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Dick's Adventures of
2022 - Part 3 |
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San
Joaquin Gorge River Trail
Wawona Weekend
Cat Sitting, Moon Shot, and Glass Rock
Eastern Sierra |
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San
Joaquin Gorge River Trail
I
would guess that I have made more trips to the San
Joaquin River Gorge Special Management Area, and spent more time
there, than any foothill location other than my parents homes in
Mariposa. So with a desire to enjoy the spring weather and
wildflowers before it gets too hot, where do you suppose I went on
March 25? It goes without saying. Since
the Ramblers will be hiking on the Bridge Trail there April 6, my
plan was to walk on the San Joaquin River Trail, which in this area
is far from and out of sight of that river. The Ramblers went there on
February 21, but the vegetation changes rapidly in the spring,
and it was my hope to see flowers that were not out earlier. Just
before I entered the BLM property, a field of popcorn flowers caught
my eye, so I stopped. A barbed wire fence, and some posts which had
been drilled by woodpeckers added interest to the floral scenery,
which also included fiddlenecks.
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Popcorn
flowers near the BLM property entrance |
Woodpeckers
have been using these posts for acorn storage |
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Once
I parked and put on my boots, I set out for a hike that would take
me a little less than a mile in from the trailhead. I counted at
least 18 different known species of wildflowers. I've included
photos of some of them below. |
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Bush
lupines are fading in the San Joaquin Gorge;
this was the only one in bloom along the trail |
Blue
dicks and a few fiddlenecks against a fallen log |
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Zoom in
on the photo and you can see
blue dicks among the popcorn flowers |
Birds
eye gillia |
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The
dominant species was popcorn flowers, which covered many acres. Blue
dicks were also present in large numbers, but their growth pattern
does not create a massive patch of color. There were a lot of birds
eye gillia, and of course, filaree. I saw a single poppy blossom,
but they never appear in significant numbers on this trail, even in
the best of years.
Flowers
I had hoped to see but did not were owl clover, mustang clover,
purple brodiaea, and Mariposa lilies. Maybe next time, which
fortunately is not far away.
--Dick
Estel, April 2022
More
Photos Note:
Until a few years ago this Bureau of Land Management property
was known as Squaw Leap. Considered offensive by Native Americans,
the name survived on the table mountain overlooking the area on the
south until late 2022, when it became San
Joaquin Butte. |
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Wawona Weekend
We
had such a great time when my family and I rented an Airbnb cabin
at Wawona last year, that we decided to do it again. For those not
familiar with this corner of Yosemite National Park, Wawona
is a combination private and government community along the road
that enters Yosemite from the south, about four miles from the park
entrance. It got its start as a stage stop on the rough wagon road
that originally came over the mountains from Mariposa, then took
early tourists on a heart-stopping 34-mile trek up over Chinquapin
summit and down into Yosemite Valley. The Wawona area was developed
by the three Washburn brothers from Vermont, and operated by the
family until 1932. Missing the covered bridges of their childhood,
they built a covered bridge across the South Fork of the Merced
River, which lives on today, re-modeled and/or rebuilt. Today there
is a hotel and restaurant, a small golf course in Wawona meadow, and
a history center with wagons and other artifacts from early days. There
is also a large number of private homes and cabins, many of which
are available to rent, including Arrow Lodge, a little over two and
a half miles from the highway and just a few yards from the Chilnualna
Falls trailhead. |
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Arrow Lodge, our weekend home in Wawona
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The lower deck
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Although
I had driven through Wawona dozens of times starting from early
childhood, hiked the trails, and eaten at the restaurant, I had never
spent a night there until last
year. Roads go east from the main highway on both sides of the
river. On the south side is a market and the history center, with the
road ending at the trailhead to the swinging
bridge. Along Chilnualna Falls Road on the north side, there are
many side roads, and many more houses. Most are privately owned, but
many are available to rent. The ones we have stayed in are both
multi-level, with upper and lower decks, barbecues, everything you
need for cooking, bedding, towels, satellite TV, WiFi and much more.
Although we booked through Airbnb, Arrow Lodge is managed by Yosemite
Scenic Wonders, and we could have booked directly through that
company. They were available by phone till 8 p.m. and when we needed
to call them a couple of times, we received fast and courteous help.
We did not get that excellent service last year. Everyone agreed that
they liked this place better, despite the excellent river view we had
last year.
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Decor in the upstairs living room
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A
little snow remains on 8,500 foot Mt. Raymond, just outside
the park, visible
from the bridge and from our cabin
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We
could not check in until 4 p.m. on Friday. Johnny, Brittany, Colton
and Jack would come up after work and the rest of us would meet at
Jennifer's near Oakhurst and go to Wawona for some hiking. I arrived
at Jennifer's about noon, but the others got a late start, so would
meet us in Wawona instead. Jennifer followed me into the park and on to
Wawona, and Teri, Jackie and Mikie arrived a short time later. We
drove up Forest Drive to the Swinging Bridge trailhead, and enjoyed
the easy, mostly level 2-mile round trip hike to the bridge. We were
happy to see that the river was running high with spring snow melt.
