Cathedral Lakes

I suddenly found myself with some extra time and a trip to Mammoth Lakes with the fiance. Which, you know, is only an hour from Tuolumne Meadows in Yosemite National Park. I picked a hike that could be done in a small amount of time but still challenge me just a bit - Cathedral lakes.

The trail, once it flattens, offers views of the edges of Cathedral Peak and is dotted with lodgepole pines and mountain hemlock (western).

Often the trail is lined with small grasses and delicate flowers that resemble a miniature meadow. My thoughts would wander to the ride on the Storybook Land canal boats at Disneyland and the amazing tiny forests they create. Lupine was also abundant, towering over the carpeted ground. The sky couldn't be any bluer collapsing into the giant slabs of granite that lined the horizon.

Crossing the meadow just before the lake(s), the landscape turns into a rainbow. The polished granite outcrops, ribboned with deep reds, contrast against the green grasses. Their burgundy tops sway in the wind while a small stream reflects the cobalt sky. Pale greens, yellowed grasses and grey soil add to the palette, as one color blends into the next.

The lake was breathtaking (so named Cathedral Lake(s) for the nearby Cathedral Peak). The air blew cool through the saddle across the lake - respite for the hot hiker. I walked along the lake for a short bit with the pure excitement of the experience, finally settling down near the middle for lunch. I try to give people their privacy so I positioned myself away from the other hikers. I can't say that others give the same courtesy and I was a bit peeved at the two idiots that made their way right in front of me (where every other word was "f*ck", which is not the word I would choose when surrounded by glorious beauty).

Now for the trail details:
The trailhead is just a short distance (west) of the Visitor Center. There isn't a
"parking lot" but plenty of parking on the side of the road and a visible sign for the trailhead. The hike is moderate and quick at 7 miles R/T. I managed it in 3 hours excluding my lunch time. The first 3/4 mile is uphill and rocky, not much to look at. The trail is heavily used, as the first 3 miles is on the JMT (John Muir Trail).
After the initial ascent, the trail begins to even out and is downright flat at times. There is a decent ascent near the halfway mark (where I saw lots of people strugglin on my way down); at the top it again evens out and is mostly downhill or flat the remaining mile. All in all it is suitable for most ages and can be taken slow to accommodate various fitness levels. I saw ages 7-70 on the trail today.

Gear - I wore my Brooks Cascades (trail runners) but I would have preferred a boot. I happen to be nursing a huge blister and chose the runners for that reason. There is a lot of silt and sand and some rocky areas which is why I'd recommend the boots. Still, you can get away with athletic shoes easily. I do not have any soreness from excessive rocks, etc. I also carried three liters of water, blister kit, ultralight first aid kit, survival kit, camera, lunch (with extra snacks, just in case), a .357 magnum pistol with extra rounds, a cooling tie, and some basic toiletries/medications (inhaler, aspirin, etc). I felt the need to bring all of this because I hiked alone. I definitely would have left some of that in the car or bear box if I had a hiking partner.

The back side of Cathedral Peak



Flat ground



Cathedral Peak



Cathedral Meadow



Cathedral Peak from the lake



Cathedral Lake

Baden Powell

Sunday we finally made it to the top of Mt. Baden Powell.
I consider it a preparatory hike. While it's impressive at 8 miles r/t with a 2700 ft elevation gain, it is only HALF of the elevation gain of our planned hike to Idaho's Borah(slotted for late August)in the same mileage.

The hike was amazingly not difficult. Two things that began to affect my ascent at about mile 3. I felt some rubbing in my heel, which made no sense to me. I have been hiking in my Asolos for several years now and these were new hot spots. The others (more predictable ones) always develop on the descent. I had Teyla with me, so I decided to press on to the Waldron tree (limbar pine) and apply some moleskin there. Somehow in Sequoia my blister kit transferred to the fiance's pack, and he somehow left it on the kitchen table that morning. So... I was SOL. I was favoring my heels so then I began to feel some knee/hip pain, but I knew it was due to changes in my gait.

