J.W. Beardsley

While researching the history of Green Valley for an earlier post, I read in the May 8, 1876 Sacramento Daily Union of the death in Green Valley of J.W. Beardsley.

His occupation was not given, so I only assume he was a miner, for there was a good deal of mining activity in Green Valley back then. He had been in California for about 18 months.

On the evening of April 17, 1876, he got into a small boat, intending to cross the North Fork American River, but the river was swollen and the boat overturned. J.W. Beardsley was swept downstream. He was 43 years old, and had a wife and two children in Marquette, Michigan.

Two weeks and two days later, on May 3, 1876, his body was found in the Sacramento River near Courtland, downriver from Sacramento and a long distance from Green Valley.

His brother David Beardsley, of Nevada City, identified the body at the undertaking firm of Clark & Davis in Sacramento. He had the remains interred at Sacramento City Cemetery, in Tier 30, Grave 75 1/2.

While in Sacramento today, I stopped by Sacramento City Cemetery to photograph the grave marker for this post, but no marker remains. I spoke with a docent at this historic cemetery. She said that the brother may have wanted to save money on the burial by placing a wood instead of a stone marker on the grave. Only a handful of wood markers remain in the cemetery. "What about the 1/2 number on Grave 75 1/2?," I asked. More cost savings, she replied. After over two weeks in the river, what was left of J.W. Beardsley could fit into a cheaper half-grave plot.

International Space Station

A free iPad app called ISS Spotter advises when the International Space Station will be visible at a particular location. Today at 8:46 PM in the Sacramento area it appeared to the northwest. It looked like a star, only it moved across the sky, for a few minutes on a southeasterly course, 88 degrees above me at its closest point, until it faded from view as it entered Earth's shadow.

Return to Green Valley

Google Earth view of Green Valley, from above Euchre Bar,
looking towards Giant Gap, with the place mark on Joe Steiner's grave

What a difference a week makes.

Last Sunday the climb out of Green Valley was a challenge. Today, it was far less so. I made the ascent of some two thousand feet slowly, for sure, but without any cramping in the legs and with no twenty-minute siesta. I attribute this to three things: the last hike conditioned the leg muscles; I had not over-exerted myself, such as when I went bushwhacking last week; and I started this hike far better hydrated, having drank about 36 oz. of water before leaving home, rather than two cups of coffee. Hydration was likely the most important factor.

My Topo! map software gives a distance of 0.83 mile for the steep section of the trail, but with switchbacks I'll give it 0.9 mile. Let's compare this steep section of Green Valley Trail with Bright Angel Trail, which connects the rim of the Grand Canyon with the Colorado River.

Elevation difference:
- Bright Angel Trail 4,380 ft
- Green Valley Trail 1,600 ft

Distance:
- Bright Angel Trail 8.0 miles
- Green Valley Trail 0.9 mile

Average Grade
- Bright Angel Trail 10%
- Green Valley Trail 34%

Slope in Degrees
- Bright Angel Trail 05.74
- Green Valley Trail 19.67

I departed the trailhead at Moody Ridge at 8:50 AM. The trail soon reached a paved road and followed it a short distance. A small pickup truck approached. The driver stopped to talk. He lived up the road, and he asked if I was prepared for the hike into the valley. Yes, I was: I had water, a GPS, a personal locator beacon, and fire making items. I carry gear I would need to face a night alone. "Do you have a snake bite kit?" Yes, I did. We talked some more. Russell Towle had been his neighbor and friend. I said that Russell was the John Muir of the North Fork American River, and he agreed. We talked for a good twenty minutes, and exchanged contact information. He said trail maintenance events are held in Russell's memory. I would like to join these. Many years ago I joined Russell for a maintenance hike he arranged on Canyon Creek Trail.

I made my way down the steep section, and reached the junction where last week I had taken the trail to the right, leading to the west side of the valley. Today I took the trail to the left. Now I was in Green Valley proper, the steep hillside behind me. The trail was obscure in many places. Few people enter this valley and the old mining trails are becoming overgrown. I passed two old water ditches, now dry as they are no longer in use for mining operations.

Soon I was at the grave of Joe Steiner. Born in 1869 in Switzerland, he spent the latter part of his life in Green Valley, working his mine and managing a property. He died in 1949. Atop his grave were two rusted gold pans, the rusted head of a shovel, a kerosene lamp, and a broken ceramic coffee mug.

Joe Steiner's grave

The trail led to the hotel site, a level spot with rock retaining walls. People now use it as a camp site. Someone had placed a large anvil on the corner of the site. Looking across the river, I saw other rock walls. I don't think many people go over there anymore.

Site of the hotel

I followed the trail westwards, passing old mining sites, rock retaining walls, and pits with iron debris. I found plastic tubing from more modern mining activity, but I think such activity is limited. I reached the site of Joe Steiner's mine. The adit had collapsed long ago.

Site of Joe Steiner's mine

I made my way eastwards along the river, and reached a nice spot for lunch, water and a single Clif bar. Water is more important than food on a hike, so I eat little, if at all. I sat on the slate rock outcrop and enjoyed the view of the river. I was probably the only person in the valley.

Solitude

Then commenced the return hike. My going was slow on the steep section but my legs felt fine. I encountered a couple walking with their dog to the river. These were the only people I saw on the trail today. We talked a bit. They said they lived on Moody Ridge, so they were locals. Russell Towle had been their neighbor and friend. I asked them if many people hiked into Green Valley. They said no, the valley gets few visitors.

I reached the trailhead parking area at 2:05 PM. My truck was the only vehicle there. Thus ended another wonderful day on the North Fork.

