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 Post subject: Our Expedition In Squaw Valley California On Fathers Day 6/2
PostPosted: Wed Jun 24, 2015 10:52 am 
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Joined: Fri Jun 15, 2007 10:38 am
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Location: Las Vegas, NV
Our Expedition In Squaw Valley California On Fathers Day 6/21/15

Some people also call this location Olympic Valley and that it is considering the 1960 Winter Olympics were held here. Today though the area is used for sports enthusiast, hikers, bigfoot chasers, skiers and those who wish to enjoy the very beautiful resort that is found within the valley.

The last time I was in this area hiking was last year ago around the same time at a place called Five Lakes in the Granite Chief Wilderness. This time around we would be journeying just over a series of peaks but on the other side just a half mile away on an entirely different trail head known as Shirley Canyon.

For Fathers Day that is what I wanted to do is put in a really decent hike something that added every single element to the table. As some of you are aware certain hikes do not do that you might be missing the water or wildlife etc but not here this region offers everything to the individual who wants a solid adventure.

Prior to hiking when the sun was coming up we went out for a really good breakfast. I had a steak and all the sides to go with some good morning eats. We would then drive up to a place called Tahoe City which resides on the NW end of the lake at the entrance into the Granite Chief which is truly one of these locations that takes allot of hard work to get back into because you cant just drive then park here. This is a wilderness area so to see all the peaks, trails, lakes and sites you will earn your stripes.

We parked at the resort last time I was up here it was closed nobody was even around it was very quiet. This time their was allot of folks swimming, hiking and walking around. When you take the road to enter into this valley its not only very green and scenic with these massive towering peaks but the resort along with its complex is at the very end of it prior to entering into the wilderness.

Its kind of hard to find Shirley Canyon as its extremely overgrown and the sign is very small. When you enter into the canyon all you can see our woods and wildflowers growing everyone. You begin to follow the creek which at this point is just trickling and above to your left you will see cable trams going above these cliffs which have got to be almost a 1000' and very steep. These cliffs that grace the sides of Shirley Canyon are straight up and down within the first mile or two within the canyon. Even the first section of the trail is so overgrown that you have to physically push your body through brush to get past the growth leading to the path its a bit odd but still no less cool if you like the outdoors and something that is not to maintained.

When I first was hiking out to the trail entrance their is this steep area you climb up full of vegetation. Maybe I am seeing things but maybe not as about 100' into the woods I seen between two trees and some brush a set of two very muscular hairy legs pan from left to right then vanish. I could not see anything else their was a small tree masking the entire body so all I could see is bipedal hairy legs and I was kind of shocked at the time like whoa what did I just see. By the time I went looking for it whatever walked past us was gone or hiding somewhere watching us perhaps. So that was a great start to our hike however we would not find to many other pieces of evidence after this occurrence perhaps due to all the families, hikers, dogs and people pouring on in from the resort.

The trail continues to ascend through the forest which btw are extremely lush here full of old trees some perhaps 250 years old I know because I found one off of the trail exploring. You begin to follow the creek which is full of waterfalls, crystal clear pools and at times patches of wildflowers growing along the way. Its almost surreal feels like your in some mystical or magical forest its absolutely gorgeous back in this canyon.

When the canyon levels off for awhile their is an area with downed trees and the sun barely pierces the canyon floor. Its actually very dark in certain parts of the canyon which provides great shade for that uphill climb. Their are times where you can cross the creek take the trail on the other side which we ended up doing as we hopped over various pools of water. I seen a few people swimming and taking a dip to be honest with you I was pretty close to doing the same thing but I was on a mission.

Jarrod and I found this fallen tree with a bunch of tree limbs stacked around it. Someone may have used it as a makeshift shelter for camping then again Bigfoot also creates similar shelters so you never know. During the winter months this area is fairly inaccessible as a matter in fact hikers are very rare therefore bigfoot sightings or what some say an abominable snowman lurks back here. I have spent hours researching peoples bigfoot accounts, evidence and videos in Squaw Valley. Despite its popularity this has been a Sasquatch hotspot for decades and their are to many reports to just dismiss it entirely.

After about a mile maybe a mile in a half you come out to an area where the entire canyon widens with massive peaks surrounding you at every angle. Keep in mind these peaks have no trails and if you take the wrong way you could end up falling off a cliff its very dangerous to stray back here trust me unless you know what your doing.You will begin to leave the forest and how you will know is that towards the end of tree line their is a bunch of steep rocks you have to climb which is a massive area as the canyon widens greatly. Prior to the hike the canyon was much more narrow and lush now we were entering a more primitive area.

