Part 14
A steady breeze blew all night and on into morning, obscuring any reflections that might have been. The spot I had chosen alongside the sheltering rock had shielded me from the the wind all night, though I could hear it gently whispering through the stunted pine that grew nearby.
Once the sky began to brighten and the predawn glow appeared on the high peaks I ventured outside. Even with the breeze the morning was peaceful and though there were others camped nearby, none where awake yet. It was almost as though I had the whole lake to myself.
...
(Whispering wind through trees or tall swaying oceans of grasses is a favorite sound of mine, I especially love it as it softly speaks through pine boughs. Just like rain and thunder or morning choirs of birds and night symphonies of crickets or frogs, the whispering wind is sometimes better and more enjoyable than any music composed by man, at least in my opinion .)
...
(Don’t get me wrong, I do like man made music too)
Tags: Morning dawn predawn mountains water lake rocks wilderness sunrise high sierra murial lake alpine glow light hiking backpacking camping wilderness wandering landscape panoramic pano
© All Rights Reserved
A few weeks ago one of my TaeKwonDo students, who is 5 years old, said to me, "I had two birthday parties today so now I'm 7!"
lpfw.org/forest-service-to-expedite-logging-and-habitat-c...
The Forest Service recently announced plans to selectively log old-growth forest and chaparral across 755 acres deep in the Ventura County backcountry. The agency quietly released the proposal in late May amid a pandemic, economic crisis, and period of civil unrest, offering the public a single 30-day period to submit comments. Officials indicated that they hope to use a loophole to approve the project without an environmental assessment or environmental impact statement.
The project would allow the logging of centuries-old trees, up to five feet in diameter, and the clearance of rare old-growth chaparral along six miles of the prominent ridge known as Pine Mountain stretching from Highway 33 to Reyes Peak. The area is a popular recreation destination beloved by hikers and climbers.
Despite the project’s massive scale, the Forest Service intends to use two controversial loopholes to bypass requirements under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) to conduct a detailed study of potential impacts to the area’s unique ecosystems. These loopholes would also limit the public’s ability to voice their concerns while eliminating the official objection process that helps reduce the potential for litigation.
“Once again, the Trump administration has shown its willingness and desire to avoid conducting the level of environmental review needed to ensure that places like Pine Mountain are protected from damaging and unnecessary projects such as this one,” said Los Padres ForestWatch conservation director Bryant Baker. “To make matters worse, the Forest Service’s use of loopholes for this project has diminished the public’s ability to participate in the decision-making process—and they made their announcement at a time when citizens are focused on the COVID-19 crisis and fighting racial injustice.”
The ridge is home to some of the most diverse and unique habitats in the Los Padres National Forest. Pine Mountain hosts the greatest diversity of coniferous tree species in Ventura County, which occur next to large expanses of rare old-growth chaparral. Altogether, the ridge is home to over 400 species of native plants, including dozens that are rare or sensitive. As a biodiversity hotspot, the area is also home to several species of wildlife that depend on the mountain’s unique ecosystems. Mountain lions, black bears, bobcats, and numerous species of birds and small mammals can be found in and around the project area.
The agency has not confirmed whether this project will involve the selling of cut trees, but the Forest Service often uses agreements known as “stewardship contracts” for similar projects that allow private logging companies to profit from the timber harvest in exchange for services. Regardless, the agency has stated that trees and chaparral will be removed using mechanical equipment which can cause significant damage to soil, water, and plants that are not being targeted.
“The Trump administration is trying to hand over our southern California national forests to the logging industry, at taxpayer expense,” said Dr. Chad Hanson, forest ecologist with the John Muir Project, based in Big Bear City, California. “This destructive logging proposal would degrade wildlife habitat and make climate change worse, and would increase threats to human communities from wildland fire; we need Congress to protect our National Forests from logging once and for all,” he added.
The Forest Service has proposed the project under the guise of community protection from wildfire despite countless scientific studies that demonstrate that remote vegetation treatments, such as the Pine Mountain project, are ineffective against the fires that cause the majority of damage to communities each year. Pine Mountain is several miles away from any community, and the agency itself admits that the project will not help mitigate fire spread under extreme weather conditions. In fact, the Forest Service’s own assessment of existing and potential vegetation removal projects in the Los Padres National Forest ranks the one on Pine Mountain as only 118 out 163 in terms of priority for community protection and other factors.