I waited about 30 minutes at the Waldron and enjoyed apples with Teyla. It was refreshingly cold, but at times I was chilled so much I sought out the sun and protection from the wind. Fiance arrived and rested a few more and we headed to the top.

Views at the top were amazing and I did note that there were no bees (unlike the last time we did this trail). There was a place to camp that I had not noticed before - occupied by some backpackers. The wind was not nearly as chilling as along the spine (near the Limbar pine tree), so it was an enjoyable place to have lunch and take in the sights. Mount San Antonio (AKA Baldy) was beckoning, Rancho looked cloudy/hazy, and the views of the HD were fantastic. The limbar pines are pretty cool, too.

I limped most of the way down (so did the fiance after rolling his ankle) which warranted a trip to the Chiropractor today. I very much dislike the descents and today was no exception.

The blister kit has been added to the list of things to bring for Borah. The largest one is pretty bad, but all in all I feel really great about this hike. I didn't experience any soreness the next day and I feel refreshed.

Some information on the hike:
Trailhead is out of Vincent Gap in Angeles National Forest, about 10 miles west of Wrightwood. The sign says 3.7 miles at trailhead, but later you see you've gone 3.8 miles at the junction to Dawson Saddle. Here you have about .2 miles to the summit. The limbar pines are very old; the Wally Waldron tree is estimated at 1500 years old. They are burly pines with thick trunks and thin branches. There are about 40 switchbacks on the trail which makes the trail wonderfully steady. Watch the change in trees; you'll go from oaks to firs to sugar pines and finally on to the limbars.

About the Wally Waldron Tree

The fiance & Teyla



View of the HD



Tey & I by the Lord Baden Powell monument.

Cooper Canyon Falls

It was a little cooler this week. I even thought about leaving my Sahara pants as pants instead of shorts .. for about 5 seconds.

The hike to Cooper canyon falls begins out of Buckthorn campground on Highway 2. Since the campground is still closed for the season, it is best to park at the campground exit. Here you will walk about .9 miles through the campground to the trailhead. There are plenty of signs now, all new, thanks to the recent renovation.

Trailhead also has a parking area if you are able to drive in.

From the trailhead, the hike is only 1.4 miles one way. It is all downhill and very little shade. There is the sound of rushing water almost the entire time, which I LOVE. If you go early in the season, like I did both years, be prepared to get your footsies wet. The trail has water crossing it in a few spots, and there are 2 creek crossings (including the one in the campground) and an additional one at the bottom of the falls. I wore my Brooks Cascadias and did fine, but I think this trail calls for a more sturdy shoe. Between the mud and rocks, I was sorta sorry I didn't have my Asolos.

Once you pass the first split - continue to your right (South East). At this point, it's only about .2 miles to the actual falls. You can see them to your left just below you. There is no sign, however, for the actual trail down to the falls. The trail is makeshift, steep with some mud. The last 15-20 feet is best navigated using the rope.

The first time I took this hike, I passed the falls and came to another creek crossing. At that point I knew I had gone too far, (you cans see the symbol for falls on the map, but it is not labeled, at least on my Tom Harrison map of the area).

If you have trekking poles, you can leave them near the rope. Also, with our dogs - we put Penelope in my pack and Teyla we let off leash. Fiance held her back until I got down, and I pointed the way she needed to go and she made it down no problem. She also does not like water too much, so we again held her until one of crossed the creek (at the bottom of the falls) and she then navigated to us. It was funny to see her try to climb the rock where we sat! "More paw, less claw". Well, she made it up but she had to find a way around the back of the rock.

Teyla was once again cordial to all the people on the trail and the doods down at the falls. They left about 10 minutes after we got there and we had the rest of the time to ourselves. I gave the Fiance a photography lesson on his new camera.

Sorry folks, all of my pics are from my android.

