We departed Fresno after seeing Liz off at the airport, and headed east. During the trip across the Mojave Desert, we saw this odd sight, three tall towers with thousands of mirrors in circular arrays reflecting sunlight at huge solar panels (that are actually boilers). It was a dazzling sight, like something from a Star Wars movie. It is the Ivanpah Solar Power Facility, the largest solar thermal power station in the world. Costing $2.2 billion, it has a 392 megawatt capacity, but has only achieved half of that output due to "clouds, contrails and weather." (Gee, isn't California in a drought??? That was a meteorological question, not a political barb...)
Just across the Nevada state line, I was appalled to note this garish marquee for a casino, named after one of my heroes...
William F. Cody (1846-1917), also known as Buffalo Bill, was an Army scout, a ranch hand, Pony Express rider, wagon train driver, buffalo hunter, fur trapper and showman. He was awarded the Medal of Honor for gallantry in action at Platte River in 1873. His Wild West Show played across the US and Europe, and brought Native Americans/Indians front and center, employing many in his shows. Seen here with Oglala Sioux chief Sitting Bull, he described them as "the former foe, present friend, the American". As a result of his Wild West Shows, Buffalo Bill Cody was asserted to be the most recognizable celebrity on earth. Cody also was a supporter of equal rights and pay for women, and was an early conservationist, pushing for establishment of hunting seasons. I never read that he was into gambling, and that industry is mostly run by wise guys from Jersey and Vegas, not Medal of Honor winners...
Shortly after passing that casino, we needed fuel. My Lovely Bride had an interesting conversation with the clerk at a Pilot truck stop. She had gone in to pay in cash (cheaper price for diesel) and said, "I'd like to put $150 on Number 17. Oh, I'm not in Vegas yet..." The smiling young male cashier said, "Ma'am, you have about as good a chance of keeping that $150. This is private, I presume?" "What, I don't look like a trucker?" "You'd be surprised what I've seen in here today. I had a man in full women's clothing come in, and he was a trucker." When Suzanne related this tale, my non-PC comment was, "Hey, it doubles your chances of getting a date..."
Then on to Las Vegas, where we were to meet a Pentagon colleague of Suzanne's and her husband. Col Jill Chambers, US Army (Ret), had worked with Suzanne on the staff of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS), and was the emcee at Suzanne's retirement ceremony. I remembered her as a pixie-ish blonde dynamo with unbelievable energy and enthusiasm - much like My Lovely Bride, except for the hair color. Jill had sent Suzanne an email saying something like, "Gee, your life has changed since the Pentagon!" Jill was recently inducted into the US Army Women's Hall of Fame for her work with This Able Vet, a non-profit which she founded, that helps veterans with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). She was also recognized as a "Next Maker" by AOL and PBS as a Trailblazer whose intellectual, physical and emotional strength have opened doors, opened minds and inspired change. We were looking forward to seeing Jill again and meeting her husband, country and western singer Michael Peterson. They live in a beautiful home on the northwest side of Las Vegas. Their wall decorations are a bit different than most people's; that's Michael's Gold Record "From Here to Eternity", which hit #1 on Billboard's Hot Country Songs in 1997; he has 5 Top 40 Hits in that genre.
Michael has also made a mark with the military by touring with the USO, and performing in Iraq, Afghanistan, and aboard deployed Navy ships. He was gracious enough to sing several songs for us that evening, and we were impressed both by his voice, lyrics and guitar skills.... (he has a room full of guitars, by the way).
Jill has one unfortunate affliction... she suffers from the "Imelda Marcos Syndrome", although instead of stilettos and pumps, Jill collects "Chuck Taylor" sneakers... I had to Google them to find out that they are cult sneakers for women. Seems she has a pair to match any possible color outfit. (Side note: while in college, I worked for a while as a shoe salesman in an upscale department store; my boss told me that the best way to sell shoes to women was to gently rub the back of their calves as you placed the shoes on their feet. I initially thought he was nuts, but after two weeks of mediocre results with traditional sales techniques, I tried following his suggestion and my shoe sales skyrocketed, with nary a single complaint. I occasionally wonder what life might have been like had I continued in that line of work...)
After that delightful evening with Jill and Michael, I dropped Suzanne off at the Las Vegas airport for her next commitment, as keynote speaker at the Aspects of Consciousness Conference in Chapel Hill, NC, sponsored by the Academy for Spiritual and Consciousness Studies. Her first presentation, "Getting Out of the Box... Redefining What is Real", received a standing ovation. She also presented her "Awakened Living 301" talk and held a Sanaya session. Quite a few of her friends attended, including Beth and Mike Pasakarnis (Wolf's parents), Scott and Robin Brown, and Bev Garlipp. Suzanne especially enjoyed being with so many kindred spirits and colleagues such as Dr. Gary and Rhonda Schwartz and famed energy worker Donna Eden. From all accounts, it was a great week.
