Journeying On

While hiking to Maggie's Peaks yesterday another hiker offered to take my picture.

The small lake behind is Cascade and beyond is of course Lake Tahoe with Emerald Bay.

Our campground is on the right side of Emerald Bay.

Elsie and Straus in a usual pose.

We don't see them as often on their high beds above the cockpit as before - perhaps because it's hotter up there! I know many of you have been experiencing triple digit heat, but high 80s and low 90s is REALLY hot for Lake Tahoe!

Now that we have completed my first year of retirement I begin on ongoing blog titled "Journeying On," as we continue in a similar pattern to the first year of retirement with time for travel, camp hosting, hiking, reading and relaxing. We love being in this beautiful spot at Emerald Bay State Park at Lake Tahoe, but the record breaking heat is draining. I manage to hike at least some each morning, but by afternoon I'm totally wilted! After the sun goes behind the mountain - "my" mountain and Jake's Peak - we both walk to the Overlook and back - about a mile and a half round trip. Sometimes in the afternoon I will ride my bike to the beach - an easy mile and a half down hill and a not bad mile and a half back up with the electric bike, but most afternoons it feels too hot to make the effort. We are always able to find some spot of shade in our campsite and the air conditioning is getting lots of use inside. Since the first of July we haven't made any long distant drives with the furthest we've gone being north 20 minutes to Sugar Pine State Park and 20 minutes or so into South Lake Tahoe to shop. The rhythm of being on duty three days and then off three days is a good one. Most on duty days I hike the 5 1/2 miles round trip to Vikingsholm and back between morning and noon camp checks. On off days I've been taking longer hikes either from our campsite down the Rubicon Trail or driving to a nearby trail. Rob is content to keep his walking in the campground and off the really rocky and steep trails.

Some views from the Overlook:

Sunset looking north on June 30, 2021

Sunset looking across Emerald Bay, June 30, 2021

Sunset Looking north, July 1, 2021

Waiting to watch the South Lake Tahoe Fireworks on July 4 at the Overlook

South Lake Tahoe Fireworks were a dud!

There were some pretty cool ones a little further north, but our chairs weren't positioned to see them well.

The billowing smoke of the Sugar Fire in Plumas County.

In the evening the smoke from this fire, part of the Beckworth Complex Fire, was visible for a few nights, but not during the day. Surprisingly, so far, there has been little smoke in the Tahoe Basin, though we have been seeing some this week.

A few mornings ago at the Overlook I kept hearing a strange noise and ignoring it, finally when I looked up this is what I saw - close enough to wave at the passengers!

The balloon went right over the top of Eagle Point Camp Ground.

Do you see the woodpecker in the shadow near the base of the tree on the left?

These trees are the big, and dying, pines at the Overlook I go to almost every morning and we go to each night. This woodpecker was near me a couple of mornings ago.

From the lower Overlook on Thursday morning, July 8, after I delivered the gator to the other camp host on the first of our three days off last week.

We were not scheduled to be on duty Friday, Saturday and Sunday of July 4 weekend, but we were asked to help out some by making our presence as camp hosts known. We had no intention or desire to drive any where on that weekend. Traffic is pretty busy around here all the time, and rather crazy on every weekend, but we knew it would be even more so on the 4th of July weekend. I hiked all three days, two of them staying within the state park so I wore my volunteer vest so I would be readily available to folks with questions, and so I could remind people of the rules if necessary. The most common rule breaking on the trails is people with dogs. All the trails are clearly marked, but people either don't see the signs or choose to ignore them. Most people thank me for letting them know the rules, but then they usually continue on down the trail, however some folks do turn around. I usually say something like, "All I can do is warn you, but if a ranger sees you they won't warn you, they will give you a citation."

On Friday, July 2, I headed down the Rubicon Trail and all the way around the bay. I considered going all the way to DL Bliss State Park, the other end of the trail, and calling Rob to come pick me up, but instead turned around about midpoint on the trail making a total round trip of about 7 miles.

A log that makes a nice bench on the cove just past Emerald Point.

Looking down at the cove where the log "bench" was.

Hidden behind the tree are two totally obnoxious party boats that were blasting music that carried a very long way - kind of ruined the nature experience for me and other hikers I encountered and other boats that had stopped in the cove. I didn't walk too much further before turning around, but when I came back the music was a little quieter, but the party boats had the cove to themselves

- I wonder if that was their intent?

I turned around shortly after coming down these steps that I then had to go back up.

Saturday, July 3, I hitched a ride with a state park employee who was going back to DL Bliss and she took me to the beginning of the Rubicon Trail so I could hike back to our campsite. The first mile of the hike I encountered a lot of other hikers, but the rest of the way, except right down by Vikingsholm in Emerald Bay, there weren't any more hikers than usual, and no dogs either. That was a surprise because I usually see at least one dog even when I just hike to Vikingsholm and back on "work" day mornings.

