Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Register Wedding
I went to a friend's wedding on the first Saturday of August. Jonathan couldn't make it because he had to work, so I went by myself knowing that I could easily find people that I know: my parents would be there, my brother was a groomsman, and there would be old AWANA friends, too. What I didn't expect was seeing one of my former students and her mother (who played the piano during the ceremony!) and grandmother. That was a pleasant surprise. Anyway, I took a few pictures and put them up on Flickr. Here's one of my beautiful mom and handsome brother. You can see the rest of them here.
Thursday, August 07, 2008
Virginia Lake to Lake Mary and Home
Everything comes to an end.
We got our earliest start of the trip on our last day, leaving camp before the sun hit it. The trail from Virginia drops pretty quickly to Purple Lake, and we arrived while it was still early. We paused for some photo ops and to admire a small family group of American Dippers (videos on Flickr) in the outlet stream before pressing on toward Duck Pass.
Libby and Jonathan at Purple Lake.
http://flickr.com/photos/rowleypics/2738767670/in/set-72157606574038434/
The trail to the pass climbs up above a thumb on the flank of the mountain between Duck and Purple Lakes before dropping again into some meadows along Duck's outlet stream. There it starts to climb again. Ascending through meadows and forests, you soon reach Duck Lake at the outlet end. We took off our packs at that point, had a snack and caught our breaths. We'd already traveled about half-way, about six miles. The last Wilson's Warblers of the trip foraged in the dwarfed Whitebark Pines and willows along the lake shore, and a beautifully white lone California Gull sailed down the canyon from Duck Lake.
From the outlet of Duck Lake, you climb up and follow the lake's shore about a mile to the pass. From there it's only 5+ miles downhill, and you're home. We pressed on through lunch and arrived at the cabin - where the Profitas were staying for the weekend, but they were out - around 1:15, packed up, and headed for home (with a pit stop at the Ranger Station to change, use toilets(!), wash our faces, and return the bear cans).
We're happy to be able to stop walking for awhile.
http://flickr.com/photos/rowleypics/2737967527/in/set-72157606574038434/
The trip home was pretty uneventful. We listened to one of the Harry Potter novels on CD, and stopped for dinner at Rubio's in Adelanto. I remember when you had to eat at the Astro Burger in Kramer's Junction! Lots of people live in the high desert, now, though. On Monday, I went back to work. And that's the whole story.
The pictures from our last day can be found here: http://flickr.com/photos/rowleypics/sets/72157606574038434/
You can view all of the published pictures from our trip by clicking here: http://flickr.com/photos/rowleypics/collections/72157606431454213/
We got our earliest start of the trip on our last day, leaving camp before the sun hit it. The trail from Virginia drops pretty quickly to Purple Lake, and we arrived while it was still early. We paused for some photo ops and to admire a small family group of American Dippers (videos on Flickr) in the outlet stream before pressing on toward Duck Pass.
Libby and Jonathan at Purple Lake.http://flickr.com/photos/rowleypics/2738767670/in/set-72157606574038434/
The trail to the pass climbs up above a thumb on the flank of the mountain between Duck and Purple Lakes before dropping again into some meadows along Duck's outlet stream. There it starts to climb again. Ascending through meadows and forests, you soon reach Duck Lake at the outlet end. We took off our packs at that point, had a snack and caught our breaths. We'd already traveled about half-way, about six miles. The last Wilson's Warblers of the trip foraged in the dwarfed Whitebark Pines and willows along the lake shore, and a beautifully white lone California Gull sailed down the canyon from Duck Lake.
From the outlet of Duck Lake, you climb up and follow the lake's shore about a mile to the pass. From there it's only 5+ miles downhill, and you're home. We pressed on through lunch and arrived at the cabin - where the Profitas were staying for the weekend, but they were out - around 1:15, packed up, and headed for home (with a pit stop at the Ranger Station to change, use toilets(!), wash our faces, and return the bear cans).