After Suzanne departed, I broke camp and drove the coach from Las Vegas to Flagstaff, Arizona, for several days of hiking. The drive was long, but it really helped to have Rudy and Gretchen help with the driving. I was initially concerned about their legs not reaching the pedals, but with some adjustments, they did just fine, although Gretchen has a tendency to bark loudly at drivers who cut in too close in front of her. Rudy, like his Dog-Dad, prefers to use the air horn; I guess it's a guy thing...
Flagstaff was a great place to hang out for a few days. There are dozens of hiking trails nearby, and I chose one of the hardest for my first venture: Elden Mountain Lookout trail in Coconino National Forest climbs about 2,600 feet in 2.8 miles, but the first part is relatively flat, making the middle and third sections very steep. This is the trail elevation profile... it was probably the steepest trail I've ever hiked.
As I was ascending, I met a young trail runner headed back down. Mark Harker is from Alloa, Scotland, and is spending his summer holiday driving across the USA. His car had broken down, so while it was being repaired, he decided to do some hiking. He was moving at a very fast pace downhill, but warned that the trail got pretty steep up ahead. Oh, to be in my 20s or 30s again...
Mark and I discussed the relative merits of Scotland's principal contribution to haute cuisine, haggis. He was somewhat surprised to find that I actually liked haggis, which for the uninitiated is sheep's pluck (heart, liver and lungs), mixed with onions, oatmeal, suet, spices, and salt, and baked in a sheep's stomach. (It tastes better than it sounds). Served with neeps and tatties (turnips and potatoes), haggis is also traditionally accompanied by a wee nip of Scotch whiskey, especially on Burns Night, the birthday of Robert Burns. Mark, I hope the rest of your trip goes well and that you continue to enjoy America.
I had to take a selfie at the top to prove that I had completed the hike, and wasn't at some girlie bar by the college. The temp here was 52F, but having worked up a sweat on the way up, it was actually quite pleasant. Until it started raining. (But, being a former Boy Scout, I was prepared; my Marmot rain jacket came in handy just after this photo was shot).
Flagstaff would prove to be a pleasant, although lonely, stopping place for five days until we met up with Suzanne in Albuquerque, another 330 miles to the east. The only disappointment was my inability to find haggis on the menu of any restaurant in town. Guess I'll have to go back to Scotland for that culinary delight!
Our second backpacking trip during daughter Liz's visit was a 15 mile trip from Wolverton Trailhead (6,700 ft) to Emerald and Pear Lakes in the Sierra Nevada (9,500 ft) and then back to Lodgepole Campground. Suzanne accompanied us on the first part of the trip, but had to return to our coach to take care of Rudy and Gretchen.
There are two routes to these pristine mountain lakes; the easier
route, Watchtower, was closed due to hazardous ice and snow on the 3
foot wide rock slab with a 2,000 ft. drop to the Marble Fork Kaweah
River below.
I had taken this route on a previous visit in September 2012, but there was no snow/ice then; even so, it was a gut-wrenching passage, because I am not fond of sheer cliffs with that kind of exposure. You can just make out the trail on the gray cliff in the background on the right side of the photo. That is the Watchtower itself on the left. The route we did take is called The Hump (up and
over the green forested area in the upper right of the photo).
The route is
well-named, because it is shaped like a camel's hump, steep with lots of
switchbacks. Like the Yosemite trip, this one was rated "Strenuous". Liz was gracious not to comment on her Old Man's slow but steady progress. She is a very strong hiker, and could have finished the hike in half the time it took me.
There were several stream crossings, but since there hasn't been much rain lately, they were easy. Heavy rain from thunderstorms can bring a big rise in water levels, though.
When you break out of the woods at the top of The Hump, this view rewards you for your long uphill slog. The sharp peak is Mt. Silliman, 11,188 ft. Because of the south-facing exposure you are seeing, there is no snow, but on the north-facing slopes there is probably quite a bit, even in early June.
We're getting up to treeline here at 9,500 feet, although there are still some scattered pines to be seen. The granite terrain can be crossed off-trail, but there are still many boulder fields, steep slopes and rockfalls that make cross-country travel for small parties somewhat dicey.