In 2017 and 2018, just six fires out of 16,600 throughout California caused nearly 90% of the total damage to communities. All six fires burned under conditions that render vegetation removal projects, such as the one proposed on Pine Mountain, useless for suppression purposes. Moreover, vegetation clearance projects can increase wildfire risk by removing fire-resistant trees, increasing heating and drying of the forest floor, and spreading non-native invasive grasses and weeds that ignite more easily and spread wildfire more quickly.
Scientists and conservation organizations have long advocated that funding should be directed instead to creating defensible space directly next to homes, retrofitting and building structures with fire-safe materials, and reducing development in the wildland-urban interface.
“The Los Padres National Forest administration has a record of not only ignoring the science,” Richard Halsey, director of the California Chaparral Institute, said, “but also of violating agreements to collaborate with scientists and community members to manage the public’s land. Los Padres officials are well aware that the science does not support this project to clear fragile habitat far from communities at risk. This project is about obtaining taxpayer dollars to support the agency, not protecting citizens from fire.”
Over 30% of the project is within two proposed additions to the Sespe Wilderness approved by the House of Representatives with the passage of the Central Coast Heritage Protection Act earlier this year. The legislation would designate an area along part of the western portion of the ridge and an area that includes Reyes Peak. The bill is currently awaiting a vote in the Senate.
The proposal comes at a time when the Trump administration is attempting massive rollbacks of regulations under NEPA and similar laws. Earlier this month, the president issued an executive order that would waive requirements under these bedrock environmental laws for a wide variety of projects on federal lands. The Forest Service has also been directed to ramp up vegetation removal projects across the country, especially those that involve timber harvesting. Last year, Los Padres National Forest approved two commercial logging projects near Mt. Pinos under loopholes that similarly allowed the agency to avoid conducting the level of environmental review that is normal for such projects.
The public comment period is open until June 30 and may be the only chance the public has to weigh in with concerns about the Pine Mountain project. To submit a comment online or learn more about the project, visit p2a.co/IASAFIf
Tags: forest trees plants landscape light sage illuminated
© All Rights Reserved
Comet Neowise July 18 2020.
We gathered atop a 6000 ft peak to witness a once in a lifetime event, Comet Neowise. A mother asked me to take some photos of her and her child with the comet, and I'm so grateful she did because this one was the best shot I got that night.
Here is an article about the area this photo was taken:
lpfw.org/forest-service-to-expedite-logging-and-habitat-c...
The Forest Service recently announced plans to selectively log old-growth forest and chaparral across 755 acres deep in the Ventura County backcountry. The agency quietly released the proposal in late May amid a pandemic, economic crisis, and period of civil unrest, offering the public a single 30-day period to submit comments. Officials indicated that they hope to use a loophole to approve the project without an environmental assessment or environmental impact statement.
The project would allow the logging of centuries-old trees, up to five feet in diameter, and the clearance of rare old-growth chaparral along six miles of the prominent ridge known as Pine Mountain stretching from Highway 33 to Reyes Peak. The area is a popular recreation destination beloved by hikers and climbers.
Despite the project’s massive scale, the Forest Service intends to use two controversial loopholes to bypass requirements under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) to conduct a detailed study of potential impacts to the area’s unique ecosystems. These loopholes would also limit the public’s ability to voice their concerns while eliminating the official objection process that helps reduce the potential for litigation.
“Once again, the Trump administration has shown its willingness and desire to avoid conducting the level of environmental review needed to ensure that places like Pine Mountain are protected from damaging and unnecessary projects such as this one,” said Los Padres ForestWatch conservation director Bryant Baker. “To make matters worse, the Forest Service’s use of loopholes for this project has diminished the public’s ability to participate in the decision-making process—and they made their announcement at a time when citizens are focused on the COVID-19 crisis and fighting racial injustice.”
