Monday, May 9, 2011

Jenkinsen Lake, Sly Park, Pollock Pines, CA

My last night out under the stars was spent at Jenkinsen Lake, just outside of Pollock Pines. When I left Convict Lake I drove through wind, snow, rain and finally sunshine before arriving at the lake.
I made a pot of coffee, built a fire and watched the geese wander through the campground. The inquisitive little goslings never strayed far from their parents. They say if it snows on the Dogwood flowers that it will be the last snow of winter. While I was up in Pollock, I was fortunate to witness not only snow, but rain and hail falling on the Dogwoods. It rained during the night and early the following morning but by the time I was up and about, the rain had cleared and the lake looked so pretty. There is so much beauty in the simple things in life. Raindrops sparkling on a spiders web; a wonderful miracle of nature.On the way up Highway 395, I passed through the little town of Walker and spotted this memorial set up by the Forest Service to honor the firefighters who gave their lives in 2002 to save the community. To honor and remember their fallen comrades, the local firefighters tied their T-shirts to the fence that faced the memorial. The scenery along 395 and 89 was outstanding; windswept grasses, barren Aspen trees, pine trees, snow covered mountains and rushing rivers. The Carson River flows along the highway and makes for a very picturesque scene. Definitely better than the rest stop I slept in on my way back home! Cheers to you!

Saturday, May 7, 2011

Mono Lake, Mono County, California

Mono Lake was formed over 700,000 years ago as a terminal lake in a basin that has no outlet to the ocean. The lack of an outlet makes the lake very alkaline and salty, allowing only brine shrimp and alkaline flies to live in its waters. It is an incredible place that is a huge wildlife sanctuary for thousands of birds. At times the lake takes on this weird green color, which is actually kind of pretty. The morning I took this picture, it was 7:00 in the morning and the wind was blowing so fiercely that I nearly blew down.

One of the little islands out in the lake has become a seagull rookery. Thousands of seagulls migrate to the lake to nest and raise their young.

Strange rock towers known as tufa rise up out of the lake and line the shore giving the lake an otherworldly atmosphere. The towers reveal where streams once flowed below Mono Lake. As the lake receded, the towers were exposed and the streams eventually dried up.In 1991, Mono Lake was declared a reserve for the nearly 2 million birds made up of 100 different species, that stop here during migration. In 1994, the California State Water Resource Board set a target lake level of 6392 feet, which decreased the amount of water Los Angeles County can divert from the streams that feed the lake. The goal is to restore habitat for migratory birds and protect the lake from further damage. It was an interesting day at the lake, especially because it involved conserving habitat for birds. I love birds; they are one of my favorite animals. But I also love hamburgers and ice cream and had to stop at the world famous Mono Cone for an Ortega Chile burger and chocolate swirl ice cream cone; the very best! It is supposed to snow tomorrow, so I need to do some serious thinking and find a place to stay.

Convict Lake, Sierra Nevada Mountains, California

I spent the weekend camping at Convict Lake in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, right outside of Mammoth. I was delighted to find this little site right on the stream with such a great view of the mountains. I was extremely tired and cold the night before and went straight to bed without lighting my fire. In the morning the wind had stopped so I was able to enjoy the morning with a warm campfire.
My tiny little coffee pot lovin' life in the Sierras! Just big enough to make 2 medium sized cups of fresh hot Joe to start the morning with.
It was such a pretty morning that I made two pots of coffee and sat by the fire, watching the morning come to life. Birds were singing, the stream was gurgling, seagulls screeched above me, and one by one, the guys at the end of my cul-de-sac made their way up to the bathrooms. This was my first time I was able to wear a normal pair of shoes, my Ugh boots! My foot hardly hurt at all.
The view from my campsite; a small stream flowed in front of me, barren trees with tiny spring buds lined the water and the snow covered mountains in the distance.
In the late afternoon I went to the lodge to drink coffee and take a shower. First shower in over a week; that felt good. After my shower, I took the trail around the lake and soaked my foot in the ice cold water when it started hurting. The lake is a fisherman's paradise with guys lining the shore and some out on the lake in small boats. Whenever I passed someone they always asked, "Catch any fish?" I always said no, that I wasn't fishing. They were shocked and couldn't understand why I didn't like smelly old fish and blood and guts, and squirmy worms.

The trail normally goes all the way around the lake, but snow on the other side blocks the trail beyond the boardwalk. The boardwalk traverses several small streams that flow down the mountain into the lake. My first time on this trail was in June, 2005 and all the Aspen trees you see near the boardwalk were bursting with fresh green leaves, each one moving independently in the wind while the streams flowing down the mountain were covered in ice.

