Category: dog

Holiday Getaway: Emerald Bay

Emerald Bay. Lake Tahoe.

With family already gathering is Big Pine in the Eastern Sierra for Christmas my plan was to join them and to take a few days to make my way over the mountains. My plan was to get away mid-morning on December 19 but buy the time I tied up all the loose ends, it was close to 2 PM.

My goal for the night was Grover Hot Springs State Park, 195 miles and a 3 1/2 hour drive from my house in Albany. Grover Hot Springs is one of the few places along the route that is open for winter camping. The Hot Springs are a popular spot year round. As I was approaching Lake Tahoe dusk was closing in and I was thinking it would be more fun to drive the mountains in the daylight. Seeing a sign for the Echo Lake Sno Park I decided this would be my stop for the night. Sno Parks provide a convenient place for overnight camping for RVs and such. I had anticipated the possibility of staying in a Sno Park and had purchased a Sno Park permit on-line.

In the evening while contemplating the next days drive I had the thought that it might be interesting to get up early and look for a photo vantage point to catch the early morning light on Lake Tahoe. I had in mind a view that would overlook Emerald Bay.

Treve and Carson at the Emerald Bay Overlook.

Not being all that familiar with Highway 89 along the western edge of Lake Tahoe, I wasn’t sure what I would find, but as luck would have it the vantage point that I was imagining materialized just south of the Eagle Falls trail head. I found a turn-out with a short walk to an overlook. I was too late for sunrise, but I did find some lovely light on the lake, and my dog Carson was happy to romp in the snow while I set up my camera and tripod to capture the scene. After the photo stop it was time to find coffee. It seems the fresh coffee I bought for the trip never made it on board the truck. So it was back to South Lake Tahoe to fill my coffee mug before heading down the east side of the mountain.

Anderson Valley

On Saturday November 24, with Thanksgiving behind us, we decided to hit the road for a three day trip to Mendocino. We grabbed a few items of food, a change of clothes, hopped in the truck and headed north, taking Highway 101 to Cloverdale where we turned west onto Highway 128. We logged 126 miles from our house to Mill Creek Retreat, where we had reserved a camp site ahead of time.  The drive took us four hours, since we’re inclined to take our time and enjoy the drive.

  • Fall color in the oaks in Anderson Valley.

As we headed west on Highway 128 we were surprised at the color along the route. Oaks and willows were putting on a show of yellow. We stopped to take a few photos. We just drove past many wineries and tasting rooms along the way. Being preoccupied with the color and beauty in the valley we didn’t stop for wine tasting. We did stop at the market in Boonville to pick up a bottle  of wine from one of the local wineries,  a bottle of Husch Pinot Noir which proved to be quite nice.  There are dozens of wineries along this drive, so you could easily spend a day or more just visiting wineries. 

Treve, Carson and our Four Wheel Camper at Mill Creek Retreat

We arrived at our intended camping destination at 3:30, set up camp and let our dog Carson loose to roam free. One of our criteria for selecting Mill Creek Retreat was the fact that it’s a dog friendly and dogs can be off leash. We found this location through Hipcamp.com, a website that lists camping locations on private property that may not be listed on other camping directories.  

The next morning, before heading off to explore the town of Mendocino we walked down to the creek. I was curious to see what photo opportunities I might discover. I can usually find something close at hand. 

  • Mill Creek
  • Window in the woods. Mill Creek

Sure enough there was some color along the creek, and with the soft-misty light of the clearing fog, I captured a few pictures. I had to improvise a camera support, since my tripod got left behind. I jury rigged three trekking poles with with a little  Ultra-pod. This seemed to be sufficient for my Sony RX 100.

At the end of the day we found ourselves at Van Damme Beach where we watched the sun sink into the ocean before heading back to camp.

Sunset at Van Damme Beach. Mendocino

More on Mendocino in the next post.

Git Along Little Dogies

On Saturday we took a break from grand-parenting for a quick hike in the mountains. It’s 11 miles from our son Aaron’s place in Big Pine to the Glacier Pack Station. We were just a few miles up the road when we had to stop for a cattle drive. Cattle and cowboys (and cowgirls) coming down the middle of the road. Seemed like they deserved the right of way so we stopped the car to let them pass.

Once the cattle had passed we continued on to the end of the road. Once you reach the end of the road there’s a campground and a trail head. The trail leads to the Big Pine Lakes Basin in the John Muir Wilderness with a number of lakes surrounded by spectacular mountains and a view of the Palisade Glacier. It’s about 5.5 miles into the first lake. From there you can hike to a number of other lakes.  If you want to make it more than a day hike you can backpack in or hire the packers to carry your gear. We did a pack trip here two years ago. More on that in future post. For the ambitious there’s also a trail up to the Palisade Glacier.