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South Fork of the Merced at peak runoff
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Jackie, Teri, Mikie & Jennifer on the south
side of the bridge
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We
all crossed the bridge, and sat there for a while, enjoying the river
and the forest beauty. The trail continues for a short distance
upstream, and downstream to a bridge across Chilnualna Creek. It's a
bit of a scramble to go on, so Jackie and I did not go any farther,
but Teri and Mikie explored a bit. I noticed Mikie looking intently at
something on the ground. We decided it was a blue tailed skink, a
reptile none of us had ever seen before. Further research indicates it
was probably the very similar western
skink. Fortunately Mikie captured a good photo on his phone.
We
crossed back over the bridge and hiked back to the parking lot.
enjoying many wildflowers along the way. By the time we drove out
Forest Drive and up Chilnualna Falls Road, it was time to check in.
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Western skink - fairly common but rarely seen
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Indian pinks along Swinging Bridge Trail
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As
we brought in our stuff and decided who would have which bedroom, we
were delighted with the facilities. Arrow Lodge has a full kitchen on
both floors, including a full-size refrigerator, dishwasher, and all
the necessary pots, pans, dishes, and utensils. On the ground floor
there is very nice ping pong table, which Mikie and the Upshaw boys
made good use of. Each floor has a wide screen TV with satellite
service, a welcome feature for this family of hockey fans, with the
playoffs underway. There are propane barbecues on the decks
upstairs and down.
The
decor has a low-key western and Native American theme, probably in
keeping with the cabin's name. The outside view is forest with some
open areas, and lots of lupines.
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Inside the cabin
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Thick patch of lupines near the cabin
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Jackie
had brought hamburgers and hot dogs for our Friday night dinner, and
after a false start, or actually non-start, with the upstairs BBQ,
produced an excellent dinner, prepared downstairs and served on the upstairs deck.
We
were relaxing after dinner when we heard footsteps on the outside
stairs that went up from the front to the second floor. The door flew
open and two whirlwinds named Jack and Colton blew in, raising the
energy level by 50% for the rest of the weekend. We went down and
helped Johnny and Brittany bring their stuff in, and our group was
complete.
Watching
a hockey playoff game that lasted till about 10:30, Johnny, Mikie and
I stayed up late, along with the boys, who probably exceeded their
normal bedtime by at least two hours.
The
next morning Teri and the Upshaw's had breakfast duty. Johnny had
brought his new grill, and with help from Jack and Colton, fixed a
fantastic breakfast of sausage, bacon, hash
browns and eggs.
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Johnny supervises, Jack cooks
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Colton takes a turn at the grill
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The
plan for the day's activity was a trip to the Mariposa Grove of Giant
Sequoias. When roads were built into the area in the 1800s, they often
ran within inches of the big trees, and in the 20th century, cars
could freely drive through the grove. Eventually we understood that
this was damaging the trees, which have a very shallow root system.
Roads, trails and parking lots had fragmented wetlands in the grove.
In 2015 the park service closed the grove for three years and did a
major restoration
project. Roads were removed or converted to trails and routed away
from the trees. Meadows and streams were restored to a more natural
condition. And a shuttle service was provided to bring visitors but
not their cars into the grove. In season, the shuttles run every ten
minutes from a huge parking area just inside the park border. At any
time people can walk the two miles to the grove, but this is more than
many of us want to do, since seeing the major trees of the grove
requires additional hiking of one to six miles.
From
Wawona it's only about four miles to the park entrance, so we loaded
everyone into two cars and arrived at the shuttle stop in late
morning. This is when we learned that the shuttle service would not
start for another week. We could drive in if someone had a handicap
permit, but despite being great grandparents, neither Jackie or I
qualify.
Undaunted,
we returned to Wawona to hike on the Wawona
Meadow Loop trail, which starts across the road from the hotel,
and goes four miles around a huge meadow and through a forest of pine,
fir, cedar, black oaks, and dogwood. Teri, Jackie, Jennifer, Colton
and I had hiked all or part of the loop several
times before, but it was the first time for Mikie, Johnny,
Brittany and Jack.
At
one point the trail was blocked by a fallen log, much to the delight
of Colton and Jack, who climbed up, ran up and down it like chipmunks,
and hopped off on the other side. Jackie and I made it across with
much effort, and we certainly did not win any style points.
We
walked about a mile on the trail, then returned to the hotel parking
lot.
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The gang on the Wawona Loop Trail - Jackie,
Brittany, Johnny, Colton, Mikie, Jack, Teri, Jennifer
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Jack and Colton on the log
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Next
to the river on Forest Drive is the Wawona History Center, which
offers horse-drawn wagon rides. Several of our group took advantage of
this free service, while the rest of us checked out the Thomas
Hill Studio, which also serves as a visitor center and souvenir
shop. Hill was a renowned artist in the latter half of the 19th
century, and had a studio in the area from 1884 until his death in
1908.
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Colton makes a new friend
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Getting ready for a wagon ride
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After
checking out the hotel and grounds, we returned to the cabin for
dinner. We were having my famous chili con carne, which requires
considerable advance preparation. At home I had soaked the beans,
browned the meat, cut up the vegetables, and mixed everything together
Early Saturday morning I had put it all in my ancient crock pot and
left it simmering all day. It was ready when we got back, and all the
adults enjoyed the concoction, while the boys had something more to
their liking.
As
we were sitting around the living room later someone said,
"There's a coyote!" We watched him come out of the woods and
disappear down into a drainage. Then after half a minute, he
reappeared, stepped up onto a log, walked down it a short distance,
and stood there for another minute, giving all of us the best and
longest look we had ever had of this animal.