The ridge is home to some of the most diverse and unique habitats in the Los Padres National Forest. Pine Mountain hosts the greatest diversity of coniferous tree species in Ventura County, which occur next to large expanses of rare old-growth chaparral. Altogether, the ridge is home to over 400 species of native plants, including dozens that are rare or sensitive. As a biodiversity hotspot, the area is also home to several species of wildlife that depend on the mountain’s unique ecosystems. Mountain lions, black bears, bobcats, and numerous species of birds and small mammals can be found in and around the project area.
The agency has not confirmed whether this project will involve the selling of cut trees, but the Forest Service often uses agreements known as “stewardship contracts” for similar projects that allow private logging companies to profit from the timber harvest in exchange for services. Regardless, the agency has stated that trees and chaparral will be removed using mechanical equipment which can cause significant damage to soil, water, and plants that are not being targeted.
“The Trump administration is trying to hand over our southern California national forests to the logging industry, at taxpayer expense,” said Dr. Chad Hanson, forest ecologist with the John Muir Project, based in Big Bear City, California. “This destructive logging proposal would degrade wildlife habitat and make climate change worse, and would increase threats to human communities from wildland fire; we need Congress to protect our National Forests from logging once and for all,” he added.
The Forest Service has proposed the project under the guise of community protection from wildfire despite countless scientific studies that demonstrate that remote vegetation treatments, such as the Pine Mountain project, are ineffective against the fires that cause the majority of damage to communities each year. Pine Mountain is several miles away from any community, and the agency itself admits that the project will not help mitigate fire spread under extreme weather conditions. In fact, the Forest Service’s own assessment of existing and potential vegetation removal projects in the Los Padres National Forest ranks the one on Pine Mountain as only 118 out 163 in terms of priority for community protection and other factors.
In 2017 and 2018, just six fires out of 16,600 throughout California caused nearly 90% of the total damage to communities. All six fires burned under conditions that render vegetation removal projects, such as the one proposed on Pine Mountain, useless for suppression purposes. Moreover, vegetation clearance projects can increase wildfire risk by removing fire-resistant trees, increasing heating and drying of the forest floor, and spreading non-native invasive grasses and weeds that ignite more easily and spread wildfire more quickly.
Scientists and conservation organizations have long advocated that funding should be directed instead to creating defensible space directly next to homes, retrofitting and building structures with fire-safe materials, and reducing development in the wildland-urban interface.
“The Los Padres National Forest administration has a record of not only ignoring the science,” Richard Halsey, director of the California Chaparral Institute, said, “but also of violating agreements to collaborate with scientists and community members to manage the public’s land. Los Padres officials are well aware that the science does not support this project to clear fragile habitat far from communities at risk. This project is about obtaining taxpayer dollars to support the agency, not protecting citizens from fire.”
Over 30% of the project is within two proposed additions to the Sespe Wilderness approved by the House of Representatives with the passage of the Central Coast Heritage Protection Act earlier this year. The legislation would designate an area along part of the western portion of the ridge and an area that includes Reyes Peak. The bill is currently awaiting a vote in the Senate.
The proposal comes at a time when the Trump administration is attempting massive rollbacks of regulations under NEPA and similar laws. Earlier this month, the president issued an executive order that would waive requirements under these bedrock environmental laws for a wide variety of projects on federal lands. The Forest Service has also been directed to ramp up vegetation removal projects across the country, especially those that involve timber harvesting. Last year, Los Padres National Forest approved two commercial logging projects near Mt. Pinos under loopholes that similarly allowed the agency to avoid conducting the level of environmental review that is normal for such projects.
The public comment period is open until August 14 and may be the only chance the public has to weigh in with concerns about the Pine Mountain project. To submit a comment online or learn more about the project, visit p2a.co/IASAFIf
Tags: Neowise comet 2020 astronomy stars night sky stargazing sunset atmosphere silhouette twilight space landscape celestial mother child people portrait
© All Rights Reserved
lpfw.org/forest-service-to-expedite-logging-and-habitat-c...
filmed back in summer of 2016
Day 25 of 40
Morning was still and silent. After photographing sunrise, I made myself breakfast. As I was eating, the click-clack of carbide tipped hiking poles and boots upon rocks broke the silence mingled with the sound of breathing. Looking up I saw a lone backpacker pass by my campsite from a distance, he rounded the lake and continued over the horizon. He never saw me and not a word was spoken. Then the silence returned.