This is near the beginning of the trail at DL Bliss - quite dramatic drop offs here, thus the chain railing.

A stairway up near the beginning of the trail

A pretty view point during the first mile

Lots and lots of boats in the bay - pretty loud and crazy, but would get louder and crazier on the 4th.

Since arriving the end of May we've only had tiny sprinkles of rain a couple of times, but late Saturday night, July 3, we were woken up by a downpour from the thunder clouds we'd seen earlier.

Rain clouds forming over Desolation Wilderness Saturday evening, July 3.

A puddle in the campground on the morning of July 4

It seemed like we got a lot of rain, but the official measure in South Lake Tahoe was .01 of an inch. Perhaps we had more since thunder storms are quite spotty, but still it wasn't enough to make any real difference with the drought.

The over night rain did mean beautiful clear skies though on Sunday morning, July 4.

I decided my hike on July 4 would be down the Rubicon Trail to Vikingsholm, then up the mile road/trail to Hwy 89 and on up to my beloved Eagle Lake - about a 10 mile round trip. Eagle Lake is always a popular destination, but I figured that since it always seems there is no more parking available that even with the holiday there wouldn't be any more people on the trail. My theory was that parking would just fill early and then the cars that couldn't find a place to park would just keep driving around the lake looking for a parking space. I didn't figure right - the Rubicon Trail was pretty normal with its foot traffic, and even the trail/road up from Vikingsholm didn't seem overly crowded, but the trail to Eagle Lake was crazy busy. I had to frequently wait for folks to pass coming towards me. Where did they all park? One thing I noticed on the highway where there was space between parked cars and the highway was that people were double parking - leaving a driver in the car, but apparently letting out their passengers to hike. Even with the crowds I enjoyed my time at the lake.

This "Wildlife Tree" is about 3/4 of mile from the start of the Rubicon Trail.

I have probably passed it dozens of times, but July 4 was the first time I noticed the sign on this large fir tree right next to the trail. Because "Wildlife Tree" is the designation for dead trees in Canada, I looked up, expecting a dead tree, but there were plenty of green branches.

When I stepped back I could see the Osprey nests at the top

Two Osprey nests - pretty sure the lower one is not occupied, not sure about the top one.

A further back perspective of the Wildlife Tree

Looking down on lots of boats on Emerald Bay.

When I walked along the shore the boats were particularly loud - horns blowing, loud music, lots of July 4th partying going on. The campground was also louder and crazier on the night of July 4th. We warned lots of people about the food they weren't locking up well - sure enough - there was lots of bear activity over the weekend with bears getting into the food folks weren't being careful with.

Lake Tahoe and Emerald Bay as seen from part of the Eagle Lake Trail

Some rock cairns at a view point on a side loop off the Eagle Lake Trail

Though the main trail was quite crowded there were very few people on the Eagle Loop. This was the first time I'd hiked this little loop, but I'll do it again - some new perspectives on the mountains and lake.

Looking up at part of "My" mountain from the Eagle Loop View Point.

Beautiful Eagle Lake from a little private beach I managed to find on July 4, 2021.

We were on duty July 5, 6, 7 and then on July 8 we packed lunches and headed up the road to Sugar Pine Point State Park to explore the nature trails, visitor center and Pine Lodge. Sugar Pine Point is the campground we have camped the most at over the years, but except for training there in May we hadn't spent any time at it until now. We spent the morning exploring, ate our lunch in the shade on another very hot day, and then headed back to our camp site.

Another "go inside" Cedar tree

We have the early private property owners around Lake Tahoe to thank for the few remaining old growth trees. Silver mining in Nevada took almost all the trees around the lake, but here at places like Sugar Pine Point and Vikingsholm private land owners preserved some of the trees.

Looking out from the porch at Pine Lodge

Years ago, after yearning to do it, I took a book to this porch to just sit and read for awhile.

The dining room at Pine Lodge

The living room at Pine Lodge

Friday, July 9, Rob drove me to the Mt. Tallac trail head where I hiked for several hours. Over 20 years ago my sister Theresa and I hiked all the way to the top, but we were 20 years younger, and I know it wasn't as hot as this July 9. I've also been to the top of Mt. Tallac from the back side, a much easier approach, on a day hike during a back pack trip. This time I was pretty sure I wouldn't complete the 10 and 1/2 mile round trip, but I wanted to check out the trail and see what it was like. It of course went up and up - it's a 3,000 foot elevation gain in total - but the hardest part of my attempt was the heat. I carried plenty of water, and poured water over my head at Cathedral Lake, but once I left the periodic shade of the trees I was feeling pretty much done. I turned around about 3/4 of a mile from the top, but felt good about my effort, and I plan to return when the temperatures are cooler, and I will start earlier in the day. I didn't get on the trail until 9:20. About 10 minutes in I passed a group going out and asked if they'd made it to the top and when they'd started. "Yes" and they started at 3:00 AM! I won't be starting that early, but definitely before 9:20.