Shortly
before dark we took a short walk down to Chilnualna Creek, just a few
hundred yards from our cabin. A trail goes up the creek a little over
four miles past a series
of cascades and falls ranging from 50 to 250 feet. We went to the
first falls last year, but this time just explored the creek below the
bridge that crosses over and leads to a trail that goes to the
Swinging Bridge.
Walking
back to the cabin, we had an amazing view of Wawona Dome, lit up by
the setting sun.
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Colton at Chilnualna Creek
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Sunset on Wawona Dome
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When
I came out of my bedroom Sunday morning I found Teri and Jennifer and
the boys snuggling on the couch. Eventually everyone else came to
life, and Johnny once again served up an excellent breakfast. Jennifer
had an obligation early in the day, and left shortly after breakfast.
Everyone but me would be leaving by mid-day, so the rest of us started
packing up, with my wonderful kids, grandkids and great grandkids
carrying as much of my stuff as possible down the stairs for me.
After
a group photo, we drove to the elementary school where the boys
planned to play basketball. As far as I could see, Mikie took one shot
at the basket, and everyone else sat around talking, or wandered
around the school grounds until it was time to go.
Back
at the cabin I did what I usually do when solo camping - ate (chili
again), read, and went for a couple of short walks, plus watching
hockey, not normally an option at most campsites. In the morning I
made sure the cabin was returned to its required condition
(trash taken to the dumpster, dishes washed, everything back where we
found it), and started for home a little after 9:30.
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Early Sunday morning - Jennifer, Colton, Jack &
Teri
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Final group photo, but without Jennifer - Mikie,
Teri, Colton, Jack, Johnny, Brittany, Dick, Jackie
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Some
final comments: I made our reservations through Airbnb,
but there are a number of similar rentals in Wawona available through
other companies. The place where we stayed is managed by Yosemite
Scenic Wonders, and they were a delight to deal with, unlike my
direct dealing with the owner of the place we stayed last year. The Redwoods
at Yosemite also offers rentals. We booked a cabin with them for
2020 but Yosemite was closed due to Covid, so we did not actually stay
there.
Yosemite's
timed entry system went into effect the day we arrived. Permits are
required to enter any time between 6 a.m. and 4 p.m., including just
to drive through the park. These reservations are made through Recreation.gov.
Permits are not needed if you have a camping or cabin/hotel/motel
reservation. However, if you are entering in more than one vehicle,
each one needs to have a copy of the reservation AND a copy of the
photo ID of the person who made the reservation.
Another
thing to be aware of when visiting Yosemite, the road to Glacier Point
is closed for all of 2022, and I believe there will be traffic
controls in 2023. There is also road work and construction in other
areas which may impact your travels.
--Dick
Estel, June 2022
More
Photos
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Cat Sitting, Moon Shot, and Glass Rock
In
mid-June, as I have done a number of times in recent years, I drove up
Highway 41 to Oakhurst, to the home of my daughter Jennifer and her
husband Rod, to take care of their cats while they enjoyed a trip to
Tahoe.
I
had recently bought a new camera, and in the course of watching videos
on how to use it, I ran across instructions for photographing the
moon. My first day there, June 13th, was the night of the full moon,
so as the time for moonrise approached, I gathered up my equipment and
drove a short distance to a spot along Road 620 where the eastern
horizon was not blocked by trees or nearby land features. Of course,
the actual horizon is some distance below even the most open mountain
horizon, so I had about a 20 minute wait from the "official"
time till the moon actually appeared.
I
had the camera, with telephoto lens in place, mounted on a tripod and
set for a ten-second delay to eliminate camera shake after the shutter
was pressed. I took a half dozen shots, most of which turned out as
well as I had hoped. However, the first one, with the moon just
touching the trees on the horizon, was my favorite.
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Full moon, June 13, 2022
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Domes to the east of Highway 41
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Meanwhile,
back at the house, the cats were doing their thing, which is mainly
eating and sleeping. There's a different arrangement with the cats
this time. Over the years, a number of cats have disappeared, with the
local coyotes being the main suspects. After much urging from family
members, Rod & Jen decided to keep their two newest cats, Newton
and Peanut, inside. Pebbles has always been an outdoor cat, and does
not really care to go in and and out like most of the others in the
past. She seems to be fairly wily (and fast), having survived around
eight years.
The
two youngsters, just under a year in age, were both friendly when I
stayed with them in
November of 2021, but Newton had decided I was not his human, and
therefore not worthy of close contact. He didn't run from me, and
would allow me to get within a foot or two, but there was a "no
touching" rule in effect. Peanuts on the other hand was very
friendly, allowing me to pick her up and pet her any time.
Pebbles
is less freaky than she used to be, and ate her special treat food in
the evening with me sitting on the patio five feet away.
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Bright-eyed Peanut
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Newton in his younger days
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A
month or so before this trip, Rod and Jennifer had told me about a
hike they had made near Bass Lake, to a place called Glass
Rock. This is a large granite outcropping, a gently sloping area
of an acre or so, which provides views of Bass
Lake and the surrounding country from various angles. The name
comes from the fact that people found this to be the perfect spot to
break a large number of glass bottles, but most of the fragments have
now been cleaned up. The trailhead is unmarked, but the directions are
fairly simple: From Highway 41 take Road 222 toward Bass Lake. At the
lake stay on the east side (left at the fork), then turn left on
Beasore Road (5S07) and go a half mile to the trail on the left. The
web site says to look for the pile of cut up logs, which gave me a
little laugh. There are probably ten thousand piles of cut up logs in
the Sierra, and they are constantly being removed for salvage logging,
chipping, etc., and being replaced by new piles.
