Commando At Wright's Lake May 2018

Commando gets into a bit of trouble but eventually figures out how to get back to dry land.

Union Valley Reservoir January 2019

Commando LOVES chasing and biting waves. He is a complete goober about it and will chase waves until he's too tired to stand.

Lyons Creek May 2018

Commando is exploring Lyons Creek in our hike May 23, 2018. Beautiful day.

Silver Fork August 2017

Commando exploring Silver Fork creek. Harry is nearby. This was from a small hike August 27, 2017.

Woods Lake Jan 2014

Because the snow level is so low this year we took a trip to Woods Lake. There was parking at the end of the road. Usually there is a few feet of snow and the plows do not make any space.

The snow, what there is of it, is hard and icy. I was glad to have the cleats. We just followed the road to the lake and then crossed the lake to a little island and ate lunch. Round trip was about 3 miles. The road climbs gradually a few hundred feet to the lake so the way back is easier.

Weather was spectacular! I was in shirtsleeves until after lunch on the way back. Finally put my coat on because it was shady and perhaps just a bit cooler.

We'll have to come up in the summer and take the side trip to Round Top Lake. Looks interesting and it's not a trip we've done before.

More pics:

Plan for a summer trip

This branch was on Lunch Island and made a nice frame for the sun

View of an island in the middle of the lake

Finding the Forgotten Flat trail from Silver Lake

Older maps show a trail from Silver Lake down the Forgotten Flat trail to the Silver Fork of the American River. It's largely been obliterated and the forest service has blocked the road to the parking area. Someone has ducked the early parts of the trail and, once I found those, was able to stay on the trail itself.

It's an excellent trail and I'm not sure why it's been removed?

http://goo.gl/maps/cGmEo

Girls Gone Camping 2012

We stayed at a nice house near Heavenly. First night we cooked delicious T-bones (with balsamic vinegar reduction and bleu cheese) and some red potatoes.

On Saturday we relaxed. I took a brief trip to Kiva Beach. Too bad Commando wasn't there as he would have given it 4 paws up. There was almost no one there when I arrived around noon and snagged a prime shady space leaning against a log. I didn't swim but did wade out a good distance to admire the view. Free parking, few people, and a spectacular view!

Met everyone else at Harvey's and tried to eat at Cabo Wabo. As it was closed, we ate at the American River Cafe across the street at Harrah's. It was extremely average if not more so.

We gambled for a bit with no big winner's and then headed back to the house to drink and play games. A card game called "Spite and Malice" was a hit although I am pretty sure that Shirley was just making the rules up. We also played Scrabble and almost everyone drank. Dinner that night was delicious pasta and meat balls.

On Sunday Tami and I headed for Spooner Lake and did a leisurely hike around (2.1 miles). It's a pretty enough lake with aspens scattered around and the trail is relatively level. It might even be possible to take a wheelchair around if one could stand being tilted to one side or the other. We headed off trail to view the various animal tracks in the mud and got covered in some bugs that were feasting on the young willows. The bugs were harmless. It's a nice enough hike but not particularly wonderful. The trail was busy (and will probably be nearly mall-like in the summer). Early spring and later in the fall (when the aspens turn) would be the best times to visit.

We did end up driving an older couple from Boston to find their car. They had passed us on the last uphill bit while we were gawping at some scenery and then discovered they couldn't remember where they had parked. It was just in another parking node but it's always irritating to finish a nice hike and then have to roam around a less than scenic parking lot with sore feet.

We headed back to the house where everyone else was relaxing and probably fighting off a bit of a hangover.

We watched a bit of relaxing TV and developed a crush on a guy named Morgan who was buying some property with his wife. Dimples for the win!

I headed back to Kiva beach. No one was there and, as it was late in day, I stayed on the sandy part and swam. The water was cold but tolerable. Once I'd put my towel on I was warm heading back to the car in spite of the stiff breeze. I warmed up in the hot tub and then drove with Tami and Malene to Mont Bleu. Tami gamble while Malene and I ate some tolerable appetizers. Although we'd snacked most of the day, I was getting hungry. We returned to gamble and lost our usual casino contribution.

Tami and Malene did a bit more gambling at Harvey's while I rested in the car and listened to some coyotes howling off in the distance. Apparently they've added some special chairs to the slots so they move around with the game action. It sounded fun!

Sunday was get away day. We divided up the food and the little remaining booze, cleaned up the place, and left for another year. Next year may be the coast although I would be happy to return to Lake Tahoe every year.

Ambled up Silver Creek on some use trails and then just bushwhacking. Met some dogs with a friendly owner. The bushwhacking was starting to be quite a bit too bushy so we crossed over the creek and then headed to the road. We got back just above the giant log that blocks traffic. It's not a bad area in any season, even this dry one. Unlike early spring, there weren't too many mosquitoes
Saw some fresh deer tracks so they'd better start hiding as I believe hunting season is soon.


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Bloodsucker Lake

This is an unusual route to Bloodsucker Lake in the Eldorado National Forest that involves a bit of cross-country travel but is still easy. I believe it shortens the distance to the lake. There are also no creek or stream crossings. My Atrix GPS said 4 miles but I think it was closer to 2 miles. The elevation is at about 7200 feet and there isn't much elevation gain or loss.

BL itself is not incredibly scenic but the views of Pyramid Peak are interesting.