We're happy to be able to stop walking for awhile.http://flickr.com/photos/rowleypics/2737967527/in/set-72157606574038434/
The trip home was pretty uneventful. We listened to one of the Harry Potter novels on CD, and stopped for dinner at Rubio's in Adelanto. I remember when you had to eat at the Astro Burger in Kramer's Junction! Lots of people live in the high desert, now, though. On Monday, I went back to work. And that's the whole story.
The pictures from our last day can be found here: http://flickr.com/photos/rowleypics/sets/72157606574038434/
You can view all of the published pictures from our trip by clicking here: http://flickr.com/photos/rowleypics/collections/72157606431454213/
Tuesday, August 05, 2008
Tully Lake to Virginia Lake
Though, naturally, new for Libby, the last two days of our backpack trip were covering familiar ground for Dad and me. In fact, part of my first multi-day backpack trip traveled the trail from Tully Hole to Tully Lake. We'd now be retracing those steps in reverse.
The first half of the morning was easy hiking. The trail drops downhill parallel with Fish Creek - a rushing stream that drops precipitously down a narrow gorge of dark meta-sedimentary rock. Unlike the hard granite of most of the Sierras, this rock is softer, and the creek, earthquakes, and weather has ground it and blasted it into sharp spires and slabs.
Dad and Libby in front of Fish Creek.
http://flickr.com/photos/rowleypics/2734573234/in/set-72157606548076630/
The trail eventually reaches Horse Heaven meadow. Here, the trail flattens out a bit, and you and the creek descend at a more gentle pace down into Tully Hole. Tully Hole is a meadow in a deep depression between forested hills. It features large in our family lore because of its central location in the back country behind my grandparents' cabin. So it's sort of an iconic place, and its lush green fields are beautiful enough to warrant the attention paid it. Many travelers pass through it because the Muir Trail passes through it as it comes down from Virginia Lake and turns down Fish Creek a little bit before climbing over Silver Pass.
Tully Hole from the trail up to Virginia Lake.
http://flickr.com/photos/rowleypics/2734578600/in/set-72157606548076630/
From Tully Hole, there's a steep climb that takes you up about 1,000 vertical feet of switchbacks on a hot and open hillside covered in sage and only the occasional stand of pines - welcome islands of shade, and an opportune place to catch your breath and a drink before pressing onward. Anyway, we grunted our way up and finished the hike before lunch, which we had on the shore of Virginia Lake before hunting out a campsite. We found a spot near a stock camp in the dry subalpine forests that surround Virginia Lake. We had lots of time, so we set up camp and relaxed. We soaked our feet in the lake, took naps, read books, and generally enjoyed a warm afternoon in the Sierras - with blessed few mosquitoes compared to Tully Lake!
Libby's happy to take a moment to relax!
http://flickr.com/photos/rowleypics/2733753639/in/set-72157606548076630/
That night was our last away from home, and Dad and I sat by the shore of Virginia Lake waiting for it to get dark. As the stars came out and the opposite side of the lake became shrouded with gloom, we sat silently, listening to the bats flicking about our heads. The wind died and the lake became totally calm; the reflecting stars on its glassy surface were a welcome last taste of serenity before returning to the bustle of regular life.
Pictures from the day (including a nice one of a Clark's Nutcracker) can be found by clicking here: Backpack Day 5.
The first half of the morning was easy hiking. The trail drops downhill parallel with Fish Creek - a rushing stream that drops precipitously down a narrow gorge of dark meta-sedimentary rock. Unlike the hard granite of most of the Sierras, this rock is softer, and the creek, earthquakes, and weather has ground it and blasted it into sharp spires and slabs.
Dad and Libby in front of Fish Creek.http://flickr.com/photos/rowleypics/2734573234/in/set-72157606548076630/
The trail eventually reaches Horse Heaven meadow. Here, the trail flattens out a bit, and you and the creek descend at a more gentle pace down into Tully Hole. Tully Hole is a meadow in a deep depression between forested hills. It features large in our family lore because of its central location in the back country behind my grandparents' cabin. So it's sort of an iconic place, and its lush green fields are beautiful enough to warrant the attention paid it. Many travelers pass through it because the Muir Trail passes through it as it comes down from Virginia Lake and turns down Fish Creek a little bit before climbing over Silver Pass.