After packing up I took one last picture of Cotton Lake, one that surpassed the photos I got of the alpine glow. flic.kr/p/SV5TK3
Then, I began hiking, I rounded the lake following the route the other backpacker had taken. The meadowlands became lightly forested. The few trees then dissolved into glacier polished, slab covered mountainside. Dark clouds moved in and filled the bowl of the sky; a gentle breeze rose up and the scent of rain danced upon the air. In the valley below me lay a meadow (named Horse Heaven, 9680, on my map) surrounded by thick forest, hewn in two by Fish Creek snaking through the middle, glinting in rays of sun that spilled though a hole in the clouds. flic.kr/p/SRPBgL
The glacial polished slabs were smooth and slippery, even when dry. I tried to find a route down the slabs that mostly avoided the smooth, shiny sections where a slip was guaranteed. The clouds were struggling to rain, and I got a few brief moments of sprinkles, but none of it lasted. Then off in the distance, a faint, low rumble of thunder resonated, fully and deeply within the granite landscape.
As I navigated the slabs, forest once again closed in, this time thicker than before. The slabs became steeper and more broken, until the slabs ended and soil and pine needles took their place with a few boulders strewn about.
I then reached a gorge with a babbling creek flowing through it. I walked along the edge looking for a way down to the bottom. Upstream from me, a waterfall cascaded down over multiple levels. I worked my way towards it, still looking for a way down to the creek. I finally found a place that provided an easy, safe climb down, but I still had to use all four limbs.
Once at the bottom, I crossed the creek and followed it downstream towards the meadow. I wove my way between trees, through ferns and flowers and around thorny goose berry bushes, snacking on their berries as I went. The pine trees gathered thicker the further downstream I traveled. Then out of the random chaos of trees appeared order; the trees grew up arranged in a circle, the ground cleared of all vegetation in the middle.
Here I stopped, I dropped my pack, sat down in the middle of the circle and took a moment to meditate. Time slowed down and a deeper peace fell over me. The nearby creek murmured, a breeze whispered through the branches, a few more brief moments of rain fell gently upon my skin and a second distant low rumble of thunder rolled.
Then in that moment inspiration struck, I pulled out my notebook and wrote:
...
The Sacred Grove
The ancient elders gather
Encircled in a sacred grove
Rain falls entwined with thunder
Roots below, branches above
The murmuring creek, the whispering wind
Ancient wisdom spoken
For those who know how to listen
...
After writing that down I took a little more time to sit and take in the energy of the place. Then I stood back up, put my pack back on, thanked the trees and continued on my way.
Not long after leaving the "sacred" grove behind, the gorge opened and the trees spilled out into a flat open area, then they suddenly ended. I crossed the tree line and entered into the meadow called Horse Heaven. The creek I was following slowed down and spread out into many rivulets, lazily drifting their way over to merged with Fish Creek. Wild onions lined the creek, their wonderful sent wafting to my nose. I pick some to munch on now and tie a bundle to my pack for later. I also refilled my water bottles.
Navigating my way across the many rivulets while trying to keep my shoes dry was nearly impossible, so I decided to just take them off and path-find barefoot. The soft, cushiony grass and cool flowing water felt refreshing on my feet. Once I reach the far side of the meadow and crossed Fish Creek a trail appeared. Here I put my shoes back on and followed the trail on a northwesterly route back into the forest on the opposite side from where I entered the meadow.
A bit later I reached a camping area and a group of people. They had entered at McGee Creek trailhead a few days ago, and had just come over McGee Pass. They asked me about the onions tied to my pack and I offered them some, but only one of them was adventurous enough to try one. After saying goodbye and happy trails I continued on.
A short distance later another meadow opened up on the right side of the trail, this one is called Tully Hole. On the far end of Tully Hole this trail merged with the Pacific Crest and John Muir Trails (9520). From here I took the right fork and began climbing long switchbacks up towards Lake Virginia. As I climbed higher the gentle breeze grew stronger, gusting fiercely, becoming a rushing, roaring wind, that with each breath whipped the grasses bordering the trail and the branches of the trees that lined a creek that tumbled down from above. The clouds began to break, and where now rolling across the sky with their shadows chasing after them. This section of trail was heavily traveled and I came across many interesting people.
