Bohna Peak

Sequoia National Forest

We stayed the night at Cedar Creek Campground, which is also a good starting point for climbing Bohna Peak. The road up the creek through the campground continues past the last site to what could almost be called a parking area and a trail continues after that. The creek quickly becomes a stunning thing of ledges and cascades. It is quite surprising after seeing it as the overtrampled flow of water over jumbled rocks and dirt that it has inevitably become within the campground.

Cedars and cottonwoods along Cedar Creek.

A thin canyon with tall cottonwoods.

Many flowers are blooming along the creek.

The trail crosses the creek often and sometimes gets very nearly into the creek. As I edge along a rock wall trying to keep my feet dry, there is suddenly an odd hole in the side. Very square and very deep and very consistant, it must be an old mine.

The old mine, or perhaps just prospect, heads back some 20 feet and then might make a right turn.

A delightful waterfall along a delightful creek.

A little pool at the bottom of a cascade.

Being a Hundred Peaks Section peak, I have some suggestions for how to get there. More than a quarter mile up the canyon from the campground (but which end) past two waterfalls and a big pool, start up the side along a use trail. We have gone past two waterfalls of sorts and are by a pool that is big for the creek. The ridge edge seems to come down to this location and a little further, there is a thin trail. It is time to climb. The trail starts off nicely enough, but soon it is only a little taller than the cattle that are the usual travelers on this hillside. Ribbons on the branches suggest that this is a route up, but some old irrigation tubing pieces cause a little worry. It is slow working up through the bushes and there is no end in sight until it does suddenly end.

Flowers grow under the bushes. Here are more mariposa lilies.

The bushes open up to grasses dotted with black oaks. The mostly open meadow stretches steeply upward and it feels like quite the breath of fresh air. It is also a bit more exposed to the sun and already starting to be a bit of a warm climb. Ribbons dangle from a few branches encouraging us on our way.

Climbing upward through meadow lined with cedar and pine and black oak. Everything else around seems to be tree covered.

The slope levels off for a pleasant rest as the trees close in. It does not last all that long before we are again climbing steeply, but this time threading through trees.

A nice, level section on the way to the peak. Paths are mostly maintained by cows and there are many options that do not quite go in the wanted direction.

The forest boasts some few, tiny flowers as well.

Making our way along a steep slope.

A little more climbing that feels like quite a lot more climbing while threading through the trees, things start to level out again. The ground to the north appears to continue to climb, but peak marked on the Sierra Club map is to the south. Turning south, there is a rock outcrop and then a second one. Climbing the rocks, it is clear that they are higher than the dirt to the north. Past the second rock outcrop, it is a long way down and there is quite a view of the valley.

Ralph gets a little too soon up the rocks on the first outcrop.

The summit block with an oak growing from it.

Climbing the peek summit block, there is a low spot in the rocks for the first peek out over the valley.

Having got there, of course we take some time to take in the view.

Black and Split Mountains. The mountains of yesterday rise to the east.

The central valley in the western distance does seem a bit dreary.

The summit serves as a small container garden for a few flowers here, too.

The original plan was to continue along the ridge for another 2000 foot trail free climb through the trees to get up to the top of Sunday Peak. However, it has taken quite a bit more time than expected just to get up to here. It seems it may be prudent, thinking of the drive home still left, to return and climb the second peak via the trail. So it is that we head back down again.

Finding our way back down again.

Navigating back down while twisting through the trees is a lot harder than coming up. Following a ridge line seems easy enough except that they split and split. The forest is quite a bit thicker as we go down until we try to follow our previous route a little more closely.

A butterfly alights on a live oak among the trees.

In much shorter order than the climb, we are back to the flat section and then back out into the meadows spotted with black oaks.

Starting down the steep meadows once again.

Mariposa lilies also grow out in the grasses.

A spattering of orange from a few poppies.

The bushes at the bottom of the meadow are unwelcome, but necessary. We end up heading down through it in the same tunnels as we came up, too. It, happily, does not last so long as trying to make our way upward lasted either.

A cluster of purple that is quite common below the branches of the bushes.

Down by the creek, it is even more beautiful now that the sunlight is hitting it. I stop to get the grass seeds out of my socks and then may as well wash a bit of the dirt off my feet as well. A little more comfortable in the feet, we head down the trail beside the creek again, although it is tempting to head up it at least a little bit further.

A little waterfall along the way.

The larger waterfall along the way, still somewhat in shade but now from trees.

*photo album*




©2016 Valerie Norton
Posted 13 June 2016