Tully Hole from the trail up to Virginia Lake.http://flickr.com/photos/rowleypics/2734578600/in/set-72157606548076630/
From Tully Hole, there's a steep climb that takes you up about 1,000 vertical feet of switchbacks on a hot and open hillside covered in sage and only the occasional stand of pines - welcome islands of shade, and an opportune place to catch your breath and a drink before pressing onward. Anyway, we grunted our way up and finished the hike before lunch, which we had on the shore of Virginia Lake before hunting out a campsite. We found a spot near a stock camp in the dry subalpine forests that surround Virginia Lake. We had lots of time, so we set up camp and relaxed. We soaked our feet in the lake, took naps, read books, and generally enjoyed a warm afternoon in the Sierras - with blessed few mosquitoes compared to Tully Lake!
Libby's happy to take a moment to relax!http://flickr.com/photos/rowleypics/2733753639/in/set-72157606548076630/
That night was our last away from home, and Dad and I sat by the shore of Virginia Lake waiting for it to get dark. As the stars came out and the opposite side of the lake became shrouded with gloom, we sat silently, listening to the bats flicking about our heads. The wind died and the lake became totally calm; the reflecting stars on its glassy surface were a welcome last taste of serenity before returning to the bustle of regular life.
Pictures from the day (including a nice one of a Clark's Nutcracker) can be found by clicking here: Backpack Day 5.
Sunday, August 03, 2008
Bighorn Lake to Tully Lake
Our fourth day was the shortest backpacking day of the trip. Joe had to leave as early as he could to make the long hike from Bighorn Lake to the McGee Creek trailhead. The remaining three of us were going to climb a knapsack pass above nearby Rosy Finch Lake to look back into the Laurel Creek drainage - a different Laurel Creek than the one above Convict Lake near Mammoth.
The morning was warm and calm, like all of our mornings. The weather on the trip was perfect. There were almost no clouds the entire trip, and the rains preceding our trip had scrubbed the skies clean of the smoke from all California's wildfires this year. It made for perfect reflections in the water.
Cliffs reflected in Bighorn Lake.
http://flickr.com/photos/rowleypics/2726493863/in/set-72157606520422797/
The hike from Bighorn to Rosy Finch Lake is an easy gambol through grassy faults criss-crossing the glaciated granite bedrock. Rosy Finch Lake, just like Bighorn Lake, fills a granitic glacial bowl with little room to spare; its outlet stream spills right over the granite dam that creates the lake. This is really beautiful country, a melting pot of brilliant blues, whites and greens.
The pass we checked out that day is a potential backpacking route from Grinnell Lake to Rosy Finch Lake. It was one of the possible routes we could have taken on our trip, but we decided not to because the ascent from the Grinnell Lake side looked steep on the topo maps. It turned out that it was very steep, and it's a much easier ascent from Rosy Finch, but it was still too far for us to make it to Grinnell Lake and back, and then over Bighorn Pass to Tully Lake all in the same day.
Libby sitting on top of a rock on the pass we dayhiked.
http://flickr.com/photos/rowleypics/2727327408/in/set-72157606520422797/
So, we enjoyed the view from the pass and then went back, put on our packs, and headed to Tully Lake. The descent was a talus scramble that we alleviated by striking out across a snow field that allowed us to skip about half of the talus. At the bottom of the snow field we had our only lifer of the trip - a White-tailed Ptarmigan. A little baby grouse scurried by our feet, and after some patient searching Dad found the mother hiding in plain sight.
