Little Yosemite Valley and Merced Lake

I officially fell in love with Yosemite this past weekend.  Up until now, most of my work has been in the valley.  Approximately 95% of all visitors to Yosemite visit only the valley.  When the park averages 4 million visitors, that means busy and crowded.  My last project was focused on determining visitor density in the valley on trails, beaches along the rivr, and at scenic overlooks.  The major components of that project finished and I am moving on to Wilderness Encounters.  This means I get to spend time, in Wilderness (capitol 'W').  To kick everything off, I headed up to Little Yosemite Valley and Merced Lake.  It was a four day, three night backpacking trip and about 30 miles round trip.

I started early on Saturday morning, heading up the John Muir Trail.  I got to a point in the trail where the trees opened, and I got a glimpse of Nevada Falls.

I hope this works.

There is a bridge that goes over the river, a few feet from where the water flies over the falls.  Powerful!

A pieced together view looking down canyon from Nevada Falls.

In order to get supplies to the Little Yosemite Valley (LYV) ranger station and to the High Sierra Camps, mule pack trains are used.  It's something to see when you're on the trail and one of these trains comes past you.

Coming into the LYV Ranger Station.  It was quite a nice set up.  There are three 'haz-mat' tents (white). One belongs to the law enforcement ranger who stays at the LYV to check permits of Half Dome climbers and back country permits for campers in the backpackers camp.  

The kitchen.  Talk about luxury.  There's a fridge that run on propane, a stove, and a large and very random assortment of cookware.  There are also a lot of bear boxes for food storage.

Fire pit.  Every other night or so, a fire is lit and the trash can is filled with water to be boiled and used for dishes.

The dish washing table.

Tree man.

Gnome.

Saturday afternoon, Sean and I headed out to collect wilderness encounter data.  Sean is one of the interns working in my branch.  He'd hiked in on Tuesday.  The section we were collecting data from ran from the backpackers camp at LYV to the Upper Bunnell Cascade.  Below is Lower Bunnell Cascade.

We didn't make it to the upper cascade because a storm came up and we headed back to camp so as not to get struck by lightening.  It was a damp evening.

Sunday morning, we packed and headed for the Merced Lake Ranger Station (MLRS).  It was a perfect morning.  Here's a section of the trail that takes you out of Lost Valley into Echo Valley.  Can you imagine building that?

About 10:30, it started to sprinkle and by 11:30 we were in a full down-pour with lightening flashing overhead and thunder rolling all around us.  It was pretty intense for about a half hour.  Where I sheltered (but still got plenty wet, but didn't get struck by lightening!) I watched as the water created waterfalls on the sheer granite wall on the opposite side of the canyon.  It was something to see.

The storm passed, and we pressed on.  The reason I was going up was to download our trail counters and to take down the trail cameras.  Here's the set-up at one of our locations.  Counter is at the left and camera on the right.

My attempt at nature photography.

I was thrilled beyond all reason to reach the Merced Lake High Sierra Camp.  The guy at the desk in the mess hall let us help our selves to the warm beverages that are provided for guests only, even though we weren't guests.  I had my lunch, dried out, and sipped the best hot chocolate I've ever had.  It hit the spot and was exactly what I needed.

After another mile, we hit the MLRS.  I was glad to be done.  The ranger was there and we had a nice chat with him.  Sean and I dropped our packs and went to collect data and pull a camera that was about a mile and a half further up the trail from the ranger station.  There was a trail crew staying at the station that night, two sawyers and their mule packer.  They invited us to share dinner.  It was tasty, the company was enjoyable, and the cribbage game full of competitive banter.  We bunked in the ranger station that night.

Monday dawned clear and sunny and I was grateful for the clear skies.  When the rain started Sunday, I put my camera in a drier and therefore less accessible place in my pack.  I got some photos of the lake on the way back to LYV.  Stunning!!  

I could sit and stare at this for hours.

The Merced River.

 

I came around a switchback and this is what greeted me.  Looking east, the Merced River flowing down the center.

Sean and I got back to LYV, dropped our packs, and I downloaded the camera data.  We had a restful afternoon and played two rousing games of cribbage with two other rangers that were staying at LYV.  Both Sean and I hiked out Tuesday and were picked up by a co-worker and driven back to the office.

Like I said in the beginning, I have fallen in love with Yosemite.

Devil's Postpile

On Friday, July 18th, I crossed Tioga Pass once again to the eastern side of the Sierras.  I found my way to the town of Mammoth Lakes, CA.  What a quaint little tourist trap town.  There is a large and popular ski resort in Mammoth that offers all sorts of summer activities as well.  It's from the resort you can catch the shuttle into the canyon and Devil's Postpile National Monument.  What a crazy piece of geology.  

The postpile from the lower trail.

There's an upper trail that allows you to see the tops of the columns.  It was like nature's kitchen tiles.

Neat place.

Sacramento, California

Friday, July 11th, I began what I am calling Three Weeks of Adventuring.  I left early from the park and headed north to Sacramento, the capitol of California.  I spent the afternoon running errands and ventured to the building itself Saturday.  It is quite regal.

Most of the grass around the capitol building is brown and dead.  There were signs stating they are conserving water during the drought.  However, the shrubbery around the building was lovely; I especially enjoyed the palm trees.

The attention to detail in the interior was outstanding.  I wish I was a better photographer.

I stood and admired this column for a long time. 

There was, of course, the requisite cartwheel on the steps.

One of my errands was getting Little Car an oil change.  For ten years old and over 150,000 miles, she's in great shape.  She is starting to go a little gray but I don't point it out to her.  I think there was a slight mix-up somewhere down the line because this was the sticker that was placed on her windshield.  Apparently there is a lot of faith in the oil that was put in the car because she'll be able to go over 60,000 miles before she needs it changed again.

Stay tuned...more to come!

Independence Day 2014

Bridgeport, CA boasts the states longest running Independence Day celebration.  For the first time in a long time, I didn't have to work the holiday.  I got up early Friday morning to cross the Sierras.  I made it just in time for the parade.  It was a small town parade, but I thoroughly enjoyed it.  Smokey the Bear made an appearance.  Always glad to see him out and about.

I don't know what it is, but I do enjoy the long string of older gentlemen on their tractors.  This one is a 1937 model.  Perhaps I see my great-grandpa Ralph riding this same tractor.

There was a small representation of children on decorated bicycles.

I remember weaving streamers through my spokes in anticipation of the Bellaire parade in Texas. (Eccles Family, circa 1989)

I had a lovely picnic lunch, brought from home, on the lawn of the sheriff's office.  I enjoyed the festive flower bed.

My afternoon was devoted to the rodeo.  Loved it!  This is the fourth state in which I have attended a rodeo and there were some new events I'd never heard of.  Of course, there was the calf roping and the bronc riding, but there was also trailering and the double mugging.  (A lady next to me though the latter was something you'd hear on the news happened in LA.)

I had the most wonderful creation, a Hillbilly taco, for dinner.  A cornbread tortilla, pulled pork, cole-slaw, and South Carolina bbq sauce.  Amazing.  I stayed and watched a stunning fireworks display, then headed back home.

Friday the 11th started what I'm calling Three Weeks of Adventuring.  Stay tuned!  Fellow adventurers always welcome.