This hateful place is where we chose to camp... Emerald Lake is green in sunny weather, but clouds were rolling in, giving it a wintery slate hue. It looked and felt like rain, and the temperature was dropping. Could we get snow? We ate a quick dinner and dove into our tents minutes before the rain began... and turned to sleet.
It was a chilly night, and Liz's tent developed a minor leak during the heaviest rain, with a drop every few minutes landing on her forehead. Fortunately, the heavy rain soon turned to light mist, but it did make things in our tents pretty damp. By morning, skies had cleared and temps had risen to the mid-30s, and most of the snow had melted. Sunrise on Alta Peak above our campsite was spectacular.
We day-hiked up to Pear Lake, which looked lovely in the morning sunshine. It was relatively crowded; there were three people camped there (there are 10 campsites); in contrast, at Emerald, we had the best site of 10, with no neighbors at all. It's still pretty early in the season; in July and August, those campsites will all likely be filled, even during the week.
To save weight, we only carried 1.5 liters of water each up the mountain, just enough for the hike. Our water supply looked pristine, but we filtered it anyway to prevent any problems with the Giardia parasite. The effects can be nasty, similar to those of Montezuma's revenge, but longer lasting. (Yuck!)
On the subject of Yuck, people have asked about rest room facilities. In the wilderness, you carry a plastic trowel to bury waste (100 feet from trails and water sources, and at least six inches deep in dirt) and a zip-lock bag to carry out the used TP. But here at Emerald and Pear Lakes, because there is no dirt (it's all rock except around the campsites themselves), the National Park Service has provided composting toilets; ah, gracious living!
Back at the campground, Suzanne was meditating among the Giant Sequoias just after sunrise (before other hikers arrived). Readings were out of the question because there was no cell phone
service of Wi-Fi available. We were truly off the grid for four days.
My Lovely Bride was also guarding the fort and keeping the home fires burning... and catching up on some reading. Coincidentally, she was reading Angels in the Wilderness, by Amy Racina, a story of a woman backpacker who fell 60 feet onto a rock ledge while hiking in King's Canyon National Park, about 30 miles north of where Liz and I were camped.
Fortunately, we finished our backpacking trip safely, although we did have to hike very quickly through a bad thunderstorm for about 4 miles right at the end of our trip. Suzanne was caught out in the same storm, and even had a run-in with Mama Bear and two Baby Bears! (She had bear repellant in her hand, but Mama Bear turned away at 30 feet distance to tear apart a log looking for termites.)
The tiny baby bears looked to be only a few weeks old, still very playful and gangly, and assured that Mama will provide their food when they are hungry...
Suzanne's wildlife encounter was much more exciting than ours - we were ambushed by an entire family of marmots up at Emerald Lake. They came in on two sides and tried to steal our food, and even chewed up the leather straps on my brand new Crocs camp sandals when we walked off to get water. One licked the salt off my trekking poles. They are little furry rascals!
Liz also got this photo of a curious female mule deer that didn't seem too concerned about us two hikers, She was munching quietly on grass in a mountain meadow just prior to this photo.
Our time in Sequoia National Park was fun-filled and exciting, and I hated to leave. I am already looking forward to returning here, perhaps this Fall... But for now, we are heading the coach east. Next stop: Las Vegas!
Backpacking into the High Sierras is one of my favorite pastimes, and it was especially nice to have My Lovely Daughter Elisabeth out for a week so we could share the experience. The first trip was to Ten Lakes, in the northern section of Yosemite National Park. We left Suzanne, Rudy and Gretchen at the coach and drove almost 2 1/2 hours to the trailhead at 7,500 ft. Shouldering our backpacks (mine was about 34 lbs with a sturdy [read heavy] bear-proof food container for our food), we marched off smartly uphill. The crest of the trail found us at 9,670 ft. at Ten Lakes Pass, on granite slabs mostly above treeline, with a view that was breathtaking.
We met only four other backpackers along the way, two sets of fathers and sons. Bruce and Jake had enjoyed Ten Lakes and were now on their way out, back to Phoenix. It is always nice to see other fathers out with their sons/daughters. By the way, the white stuff on the ground in these photos is not paint... snow was still melting up at 9,600 feet, and small rivulets formed creeks and then streams and rivers, all ice-cold and crystal clear.
The trail down to the lakes (only 7 of which are real lakes, the other three being ponds/meadows) was very steep, and we were both glad to have our trekking poles (collapsible aluminum hiking sticks) to stabilize us on the broken granite rocks.
This photo was shot just downhill from our water view campsite; the primo spot on the water nearby had already been taken by two Park Service rangers, a college-aged couple (from different states) who were only working the season here in Yosemite. I'm sure their romantic spot was well-deserved...