The mother White-tailed Ptarmigan using its cryptic coloration to blend in to its surroundings.
http://flickr.com/photos/rowleypics/2727913215/in/set-72157606520422797/
At the time I thought it was an out-of-habitat Sooty (Blue) Grouse, a bird that specializes in high mountain forest edges, and is the only native grouse in the higher altitudes of the Sierras. We were, however, miles from the nearest true forest, and it nagged a bit on my mind while we were up there. As soon as I had time at home, I started doing some research on Ptarmigans. Back in the early '70s, the Department of Fish and Game released about 70 White-tailed Ptarmigans into upper montane forests around Sonora Pass. The birds found their way up into the alpine meadows around Yosemite, where they are still apparently the most heavily concentrated. From there they've spread south, occupying suitable habitat - high alpine meadows - where ever they can find it. The Sierras offer a challenge to their survival, however, with heavier snow packs that last longer than the other mountain ranges they inhabit (the Rockies and north) and thus inhibit breeding, and dryer summers, that limit the kind of forage they require. As a result, they exist in the Sierras in the sparsest population density of any population, and during the summer they're most common around melting snow-packs; just the place we found one.
Anyway, we found a great campsite at Tully Lake. It was a horse camp in between the lake and the waterfall that comes down from Red and White into Tully's outlet - young Fish Creek. The only real drawback at Tully Lake was that there were swarms of mosquitoes. As the sun set, they came out in force, with clouds hovering around each of us looking for any chink the mosquito nets offered or for some spot where the DEET would rub off. We probably got the majority of our mosquito bites here. Still, it's hard to complain about mosquitoes when you're surrounded by such wonderful beauty.
Pictures on Flickr, as always. Click here: http://flickr.com/photos/rowleypics/sets/72157606520422797/
The morning was warm and calm, like all of our mornings. The weather on the trip was perfect. There were almost no clouds the entire trip, and the rains preceding our trip had scrubbed the skies clean of the smoke from all California's wildfires this year. It made for perfect reflections in the water.
Cliffs reflected in Bighorn Lake.http://flickr.com/photos/rowleypics/2726493863/in/set-72157606520422797/
The hike from Bighorn to Rosy Finch Lake is an easy gambol through grassy faults criss-crossing the glaciated granite bedrock. Rosy Finch Lake, just like Bighorn Lake, fills a granitic glacial bowl with little room to spare; its outlet stream spills right over the granite dam that creates the lake. This is really beautiful country, a melting pot of brilliant blues, whites and greens.
The pass we checked out that day is a potential backpacking route from Grinnell Lake to Rosy Finch Lake. It was one of the possible routes we could have taken on our trip, but we decided not to because the ascent from the Grinnell Lake side looked steep on the topo maps. It turned out that it was very steep, and it's a much easier ascent from Rosy Finch, but it was still too far for us to make it to Grinnell Lake and back, and then over Bighorn Pass to Tully Lake all in the same day.
Libby sitting on top of a rock on the pass we dayhiked.http://flickr.com/photos/rowleypics/2727327408/in/set-72157606520422797/
So, we enjoyed the view from the pass and then went back, put on our packs, and headed to Tully Lake. The descent was a talus scramble that we alleviated by striking out across a snow field that allowed us to skip about half of the talus. At the bottom of the snow field we had our only lifer of the trip - a White-tailed Ptarmigan. A little baby grouse scurried by our feet, and after some patient searching Dad found the mother hiding in plain sight.
The mother White-tailed Ptarmigan using its cryptic coloration to blend in to its surroundings.http://flickr.com/photos/rowleypics/2727913215/in/set-72157606520422797/
At the time I thought it was an out-of-habitat Sooty (Blue) Grouse, a bird that specializes in high mountain forest edges, and is the only native grouse in the higher altitudes of the Sierras. We were, however, miles from the nearest true forest, and it nagged a bit on my mind while we were up there. As soon as I had time at home, I started doing some research on Ptarmigans. Back in the early '70s, the Department of Fish and Game released about 70 White-tailed Ptarmigans into upper montane forests around Sonora Pass. The birds found their way up into the alpine meadows around Yosemite, where they are still apparently the most heavily concentrated. From there they've spread south, occupying suitable habitat - high alpine meadows - where ever they can find it. The Sierras offer a challenge to their survival, however, with heavier snow packs that last longer than the other mountain ranges they inhabit (the Rockies and north) and thus inhibit breeding, and dryer summers, that limit the kind of forage they require. As a result, they exist in the Sierras in the sparsest population density of any population, and during the summer they're most common around melting snow-packs; just the place we found one.
