Re: 2019 Madera Sugar Pine Explorations

Here's the bottom of the incline:

The incline comes down from the upper left. The branch line ran northwest (directly behind me). There is a spur on the left. I did not find any artifacts here. Probably due to the extensive use the area had received. There was lots of slash and fallen trees that salvage logging was removing.

Here's a view of the spur on the left:

It supposedly goes out a little over a mile. I walked down about 1/8 mile but didn't have time to explore the entire branch. Maybe next time...

From this point the main branch heads to the northwest and is on a downhill grade of 4-6%. This area apparently suffered a fire several years ago.

The only artifact I saw was a piece of wire rope off the ROW.

Here's a view of the grade heading towards Roundtree Saddle:

It is unclear exactly how the railroad approached Roundtree Saddle. The current road follows the railroad grade until it is less than 1/4 mile from the saddle, then the road drops steeply into the saddle. Searching around did not immediately discover a railroad grade and only part of the area was burned off in the Ferguson Fire. Maybe it will be a challenge for a later expedition...

Final photo is one my wife shot at one of our stops of a butterfly on a Mariposa Lily:


Next: The mainline back to Sugar Pine...