Thursday, May 5, 2011

Bishop Creek Canyon, California, in the Spring

Bishop Creek Canyon is in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, 14 miles west of Bishop. Yesterday, I stumbled upon this perfect campsite overlooking the creek and snow covered mountains. All afternoon I brewed coffee in my tiny little coffee pot that Stan gave me and listened to the river. As soon as the sun dropped over the mountains, it immediately got very cold. Within minutes the fire was blazing and I was drinking another cup of coffee. In the morning after more coffee and toasted Squaw Bread, I drove up the mountain in search of Sabrina Lake. The views were outstanding. Sabrina Lake was frozen over, with huge cracks in the surface of the ice. Every day they release a foot of water to provide irrigation for the valley which causes the surface ice to crack in the most artistic way. I met the nicest elderly couple while walking around the lake. We talked of everything and by the time we parted, felt like they were old friends. Bishop Creek is still surrounded by snow, but that didn't stop me from trudging through the snow with my new hiking pole, to view the creek. It was exquisite."In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks." John Muir

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Mt. Whitney Portal, California

I woke up early enough to catch the spectacular morning sunrise over Grays Meadow in Independence. One thing I learned from the photographers campout I attended is that you have to be there to get the shot; in other words, get out of bed, girlfriend. Grays Meadow, where I camped, is one of the prettiest places on earth; endless meadow, rugged mountains, dark green pines. This shot was taken just after sunrise, while the morning was still fresh and brimming with sweet anticipation. My fellow campers getting ready for a bike ride up to Onion Valley; Bill and Teresa, Brad and Cindy. We all gathered at Ricks the night before to sit in front of a smoky fire and tell stories; anything from getting run off the road on the bikes to grizzly bears tearing your face off. Cindy had the most amazing story of encountering a herd of buffalo heading directly towards them while she and Brad were out on the bike; that girl has guts!Bill and Brad in front of their toy hauler; a fun group who even sang Knocking on Heavens Door with me at the bonfire. Now I was just drinking coffee, but I did see a few shots going down and more than one brewsky! Rick, the antler man. This guy is a retired police officer who spent each and every day hiking for up to 20 miles watching for wildlife and rattlesnakes while searching for antler sheds. He had some great stories to tell and is a wealth of information for the surrounding area. Thank you, Rick!
Springtime in the Sierras proved to be a memorable experience. On my way up to the Whitney Portal, I stumbled upon this native plant garden next to the Independence museum. A quiet, peaceful place filled with native plants and a gorgeous view of the Sierras. The road up to the Whitney Portal is long and winding, all uphill, but absolutely stunning. That would be Mt. Whitney, 14,495 feet, give or take a few. The Portal is the starting point for the Mt. Whitney trail, a very popular trail that takes hikers to the summit of Mt. Whitney. Once I reached the portal, my broken foot kept me from hiking, but I didn't have any trouble hobbling over to this sparkling, cascading waterfall. I was pleased to find something so beautiful and felt blessed with God's graciousness. That would be me in my "boot" standing near the waterfall. It is so cold at night that the water freezes into icicles, covering the branches that overhang the stream, sparkling like precious jewels in the sunlight. A place to sit and contemplate the wonder of God's creation. "How great is our God!" Frozen branches hanging over the water, each one reflecting light.
Reflections in water always fascinate me.

Sunday, May 1, 2011

Eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains in the Spring

I am on the road again, traveling in my Subaru through California's Eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains. Springtime in the Sierras can be very cold and windy, like today, but it is beautiful, spectacular, exciting and fun. One of my favorite spots to camp is Grays Meadow Campground, right outside of Independence on the road to Onion Valley. It was 26 degrees when I photographed the morning sunrise and yes, I was freezing.
My poor foot is recovering from a recent surgery where my doctor broke my foot in order to align it properly. Kind of a pain, but I am slowly recovering. I do hobble around and will not be hiking any big trails on this trip.
My ride, reflecting the stunning view from my campsite.
My campsite overlooked the best fishing hole in the place and had a fantastic view of the creek as well as the mountains. One night, the couple next door invited me and several other campers over for dinner. We feasted on thick BBQ steaks, grilled lamb sausage, fresh trout, rice pilaf, spinach salad and lots of cheese, olives, crackers and smoked salmon. After dinner we sat around a huge campfire and talked until my fingers started to freeze. Very fun.
The view from my site is spectacular; hard to appreciate the fullness of beauty unless you are standing there with the cold wind whipping through your hair and the sound of the creek rushing behind you.
In the summer I soak in the creek but in the springtime, forget it. I did soak my swollen foot in the icy water and it helped tremendously. I could only hold it under the water for 5 seconds max, and then pulled it out until I was brave enough to do it again.
Overnight, icicles formed on the branches, completely encasing the branch in a frozen ice shell. A few of the icicles dripped down like pointed daggers, almost touching the creek.
Sometimes I need to sit by the river and be still. “We need to find God and He cannot be found in noise and restlessness. God is the friend of silence. See how nature - trees, flowers, grass - grows in silence; see the stars, the moon and the sun, how they move in silence... We need silence to be able to touch souls.” Mother Teresa
Frozen splendor......
The first day I arrived was the opening day for fishing in the Sierras. By evening the campground was full of guys ready to fish the creek that this industrious fellow had stocked with huge farm trout.
The guy in the red flannel was fishing directly below my campsite and I watched him as he pulled in this fish. He looked perplexed and it turns out that he snagged the fish on the tail rather than hooked it in the mouth. He finally got the hook out and released the fish, looking up at me with a big grin on his face. He said that he had to let him go, that it wasn't a fair fight. My kind of man....

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