The
trail is an old road, blocked with a big pile of dirt and rocks. After
walking the narrow path around to the right, I DID see a pile of logs
on the other side, completely hidden from the road.
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Look for this landmark to find the Glass Rock
trailhead
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The advertised log pile is hidden from the road
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The
trail immediately starts up hill and is fairly steep, but it's not far
to where it levels off and goes through a shady area. Since the
elevation is just above 3,000 feet, the vegetation is black oak, live
oak, ponderosa pine and many shrubs, mostly manzanita. I don't believe
I've ever seen such a thick "forest" of manzanita, many of
them taller than usual.
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Manzanita lines this shady section of the trail
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A nice specimen of this common foothill tree
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After
the welcome shady passage, the tail descends gently with some mild
rock scrambling to the big granite slope, where nearly the full five
mile length of the lake is visible. Goat Mountain rises to 4,600 feet
on the western side of the lake. I took way too many photos, then
returned to my car and drove farther up Beasore Road to Chilkoot
Campground, where we have camped many times in the past. It was a
little more than half full, with campers paying $33 per night at a
spot that was free when we first started going there.
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Bass Lake from Glass Rock
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Goat Mountain irises above the lake
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I
retuned to the Neely home, rested a bit, then drove down to Oakhurst
for a delicious Mexican dinner at El
Cid. The rest of my mountain sojourn was uneventful and
unspectacular, with a little walking around the property, a lot of
resting and reading, and serving up the cats' special evening treat of
canned food each evening.
--Dick
Estel, June 2022
More
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Eastern Sierra - June Lake
Panum Crater
Mono Lake Crowley
Columns Obsidian
Dome Devil's
Postpile Mammoth
Village Yosemite
Permits
(Photos by Teri, Jennifer, Johnny, Brittany,
Colton, Jack and Dick)
A
number of years ago my older daughter, Teri, fell in love with the
eastern Sierra, particularly the area known as the June
Lake Loop. The loop itself is California Highway 158, which goes
west from US 395 a short distance south of Lee Vining, winds through
the eastern edge of the Sierra past four lakes, and returns to 395
about five miles farther south. Two miles from this southern junction
is the town of June Lake, a major tourist headquarters with shops, motels,
restaurants and other businesses catering to fishermen, winter sports
fans, and sightseers.
June
Lake makes a good jumping off place for visits to Mono Lake, Mammoth
Mountain, the Devil's Postpile, Obsidian Dome, Panum Crater and
Crowley Lake Columns. More about all these later. Teri made all the
arrangements for us to stay at Boulder Lodge for five nights in
mid-June. Traveling from four different cities were Teri, her sister
Jennifer, their mother Jackie, her son Mikie, son Johnny with wife
Brittany and sons Colton and Jack, and her dad, me, Dick Estel.
The
shortest route to June Lake from where we all live is over the Tioga
Pass Road (State Highway 120), through Yosemite National Park. This
presented our first challenge - advance permits are required to enter
the park, even for those just driving through. If you don't obtain a
permit a month or more in advance, you get one more chance. Tickets
become available at 8 a.m. each day one week in advance. With five cars
involved, coming on three different dates, and leaving on different
days, it was probably inevitable that not all of us were able to get
both permits (Mikie and I were the two lucky ones). You can enter
without a permit before 6 a.m. or after 4 a.m. This worked out well
for Jennifer, who lives about 25 miles from the park entrance - it was
no big deal for her to get in before 6 a.m., and allowed her to arrive
at the lodge fairly early in the day on Friday. A couple of other scenarios
worked for the others who did not get both permits, and all of us made
it to June Lake and eventually back home.
Five
of us traveled on Thursday - Jackie driving her car with Jack as a
passenger, and Teri, Colton and I in my truck. Plans to take Teri's
car fell apart at the last minute due to a dead battery. Instead of
going in the south entrance to Yosemite on Highway 41, we took Highway 49
from Oakhurst to
Mariposa, then 140 to the park. The Highway 41 entrance has the most
traffic, often resulting in long waits. When we reached the Arch Rock
entrance on Highway 140, there was exactly one car ahead of us. A few
miles into the park we took the Tioga Road, which leaves 140 at the
very edge of Yosemite Valley.
This
is a scenic route that goes up from around 4,000 feet at the start to
9,945 Tioga
Pass, the highest elevation Sierra crossing. It's not a particularly fast route, but
few trans-Sierra
highways are. In the park, strictly enforced speed limits range from 35
to 45 MPH. And of course, you encounter the usual twisting and turning
of any mountain road. Once over the pass, it's a drop of over 3,000
feet in eight miles down to the US 395 junction at Lee Vining at 6,700
feet. Go with the flow, enjoy the scenery (preferably at one of
the many turnouts) and the trip will be an enjoyable experience.
After
a drive of just over 190 miles, we made it safely to our motel,
brought in our stuff and enjoyed the views of the lake and mountains.
