Marlette Lake

On Saturday the 12th of October, the group that went to Winnemucca Lake (plus or minus a few members) met and carpooled to Spooner Lake (Nevada) State Park, to hike the 4½ miles to Marlette Lake, a reservoir a few hundred feet above Lake Tahoe.

The first almost-a-mile of the hike is along the locally-famed North Canyon Road, known for its many cabins and its access to the wilderness area along Tahoe’s east shore. After this distance, we reached the marked trailhead for the hiking trail that was completed only a few years ago.

Half the group is waiting for the other half. Again.

After the group leader took a group picture, we started up the trail. We quickly became spread out. Joe and my own DW were out in front, with me a few hundred yards behind them, and the next fastest group–including a young woman about 25 years my junior–probably about the same distance behind me.

The hike to Marlette Lake is nearly all uphill, with a couple of sets of switchbacks. Not terribly steep, but mostly constant. About ⅔ of the way there, the trail reaches the top of a rise with a somewhat expansive view of the valley and road below.



Approaching the apex;
note the stump.

There’s that stump,
with the canyon below.

The trail continues to climb, and soon I was entering elevations where the early-season snowfall of the previous week was not yet completely evaporated:

Shortly after that, there was snow actually ON the trail!

OK, maybe there wasn’t much snow on the trail, but I did see a bit more before reaching the summit, where the trail starts back down toward North Canyon Road and the lake.

At one point, the hiking trail comes within a few yards of the road, and an access trail–fit for bikers as well as hikers, that leads to the trailhead off of NV SH 28–crosses both. Because this was only the second time I’d been on this trail, and I had no other hikers to guide me, I mistakenly took the access trail down to the road. Since I knew the road led to the lake, by the time I realized my mistake I decided it wasn’t worth the effort to go back and regain the hiking trail. Besides, only the road had views like this:

When I reached Marlette Lake, the north wind had come up, and was quite chilly after blowing across the water. I made my way to a pile of rocks where I expected to find DW and Joe, and I was not disappointed. I was surprised, however, when they told me I was only about ten minutes behind them! I did not expect to have moved so quickly.

We ate lunch there, hounded by this chipmunk:

It was very aggressive, and even climbed on DW’s lap when she wasn’t looking, trying to get a nut from the snack-size bag she had there. Startled, she moved the bag away, and this cute little fellow bit her! Not hard enough to draw blood, thank goodness. No rabies shots for her.

Finally, we had had enough of the wind and rodent harassment, so shortly after the rest of the group arrived, the three of us decided to leave, and take the road back to Spooner Lake. On the way out, I noticed this plea for people fishing there to complete an “Angler Survery”:

Your tax dollars (and donations) at work.

The walk back was pleasant enough, especially after we had crested the summit again and were somewhat protected from the chilly north wind. We discussed all sorts of things, from politics to pop music, from advertising to Zurich (Joe had recently been to Switzerland, although he spent most of his time in the area near Locarno). We made it back home just in time to cook supper! I think we had chili, to warm up from being outdoors all day.

First Hike of the 2013 Season

Well, since I sort of promised (no one in particular, except maybe myself) that I would share photos when we went for a hike, I’m posting what I have.

Earlier this week, DW and I met up with a friend from the Reno Ski & Recreation Club to go with him on an exploratory hike in Lakes Basin Recreation Area, in the Plumas National Forest in northern California. He will be leading a hike in June, and wanted to see how much snow was left, and where. We met at his house, near the University, and he drove. Before we left, he stopped to refuel his vehicle.

Good thing his car uses Regular.

He told us the weather report called for increasing cloudiness with some possible rain around 2pm. We were leaving at 8:30 am, and expected to be there by 10:00, so we figured to be done by then, but we took some light rain gear just in case.

As we got closer to Lakes Basin, though, the clouds got heavier and heavier, and around Portola it started to drizzle. By the time we reached the road off the Gold Lake Highway to the trailhead, it was a nice steady rain.

Undaunted, we put our boots and hats on, grabbed our day packs, and set off down (or should I say up) the trail. This was the trail between the Bear Lakes and Gold Lake, a former mining road. Our destination for the best vantage was near Round Lake, which has a historical marker explaining some mining ruins. It starts out pretty easy, and there’s only one section that is anywhere near steep, which switches back but once. After that section, as we rounded the face of the mountain that holds Round Lake in on the south side, I snapped this photo of, I believe, Little Bear Lake.

 On around the mountain, and up to the mining mill ruins we went. Since the main focus of the exploration was how much snow was left, we were all looking up toward the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT), rather than down at the ruins and the lake.

Not enough snow to build a fort.

After we got back to the trailhead, our friend happened to mention the weather forecast again, and this time he said it was for Reno. No wonder it turned out so differently!

So, I guess if you want to see what’s left of the mill and shaft, and read all about the gold mining around Round Lake, you’ll just have to come visit Plumas County! Even if that isn’t your thing, the Lakes Basin is filled with many lakes, large and small, and criss-crossed with hiking trails, including access to the PCT. It’s certainly worth a visit. When you do, be sure to stop in and see me.

Post Script: On the way back to Hwy 70, Hwy 89 passes just west of the little settlement of Blairsden, CA. A short side trip will take you to the Village Baker, where they have the flakiest pastries and best espresso–not to mention the cutest kids–in Plumas County. Don’t miss this gem!