First Hike to Green Valley

View upriver towards Euchre Bar

Three old mining trails lead to Green Valley, located between Euchre Bar and Giant Gap. Today, my first hike there, I took the trail commencing from Moody Ridge. The rim of the canyon is at 3,800 feet, with a descent of 1,600 feet over some 0.9 to 1.0 mile to the valley proper; then follows a leisurely walk to the river, elevation 1,800 feet. So from rim to river is a difference of 2,000 feet. The climb out of the canyon, with that 1,600 foot ascent over about one mile, is brutal.

I left the house at eight o'clock. The weather would be perfect for a hike, warm but not too warm, with plenty of sunshine. Approaching Colfax on Interstate 80, I passed a billboard for the Bunny Ranch Bar and Cigar. The Bunny Ranch is a brothel outside Carson City, Nevada. The Bunny Ranch owner claims these billboards are for his restaurant.

Taking the Alta exit, within minutes I was on Casa Loma Road, passing small patches of snow from the recent storm.  I reached the trailhead. My truck was the only vehicle in the small dirt parking lot. I shouldered my Osprey pack. It carried three liters of water, and I would drink almost all three before returning to the truck. I checked my watch: nine o'clock. I was on my way.

The digital watch, a recent purchase, is a Casio PRW3000-1A. Besides getting its time set by a radio signal from Fort Collins, Colorado, it has a compass, barometer, thermometer, and altimeter. The altimeter is handy for hiking the Sierra, where the challenge is less the distance ahead than the elevation above. My Magellan Triton GPS contains the local topographical map. Checking the watch's altimeter against the GPS point on the map, I found the altimeter to be accurate, within ten feet. The altimeter must be calibrated before setting off, as barometric pressure changes affect the altitude readings.

I made my way down the steep portion of the trail, getting nice views of the North Fork American River, Green Valley, and Giant Gap. I walked atop the peridotite of the Melones Fault Zone, which separates the Calaveras Complex (west - Permian - metavolcanic rocks) from the Shoo Fly Complex (east - Devonian - sandstone and siltstone and slate). The complexes were formed from different subduction events. Geologists deem the twisted rocks in both complexes an unholy mess. The peridotite contains serpentine, the state rock of California. Where serpentine is found, gold is close by.

The Nisenan had villages along the canyon rim, and they went into Green Valley to hunt game and net salmon. They put no value in the gold in the river gravels. Beginning in 1848, they were quickly displaced by people who did. Green Valley had two thousand inhabitants at its peak. Three trails led down to it. It had a hotel. When the placer gold ran out, the miners left, save for a few working the hard rock mines. When those mines closed, even fewer people remained. Then the valley was empty of inhabitants.

Probably fewer people walk into Green Valley each year nowadays than in the time of the Nisenan.

I may have been the only person there today.

Near the end of the steep section of trail, was a junction, the trail to the right leading to the west section of Green Valley, the trail to the left leading to the central and east sections. I took the trail to the right. I passed through a small meadow. How many dozens of tents had once been pitched around here? Water still flowed from a rusted iron pipe from the ground.

There are many trails in Green Valley. The trail I was on was not on the map in my GPS. I eventually reached the trail that parallels the river. This trail was on the map. I continued west on it. The trail was some forty feet above the river. In many places was debris from the miners - broken bottles, rusted cans, sections of iron cable.

The trail would continue to the river, but as I was getting no good views of Giant Gap, I decided to turn around and head east to the central section of Green Valley. I kept an eye on the map in my GPS.

And then reality intervened. What should have been a trail was a steep hillside covered with serpentine rock debris, possibly tailings from an asbestos mine. I decided to bushwhack a bit, to see if I could pick up the trail. I wound my way through manzanita bushes, scrambled here and there, and looked around. No trail. I considered my situation. I could very well be the only person in Green Valley today, it was an almost 2,000 foot climb to the canyon rim, my footing on this hillside was not stable, and a cold bottle of Sierra Nevada Pale Ale was waiting for me at home. I decided to travel east no further. I made my way back to the trail, and commenced my return hike.

I walked slowly, drinking water regularly, as I made that climb out of the canyon. I looked at the altimeter on my watch from time to time. 2985 feet...2990 feet...2995 feet...

Beside the trail I found the remnant of ceramic bowl. I picked it up and examined it. The ceramic had fine cracks in it. How old was this? Did it date to the Gold Rush? On the inside curve was a small picture of a rose. How did this wind up here? My best guess was that someone found it in an old camp by the river, decided to bring it out, and either lost it or discarded it here. Please, folks, just leave the debris in place for others to discover. I put the piece back on the ground and continued my hike.

3115 feet...3120 feet...3125 feet...

And then I did something that I never do on a hike. I took a sit down break. I found a shaded spot and sat down in the middle of the trail, my pack still on my back, my legs stretched out level. And I closed my eyes and rested, for a whole twenty glorious minutes.

The siesta over, I stood back up. The time was 2:19 PM. The elevation was 3,360 feet. Just 440 more feet to the rim.

At one point my thighs started to cramp up, and I wondered if I would reach my truck while it was still daylight. I kept walking and the cramps went away.

Finally I neared the rim, and there I met the only others I would see on the trails today, three hikers heading down the canyon only a short distance, as it was too late in the day to reach the river. We exchanged some pleasantries, and I continued on.

I reached my truck at 3:12 PM. Only one other vehicle was in the trailhead parking lot, and I am sure it belonged to the people I met.

I arrived home. My black tee shirt had white salt crystals on it. I took a shower, and put on a clean tee shirt and clean cargo shorts. I opened a bottle of Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. I poured the beer into a tall glass. I picked up the cold tall glass of beer. I smelled the aroma of the cold beer. And then I took a taste of the beer.

It was delicious.

I plan to return to Green Valley next weekend.