Mt. Tallac as viewed from the trail.

If you are familiar with Mt. Tallac you will notice that what is missing it the snow field that forms a cross on the north east face of the mountain. I don't think it's ever been this free of snow in mid July!

A wider perspective of Mt. Tallac from the trail

Floating Island Lake

Cathedral Lake - about 1/2 way mileage wise, but not in elevation

- the trail begins a much steeper ascent here.

Some Indian Paint Brush and a Mariposa Tulip along the trail

Some Mountain Pride

Part of the trail in the section where I quit

Another view of the trail

It's probably more difficult to walk than it appears in this picture, but it wasn't the trail surface or its steepness that caused me to turn around - it was the heat and no more possibility of shade.

The view from where I turned around

Another view from where I turned around.

There is a small patch of snow visible to the left of center up near the ridge. A hiker who passed me while I was resting before turning around commented, "See, that's the last patch of snow in California!" We talked a little about the drought and water shortages in California and he said something like, "It's really a dire situation and it's all my fault." Huh? I asked what he meant - does he drink too much water, splash too much out, or what? He said his job involves managing California's water resources and the people in charge are really hoping the supplies we have can last and that next year's precipitation is better than this year's because the state is truly in a water shortage crisis. Some sobering thoughts.

The rocks behind me before turning back down the trail

A tree a little ways back down the trail where I stopped to have my lunch

Another view of the beautiful mountain on my way down

Some where along the trail I heard other hikers on their way back talking about getting ice cream after they got back to their car. It sounded like a good idea to me so when Rob picked me up we headed to Camp Richardson's ice cream parlor for a nice cold cone - this may become a regular occurrence!

We sat on the porch of Camp Richardson's Hotel to eat our ice cream and saw these four baby birds in a nest above us. I imagine they have already flown away - pretty crowded up there.

Saturday, July 10, I decided to hike down the Rubicon Trail and try to find my way out to Emerald Point. The Rubicon Trail cuts across the peninsula on its way to DL Bliss and there is no formal trail out to the point. I'd tried to get there a couple of times before but kept running into heavier brush than I wanted to navigate through, but on Saturday I was determined to find a way, and I did. As always walking along the familiar parts of the trail I saw new things, or old things in a new way.

There are lots and lots of large black ants around the park, but this is the first time I saw them so concentrated, and making their own trail across the Rubicon Trail. On my way back there were hardly any ants remaining at this point.

The rock sculpture I'd seen before, but with more "teeth" and some other embellishments.

A Mountain Tiger Lily

The Emerald Bay side of Emerald Point

The Lake Tahoe side of Emerald Point

You can see Eagle Point on the other side of the mouth of the bay through the bushes.

Looking toward Rubicon Point from Emerald Point - notice the tee pee someone has built.

A Pileated Woodpecker on a log near Emerald Point

The under side of a Swallow Tail Butterfly getting nectar out of a lily

Yesterday, our first of three days off I decided I wanted to hike to the top of one of Maggie's Peaks. It's not a particularly long hike - about 2 1/2 miles to the saddle between the peaks and then 3/10 of a mile to the peak - but it's a steep trail and once again I didn't start very early and it was a hot day. I had been on the first part of the trail twice before - to Granite Lake - and over the saddle when I went backpacking. I knew how steep the trail was, but I found the going much tougher yesterday, even than when carrying the backpack. I suspect that's because of the heat and the cumulation of many hot days. It is starting to cool off, but no way is it cool yet. This time I did make it to the top - along with lots of other folks.

Here are the two Maggie's Peaks as viewed from our Overlook trail yesterday morning.

The sky was really blue - after and before smokey haze.

I would hike to the peak on the left.

The trail goes right by the top of the mountain shaped slide by Highway 89, then up and over to Granite Lake and then up to the saddle between the peaks.

A view to the south east from the top - you can barely see the top of Mt. Tallac on the right.

Looking out at the south shore of Lake Tahoe from the top

Looking into Desolation Wilderness with Middle Velma Lake on the right

Part of the top of Maggie's Peak - pretty rocky making it necessary to walk around to see the various views. There may be a rock to climb on where you can see all the way around at once, but I didn't find it.

I'm glad I made it to the top, but honestly, I've seen all the views from other parts of the Bay View Trail - climbing to the top isn't really necessary.

We are getting occasional smokey haze in the Tahoe basin, but so far we have not had it so bad that we can't see mountains on the other side. Yes, it gets that bad sometimes, and may again this season, but for now we are so grateful for the beauty all around us, and really treasure the bright, clear times.