See the trail on Runkeeper here (including the walk through the campground)

Falls with pool (view from our rock)

Teyla, away from the water

Penelope on my lap on the rock (Cascadia's in the background)

Devil's Chair

I am a week overdue posting this

A week ago, fiance & I (and dogs in tow) took a drive to Devil's Punchbowl to take the Devil's Chair hike.

The week before, I was skiing. On this day, it was over 80 degrees. Crazy weather in So Cal. Devil's Punchbowl in the upper desert so it was brutally warm, especially for me. And Teyla.

The first mile of the hike is on a service road and there's not a tree in site. After that, it swings around to a northern slope, providing some lower pines and a little bit of shade. There's also a creek crossing at about 1.3 miles, in which Teyla relished the fresh water. I wet my sunshade hat - knowing it'd be dry in less than 15 minutes. In retrospect, I should have brought my cool tie.

The dogs did very well except Teyla was extremely hot. Her and I have similar tolerances to heat. We watered her often, and took a break just after reaching the chair itself, on some make-shift benches in the shade. Both dogs had water, apples and Kirkland dog treats. We ate apples and Detour bars.

The trail wasn't too busy which was nice. When we reached the chair, we were alone.

After the break, Teyla seemed revived. Penelope only made it two more miles. I put her in the pack for the last two miles.
Eight round trip, but not too much of an altitude change in that mileage. I'd call it a moderate hike, only because of the distance.

See it here on Runkeeper (except Fiance forgot to take it off pause for a while, so it shows less than 8 miles)

View of the Desert from trail

Turn of the trail after mile 1 marker (You can actually continue straight all the way to Vincent Gap - 11 miles)

Walking out to Devil's Chair - fiance and Teyla

Winter(?) Wanderings

GORGEOUS SKI TODAY!

Luck would have it that I had to be up early on a Saturday to work for a few hours. I prepared my ski gear and lit out as soon as our "meeting" was over.

The only way to get a decent Nordic ski around here is to beat the snow players to the trails.

I went up to Table Mountain and took the fire road. It was awesome - not a soul in sight. I let Teyla run and tire herself out in the deep drifts of snow.

Breaking snow is a bitch, though. The entire time, I think of the ski back! I know the downhill parts will be sooo fun and the uphill parts won't be nearly as tough. And in fact, it was all I dreamed it would be. Until about a quarter mile back I met two ladies who were snow shoeing. Teyla actually played with their dogs for a moment, and was unusually cordial. We exchanged quick hellos and nice weathers, and then I realized they had killed my tracks. UGH!

So my "fun" ski back was short lived. The next mile I spent trying to find tracks within snow shoe tracks, then Teyla walking behind me stepping on my skis, and having some issues with snow sticking to the tail of the ski. The last issue - well I am taking them to REI this weekend to get them tuned. They are supposedly "wax" free nordic skis, but that's crap LOL. With Teyla, if I kick up my skis for a while she backs off enough (but that's not easy to do in Cross country skis.)

The other issue - with all the STUPID warnings they put on products, they ought to put a notice about NOT STEPPING IN SKI TRACKS. I was always told it was "trail etiquette" not to snow shoe in ski tracks; I always abide by that, whether I have skis or shoes. For some reason, I would think people with that kind of gear would ALSO be aware of such etiquette.

In all fairness, it wasn't too debilitating, just took a lot of the fun out of my straight spots and downhill sprints.

In Sequoia, I broke snow for several miles and I swear the exact same thing happened. Two ladies in snow shoes hosed up my tracks. However - that particular time it caused me to take much longer to get back, and I arrived *just* before dark.

The wonderful thing about breaking snow is the calorie burn!!

Here's the way back, on runkeeper

Here some pics

Breaking in the Brooks

Took another hike to Blue Ridge this last weekend with the Fiance and the pups.