Teri and I and the boys had two adjoining rooms with access between
them, while Jackie was a few doors away. Although our
entrance was on the ground floor, the motel is on a hillside, so there
were balconies in the back overlooking the lake. We also made use of
the big screen TV to watch game 4 of the Stanley Cup final. Mikie has
been a fan of the Colorado Avalanche since he was three. They won the
cup that year, but he has no memory of it. He has remained a loyal fan
through ups and downs, and was rewarded by seeing his team in the
finals against defending champion Tampa Bay Lightning. Two nights
later we enjoyed watching with Mikie present, and after he had gone
home on Sunday, we cheered on his behalf as the Avalanche had a chance
to win the
third cup in team history.
OK,
it's probably time to talk about the adventures we enjoyed in the
eastern Sierra, rather than stuff we could just as well have done at
home (hockey, eating, reading).
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This was the view from our back balcony
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Just kicking back after the day's vigorous
activities
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Thursday
morning after breakfast the five early arrivals set off to hike at Panum
Crater. This is a small, extinct volcano just south of Mono Lake
and east of Highway 395. Access is via Highway 120 after it goes east
from 395, on a narrow dirt road that goes a mile or two to a parking
area. A well marked trail leads to a fork where you can walk the rim
of the crater, or up to the top, the route we chose. The trail here
goes down a short distance to a gap where there is a good view of the
lake, then starts up. The boys were excited about being on and in a
volcano, but even more eager to pick up the big light-weight pumice
boulders that are plentiful on the hike. There is also plenty of
obsidian, which is chemically the same as pumice, but has cooled into
smooth, dense glass chunks that none of us could lift.
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Air bubbles trapped in the pumice at the time of
explosion makes it possible for boys to perform amazing feats of
strength
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We
reached a point where Jackie decided to stop and rest, and Colton
stayed with her, spending part of the time building steps so she could
get back to the trail from a sitting rock she had hiked to just off
the trail. Teri, Jack and I continued up the hill, but I stopped at a
place that had several more nice sitting rocks. At trail's end Jack
wanted to go down into the crater, where Teri got a good "Where's
Waldo" type photo.
At
various places on the trail were rocks that showed evidence of the
enormous forces that had created this otherworldly environment, as
well as views of the Sierra, with many patches of snow still in
evidence.
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Where's Jack? In the very center, at the top
of the triangle of dark rock
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Did these cracks form at the time of eruption? Or
over the years since?
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More Panum
Photos
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Jack
emerged from the crater, and we went down to where Colton and Jackie
were waiting. We found them talking with a couple who were on a hike
guided by a retired geologist. Colton had impressed him with a
question about the boulders that combined pumice and obsidian, and he
had pointed out to them the glacial moraine
that curved gracefully out from the mountains across the valley from
us.
Soon
after we returned to the motel, Mikie arrived and was practically
tackled in an enthusiastic greeting by Jack and Colton. The motel has
an indoor swimming pool and some of our group went there, while others
napped or read. You can guess which group I was in.
That
evening we went to the Tiger
Bar & Grill for dinner. Dating from 1932, the place has been
under current ownership since 1978, and offers burgers, sandwiches,
Mexican specialties and a nice dinner menu. Everyone was happy with
their choices, and despite being full, went for ice cream. There used
to be a nice ice cream shop in town, but it is gone, and the only
choice was a soft-serve truck. You could get your ice cream in various
configurations, with cookies, candies and other additives. Once I had
eaten the cookie chunks I was left with a half cup of flavorless goo
that was cold and sweet, but far from ice cream. My recommendation is
to get ice cream bars at the grocery store, which we did another night.
Back
at the motel it was video game time for the boys, reading and
conversation for the adults, and a couple of very nice sunset photos
across the lake.
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Moraine, a ridge of debris left by a glacier
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Sunset at June Lake
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Jennifer
arrived Friday morning, and after presentation of Father's Day gifts
to me and birthday gifts to Teri, we split into two groups. Mikie has
recently taken up golf, and had located a driving range at the nearby
town of Mammoth Lakes. Colton and Jack wanted to go with him, so he
fulfilled his duties as Number One Uncle by taking responsibility for
two lively young boys for the first time with no other adults as
back-up. They all had a great time, with Colton hitting a ball 50
yards, using Mikie's much too long clubs.
Teri,
Jackie, Jennifer and I drove to the visitor center at Mono Lake in Lee
Vining, and hiked a short distance on a trail that went down toward
the lake through the high desert brush and rocks. Teri and I had hiked
here in the past and knew it was much farther to the lake than it
appeared. We turned back when the trail turned to steps, a bit
challenging for Jackie and me, but enjoyed the flowers, the view of
the tufa towers at
lake's edge, and the company. Formed under water when the lake was
much deeper, these features were exposed as the City of Los Angeles
sucked much of the area's water south for 30 or 40 years. After a long
battle, a settlement agreement placed limits on the water that could be
diverted from the small streams feeding into the lake, which has no
outlet other than evaporation. The best towers are on the south shore,
but we made do with the smaller formations on the north, with only a
long-distance
view.
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Jennifer enters the rock lifting contest
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Jennifer and Teri on the Mono Lake Trail
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Back
at the motel, we said our goodbyes to Jackie. She had not felt well
throughout the entire trip and decided to leave early. She had not
been able to get a pass for her departure date, but Yosemite passes
are good for three days, so leaving on the third day eliminated any
worries.
Everyone
else but me went to a beach on June
Lake for swimming (in 57 degree
water!) Not long after the swimmers returned, Johnny and Brittany arrived,
and after proper greetings, Johnny got to work fixing tri-tip,
hamburgers and hotdogs for dinner. In case there was not enough food,
the motel has a popcorn machine in the lobby, and free bags were
available each day, something the Upshaw boys took full advantage of.