The trail kind of ends for the next mile its all about rock climbing and trying to traverse two massive rock faces that steep at about a 40 degree slope. You will see that their are allot of dogs, hikers and even young children. Generally its very safe to climb the rocks as long as you keep an eye out on your kids and keep ascending. If you veer north or south within the canyon their are cliffs trust me I know I went off exploring myself a little.

So here you have this massive granite slope it ascends for about a mile maybe more and that is really all you can see ahead of you. Its about a few hundred feet wide and their are areas where you can fall if you do not have proper footwear. I know I slipped a few times because of the fine granite that covers some of the rocky slope which is like sand or ice when you step on it thus causing your feet to slip.

In between the rocks are wildflowers growing while there is a few places you physically have to try to climb between giant rocks or over them. My kids were much faster then me a few times they were a couple hundred feet above as they scrambled above waiting on a rock for me to catch up. Its very strenuous but its not a deadly hike and their is some spray paint from the forestry you can follow to the top but again you have to pay attention or ascend the most feasible way possible.

Their is a lake up at the end of the canyon but you will never see it till you are 75' away so we were not even sure we were going to collide with it or if we shot around it. Its easy to shoot around the lake if you veer to your right continue up the canyon and enter back into the woods where they seem to continue when you get a couple hundred feet from its granite shores.

Along my journey to the top if the granite slabs in the canyon I looked back as we were now above all the trees. You could see the resort and all the beautiful lush green meadows found in the valley. Their were some areas where water trickled down the rocks but the sun was beating down on us which made the hike a little more tiring. However now the peaks of the Granite Chief Wilderness are finally unmasked as prior to this you could not really see them from the canyons lower floor.

I also noticed that people were high up on the rocks which makes you feel small because you know they might look like little bugs you will eventually be standing where they were. No less we would make it their were allot of butterflies as I rock scrambled and I also had gotten to pet over 20 dogs. I seen toys dogs all the way from big Siberian Huskies. Every dog was happy just to rock climb and explore sometimes some of them had gotten ahead of their owner just to come visit us hiking.

Eventually we would make it to the lake where we would see the beautiful Granite Chief Peak which overshadows it. The boys and I found this peninsula where we would have a picnic at in the very center of the lake it was so wicked. We seen large trout in the water and their was some snow up on the peak but not as much as I expected due to mild winters. The lake was crystal clear blue and the tree growth around it was very heavy thus it was shady.

A group of people came to chill here also one of the guys told me that at the end of the peninsula is an area that is very deep and makes for good diving. So its not surprising to see dogs or people swimming here. Across from us was a ski lift that actually takes you down to the lake. My guess would be is in the winter they have ice skating here and you can take the left from High Camp all the way down to here as the lift went right over this ridge to an area we would be traversing next.

As far as strange tracks near Shirley Lake forget it the trail around it is heavily used or hard granite rock. But honestly I did not do this adventure for the paranormal. I did it because I wanted to be a part of something greater as this place offers adventure and has a long standing history of Bigfoot sightings. So to be here hiking around is an honor but its also another great place to share with our viewers and try to absorb the region. Their is just to many people back here with dogs to find anything feasible that does not mean its not back here or does not exist. Just hiking in a place known for its bigfoot for me is good enough and your going to absolutely love this place its gods country.

My son however was not to lucky during our lunch somebody's dog ran up to him bit his arm WTF! I never knew it happened I seen the dog run up to him but did not see the dog bite his arm. I heard the group of people tell their dog to get over here but nobody apologized to him or me. My other son thought his brother was being attacked pulled out his knife. I mean seriously what is wrong with people they do not watch their dogs and then on top of it its biting my kid? He is okay it did not break the skin but still this was a Bull Mastiff not a friendly one either.

We would eat lunch then pack it on up ready for our second half of the expedition which would be to hike around the lake then up over two different ridges through volcanic rocks and onto the High Camp trail. The High Camp Trail offers not only great views but big open meadows of wild flowers on hill sides and awesome views of the Granite Chief Wilderness. Trust me when I say this when we add this location our site you wont care about Bigfoot your just going to love the photography and HD videos its surreal.