(I can now retire my Mono Divide map and begin using my Ansel Adams Wilderness map.)
Once I reached the top of the switchbacks the terrain leveled out and the trail took a pretty direct route to Lake Virginia (10338). The gusting wind was now blowing steadily and the large lake was covered in white caps, with foamy waves lapping the shore. After crossing a creek that flowed into the northeastern end of the lake I turned right, leaving the trail behind. I was once again cross-countying. I made my way between two mountains navigating through the hilly terrain between them. I passed a few small lakes and then pasted through an area littered with obsidian flakes, the shiny, black volcanic glass glinting in the sun, a remnant of ancient Paiute or Mono peoples that frequented this area, either as a seasonal home or as hunting grounds. Then I reach the first of the Glennette Lakes. Here I rested, and ate my last spoonful of peanut butter.
There is a mountain rising to my south whose summit is not on the Ansel Adams Wilderness map nor the Mono Pass map. I can see a patch of snow beneath its peak, half hidden behind a glacial bowl. It appears that there might be some interesting photo opportunities up there, so I have decided to climb up and see.
I left my pack where I rested and made my way towards the peak. The climb started on talus, then turned to slabs, then went back to talus. flic.kr/p/SXhNdS I could hear a stream of melt water flowing beneath the large jagged blocks. Hearing it made me hopeful that when I reached the bowl there would be a pond beneath a large snow patch or glacier with the towering peak looming over it. That would make an excellent photo, especially during alpine glow. When I reached the rim of the glacial bowl and gazed down into its heart, I was disappointed to see just more talus.
For whatever reason going down made the talus blocks way more unstable. There was one block, the size of a large tractor tire, that I gently touched with my foot to test its stability and it gave way; slowly at first as it slid over the polished block beneath it, then as it cleared that one it picked up speed as it started tumbling downhill, dislodging others as it went. The sound of granite on granite reverberated and a large cloud of dust billowed up. It was now a full-fledged rock slide. The rock that started it all hit another large, immovable boulder and with a loud distinct crack, split in two. Finally, they all came to rest upon the slabs below, but the echoes continued to bounce around for a few more seconds. I’m so glad I tested it first before putting all my weight on it. Now I’m not sure I want to continue down, I think I’ll just stay here... Carefully and slowly, I worked my way down, testing the stability of each boulder before I put weight on it. After the first one I caused a few more rock slides until I eventually reached the slabs. Beautiful stable slabs. I climb the rest of the way down following the sound of the water trickling beneath the talus until it broke through onto the surface. I followed the creek the rest of the way back to my gear.
I continued on my way to where I was going to spend the night and as I occasionally do while hiking I turned around to look back at where I had just been to see things from a different perspective and to see if there might be a good photo. This time as I turned around I saw a shadowy figure peering out from behind a rock watching me. It was not a backpacker because there were no features on it as it was only a dark, black mass and it was not an animal because it had a humanoid shape. As soon as I saw it, the spirit ducked back behind the rock. At this point a shiver ran down my spine and all my hairs stood on end.
I then said to the spirit, “I'm here, I mean no offense. What do you want?”
Then a wind picked up and on the breath of breeze I heard a word whispered in my ear, “Aho.”
It was spoken in an airy, wispy voice as wind would speak it but I heard it as clearly as though a person where standing next to me.
I was not sure what to make of it and I still had that uneasy feeling of being watched, so I quickly continued onward in the direction of Ram Lake.
The sun was sinking lower in the sky and sunset was drawing nearer. I worked my way through rolling meadows and meandering creeks and around the multiple Glen and Glennette Lakes. Finally, the sun sank behind the saw-toothed ridge that separated this basin from Duck and Pika Lake. I picked a spot on soft grass near a small "U" shaped pond with fish jumping, to set up camp. I never made it to Ram Lake but I really liked this spot. While I still had some time before the cloak of night descended I tried fishing, but once again I had no luck. I had one more night after this on trail before my next and final resupply and I had some extra meals so I decided to eat one instead of my usual Cliff Bar for dinner.
