In order to achieve that goal, we didn't bring full packs. Neither did we try to go as high or as far, our hike was only supposed to be about 11 miles round trip instead of 12+, and we weren't intending to get above 9,000'. Unfortunately, all of our preparation went for naught, as Libby developed a stomach complaint that turned us back before we had gone more than a couple of miles.
Still, it was nice to get out of the city for a day. The air was cool, pine-scented and clean. The trail we chose is unpopular, so we didn't see any other people the whole time we were on it. It's nice to get into higher altitudes at this time of year, too, as time is turned back a little closer to spring. We saw a wide collection of wild flowers, heard and saw many singing birds, and saw quite a few juvenile Juncos.
The birds were a bit of a condolence. We had good looks of a wide range of montane breeders, representing both pine and oak forests. Some, like Brown Creepers, Mountain Chickadees, Western Wood Pewees, Purple Finches, Western Tanagers, Black-throated Gray Warbler, Yellow-rumped Warbler and Mountain Quail, are birds we only see when we visit the mountains or on migration. Others, like Western Bluebirds, Spotted Towhees, Ash-throated Flycatchers, White-breasted Nuthatch, Black Phoebe, Acorn Woodpecker and Northern Flicker breed in Orange and lower Los Angeles counties, but were nice to see in this different setting. I even got brief looks at a Townsend's Solitaire and heard a Dusky Flycatcher, though I never got to see it.
I was especially excited to get a picture (though not great) of a female Black-throated Gray Warbler.
Black-throated Gray WarblerAnyway, we didn't have a lot of fun, but we did see some pretty country. It gets me excited for Mammoth in a few weeks!
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