One last trek to the Madera Sugar Pine Grades
| October 30, 2018 04:37PM |
I took advantage of the YMSP Photographer's special on Sunday to stay the night and spend Monday exploring more of the Madera Sugar Pine Grades. I wanted to document more of the 1919-1924 lines and find the upper end of the 1920 incline. Departing from Oakhurst on Monday morning meant I had less than a 30 minute drive to the woods.
From the YMSP area to Fish Camp the MSP grade followed highway 41. It branched off just as you hit the village of Fish Camp. Here's what the grade looks like as you head east into the woods:
I'll bet most people don't know why the road is so level...
About a mile up the grade goes through this cut:
About two miles up the railroad edges out onto this shelf above Big Creek. The creek is to your left about 100 feet down:
Some nice fall colors!
I'm always amazed at the amount of work that railroads went through to obtain the timber...
This is another view of the same area about 1/2 mile upgrade:
About three miles in the grade leaves Big Creek Canyon and heads to the south up a side canyon for about 1/2 mile. Here's the cut where it leaves Big Creek:
After the grade traverses the side canyon it begins climbing at about a 2 percent grade.
BTW- the temperature was 37 degrees F when I shot these photos. Winter is coming...
To be continued..
From the YMSP area to Fish Camp the MSP grade followed highway 41. It branched off just as you hit the village of Fish Camp. Here's what the grade looks like as you head east into the woods:
I'll bet most people don't know why the road is so level...
About a mile up the grade goes through this cut:
About two miles up the railroad edges out onto this shelf above Big Creek. The creek is to your left about 100 feet down:
Some nice fall colors!
I'm always amazed at the amount of work that railroads went through to obtain the timber...
This is another view of the same area about 1/2 mile upgrade:
About three miles in the grade leaves Big Creek Canyon and heads to the south up a side canyon for about 1/2 mile. Here's the cut where it leaves Big Creek:
After the grade traverses the side canyon it begins climbing at about a 2 percent grade.
BTW- the temperature was 37 degrees F when I shot these photos. Winter is coming...
To be continued..
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488 stops for water at Los Pinos tank on closing day Oct. 1979. Photo courtesy Don Richter
The NGDF was started by Don Richter and is currently operated in his memory by Nathan Holmes and others. Others who have contributed to the upkeep of this board are (in no particular order): Charles McCandless, Everett Lueck, Ted Wilton, Cole Adams, James Bane, John Moellmer, Jon Bentz, Linn Moedinger, lloyd lehrer, Rod Jensen, John Craft, Steven Forney, Herb Kelsey, Bill Ramaley, Russ Sperry (El Russo Loco), Josh McNeal, John West, Jim Armstrong, Bob Bergstrom, Greg Scholl, Blake Forbes Doug van Veelen and Mark Fuller.