As I ate the sky darkened and the stars came out. The temperature was dropping quickly so I layered up. After eating I took a quick photo of the peak I climbed earlier when I caused the rock slide, as it still glowed in a faint pale light. Then, I crawled into my sleeping bag, beneath a million stars.
flic.kr/p/ThTytM
...
A year after I had finished this journey I went to the town of Bishop, California to visit the Paiute reservation's museum and visitor center to see if there was someone I could talk to about the encounter I had had at the Glennette Lakes. I was directed to Qwina who owns the only martial art studio in town and his wife, Irma, who runs a healing center out of the same building. I arrived there after the sun had set and while a Kenpo Karate class was going on in the background I spoke to him about what I had seen and heard while we sipped some home grown rose hip and elder berry herbal tea.
Qwina told me it was not uncommon for wilderness travelers to see spirits up in the high mountains, but most of the encounters were usually negative ones because the human would take an artifact that they had found. He told me of one particular time his wife, Irma, the Healer, had met with this one guy who had a large artifact sitting on his desk that he was very proud of. The guy had a broken leg and was experiencing a series of unfortunate events.
The first question that Irma asked him was, “Well, when did you break your leg?”
“The same day I found this.” He said pointing to the artifact on his desk.
She recommended that he return the artifact.
The first question he asked me was, what was I doing before I saw the spirit. I told him that I had just passed through the obsidian field and had climbed up the mountain and about the rock slides I had created on my way down.
He asked me again what word I had heard and I said, “Aho.”
“Aho” he repeated mulling over it. “Aho means a few things. First it means, 'Hey Man, Alright.' As in being accomplished in something. Second, its used when meeting a stranger, as in 'Oh, there you are.' So taking into context what you had been doing before you saw it, the spirit was either saying, 'Hey man, alright you made it down safe.' The other thing is that it might have been lonely because not many people go through that area and those that do probably never respond to it like you did by speaking to it, so it was basically saying, 'Oh, there you are' which is the same as saying, 'hey whats up'. But in this instance it could mean both.”
I thanked Qwina for the translation and Irma for the tea, then I headed to Keough Hot Springs for a soak before going to sleep in my car.
the song at the beginning and once i reached safety is from a band called Earth youtu.be/GbPeZMpdSjE
the "horror movie-ish" sounds from climbing down the unstable talus is from the soundtrack to The Dark Knight by Hans Zimmer & James Newton Howard youtu.be/5wjYL0FwpPg
The other song was performed by a street artist at a street fair in my home town, I picked up his CD for 5$. No contact info came with it and no track titles either.
Tags: climbing hiking backpacking camping wandering wilderness wilderness wandering rocks talus rock slide mountains lakes clouds mountaineering dangerous High Sierra high sierra
© All Rights Reserved
I apologize for the long winded, rambling description.
On Christmas the rains came, higher up the rain became snow, and snow closes the roads (at least in Southern California). I had been planing a backpacking trip to Willet Hot Springs out in the Sespe Wilderness for several weeks and waiting for the opportunity for most of the year. My work closes from the winter solstice until the second of the new year so its the perfect time to do the 10 mile trek out to the springs. Its not a place I would ever go to in the summer since temperatures become too hot to be enjoyable, and the one time I tried to make it to the first campsite along the route at 3.5 miles in I began to develop heat exhaustion and had to stop by the river, disrobe and lie in the cool water in a shaded spot for the majority of the rest of the day. Since it is 10 miles one way I like to stay there and relax for a few days before coming back out. There is a cabin with bunk beds at the springs that is first come first serve as well as a few other lesser buildings that are the same, they also have cots. Anyways...
My plan was to leave the day after Christmas, but as I said the roads were closed, Highway 33 where the trailhead is, and the I-5. So I waited. The I-5 is a main artery of California, and the part that was closed was a mountain pass, there is always a line of trucks heading over it regularly. The 33 is a windy 2 lane road that is not made for commercial trucks. On the day after Christmas (Thursday) a truck decided he would try the 33, right before the truck reached the road block it fell over the edge off a cliff into the creek below (don't worry everyone survived). Now I feared that because of that crash the 33 would remain closed longer. The next day (Friday) I decided to just do a shorter backpacking trip to another spot, Whiteledge campground out of Sisar Canyon Road. I decided to bring enough food for 5 days just in case the 33 opened while I was driving up there. Before I left home I checked the Cal-Trans Website for road conditions and the 33 was still closed. As I was driving though Ojai, (pronounced O-high) on my way to Sisar Canyon Road I checked the website one last time, the 33 was open!