As we were setting up our camp, the first large wildlife sighting occurred. This yellow-bellied marmot (Marmota flaviventris) was about 3 feet long, much larger than their cousins in the Cascades that we were more familiar with.
Our campsite was always kept clean and tidy because bears were said to be active in the area. Nighttime temps were in the 30s. While our CamelBak water bladders never froze, the water was definitely cold in the morning when we awoke. Liz's 15F rated sleeping bag barely kept her warm, while I wore my down jacket, long sleeve tee, pants and socks in my 32F rated bag.
There wasn't much dayhiking at Ten Lakes, because the trail was in and out; if you wanted to bushwhack cross-country, this was a typical hillside that you had to navigate.
I hated to leave Ten Lakes, because it was a heavenly place to spend a couple of days. Or years... Liz mentioned on the hike that this would be a place to lose yourself; you know, like dropping off the grid? I agreed, although it might get a bit lonely in January and February when you're frozen in and the nearest coffee shop and bakery are 12 hours snowshoeing away!
After departing Ten Lakes, we made a pass through Yosemite Valley for a last look at Half Dome. This type of rock formation, exfoliated granite, is caused by upward movement of the mountains causing flaking of huge slabs of rock and the occasional "half dome" shape which can be found in several locations around the Sierra Nevada.
While Liz and I were backpacking, Suzanne was doing two readings a day and running/biking on steep trails or roads near our campground. Because of the long drive to and from Yosemite, we were happy to move our coach to Sequoia National Park, a 5 hour drive south of Yosemite. Sequoia is one of my favorite places on earth; this would be my 8th visit, and I would cheerfully spend the rest of my days here. The Giant Sequoias (Sequoiadendron giganteum) are the largest living organisms ever to exist on our planet, and dwarf the giant blue whale and the coastal redwoods of Northern California. Here is Suzanne at the base of the General Sherman tree, the largest of these beautiful trees. It is 275 feet tall, with a girth of 102 feet at the ground, and an estimated weight of 2,100 tons, about the same as my first destroyer.
We walked through the groves of Sequoias along the Congress Trail at dusk, and had the entire area for ourselves. Here is Your Faithful Correspondent admiring the "Senate Group"; I admittedly have more respect for these beautiful trees than I have for the politicians bearing that name...
Even in the fading light, the shallow root system of the Giant Sequoia is obvious. There is no deep taproot, and the cause of death of most Sequoias is simply falling over. The cones are tiny, about the size of a chicken egg, and the seeds are miniscule, with a mature tree dispersing about 350,000 seeds per year, 99.99% of which will not germinate. The bark of these trees is about 2-3 feet thick at the base of the tree, is soft to the touch and fibrous, and provides good fire protection. Many of the trees we saw are scarred from fires.
Finally, Monday 8 June is a sad day for our family. On that day in 2006, our daughter Susan, a sergeant in the US Marine Corps, died after being struck by lightning while crossing the flightline at the Marine Corps Air Station in Cherry Point, North Carolina. Susan was 27 years old and six months pregnant with a son, Liam Tyler. It is fitting that as I write this entry we are staying at a Marine Corps base in Barstow, California, not far from where Susan served while stationed at Camp Pendleton and during training at 29 Palms. Susan also treasured mountains and forests, and loved to hike and backpack. As we hiked through Yosemite and Sequoia National Parks, I knew that Susan was right there along with us.
Our first bear encounter here in Yosemite was the other afternoon while hiking in the Tuolumne Grove of Giant Sequoias. It's not a heavily used trail like those in the Valley where most of the tourists hang out, but it was a pleasant hike through the big trees just before dinner. We were just about to head for the car when another hiker said, "You must see the two bears in the meadow." As we approached the lookout point, we saw two big bears, a cinnamon and a black, walking slowly through the meadow and into the woods, foraging for food.
These bears have only recently come out of winter hibernation, and they are very hungry in the Spring/early summer. We watched as the cinnamon tore apart the bark of a tree (maybe for insects?). The black bear was looking at us with some degree of longing; perhaps he/she just wanted a playmate???
My Lovely Daughter Elisabeth is now with us for a week of hiking and backpacking in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Our first four days together will be in Yosemite, and it's her first time here. We enjoyed two hikes today, a short one to Bridalveil Fall, which has a spectacular drop of 620 feet. Unfortunately, in early morning, the waterfall was in the shadows, and thus not particularly photogenic at that moment.
We then hiked along a branch of the Merced River, which was very narrow at that point, and noticed this pine tree that had been bent in a 90 degree arc by the force of the water. Amazingly, it hadn't been broken or split by the river...