Some Recent Photos to Share

I’ve shared most of these on TwitPic, but I wanted to put them in a post. I’ve decided to do this occasionally, as I take the odd photo here and there while not strictly on an outing.

On the evening of 13 August, smoke from a forest fire began pouring in to the Truckee Meadows. As DW pulled out of the driveway the next morning, she called me and said, “Look at this sun!” So I grabbed the camera and walked out on the patio in my boxers–hey, it was not even 6:30 am, and nobody was out jogging in that smoke! Anyway, this is the resulting photo.

On Friday, 14 September, the Reno Ski & Recreation Club had our weekly TGIF gathering at Idlewild Park in Reno, where the food trucks were selling all kinds of goodies. I got there a bit early and, not seeing any other members yet, I decided to walk around the park. I came to a nice quiet spot by the river and snapped this shot.

Early in October I was driving home, and we happened to have some clouds in the sky–very rare through the summer. Suddenly the sky lit up with the orange glow of the setting sun, and I had to pull over to take a photo or two, the second one a panoramic experiment.

Finally, also in early October, I had occasion to visit the Grand Sierra Resort here in Reno. Since October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the hotel tower was lit up, not brightly in white as usual, but in a nice rosy shade of pink.

I expect this will be one of many posts like this, unless you, gentle viewers, tell me to stick to the narratives. There will be more of those as well, to be sure. Please leave a comment with your opinion either way.

Dry Pond, Mt. Rose Wilderness

On the 27th of August, I took the day off and met a few friends for a local hike. We gathered at the trailhead for the Thomas Creek trail that is on Timberline Road, at the foot of Mount Rose. We started briskly up the trail; I had to shed my long-sleeved Henley pretty quickly. We were hiking the Thomas Creek-Whites Creek loop, using the connecting trail through the Dry Pond area.

I didn’t take any photos until we were nearly to the flat area that is Dry Pond. We paused at the first spot you can see the Truckee Meadows (as the valley that Reno lies in is called).

We stopped at Dry Pond for a snack before we headed down the other side to Whites Creek.

Coming down the south side of the Dry Pond trail there’s a nice view of Washoe Valley. If you look carefully, you may even see part of the new I-580 freeway that goes to Carson City. (I think it’s hidden behind that green ridge, though.)

This is a moderately strenuous 6.5 to 7 mile hike, easy to do in a half-day. Come see me in Reno and we’ll go!

New Zealand Diary, Epilogue

On the way back, we had a long layover in Fiji. About 6 hours. We soon exhausted the few stores and restaurants in the tiny airport, and had our fill of the Indonesian Oreos® and Malaysian Pringles®. DW began striking up conversations with the airport workers. The first one she talked to was a janitor, who told us about his family and his little house near the beach. (Of course, Fiji is a volcanic island; most of the houses are near the beach.)

Next, she was talking to all the young women clerking the souvenir shops, and getting them to go over to the music shop to dance on their breaks. By the time we left that airport, even the Fijian Police were wishing us a good journey, and calling us by name.

The whole time we were in New Zealand, in the middle of summer, the temperature had not risen above around 75°F. When we landed at LAX that afternoon (because of the International Date Line we arrived on the afternoon of the same day we left Fiji), the temperature was 80°F.

Home, sweet home! Time to start planning the next vacation. Let’s see: France? China? Colorado? Weekend at Bernie’s? Who knows where we’ll go next?

Postcards from the Rim, conclusion

Part two, the conclusion of pictures taken on trails around Lake Tahoe, plus an epilogue.

The background image of this blog!

On Thursday 9 July 2009, we took the lower part of the Mount Rose Summit Trail. First, though, we went around the opposite way for a bit to try to get to the lake in this picture, Tamarack Lake. It is the immediate source of Galena Creek.





The Summit Trail starts at around 8,900' (2,713m) elevation, and climbs to the very top of Mount Rose, at 10,776' (3,285m). Partway up that trail, I saw this boulder resting in the forked trunk (3 or 4 trunks) of a tree. I assume the tree grew up around it.













At the end of the lower part of the Mount Rose Summit Trail (c. 2.6 mi.), there is a cascade. In July, there was just enough water coming over it to make a nice sound and a decent creek. I can imagine in March or April, after a good winter's snow, it's quite a torrent.

The Summit Trail goes on for another nearly 7 miles to the summit. We were not in good enough shape to go that far at that altitude in one day, so we went back down from there.






On Saturday, 11 July, we drove to one of the many pullout parking areas on NV SR 28, on the East side of Lake Tahoe. Our goal was a small cove called Skunk Harbor. We learned that this "trail" was actually an old road that led down to an abandoned stone building on the shore of the cove. The road is still maintained as a fire road, so it was a very easy hike.

While we were putting our boots back on after wading in the lake, a couple of chipmunks came down to see if we had any food for them. We didn't, but I got a picture anyway!





Epilogue

On Saturday, 4 July (Independence Day), we went to a presentation about photographing trees as art, in a city park in Reno. It was a part of the Artown activities.

While we were standing around the first tree getting an orientation, I noticed a couple of robins flitting around, and it looked like one was carrying a worm. So I started looking up in the tree and found a nest. It took me a few minutes to realize that there were two chicks in it.







Finally, earlier this summer I happened to pass by a small pond near our power company offices. I noticed a goose family out for a stroll, so I pulled over (across the street) and snapped a few pics. This is the best one of the proud parents and their six goslings.






I hope you've enjoyed seeing some of the sights near my home.