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Chef Johnny prepares dinner
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Teach your children well - popcorn time
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That
evening we watched game 5 of the Stanley Cup final. With the Avalanche
up three games to one, Mikie hoped to see his team clinch the cup on
their home ice. Alas, it was not to be, as Tampa won 3-2, setting up
game 6 back in Florida Sunday night.
Saturday
morning the four Upshaw's, Teri, Jennifer, Mikie and I set off to see
a place we had not known exited until very recently. Johnny's friend
Dustin had visited the Lake
Crowley Columns and Johnny was intrigued. The rest of us did
not know of this feature until we drove down Highway 395 about 30
miles, then turned east on a narrow paved road. Then came a very
sharp turn on to a dirt road, and we were above the lake on its
eastern side. We had Upshaw's 4-wheel drive Toyota and my ancient Ford
F-150, which barely has two-wheel drive.
We
reached a point where the road became very rough and went up steeply.
We watched another driver attempts the hill, then give up and leave
his vehicle to walk to the trailhead. We squeezed all eight of us into
the Toyota and rode the final mile.
From
where we parked, the route down was fairly steep, and the
"trail" was more a matter of finding a way between the sage
brush. When it got
even steeper, I found a place to sit while the others went on down. I was
able to get some fairly good photos from this vantage point, and also had views
of the Ritter
Range and Minarets on the Sierra crest to the west.
A
number of people had arrived at the columns via kayak, and there is
also a way to drive in from the other side - strictly 4-wheel drive.
Websites warn that the water is up into the towers in spring and
summer, and the best time to go is fall. With California's current
drought, this was no longer an issue, and there was 30 feet of beach between the lake and columns.
I
have been to many places in California and the USA, and have never
seen anything remotely like these columns, nor have I found anything
similar in my extensive exploration of the World Wide Web. This
website explains the geology better than I can.
While
we were waiting for the others by the car, Teri and I talked with some
people who had been filming at the columns. They were shooting for a
program called Bartell's
Backroads, which is seen on TV stations in Sacramento, San Diego
and elsewhere, but not Fresno. They have done programs in each of
California's 58 counties. Their videos are available on
YouTube.
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Lake Crowley Columns from about half way up the
trail
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Jack inside the columns
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View from up close
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The Ritter Range - Minarets in the center
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The columns, the beach, and a bit of Lake Crowley
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Jack, Johnny and Jennifer coming back up from the
columns
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More
Crowley Photos
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After
we left this amazing location, our next stop was Obsidian
Dome, a little more than a mile west of US 395, and a short
distance south of the June Lake junction. It's a rocky mountain formed
of volcanic glass, and is very young. About 600 years ago hot magma
came in contact with underground water, creating steam and a big blast
that formed huge boulders combining obsidian and pumice. It's less a
dome than a huge pile of boulders, with obsidian predominant. Although
the web site implies that you can't get very far up the mountain,
there is in fact an old
road, dating from pumice mining in the past, where you can walk
nearly to the top.
Just keep going around to the east side of the mountain and you will
probably see cars parked there. Walk the short distance to the base
and as far up as you want.
Because
of the time we had spent on our earlier adventure, we did not hike up
the road, but instead took our group
photo on the boulders at the base. We had barely turned off the
engines of our vehicles before the Upshaw's were scrambling up the
rocks. Johnny went to the top of a pinnacle a hundred feet or so, with
Jack not far behind. Brittany and Colton were more cautions, and the
rest of us contented ourselves with observing and photographing.
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Multi-colored boulders at the base of Obsidian Dome
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Jack and Johnny scrambled up the rock pile
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Jack on a big obsidian boulder
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Brittany, Jack and Colton in the rocks
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More Obsidian
Dome Photos
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Despite
having enjoyed a goodly number of adventures, we got back to June Lake
early in the afternoon. Time stamps on the photos indicate we left
Obsidian Dome not long after 1 p.m. Back at the motel, Jennifer packed
up and started for home. While the Upshaw's and Mikie went to the golf
driving range, Teri and I drove the entire June Lake Loop. We took
State 158 out to 395 then north about five miles to the other end of
the loop, and west into the mountains. The road goes by several lakes
and through a narrow valley with mountains on both sides, as well as a
nice waterfall. We also encountered a short rainfall.
When
we got back to the town of June Lake, we bought ice cream for everyone
at the grocery store and stashed it in the freezer (our main room had
a kitchenette with full size refrigerator). When everyone got back we
went to a pizza place and enjoyed our Saturday night dinner. Later
while Teri and the boys were swimming, Johnny, Mikie and I went to a
pub just off the main street and sampled some of the large beer
selection.
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This waterfall, name unknown, appears south of the
June Lake Loop
(In 2023 we learned that it is Horsetail Falls)
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Jack, Mikie, Colton and Johnny at the driving range
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Did Arnold Palmer get his start like this?
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The gang at the pizza parlor Saturday night
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Sunday
the 26th was our last full day of this adventure. Mikie left for home
early in the day, and the rest of us (4 Upshaw's, Teri and Dick) went
to the Mammoth
Lakes Village area, where our first activity was a trip to the Devil's
Postpile National Monument. It takes about a half hour to drive
the 15 miles to the main parking area. If you want to drive, you must
go in very early, or have a handicap placard. Most people choose to
ride the shuttle bus, which offers service every half hour. I have
always been glad to let someone else do the driving on this narrow,
winding road.
