Slow Trip to Hell Hole

Drove up to Hell Hole reservoir for a short hike. I wasn't very motivated and left late. Reached Hell Hole and headed across the dam to the trail to the campground. It was pretty hot. Reached the trail and started climbing up the trail. It traverses a steep hill, nearly a cliff, over badly broken granite and volcanic gravel. It was hot and not very inspiring. I didn't get very far and decided I'd had enough and we turned back. Even Commando didn't seem too enthusiastic. The vulture that circled overhead was certainly not very inspiring either.

Just at the end of the dam there's a slope to the lake so we headed down. Commando needed water and there were plenty of driftwood sticks for me to throw and huge driftwood logs for me to sit on.

Fortunately there was a rocky, beachy slope so I could toss sticks pretty far out before Commando had to swim. The water is very cold and I really don't want to have to swim in it to rescue him. He is very confident. He swam out several times to try to retrieve a stick that appeared to still be firmly attached to the log jammed just under the surface.

I had noticed some weird looking thing on the bottom of the lake in the shallow water. They look like fleshy pink and white tulip with octopus type tentacles. But they don't move, they seem anchored to the bottom. I didn't touch one.

For some time I'd noticed one at the surface that was moving around a bit but didn't think much of it. After a while I focused on it a little more and discovered that a smallish snake was trying to eat one of these weird looking things and was having great difficulty gulping it down.

I watched the snake for a while and kept Commando from bothering him. The poor snake didn't seem to be making much progress so we finally left without viewing the final swallow. I hope he managed to choke it down.

انقلاب ایران

انقلاب ایران . من با چه تکنولوژی است که در ایران که در طول استفاده از ایهیجان انتخابات مسحور شده است. اعتراض به استفاده از چهچه و دیگر سایت های شبکه های اجتماعی برای برقراری ارتباط... فناوری اطلاعات در سراسر جهان است پله تا دسترسی به اینترنت را فراهم کنید و سعی کنید به سپر از دانشجویان معترض و در حال حاضر گوگل است که به بهبود خود را ترجمه خدمات. من این پست را به فارسی ترجمه کنید و بعد از آن دیگر تنها برای تفریح.

Iranian Revolution

I have been fascinated by how technology is being used in Iran during this election excitement. The protestors are using Twitter and other social networking sites to communicate...IT around the world is stepping up to provide internet access and try to shield the protestors and now Google is improving its translate service. I'll translate this post to Persian and post it again just for fun.

Enchanted Pools Round Trip

Drove to Wright's Lake and finally did the round trip journey!

Took the Rockbound Pass trail and then cut over to the EP just before entering the Desolation Wilderness area on the poorly marked use trail. There's a little summit just before the turnoff and we stopped to listen to a lone coyote somewhere north of us.

The weather was good for hiking because it was cold and overcast with dramatic clouds. There were even a few rain sprinkles and it had rained earlier in the day.

It was a little tricky crossing the stream...it's spring and the water is COLD, DEEP and FAST but I found a relatively short crossing with relatively shallow water (below knee deep) and not too fast. I took my boots off and then started across. Wow! Cold! The bottom was rocky but a little mossy and soft without being slippery. I took it slowly because I didn't want to fall in and get wet and cold. It was a bit of struggle scrambling over the granite on the other side but I didn't get wedged in any of the cracks and was soon sitting on the rock putting on my nice and warm and dry socks and boots.

We did spend a little time sitting on various comfy boulders and logs on both sides to enjoy the scenery and the incredibly loud water.

Hiking down on the Twin Lake trail side I saw some new views of the small cascades and sat down to watch a solid wall of water fall down into a crevice and then dart sideways to drop down a chute and then boil up before dropping into a large pool. By summer this will be a great pool to take a dip and cool off...but not today!

We had no problems crossing the other little stream. The water was swift but didn't really get to the top of my foot so I let my water resistant boots take the brunt.

I had to leash Commando up down at the Wright's Lake loop trail because it's a bit busy now and it is an on leash area.

He had a great time and was a tired doggy for that evening and the next day.

Calaveras Big Trees Camping Day Three

We all slept in although I was awake at dawn. It had rained during the night and the meadow was steaming until the sun dried it out. We broke camp and went our separate ways...Tami and Donna to Jackson Rancheria and home and Commando and I for a big hike and then home.

I had planned to go to the summit and hike there but we turned aside at Spicer Reservoir and then took a side road to Summit and Elephant Rock lake. We parked at Elephant Rock lake and hiked to Elephant Rock. It's a giant pile of volcanic rock sticking out (like a sore thumb?) amongst the more usual granite. From looking at the map I'd wondered if it were possible to get to the top. If it is, it certainly doesn't look easy.

We ended up doing a loop trail back to Summit Lake and then back to where the car was parked. It's a nice easy trail...not too heavily used and with no significant ups or downs. There were some creek crossings but my feet only got a little wet. Most of the trail is marked for mountain bikes but I didn't see any evidence. Trails leading off went to Duck Lake and Highland Lakes both in the Carson Iceberg wilderness and way too far for me to go!

There had been a few cars along the way on our way to the trailhead but they were all gone on the way back. We stopped briefly at Spicer and gazed at the trail at the bottom of the dam. It's a cool looking lake and maybe we'll have to camp here sometime and explore some of the other trails.

Commando had a good trip and when we got home he looked at me like he expected me to carry him into the house. Hmmph!

Calaveras Big Trees Camping Day Two

Donna really wanted to explore some caves which is why we selected Calaveras. We woke the next morning and ate eggs, potatoes and bacon then drove to Moaning Caverns with a NEW 1500 foot zip line.

I had no intention of risking my life on a zip line but Tami and Donna went twice. Commando and I watched and he chased the zippees down the slope. Then they went on the cave tour while Commando and I explored the area and gassed up.

We drove down a Power House on the Stanislaus river on Camp 9 road which was a very single lane non-county maintained "road" down the Stanislaus River Canyon to the power house. We crossed a green metal bridge and then entered a beautiful meadow filled with purple flowers. After scrambling down a dry creek bed we hung out on a beachy area of the river watching the water pour into a deep pool. Very pretty.

Hopefully we won't have any poison oak!

Commando didn't like the green bridge (metal slats and stairs) but he braved it once he saw that I was going to cross without him. On the way back he was nonchalant, quite the old hand at crossings!

Tami and Donna slept in their truck because it had rained again at camp and their tent was wet. We were surprisingly tired and all slept great.

Calaveras Big Trees Camping Day One

Drove up around 11ish after running some errands. I bought a cheap screen house so we'd have some shelter for the expected rain and a somewhat expensive soft sided cooler on wheels so I could take up less space. The drive was uneventful and I selected space 21, which, I highly recommend. It's on the meadow one space away from the very nice restrooms and there's lots of space in the site.

It was a challenge setting up the rain tent with just one person but I used my giant brain and was able to prop two of the legs between the seat and the table top of the picnic table to hold them in place while I got the other legs assembled and positioned.

I took Commando for a drive and then a short hike on some unidentified forest service road just past Dorrington while Donna and Tami set up their gear.

It did rain the first night and I was glad to have the shelter. It was also a handy place to stored our chairs and wood when we were away.

The first night we feasted on sausage. I couldn't find the mustard I'd bought though. Damn.

Sleeping in the Escape was a bit of a challenge. My knee is still quite bruised from the fall I took at work so kneeling wasn't really an option. I also forgot to close my thermarest so the air leaked out and it was hard to get comfortable.

Also, Commando and I breathe out lots of moisture so the windows were fogged up in the morning. Still, it was nice to not have to crawl into a tent and sleep above the ground.