The trail switchbacks then eventually it begins to veer south away from the top of Shirley Canyon following these cliffs to the east. You can see plenty of ski chairs and lifts everywhere the entire mountain here is riddled with them. Just as you can see the tram heading down into Squaw Valley. My plans were not to take the tram to the top of High Camp but to get there then take it all the way down to the bottom. Little did I know that the last tram for the day was already descending due to high winds but at the time we had no idea.

You have to be very careful their are cliffs around here the trail splits off both go to High Camp however the one we took had snow on it and along the hillsides above us. We did not know what was above us at the camp because we could not see above us just the lifts. One part of the trail was covered in ice we had to hug the side of the mountain to go around this patch. I was so dangerous that if you walked on this icy patch then slipped you could continue to slide down the snowy bank and right off a cliff. So we definitely had to take precautions and well if your not experienced outdoors this could spell your demise so its important to always take safety measures.

We would make it to the top of High Camp which is at the height of those cliffs you see at the very bottom of Squaw Valley and Shirley Canyon. Its very beautiful at High Camp I mean imagine being on this grassy plateau over 8k which is a couple mills its extremely unique with rolling hills, five to six beautiful peaks that overshadow the plateau, wild flowers everywhere and stellar views of North Lake Tahoe below you. The only problem I had or issue with High Camp is that their are ski lifts everywhere that start at the facilities and run half way up the sides of those peaks that overshadow it. The ski lifts make it hard to photograph these other scenic sites.

High Camp was really awesome I found all sorts of new plant species including these pods that explode when you squeeze them as they are filled with air pockets. I also seen a hillside of these gold and orange flowers and some pretty cool insects. The winds however were really whipping up here some gust easily 60mph so we found a spot we cold seek some shelter at while we took a break to fuel up.

Also now for the really great part about High Camp is that they have a cafe, pool, Jacuzzi, hockey ring, tram station, restaurant, bar, tennis courts, Olympian Museum and of course the Olympic Rings which overlooks the entire valley below. The facilities are built right on the edge overlooking Lake Tahoe and Squaw Valley below its just an amazing place.

I was very sad to see that everything was closed up here do not get me wrong it opened the day before but I guess a hiker told Tammy because she did not go to the lake or to High Camp with us that they decided not to open it on Fathers Day this year around so that dads could have the day off. Its like ummmm what is their no women to operate the restaurant or bar? Honestly my plan was to reach the top maybe take the boys for a swim grab a pint of beer sit in the Jacuzzi then take the tram to where my jeep was. As the cable car ride is very beautiful and a nice long ride over various cliffs and mountains. But the station was closed and we have to assume its because the winds were really whipping.

Back in the 1970's they did not take these precautions and people died as one of the tram cars snapped right off one of its cables. I believe that three died, twelve were injured and one man fell over 85' into the snow below. The cable that snapped shot back slicing right through the tram and more then likely slicing through its victims. My kids told me even if it was not open with the high winds they would not get on it. You could see the cables swaying and the winds howling it was not pretty. The Olympic Museum was closed as well I wanted to take the kids here and they said on the sign open but the door was locked. Their was an old couple swimming in the pool also not sure they even had clothes on my kids were all like gross dad lets avoid them NO SHIT! lol

But no less the views here were great I took panoramas, video, pictures etc. I was going to investigate the Tram Station to try to do an EVP session but it dive bombed with everything locked up. I did however stand in the ice hockey arena where world hockey teams once battled eachother for a medal that was freaking awesome. The facilities at high camp are rather extensive we went from Bigfoot chasing to urban exploration but at thousands of feet up at the top of the sierras overlooking Lake Tahoe. How many people get to do that? I think it was a great bonding experience with my kids and truly a good Fathers Day gift. The butterflies, beautiful flowers, cicadas and scenery made it worthwhile.

The lakes from above were also blue and you could see all of Shirley Canyon far below where we came in from. Sadly off to the south you could see the giant plume rising up to the heavens caused by the Alpine County Washington Fire. The fire was easily visible and we were almost 80 miles away. Its not a great site to see knowing the area the fire is burning is home to many of our bigfoot expeditions everything that ranges from ghost towns to beautiful wilderness areas all burning away before your eyes. One of the best views of that fire is from High Camp and a scary one for sure.

The kids and I would have to hike back we had no idea that we would have to hike another four miles out. I thought we could take the tram back and it was closed. However going down was nothing we cut a couple hours off the hike just heading down to Shirley Canyon where we would meet up with Tammy. By the time we were done hiking on this expedition we easily clocked 9 miles.