The
shuttle makes a number of stops, but like most passengers, we got off
at the trailhead for the Postpile. From there it is a half mille walk
to this remarkable landmark. The feature began as a flow of molten
lava down the valley until it was blocked by a natural dam. This 400
foot deep lava lake began to cool, and in some locations the rock
cracked into hexagonal columns, giving us today's dramatic 60-foot
high "posts." A much more complete explanation can be found here.
The
posts were originally much higher, but a recent glacier carried off a
top layer and polished the top, giving us a good look at the hexagonal
design. It was not until my third visit here in 2007 that I
discovered that there is a short trail up to the top
of the formation. This time the Upshaw's went up on top, while
Teri and I stayed below, chatting with other visitors and enjoying the
surroundings.
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Iconic view of the Devil's Postpile
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Upshaw family at the Postpile
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A closer view of the "posts"
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Jack and Colton among the thousands of broken
pieces of basalt
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The
Middle Fork of the San Joaquin River flows through the monument, and
about two miles downstream from the Postpile, drops over 101-foot Rainbow
Falls. Along the trail are views of basalt
cliffs, part of the massive lava flow that forms so much of this
region.
I
had been to the falls twice, and did not feel up to the additional
mileage, so we agreed to meet at Shuttle Stop 9, where an alternate
trail comes back from the falls to Red's Meadow, site of a campground
and store. Teri and the Upshaw's set off, and I followed, going left
at a fork and moving at my usual slow pace. At one point I passed up
the chance to walk a short distance to Shuttle Stop 8, and continued
walking on a trail that provided plenty of exercise, but had only a
few truly steep spots.
A
short distance past the main feature, a couple of mini-postpiles can
be seen from the trail. The first one seems to be piled horizontally
rather than vertically, while the second has stacks of posts tilted
first one way then the other.
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Another variety of Postpile
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These posts were stacked randomly
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I
had neglected to bring any snacks, and in the hubbub of going our
separate ways, did not think to get some of the nut mixture Teri had
brought. By the time I got close to Stop 9, I was in need of an energy
boost, so I trudged on up the trail to Stop 10 and the store. I bought
an apple, water, and a candy bar which I ate as soon as I stepped out
the door of the store. I then returned to Stop 9 via the paved road.
As I started down the last section of this road, a coyote entered the
road about 100 yards in front of me. He stopped and looked down the
hill, but realized there were people at the trailhead below, and
continued on another 30 yards for so before heading into the woods.
I
sat on a log at Stop 9 and ate my apple, then got a phone call from
Johnny. The trail they were on had sent them directly to Stop 10. I
waited a few minutes, then got on the shuttle and rode up to where
they were waiting for me. They climbed aboard and we made the scenic
drive back to Mammoth Village.
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An eastern Sierra gem - Rainbow Falls
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Teri with her grandsons at the falls
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More Devil's
Postpile Photos
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One
final fun activity awaited us. At Mammoth Lakes Village, in addition
to dining, shuttle rides, and gondolas to the top of the mountain,
there is a sort of amusement park that attracts kids of all ages. When
Mikie and I were there in 2007, there was just a climbing wall. Now
there is also a zip line, bicycle course, elevated rope walk, and bungee-trampoline
feature. A single ticket provides access to all of these, so Johnny
got tickets for the boys. We watched them play as we enjoyed lunch on
the outdoor patio.
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Colton (yellow shirt) and Jack (blue shirt) on the
rope walk
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Jack does a flip on the bungee-trampoline
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Jack made it to the highest point possible
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Colton on the bungee
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More
Mammoth Photos
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Finally
it was time to head back to the motel and start preparing to leave the
next day. But we had one final activity that put the cherry on top of
the week. Although Mikie was back home, we thought of him as we
watched game six of the Stanley Cup Final. If the Avalanche won, they
would have their third championship, the first in 21 years. If they
lost, they would still have one more chance in the best of seven
series, but game seven's can be heart-stoppers.
By
the middle of the game, Colorado was ahead 2-1, and they managed to
defend that thin 1-goal lead for nearly 30 more minutes of intense
play, earning the right to skate around the arena with the cup
held high. Jack would have made his uncle Mikie proud, jumping up
and down and yelling as if he had scored the winning goal.
The
next day we packed up and left for home. Teri and I went back through
Yosemite, and down Highway 41 through Oakhurst. Upshaw's had not been
able to get a pass for that day, and went home via Sonora
Pass, California Highway 108, with a stop at Mono Lake on the
way.
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Tenaya Lake, beside Tioga Pass Road near Tuolumne
Meadows
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Mono Like lies in high desert territory
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I'm
going to conclude with a few words about Yosemite's entry permit
system. In previous years, ir your destination was on the other side
of the park, you could get a sticker allowing you to drive through.
The entry time was noted, and if you took too long, you could face
consequences (they were never spelled out). Basically this meant,
"keep driving, don't stop to look at the scenery." The
current policy requires a regular permit to enter, no matter what your
plans are. Permits are made available several weeks in advance on Recreation.gov..
For example, as this is written on July 10, permits are available for
15 days in August, and all but two days in September. A number of
passes are reserved for people who are not able to plan far enough
ahead, so that on any given day, you can request a pass for one week
later. They become available at 8 a.m. PDT, and are often gone by
8:15. Passes are good for three days and you must enter on the first
day. After that you can go in and out of the park as you please.
