ultimately came away with zero catches.

At least he wasn’t afraid!

Bats everywhere at the AT&T Center .... where is @manuginobili ???? pic.twitter.com/RDTpfZDIXq

— Spurs Nation (@Spurs_Nation) February 1, 2019

LaMarcus Aldridge

Aldridge wasn’t standing tall and mighty in trying to get this couple-ounce wing-devil. He instead tried to lightly toss a ball at — which we’ll consider means he is unafraid of bats.

— Rob Perez (@WorldWideWob) February 3, 2019

Way Too Unafraid of Bats

Brook Lopez

Lopez talked to SB Nation after the Bucks win over the Wizards on Feb. 2, and revealed what he’d do if a bat came into an arena he was playing in.

Brook Lopez: If you’ve learned anything from the modern superhero myth, if you see a bat around and it bites you, you have a 75 percent chance of ending up a superhero. Otherwise you’ll probably get really get sick. But it’d be cool to be a superhero. You don’t need to be too afraid, I’d say give it a shot.

SB Nation: So you’re going to let the bat bite you?

Brook: Yeah, absolutely.

SB: Are you going to just stick out your hands?

Brook: I’m just going to just make myself available. At that point, it’s up to the bat. A lot of it is up to fate in these superhero stories. But I want to give myself a shot.

This story will be updated as more bats invade NBA arenas.

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