Little Yosemite Falls

Sunday provides us with the perfect weather to enjoy a hike up to the base of Lower Yosemite Falls. The water is up this year compared to the last four.  When Paula and I were here two years ago, Lower Yosemite Falls had no water flow at all. This is one of those "most-photographed" places, but the pictures can't really do it justice.  We share a picture from this spot with Herm Gilmore who worked in Yosemite Valley for five years.  He responds with happy memories.

View From Glacier Point

Nassar plans for an early morning.  We drive up to Glacier Point, Yosemite Valley ahead of the maddening crowd.  The view is spectacular!  Although Paula and I climbed to the summit of Half Dome two years ago, I think we would not have done so had we seen it from this vantage point beforehand.

Forest Fire!

Several years after devastating wild fires, the damage is shocking and sobering.  We've seen massive areas of destruction every time we've been in the Sierras.  The visual shock casts doubt on the Forest Service policy called "Let it Burn" in which naturally started fires are allowed to rage.  Here is a little history of the US Forest Service fire suppression policy.

Even our Ranch at Spinning Wheel has seen its share of devastation.  We're surrounded by stands of charred timber mixed with fresh, old-growth stands.

A carved bear at Spinning Wheel Ranch arches his back away from charred feet, burned in a forest fire.

Yosemite - Spinning Wheel Ranch

Nassar has booked us a wonderful retreat for three days at the Chaw'se House on the Spinning Wheel Ranch.  We share the house with Nasssar and Alice as well as Alice's mom who is visiting from Taiwan.  It's a weekend of hiking, sightseeing, playing games, cooking, talking, laughing, and sleeping.  We're off the grid.  I think it's good for Nassar and Alice to get some REAL down-time.

Camping

We brought the gear for camping so we might as well use it... We camp out at Lake Mendocino in the Mendocino National Forrest and Donner Lake west of Truckee.  We put the canoe to use, of course.  At Mendocino, we circumnavigate the lake.  Donner is too windy so it's a quick picnic a mile up the lake and then back again.

It's early to bed (to avoid mosquitoes) and early to rise (because the ground is too hard).  But these campgrounds are beautiful.  Since we've bought an "America the Beautiful" pass to the National Parks ($80 for one year) we get into these parks for no additional charge.

Cars are Getting Bigger and Bigger

We've added another bit of kitchy Americana to our list of places.  The Chandelier Tree is in an obscure part of northern California.  Our car will fit only with the antenna removed, the mirrors stowed and the tires deflated.  Note that we've also removed the canoe.  But we came a long way out-of-our-way to see this and spent an extra night in nearby Leggett, California.  It only costs $5.00 to squeeze through so we're doing it!  This tree is 2,400 years old.

Off The Grid

We've been in the deep mountains.  Yosemite, Hetch Hetchy, and Crater Lake.  This is fly-over country if I ever saw it.  I'll try to update the blog now that I'm in Myrtle Point, Oregon.