The one thing I did not understand is we ran into hikers heading up to High Camp just as Shirley Lake. Most people had no backpacks, water or made any kind of preparations. Some of those folks looked like zombies all beat red dying of thirst. Please remember folks bring supplies public location or not you can still suffer from heatstroke or even death here this is the wilderness. The Granite Chief Wilderness is around 20k acres but beyond that its thousands more so their are no amenities out here and if High Camp is open yes you can have a nice steak but if its not your screwed.

I had a great time no less drank brews, smoked watermelon cigars and some herb overlooking Tahoe. I know how to live life a little but also enjoy myself. So many folks take places like these for granted and they just do not get out enough to explore. I personally enjoy to be able to relax take my time at locations like these whether I see ghosts, UFOs or Bigfoot we all know that locations like these are full of paranormal treasures certain times of the years.

I did eventually meet up with Tammy in the canyon she was making friends with a Chipmunk that I photographed. We sat on this granite slope for awhile to talk about the hike and some of the nice things that we found while hiking here. She told me that their were allot of kids having meltdowns and adults arguing during the hike. She also told me some woman cracked her head open seriously and she had to help the person down to the bottom of the canyon so her husband could get her medical attention. So you can see folks yeah its a safe area to hike but one wrong misstep could lead to injury or if your not wearing the right footwear you could slip getting hurt easily here.

The hike through the canyon was pleasant as the sun begin to slowly set off to the west. We actually took an entirely different path through the canyon parts of it primitive. So we found a few new waterfalls and some areas were so overgrown we had to push through the foliage as we descended. My son took a dip in one of the pools of water and I went off searching for waterfalls in the canyon.

This is an area that offers everything all the way from the lake, various flowers, large trees that are untouched, scenic views, rock climbing, cliffs, bigfoot, waterfalls and even the location where the Winter Olympics were held. It has a mix of various sites and adventures. Nature here is very abundant and to tell you the truth people here are truly genuine. I wore a marijuana shirt my family bought me for Fathers Day most people really liked it. As a matter in fact during my hike I must had played with a couple dozen dogs and met quite a few folks that I chatted with during my breaks. People here are very very friendly so I can see why this hike is nearly rated 5 stars ill be rating it that too!

I did notice one thing that some folks were not watching their kids and this dude lost his daughter up the granite slabs heading in. He was calling for her and she was calling for him they were both far apart. However where she was yelling from their are cliffs over there and you cant really see them until your at the edge of this ravine within the canyon where the creek keeps descending from the lake. I seen people lose their dogs which brings me to a sign at the trail head entrance about a dog that went missing. Being their is so many hikers here and nobody has found it makes me wonder if maybe a bigfoot like creature had it for dinner. As some of you are aware bigfoot like creatures like smaller dogs and animals as a food subsistence. I am not saying this dog was eaten but if you lose your dog in Shirley or this wilderness you may never see it again lets leave it at that folks.

My journey home was also great as I drove around Tahoe smoking a cigar and when you leave Squaw Valley the Olympic torch burns at the entrance its pretty cool and it never goes out! I bet sledding, snowboarding and skiing here must be a treat. This location is a jewel high up in the wilderness overlooking easily two to three miles of the region nothing really can compare to that kind of a view. Its easy to take the tram up and down but I definitely wanted to hike it so I could be among nature and work for this view.

When I arrived home I had made a nice Fathers Day Dinner cooking fresh fish, brussels sprouts, garlic fresh shrimp, sausage and white cheddar pasta. It was a feast for a king but also for a father and his kids after traversing the high sierras so it does not get better then this! I have to say it was a great Fathers Day just to be out in the wilderness searching for the strange and spending time with your kids it does not get any better then this.

It is the simple things that count and although I did not have a major bigfoot encounter just to be hiking in Squaw Valley knowing that others have see the infamous abominable snow man makes it worth my time. Bigfoot research requires years of field work if you do not put that in you will not produce results. See were not just a paranormal group were an adventure one as well so some projects are about preservation, history, journeying and nature. The paranormal is a perk to what we do here at PGS but not every place your going to find tracks or have a sighting that does not mean its not there this location is prime Bigfoot real estate and you cant take back the decades of strangeness that surrounds this surreal location! I have a feeling that you could spend many years exploring this area and still not see it all as the wilderness in some of these canyons or on these peaks is unforgiving or nearly impossible for humans to traverse.

Peace,
Lord Rick
PGS Founder

PS All reports may or will be revised with renditions once the cases get added on our site this is only a rough draft.

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