Anyway, we found a great campsite at Tully Lake. It was a horse camp in between the lake and the waterfall that comes down from Red and White into Tully's outlet - young Fish Creek. The only real drawback at Tully Lake was that there were swarms of mosquitoes. As the sun set, they came out in force, with clouds hovering around each of us looking for any chink the mosquito nets offered or for some spot where the DEET would rub off. We probably got the majority of our mosquito bites here. Still, it's hard to complain about mosquitoes when you're surrounded by such wonderful beauty.
Pictures on Flickr, as always. Click here: http://flickr.com/photos/rowleypics/sets/72157606520422797/
Saturday, August 02, 2008
Mott Lake to Bighorn Lake
Our second night out I learned that Pikas may be somewhat nocturnal. One had a territory in a talus pile near our tent, and I heard its loud persistent call multiple times after the half-moon had risen. Sleeping isn't always easy on a backpacking trip. The morning bird song was restricted to some local White-crowned Sparrows, though the area was hopping with Wilson's Warblers, Gray-crowned Rosy Finches and a couple of Empidonax Flycatchers, too. Mott Lake was completely still that morning; it was beautiful.
As I mentioned, this was the first day we went off-trail. There's a faint use trail in a few places to Bighorn, but not at the points when it counts, and not very often. It was a beautiful hike, though, up through cool mountain meadows right at the base of some towering peaks. You have to climb a little to get out of Mott Lake's basin, but the hike along the meadows is through a generally flat glacial valley towards the outlets of Bighorn and Rosy Finch Lakes. From there, you cut back and the left up towards a large tarn before traversing over some faulted glacial boulders to get to the actual lake.
We had lunch at the tarn, and it wasn't very far from there to Bighorn, though it wasn't possible to just walk straight there. We did get a little off-target in our original attempt to reach the tarn, but it all worked out OK in the end.
Once we got to Bighorn Lake we did a dayhike up to the pass - Bighorn Pass - we were going to take the next day (Joe in the morning, us in the afternoon). It provided a great view of the backcountry behind Mammoth, an area that the Rowleys have been spending time in ever since Grandpa was a boy.
Red Slate and the Tully Lake area.
http://flickr.com/photos/rowleypics/2722705268/in/set-72157606488398330/
Then Libby, Dad, and I all hiked down a little and around and up to another little pass on the flank of Mount Izaak Walton. From there you can see Lake Izaak Walton, and more of the same backcountry as from Bighorn Pass. That was our last night with Joe, who had to get out of the backcountry earlier than us. Pictures of the day can be found at: Backpack Day 3.
As I mentioned, this was the first day we went off-trail. There's a faint use trail in a few places to Bighorn, but not at the points when it counts, and not very often. It was a beautiful hike, though, up through cool mountain meadows right at the base of some towering peaks. You have to climb a little to get out of Mott Lake's basin, but the hike along the meadows is through a generally flat glacial valley towards the outlets of Bighorn and Rosy Finch Lakes. From there, you cut back and the left up towards a large tarn before traversing over some faulted glacial boulders to get to the actual lake.
We had lunch at the tarn, and it wasn't very far from there to Bighorn, though it wasn't possible to just walk straight there. We did get a little off-target in our original attempt to reach the tarn, but it all worked out OK in the end.
Once we got to Bighorn Lake we did a dayhike up to the pass - Bighorn Pass - we were going to take the next day (Joe in the morning, us in the afternoon). It provided a great view of the backcountry behind Mammoth, an area that the Rowleys have been spending time in ever since Grandpa was a boy.
Red Slate and the Tully Lake area.http://flickr.com/photos/rowleypics/2722705268/in/set-72157606488398330/
Then Libby, Dad, and I all hiked down a little and around and up to another little pass on the flank of Mount Izaak Walton. From there you can see Lake Izaak Walton, and more of the same backcountry as from Bighorn Pass. That was our last night with Joe, who had to get out of the backcountry earlier than us. Pictures of the day can be found at: Backpack Day 3.
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