We
needed passes for five cars, for two different dates. We were not all
entering the same day, so we were not all in competition with each
other, but we were not able to get all the permits we wanted. Mikie
and I got permits for both days; Jackie and Johnny got permits for the
first day we entered, and Jennifer did not get any. But there are
still other possibilities - you can enter before 6 a.m. or after 4
p.m. without a permit Permits are also not needed if you have
reservations within the park, as we did when we stayed at Wawona in
May, or if you walk
in.
Since
Jennifer lives close to the Highway 41 entrance, it was no hardship
for her to get to the gate before 6 a.m. the first day. Both she and
Jackie planned to leave later in the afternoon and go through after 4,
which still would give them time to get home before dark. As it turned
out, Jackie left early, on the third day, with her entry pass still
good. Jennifer discovered that people who are considered
"local" don't need a pass at all. Johnny's route on Highway
108 was around 250 miles, while the more direct route that we took
through Yosemite was about 193 miles. Other routes over the Sierra
would all be much longer than the 108 way.
So
- plan your trip well, and get your reservations early.
--Dick
Estel, July 2022
More
Photos
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Photos
(Click to enlarge; pictures open in new window) |
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San
Joaquin Gorge
Wawona
Cats, Moon, Glass Rock
Eastern Sierra |
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San Joaquin Gorge |
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Birds eye gillia |
An unusual clump of
mistletoe |
Harvest brodiaea |
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Long-dead tree
stands in a field of popcorn flowers |
Yellow-throated
gillia |
One of several areas
with Indian grinding holes |
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Wawona
in Yosemite National Park
(Photos by Brittany & Dick) |
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Upstairs fireplace |
First class modern
kitchen |
This makes me hungry |
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Jack & Colton at
the Mariposa Grove Visitor Plaza |
Never use the
official path when there's an alternative |
Jack & Colton at
the gateway to the Loop Trail |
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Johnny and Colton at
Chilnualna Creek |
Cascades on the
creek |
Jack discovers it's
easier to go up than down |
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Field of lupines
greets visitors along the highway |
A little one-on-none |
Harlequin lupine |
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Cat
Sitting, Moon Shot, and Glass Rock |
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As usual, the moon
continued
to rise higher in the sky |
A large black oak
near the start of the trail |
Glass Rock in the
foreground,
with Bass Lake beyond |
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Manzanita and lake |
Colorful base of a
manzanita trunk |
Bass Lake with boats |
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Eastern
Sierra
Panum Crater
Crowley
Columns Obsidian
Dome Devil's
Postpile Mammoth
Village Other
Photos
(Photos by Teri, Jennifer, Johnny, Brittany,
Colton, Jack and Dick) |
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Teri, Jack, Colton
and Jackie at
the Panum Crater Trailhead |
Colton and a big
shiny chunk of obsidian |
Mono Lake from the
Panum trail |
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Some creative rock
art by Mother Nature |
Interesting layering
on rock |
Dick and Jackie on
the trail |
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Crowley Lake Columns |
Jennifer at the
Columns |
An inside view |
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Jack and Johnny
climbing Obsidian Dome |
While others
scramble in the rocks,
Dick is content to just take photos |
Standing: Teri,
Jennifer, Colton, Brittany,
Johnny, Mikie; seated: Dick, Jack |
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Dedicated to Ron N |
Upshaw Family at the
Postpile |
One of the great
grandsons caught
Grandpa Dick in his favorite activity |
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The Upshaw Brothers
on top of the "Pile" |
The Junior Postpile
south of the Devil's Pile |
The Middle Fork of
the San Joaquin River |
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The top of the falls |
You can't have too
many waterfall photos |
Ritter Range and
Minarets from the Falls trail |
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Near the end of my
hike, I
had to cross on this "bridge" |
Unknown flower |
Flower near Mono
Lake |
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Colton on the wall |
Teri, Johnny,
Brittany, Dick, Colton and Jack
with the Mammoth Village Mammoth |
Another Mono Lake
flower |
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June Lake sunset |
Jack and Teri |
At June Lake beach |
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Colton at the
driving range |
The Upshaw men and a
huge chunk of obsidian |
Johnny dips his toes
in Tenaya Lake |
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Eastern Sierra |
Mist on the
mountains |
All the places we
went |
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Related Links |
|
San
Joaquin River Gorge |
San
Joaquin River Trail |
Woodpeckers |
San
Joaquin Gorge Hikes |
Chilnualna
Falls |
Wawona |
Mariposa
Grove Restoration Project |
Wawona
Meadow Loop |
Yosemite
National Park |
Mariposa
Grove of Giant Sequoias |
History
of Wawona |
Wawona
Swinging Bridge |
Thomas
Hill Studio |
Yosemite
Scenic Wonders Property Management |
Recreation.gov |
Glass
Rock |
Bass
Lake |
El
Cid Mexican Restaurant |
June
Lake Loop |
Panum
Crater |
Glacial
Moraines |
Mono
Lake Tufa Towers |
Crowley
Columns |
Crowley
Columns Again |
Bartell's
Backroads Crowley Video |
Bartell's
You Tube Videos |
Obsidian
Dome |
Devil's
Postpile National Monument |
Geology
of the Postpile |
Rainbow
Falls |
Postpile
& Rainbow Falls Photos |
A
June Lake Drive & Photo Tour |
Tenaya
Lake |
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