I zoomed up the 33. Once I reached the turn off for Rose Valley Recreational Area the mountainsides turned white with snow and where covered in families with children sledding, building snowmen and having snowball fights. Soon the road filled with snow and only 2 wheel ruts were all the pavement I could see. All the people disappeared behind me as I pushed on into the snowy landscape. Only three other cars were at the parking area for the trailhead, one of them soon left, and at the other two cars were other backpackers getting ready to also head into the snowy wilderness. Each group consisted of two people.
Both groups started out before I did. But I soon met up with one of the groups, a guy and girl, not far from the trailhead at the first river crossing. We crossed together. The river was only mid shin deep but it was freezing. The three of us continued on together, trudging though snow that was just a few inches deep. In places the snow had already melted and mud took its place. By the time we reached a snow covered, undeveloped campground about a mile and a half in they decided they would stop for a break.
I continued and could feel my boots beginning to get damp inside, the constant snow was starting to seep into them. I have created a method to describe the wetness of hiking boots in inclement hiking conditions; level 1 damp, 2 wet, 3 soggy, 4 squishy. Anyone who has had wet boots knows the squishy feeling.
It wasn't long after I left the first group that I came across the second group of two, this time it was a father and son and they were way over packed. The son had already developed a blister and I could tell just by looking at the fathers pack that the tent he had lashed to the outside was a full on car camping tent.
The father greeted me and asked, “Have you been here before?”
“Yes I have.” I answered.
“Do you know if there is a better site further up the trail?” He inquired.
I told him there was a much better campground.
The son then asked, “How much further is it to there?”
“If you have a map we can figure it out.”
The dad pulled a map from his pack and opened it.
“We are here,” I pointed to a sharp bend in the dotted line, “Bear Creek campground is here.” I pointed to a labeled red triangle further on.
“Is it better than here?” The father asked. I could tell he was really hurting with his over packed pack and didn't really want to continue but he also didn't really want to camp in this snow covered site.
“It's larger with nice fire pits, and more wood to collect for a fire, its lower in elevation so there is a chance that there will be less snow there, but I don't know that for sure.” I told them and then added, “I don't want you to over do it.” pointing to his pack.
The two decided that they would try to make it to bear creek, so I wished them happy trails and told them I might see them there. Then I continued on alone.
After another half mile through snow my boots had reached the soggy mark, I still had a mile left to Bear Creek and 7 miles left to reach the hot springs. After another half mile my boot and socks were now squishy. The snow had diminished somewhat and the mud became more slippery and sticky, clinging to my boots and making them heavier. By the time I reached Bear Creek the snow was completely gone. The sun was close to setting behind the ridgeline and once that happened the temperature would drop. I had 2 river crossings left and 6 and a half miles to go and with my squish boots and with the approaching cold night the safest thing to do was to stop here and get a fire going to dry my boots and socks out. I would have to go the rest of the way tomorrow. (Saturday)
I gathered a large pile of wood. Then I broke that down into small medium and large pieces, keeping the small and medium stuff off the damp ground. I found some dry fibrous cottonwood bark that would be great for catching a spark from my flint and put that in my pocket to keep it dry. Once I had enough I prepared the fire pit; I scraped away the top layer and put two flat rocks down to keep the dry bark and kindling off the damp ash. I built the wood pile up on the rocks and once it was ready I sparked it with my flint, once a spark caught and flames jumped up. I slowly feed it and gently breathed life into it until it was roaring good enough to live on its own.
By this time the guy and girl I had been hiking with arrived and, seeing the fire commented how nice it looked. I invited them to join me by the it. They said they would later after they had their camp set up. An hour or so later the father and son showed up and after dropping pack the boy came over immediately and warmed himself by the fire. I gladly welcomed him.
That night the five of us enjoyed the fire together. Once the other retired to their tents for the night I banked the coals and let the fire die down, then I covered it with rocks. I slept outside with no tent. I had 3 layers of clothes on and a 0 degree bag and for most of the night I was warm but around 3 AM or so the temperature dropped and I shivered the rest of the night. At sunrise I got the fire going again with out needing the flint, since I had banked the coals the night before.