Been having some shin pain and foot pain - figured it was time to get new shoes. The Patagonia trail runners I had were wearing down and not even super feet could save them. It's life - I really only get 6 months out of a shoe. I had stretched these too far.

Went to REI to get a new pair of trail runners. I love REI. It is Mecca for me. I fell in love with the first pair of shoes I tried on. Um, this doesn't happen in the real world, not with my flat, skinny feet. But it did. I ended up with Brooks Cascades - with the recommendation from an AVID trail runner at REI. I did go up a size simply because they run "short" and I like to allow for swelling.

So Sunday we decided to break in the Brooks. Fiance ALSO bought a pair of Brooks Cascades. I am still pondering how a pair of shoes fits my feet and his - we have opposite feet. He has a high arch and instep, runs wide. Maybe these are God shoes.

Last time he attempted Blue Ridge, he threw up multiple times on the trail. Typical Spring condition this time - thank God it wasn't too hot. But the mud, OH THE MUD. It goes like this: Dirt, soft dirt, mud, snow, mud, soft dirt, dirt. All the way up. Not even a quarter mile in and my purdy new shoes were covered in over two inches of mud. Let's not talk about the way down. Where I slipped in the mud, dropped the dog in the mud. I had to ride back home sitting on a sheet. But before all that...

The trek up was easy for me. Okay, I breathed a little heavy on the steep parts. I was on a roll! I blame the aerobics. I had to wait for the Mr. - he was having severe shin pain. I think he "shuffled" the last half mile. The jury is not out yet on the Cascades for him, but we have a theory. He normally wears mountaineering boots to work. He wears Asolos to walk to town. He wears them to Disneyland. How? I have no idea. I'd be dying in mine. I do die in mine. Maybe, just maybe, he had to walk/hike differently and used different muscles. I suppose if you go from heavy sturdy boots to light flexible below the ankle shoes, you just might have some shin pain. We'll see how the next hike goes.

As for me, I felt good. The whole time I kept thinking - how can I make this more challenging? I want to backpack! At the campground (at the top) I started scheming a backpacking trip that involved this trail, but not to stop there. I want to go to Guffy via that route. It's doable and fairly mild for an overnight trip.

Penelope

Teyla

The campground - horrible lighting

The One and Only

Being a realist, I believe this will be my one and only nordic ski this year.

It was fantastic - once I got there. I couldn't find my skis this morning, simple because I am ski blind. Couldn't find my car keys AND we had ants this morning. The sprayer wouldn't work - I suspect it's frozen somewhat. It took me 20 minutes to change the baskets on my trekking poles with the help of my son. It was chaos and bad omens.

Still, I managed to get up there. And I was first - yay! Once the people start walking on the snow, especially with such a small amount, I don't have a chance in hell to ski it. Teyla and I broke snow today and it was awesome. Yeah I hit a few spots of dirt - but hopefully nothing too damaging. The worst part is the jerk it gives you. The skis are gliding so well and there's this rhythm you develop with the poles, skis, and movement of your body. When the ski hits dirt, the dance is interrupted. Everything continues in its beautiful inertia except the ski and your foot. Hence, the jerk, sometimes followed by the fall.

The trail I took today is a utility road used by the ski area. It spurs off the blue ridge truck trail and proceeds to the middle of Mountain High West. I stopped short of the ski area. Oh the lucky souls frolicking in fresh powder! I debated on taking Teyla. She hasn't been minding off leash, but I gave in. She wore herself out in the first mile and a quarter and dutifully followed my ski tracks the entire way back. Personally I think she was too tired to break snow anymore.

And once again, there is some conflict between my camera app and runkeeper app, so we get just a one way view of the trail -click here. (I suggest viewing it in topo or hybrid mode - looks cooler).

View of Mountain High West - near the end of the line

My ski tracks

Blue Ridge Truck trail - Mt. San Antonio in the background

Inspiration Point - trailhead

Mt. Baden Powell (as seen from the point)

"Down the hill" - locals will get the reference.