We were just out for a short hike, so we grabbed our day packs and hiked up the North Fork of Big Pine Creek until it was time to turn around. It felt good to be in the High Sierra, with the cool clear air surrounded by the sharp jagged peaks of the Sierra.  Our dog Carson was thrilled to be in the mountains able to run off-leash.  We saw a few signs of fall with Rabbit Bush, a few aspen and the willows showing some yellow. It’s still early for the aspen.

Cascades on the North Fork of Big Pine Creek.

Tioga Lake

Tioga Lake

On Thursday, September 13 I was able to break away from work for an extended weekend in the Eastern Sierra. Evening found us setting up camp at Tioga Lake, just east of Tioga Pass and just outside Yosemite National Park. I had this destination in mind as photo opportunity to show off our camping rig at dusk. Sure enough the campground was only sparsely populated and we found a site on the edge of the lake. We’ve avoided this location on previous tent camping trips since it tends to be quite windy and chilly here. With the pop-up camper though the wind isn’t much of an issue. The lake sits at 9700 feet and the wind can howl through Tioga Pass. The campground is located in the Inyo National Forest and managed by Inyo Recreation. The camping fee is $22 but with our Park Pass the fee we paid $11. Dogs are permitted on leash, although once we were out of the campground our dog Carson was happy to be off leash. Water is available through a hand-cranked pump, although we were equipped with plenty of water on-board our rig.

The temperature dropped to 38 degrees in the night, and we had the heater going part of the night, since we had our summer sleeping bags. Fall is on the way though, with the willows turning yellow, the temperatures are dropping.

I had a second objective in mind, and that was to try and capture a photo of the Milky Way over the lake. With the elevation, the clear air, and lack of light pollution, I though this might provide an opportunity for some astro-photography. Tioga Lake

Shortly after the crescent moon set, I set up my Nikon D800 with a 14-24mm lens and captured a few images. This turns out to be a more daunting task than I had imagined. Trying to compose and focus through what seems to be a pure black viewer is a challenge. In the morning we did a short hike around the lake, covering about two miles. Tioga Lake is a spectacular location in the High Sierra, with easy access since it’s right on Highway 120, which runs through Yosemite National Park.

Tioga Lake
Tioga Lake

After our hike it was time to head down the East Side towards Big Pine, with a stop at the Mobile Station in Lee Vining for a lunch with their famous fish tacos.

Arches of the Alabama Hills

Lathe Arch. Alabama Hills.
Mobius Arch. Alabama Hills
Eye of Alabama Arch. Alabama Hills
Heart Arch. Alabama Hills

Following up from my previous post, after our Christmas morning breakfast of quiche, we broke camp and went about to explore some of the arches in the Alabama Hills. The Alabama Hills are  a collection of rocks and hills at the foot of the Sierra Nevada Mountains just west of the town of Lone Pine just off of US Route 395. The rocks here have eroded in such a way as to form some fantastic shapes and arches which lend themselves to some amazing photo opportunities with the background of the Sierra. This was a popular spot for filming movies in the 1940s and 50s and there is a Museum of Western Film History located in Lone Pine.

Our explorations took us on a short dog-friendly hike that went past several arches including the Mobius Arch, perhaps the most notable arch. This is an ideal location for early morning photography, with the morning light catching the Sierra.  By afternoon when the sun crosses the crest of the Sierra the mountains are back lit making photography more of a challenge.  If you wish to visit the arches you can find an on-line map here.  There are apparently hundreds of arches scattered throughout the area, but a handful are easy to access. A Google search also found a guidebook to 72 of the arches. You can also view more of the photos I captured here.

Bishop Tableland Petroglyphs

On the tablelands with Skypanel in the foreground and the Sierra Nevada Mountains in the background.
Walking across the tablelands
Carson on the tablelands

With family together in Big Pine for a few days we decided to take a hike yesterday, December 22 to explore some of the petroglyphs on the volcanic tablelands near Bishop, California. Much of the tablelands are managed by BLM and and this suited us as a dog-friendly hike since we had three dogs among the six of us. This area is sprinkled with petroglyphs. Some are readily accessible by car, others require some rock scrambling and local knowledge. We visited two sites. I hesitate to say much about the locations since some of these rock art features have been vandalized or ripped off in recent years. A sorry state on the lack of respect we seem to have for the environment, our cultural treasures and our public lands. There is little known about when these artworks were created.  If you wish to find information on the tablelands and the petroglyphs, please contact the Bishop Visitor’s Center.

Holiday Getaway

 

Camping at the Hope Valley Sno Park.
Camping at the Hope Valley Sno Park.

