Caples Week 7/18-7/23

This year's week at Caples started with multiple sources of stress. First was the uncertainty of what would be growing given the terribly dry weather. Second was the explosion of the Tamarack fire just as we were due to arrive; how would the fire move, what would the smoke situation be like, etc.. Then there were health issues with some of our friends (Ulla was in the hospital, Susan came up late as Geoff was not well, Ron and Sylvia stayed home at the recommendation of his doctor).

But the week turned out to be wonderful. Mostly we were without smoke, there was lots of food and plenty of good conversation in the evenings after hikes which had plenty to look at. Our timing was good, too as the wind direction changed Friday morning and the smoke filled the basin.

I took over 800 pictures and promise you that I tried very hard to keep the number of them posted under control!

7/18
Donita, Phred, Elaine and I walked from the parking lot at Red Lake up as far as the cliff where the rock fringe grows. It was very dry for the most part, but there was still some water in the usual spots. Most of the flowers we expect were well past their prime, if not completely finished blooming. Up in the dry slide area we were lucky to see the Blazing Stars for the first time in several years. And there were plentiful butterflies. The most impressive sight, tho, was the building pyrocumulus clouds to the east. The sky overhead grew inky dark as the afternoon progressed. Altho it had been clear at Caples at noon, it was very gray with a combination of smoke and clouds by the time we returned and only Black Butte was visible to the SSE.
https://www.flickr.com/gp/momcat_ksw/106rb5

7/19
We met at 8:30 and four high clearance vehicles took us into the Schneiders Camp trailhead. Here there were plenty of flowers!! Judy returned early as the altitude was bothering her. Phred wandered about taking pictures. The rest of us made it to the ridge and then Elaine, Polly and I turned around while the rest went on to the spot where you can look down on Showers Lake. Cynthia soon returned to join the three of us. We were back to Caples by 2:30. I was just out of the shower when the thunder started. Returning to the room I had to shut the window as the rain was blowing in. The other hikers did get a bit damp as they were still on the trail when the showers blew through. We learned later that some of the lightning started another fire about 3 miles south of Kirkwood in the Mokelumne Wilderness. The picnic tables at cabin #5 were dry for supper and we celebrated Polly's 88th birthday two days early.
https://www.flickr.com/gp/momcat_ksw/LPm621

                                

7/20

This was the Woods to Winnemucca day. Ten of us started together, but soon spread out along the trail as some were botanizing, some taking pictures and some both and/or just slow. Hikers we met who were not familiar with the norm for that area were enthusiastic about the flowers, while we kept thinking of what we weren't seeing. The most obvious thing was the lack of almost any snow on  Round Top and none at Winnemucca. However there was still outflow from the lake. Among the flowers we did not see were Labrador tea, Marsh marigold, Ipomopsis, Penstemon newberryi, P. speciosus, the Triteleia ixioides (Pretty face), and lots of the tiny flowers which are such hidden treasures.
Cynthia, Polly and I returned the way we came. The others made the circle up to Round Top Lake and down the Mines Trail. Everyone was tired that evening. The good news was that Susan arrived just at supper time.
https://www.flickr.com/gp/momcat_ksw/Hkx5Z1

7/21

There were several separate groups on Wednesday. Lee, Chuck and Robin went to Lake Margaret. They saw the white Gentiana newberryi in the area between the two outflow creeks from Caples! Judy didn't hike, Susan took a walk along the lake and back via the old road to the north of the current highway and so into the campground. Donita, Cynthia, Polly and Karen took the trail up to the Meiss Col and then followed the unmarked trail up the ridge to the spot we call the "hidden garden". It started out clear and breezy with temperatures in the 70s. There was some smoke in the distance from theMokelumne Wilderness (Summit) fire. Around noon billows of smoke appeared from the Tamarack fire. There were several helicopter over flights during our time on the ridge. We went up the usual way, leaving the PCT before the pond and following the posts up the ridge. On the exposed slope everything was very dry and very little remained in bloom. But we did find enough to make the effort worth while. We cut down to the north end of the pond where Lee reported she had seen Elephant's heads and tiny yellow Mimulus.We rejoined the PCT and returned the way we came. When we arrived in the morning there was only one other car in the usually packed lot; there were a total of 4 when we returned.
https://www.flickr.com/gp/momcat_ksw/Gfc1xX

7/22
For our last day Susan, Judy, Polly, Cynthia and I hiked up the old Hwy 88  route from Red Lake clear to the overlook parking area where we left a shuttle car. Conditions were much the same as they had been on Sunday, but because it was morning rather than afternoon we saw things differently.
https://www.flickr.com/gp/momcat_ksw/9v7g44

miscellaneous
This bunch includes pictures from around Caples Lake, from the birthday celebration for Polly, and a few from the drive home.

https://www.flickr.com/gp/momcat_ksw/9FhEST

Enjoy!

7-14 from Rancho Laguna Park

Ten of us met at Rancho Laguna Park in Moraga and walked south west to San Leandro Reservoir. It was a bright and breezy day after morning fog. Not too hot in the sun, but the shady parts were welcome. It is very dry and the reservoir quite low. There were numerous birds and even a sighting of a family of wild pigs. Just under 3.7 miles

https://www.flickr.com/gp/momcat_ksw/X6y491

7/7 - from end of Springhill Rd

 

There were 8 of us today. The fog was just lifting as we started out and the breeze was cool. We walked out the canyon, crossed and doubled back and climbed partway up the connection to the Sunrise Tr. Six of the "bears" went up to the first big bend to see what we could see on the other side of the mountain. Then we all descended and retraced our steps as far as the canyon crossing, then went further up the canon and circled back to the other side. Warm in the sun and cool in the shade. It was a nice way to get out and about. (3 miles)


https://www.flickr.com/gp/momcat_ksw/350DdT