Unique Experiences

Item Description

Come on a guided hike for Four Adults (including older teens) with Bushwhack Bob to see Jesse Machado’s wonderous and little-known secret find right in our Kirkwood back yard!

In 1934 Jesse Machado (1910-1992), a 24-year-old worker at Camp Silver Lake was returning from a day spent fishing the high lakes. Hiking cross-country, he was blazing a shortcut across the rugged granite-and-pine of the mountain's northeast slope. Around 7,900 feet, he unexpectedly found himself standing before a vast and peculiar cliff.

The cliff's bizarre rock rose in thousands of towering, six-sided columns-naturally occurring hexagonal columns, all fitted together, 30 feet high, stretching an imposing 900 feet along the cliff face, perhaps 200 feet deep, and rust-red, not granite-white, in color.

Other columns lay in geometric piles where they had toppled. Machado had discovered a formation bigger than Devil's Postpile National Monument and eons older. But no one was to learn of his find for years; Machado kept it a secret. Eventually, when he announced his discovery, few in the high country believed him.

To get to the Postpiles it is a 5 mile out and back hike, starting from the trailhead at Silver Lake.  While not well marked, there is a trail and your guide has been to Machado several times in Summer, Fall and even Winter.  This is a solid but non-technical hike with a good climb at the destination to get up to the Postpiles. You will want good hiking shoes, water, a snack, and definitely your camera. Trail aware dogs are also ok.  

Your guide is available this summer or fall to lead you on your adventure on a mutually agreeable date. Contact information for scheduling will be exchanged after the item is won at auction.

Donated by: Bob Williams

Plan to pick up the items you won on Sunday, July 4, 2021 between the hours of 9 am to 11 am.  The location for Curbside Pick-up is 33540 Loop Road at the Community Services Building.

Auction items containing alcohol must be picked up no later than July 15, 2021.  Please bring your ID when picking these up.

If you are not in Kirkwood your items will be stored at the Community Services Building until September 4, 2021.  Please email JGillies@kmpud.com to arrange for a date and time for pick up.

Small items such as Gift Cards will be mailed to you at your residence address after July 5,2021.

Thank you for supporting the Kirkwood Volunteer Fire Department!