Wednesday, December 20, after working a long day and into the night to keep my clients happy, we pointed our rig to the mountains for a holiday getaway. Part of our plan was to see how our camper performed under winter conditions, camping in a Sno Park for the night. Our drive took us through Sacramento and up highway 50 heading towards Hope Valley, one of our favorite mountain destinations. For many years we’ve visited Sorensen’s Resort in Hope Valley just south of Lake Tahoe; a delightful place to stay any time of year. Along the way we stopped at the Silver Fork Store in Kyburz to buy a Sno Park Permit; a requirement for parking in a designated Sno Park. We bought an annual pass for $25, figuring we may be doing exploring other winter wonderlands this winter.  We had the camper up, snug inside just as it was getting dark and the temperature was starting to drop.  A dinner of hot soup and bread felt good and we turned on the propane heater, and pulled our our books to read. It was snowing lightly as we settled in but it cleared in the night. I got up at 4:30 for a quick rest stop and stepped out into a crystal clear night, with stars shining above and sparking off the snow. The thermometer was recording an outdoor temperature of 10 degrees F and inside the propane heater was keeping the cabin at 50 degrees or so, a temperature that we decided was a bit warm for our winter sleeping bags. In the morning we woke up to a sunny day. Popped the top down and headed for breakfast a Sorensen’s Resort, three miles down the road. After a hearty and delicious breakfast and fresh coffee, we continued our journey down the East Side towards Bishop.

 

Quick Trip to the Coast

Indian Paintbrush
Overlooking the Gualala River and the Pacific Ocean at Gualala Point Regional Park.
Carson fetching a stick at Pinnacle Gulch beach.
Carson on the Beach

Sunday, June 25th found us packing our camping gear for a quick trip to the Sonoma coast. One of our goals was to look for dog friendly beaches. We had reserved a campsite at Gualala Point Regional Park, a walk-in site, since that was what was available at the late date we decided to go camping; a lovely site on the river and quiet.  This park is managed by the Sonoma County Regional Parks. Unlike the state parks that are not open to dogs on trails, most of the Sonoma County Regional Parks are open to dogs on a leash. There is also beach access at a number of places along Sea Ranch. Our beach explorations took us through redwoods and along fern lined trails and out to the coast. A refreshing get-away for two humans and a dog.

Getting Lost in our Own Backyard

Hike around Lake Anza
Hike around Lake Anza
Hike around Lake Anza
Hike around Lake Anza
Hike around Lake Anza
Hike around Lake Anza
Hike around Lake Anza

With family in town we decided to take the dogs for a walk in our local regional park, Tilden Park, heading to a familiar spot along Lake Anza. As many times as we’ve hiked locally, we found a trail today that we have never walked before.  Several of us tried to find a trail map on our iPhones. With little reception though, we didn’t have much luck with our digital trail finding. Not that we were at much risk of getting lost. Lake Anza is a small lake and it’s a short hike. Gorgeous day to be outdoors. Felt like we discovered a hidden jewel of a hike right in our own back yard.

Hiking The Wave

The Wave Lottery
Hike to the Wave
Sandstone formations at the Wave
Sandstone formations at the Wave
Yucca on the hike to the Wave

The idea of hiking to the Wave has captivated me for years. This is a rock formation on the Utah-Arizona border and photos of the formation are awe inspiring.  That said, the idea of making the hike has intimidated me. To begin with there is the heat and the risk of getting lost or perishing in the desert. Second is the difficulty in obtaining a permit. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) issues permits for 30 people a day, and those permits are hard to obtain. And third is the location; the trail head is 800 miles from home.

This year we managed to make our way to Kanab, Utah, on a road trip to explore Southern Utah. We decided we’d take a chance on obtaining a permit to hike the Wave by taking part in the “walk-in-lottery.” We set up camp just out of town so that we could make the 8:30 AM lottery. There were over 100 people applying for permits so the chances of getting a spot were slim. I was dumbfounded though when they called number “29.” That was my number, and low and behold we were on to do the hike on the next day, May 5.

The next morning, we broke camp early and headed to the Kanab Creek Bakery for breakfast arriving at about 6:45 AM. Great food and good coffee and then we were on our way to the trail head. From Kanab, it’s still a bit of a drive. We were on the trail at 9:45. I had prepared ahead of time by downloading the hike to my iPhone navigation app, GaiaGPS, and I had a copy of detailed hiking instructions I had found on the Internet. The BLM folks caution against using GPS or other tail finding methods. They provide an excellent guide that consists of photographs with instructions. The photos feature landmarks and you simply have to look for the landmark in the photo and hike from landmark to landmark. The hike took us two hours to cover the three miles, on par with what the BLM suggests. We carried plenty of water for the two of us and our dog Carson. As it turned out there were several pools of water on the hike, and Carson took advantage of the water to drink and cool off.  I wouldn’t want to count on any water being available later in the season. We spent an hour at The Wave, taking photos and eating lunch in the shade of on of the canyon walls. The return hike took an additional two hours, with temperatures in the mid-eighties by mid-afternoon when we returned to the car.

The photos speak for themselves. I’ve posted additional photos in a separate gallery and you can view our actual track log here.

I can imagine the hike might be difficult if the weather had been any warmer, and I’m glad we had relatively mild weather. We saw many wildflowers on the hike, cactus, yucca, paintbrush and a number of others. The desert was in full bloom.