Suzanne has always wanted a rock garden, and was admiring this lovely chunk of granite, suggesting that it would look good in our front yard. "Uh, Suzanne, I think we may have a problem. I think the Leave No Trace Ethic proscribes people removing rocks for personal use. Sigh..."
We also hiked to Mirror Lake, on a small and less-traveled trail that unfortunately was shared with stock (horses and mules). The lake was scenic, but while the four-legged population was not unfriendly, their "droppings" did not add to the wilderness beauty of the trail. (Photo not required.)
We tried to get a photo of Elisabeth in this blog post, but she was being camera-shy, and insisted on recording us instead.
Unfortunately,we learned today that during the past two weeks, there were three tragic deaths of young people here in Yosemite Valley. One was a climber attempting El Capitan, and two were base jumpers wearing "flying suits" who failed to clear a notch after jumping off a 3,000 ft. cliff. The photo at right shows several climbers ascending El Capitan; they are the miniscule dots in a crack about 1/3 and 1/2 the way up from the treeline, and still have about 7/8 of the climb to go.
On a happier note, Elisabeth and I will be backpacking for three days up in the High Sierras in the Ten Lakes area on the north side of Yosemite National Park, which is said to be a lovely destination. I am hoping the ranger was wrong when he predicted we would have nighttime temperatures in the high 20s!
We departed Fresno after seeing Liz off at the airport, and headed east. During the trip across the Mojave Desert, we saw this odd sight, three tall towers with thousands of mirrors in circular arrays reflecting sunlight at huge solar panels (that are actually boilers). It was a dazzling sight, like something from a Star Wars movie. It is the Ivanpah Solar Power Facility, the largest solar thermal power station in the world. Costing $2.2 billion, it has a 392 megawatt capacity, but has only achieved half of that output due to "clouds, contrails and weather." (Gee, isn't California in a drought??? That was a meteorological question, not a political barb...)
Just across the Nevada state line, I was appalled to note this garish marquee for a casino, named after one of my heroes...
Then on to Las Vegas, where we were to meet a Pentagon colleague of Suzanne's and her husband. Col Jill Chambers, US Army (Ret), had worked with Suzanne on the staff of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS), and was the emcee at Suzanne's retirement ceremony. I remembered her as a pixie-ish blonde dynamo with unbelievable energy and enthusiasm - much like My Lovely Bride, except for the hair color. Jill had sent Suzanne an email saying something like, "Gee, your life has changed since the Pentagon!" Jill was recently inducted into the US Army Women's Hall of Fame for her work with This Able Vet, a non-profit which she founded, that helps veterans with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). She was also recognized as a "Next Maker" by AOL and PBS as a Trailblazer whose intellectual, physical and emotional strength have opened doors, opened minds and inspired change. We were looking forward to seeing Jill again and meeting her husband, country and western singer Michael Peterson. They live in a beautiful home on the northwest side of Las Vegas. Their wall decorations are a bit different than most people's; that's Michael's Gold Record "From Here to Eternity", which hit #1 on Billboard's Hot Country Songs in 1997; he has 5 Top 40 Hits in that genre. 
After Suzanne departed, I broke camp and drove the coach from Las Vegas to Flagstaff, Arizona, for several days of hiking. The drive was long, but it really helped to have Rudy and Gretchen help with the driving. I was initially concerned about their legs not reaching the pedals, but with some adjustments, they did just fine, although Gretchen has a tendency to bark loudly at drivers who cut in too close in front of her. Rudy, like his Dog-Dad, prefers to use the air horn; I guess it's a guy thing...
Flagstaff was a great place to hang out for a few days. There are dozens of hiking trails nearby, and I chose one of the hardest for my first venture: Elden Mountain Lookout trail in Coconino National Forest climbs about 2,600 feet in 2.8 miles, but the first part is relatively flat, making the middle and third sections very steep. This is the trail elevation profile... it was probably the steepest trail I've ever hiked.
As I was ascending, I met a young trail runner headed back down. Mark Harker is from Alloa, Scotland, and is spending his summer holiday driving across the USA. His car had broken down, so while it was being repaired, he decided to do some hiking. He was moving at a very fast pace downhill, but warned that the trail got pretty steep up ahead. Oh, to be in my 20s or 30s again...
I had to take a selfie at the top to prove that I had completed the hike, and wasn't at some girlie bar by the college. The temp here was 52F, but having worked up a sweat on the way up, it was actually quite pleasant. Until it started raining. (But, being a former Boy Scout, I was prepared; my Marmot rain jacket came in handy just after this photo was shot).