The father and son joined me again and I found out that it was the sons (he was 15) first time and the dads first time in 30 years. The son was miserable, he was freezing, his feet were numb from the cold and once warmed up his blisters hurt. I told him to not let one bad experience out here ruin backpacking for him forever, and that with proper gear and conditioning it was really fun.
Before he warmed up and while he was still shivering and huddled over the fire I grabbed my half frozen water bottle and showed it to him, “Check it out it's only half frozen ,” I said, “Do you know what that means?” I asked him.
“No.” he answered sounding confused.
“It means its only half cold.” I replied.
The dad laughed loudly and the kid just stared and then turned back to the fire.
Later the dad gave me some of their extra meals and once they were packed up they headed out. I layed my frosty sleeping bag and pack out on a rock in the sun to defrost and dry out. Once it was I packed up and made my way towards where the guy and girl were camped since that was where the second river crossing was. They had also decided to head back, but were not packed up yet.
The river here was wider and faster than it was at the first crossing. I didn't want to cross it by myself just in case I slipped and fell in. I explored up stream to find a better crossing, but found none so I headed back to the main crossing. By that time another group of 4 had showed up and so we crossed the knee deep river together. I stayed close to them until the we reached the third and final crossing. Here we crossed together again. This was the deepest crossing and came up to my mid thigh. Once we were all safely across I let them take off and I took my time. From here on I hiked alone. The snow and mud that soaked my boots the day before stayed in the past and the majority of the trail was dry.
Hours later I reached the campsite at the hot springs. The group of four were already set up near one of the out buildings and I set up camp in the cabin. No one else was here, just the five of us. I ate my daily meal, then I headed up a steep trail toward the springs. As I passed by their camp they joined me and we all walked the steep path together.
Sunset was close and the light on the ridgeline across the river valley grew warm as the light on our side faded. As we climbed higher I turned around to see the view and the last guy in line was perfectly silhouetted against the ridge. I had just seconds to get the shot before he faded into shadow completely. I didn't even have time to adjust any camera settings, so I hoped I got it.
We soaked in the 100 degree water for about 2 hours before heading back down the trail in the dark. The 4 of them invited me to join them around their fire that night and so I did. I retired to the cabin around 10 pm to finally go to sleep. I was awoken twice that night to a rat scurrying about inside the cabin.
In the morning (Sunday) I went back to the springs for another soak. The weather forecast predicted a 50% chance of rain on Sunday night on through Monday. With how deep the river had been on the way in, if it rained the water level would rise, and if it rained it would melt the snow and that would raise the river even more. I really want to stay here at least 2 more day to just relax, but I also don't want to get stuck here because of the river rising. So I decided to leave and head out today.
By the time I got back to camp the 4 of them had already left, and I was alone. I packed up, ate breakfast and headed out. I crossed the first river crossing by myself, and when I reached the second one another backpacker was already there so we crossed together. Bear Creek campground was abandoned. I took a break here and the other backpacker continued. From here on the snow that had been covering the trail on the way in was now all melted and in it's place was soupy, sticky, slippery, messy, endless mud. It stayed that way until the third river crossing. Once on the other side the snow returned. For the first 2 crossings I removed my boots and socks, for this last one I just left them on. My car was less than an 8th of a mile away and my mud caked boots needed a good cleaning.
When I reached my car the parking lot had a number of people in it playing in the snow. I took my pack and shoes and socks off, unzipped my pant legs and turned them into shorts and put flip flops on. The temperature was a warm 45 degrees (Fahrenheit). Everyone else was all bundled up with their fuzzy hoods and puffy jackets and here I am dressed like its a hot summer day at the beach, shorts, short sleeves and sandals. People were looking at me like I was nuts. (I probably am.)
It was an awesome trip and I loved every second.
By the way, that predicted 50% chance of rain never happened, not a single drop. I could have stay 2 more day at the springs.
Tags: mountains wilderness snow landscape winter sunset glow backpacker hiker person portrait backpacking hiking camping sespe california cold warm light light wandering
© All Rights Reserved