We started by following the instructions of Ted's Outdoor World. Take highway 50 east from Sacramento. After Kyburz, turn left on Wrights Lake road. About a mile after the Lyon's Creek bridge, turn right onto forest service route 11N28. If you get to the big meadow, or to the Wrights Lake tie road to Icehouse reservoir, you've gone too far. The road is very good for about 1.3 miles. Then it starts to get bad. A higher clearance vehicle is probably best. The section pictured at left is an uphill section where it starts to get bad.






At just about 2 miles, turn left onto FS 11N28B. This will head uphill and will get progressively worse. Still, the original road looks even rougher so it's not hard to miss.

Park where the road ends in a burned over space that was probably used for logging. Just up the hill is a nice turnout for what is called distributed camping. Someone has already built a rock campfire ring and there are views.


You'll be traveling off trail for about a half mile to a mile so have a good map or GPS and some route finding skills. The area is fairly open from logging and there are plenty of use trails. You'll travel slightly uphill, then downhill to BL and generally veer left when you have a chance.

We spent some time wandering around finding the route but were never really lost.

Head uphill from where you parked heading straight up from the end of a stack of logs.




This tree stump growing out of a rock is a nice first goal just a few steps up the hill. Stay below this tree and head to the left.

















It's not very brushy here so by staying on the forest duff and heading on the easiest path we soon found the first use trail. Turn left on it to see a cute little No Name pond.

Here is the No Name pond. Folks have camped here and at the end just to the left. We ended up hiking around the pond and finding another and better marked use trail but it wasn't necessary. It's perfectly easy to get to BL by leaving this pond and heading right.

Our hiking day was under overcast skies with thunder and lightning. There were some sprinkles on the hike and we saw this hail on the ground but the really bad weather held off until we were in the car headed home.

It's always good to have Ma Nature wash the dust off the car.




By following the use trail away from No Name pond or to the right once found, you'll cross a marshy area and the use trail heads over a saddle and starts to head down, presumably to Lyon's Creek. Just after the marshy area head uphill to the left. About a football field up you'll come to another use trail that goes up the hill. Follow this and now you're good to go. There's a trail headed in the same direction as the saddle trail that crosses the uphill trail. You can get back to the No Name lake on this trail. This all sounds a bit confusing, but once you see the map and the terrain it will make sense.

This from the uphill trail near the top. There is Pyramid Peak showing that you're going in the right direction. There seemed to be some faint signs of horses along the way so this may be a pack trail.






Just over the crest of the hill you'll see another big, bare logging area. You'll see double tracks from an old logging or skid road and then you just follow it for a very short mile to BL.

I didn't take a picture, but there seems to be an old hunting blind built up in the tree behind the bushes. There is also another pond just downhill to the right. You'll see the reeds and grasses around it as you look through the trees on the downhill side of the road.











Here is the old road that you'll follow. It goes up for just a bit, and then heads down to BL. Just over this crest, you'll get a cell phone signal again just in case you want to call someone from the trail.

The road will curve back to the left and then you'll be very close.















This is the first view of BL with Pyramid Peak in the background and reflected in the water. On a sunny day it might be more spectacular, but even on this stormy day it was scenic enough for me. Some mother ducks were swimming around in the lake too.







At the other end of the lake I think this is Blue Mountain and perhaps Mt. Agassiz in the back. I could be wrong. I sat on a rock here and ate some nuts and drank some water until the mosquitoes decided that DEET was a sauce and not something to be avoided and we headed back.

Map coordinates

Silver Fork of the American River Hike

Commando and I hiked along the Silver Fork of the American River and stopped here for a long session of reading, napping, eating lunch, chasing rodents, messing around in the water, and playing splash. There's a heavily used trail along the river. About a quarter mile upstream is a small waterfall and above that some granite pools. There were tons of people in those pools and all over the surrounding rocks. I was hoping this trip wasn't going to be a bust. We left the river and headed down a wash just over a big granite ridge. It lead onto some more granite and then into the little forested area. Downstream and over another granite ridge was another small waterfall and someone's tent. We were at the river for about 2 hours and just after a splash session we were passed by two guys hopefully fishing the river. We hiked back up by just following the various granite outcroppings and then meandered (pushed through somewhat dense forest with lots of downed stuff) back to the trail.

I'll go back again in the spring, and maybe for a snowshoe trip this winter.

Not to the Enchanted Pools

Drove up to Wrights Lake and hiked some of the Rockbound trail. I was planning on going to the E.P. but decided at the trail junction to stay on the R.T. It's a nice trail, at least as far as I took it, although I prefer a less sandy surface.

Commando had a great time swimming in Beauty Lake and sniffing things. We met an unfriendly dog and a friendly dog and several overnight hikers.

It's finally drying out although there is still snow on the peaks. Grassy areas in the sun are dry and brown. Grassy areas in more shaded areas (or slightly higher) are still green and filled with wildflowers. I met a couple coming up having just passed through the most beautiful scenic meadow. He was ranting on about statistical analysis and missing the whole point.

Blue lakes to granite lake

A few pictures from my not so successful hike to Granite lake. The snow berms were still at least 8 feet tall in places. The place is beautiful though and not too many people. At one of the closed campgrounds some attractive men were playing frisbee golf. I was hoping they would be stunned by my beauty, but alas, they weren't.

I told them they didn't look drunk enough to be playing frisbee golf. One guy said he was hammered and we all laughed. Brought back memories!

Wright's:Lake July 2011

There's sure been a change since last week. Much of the snow has melted, although it still isn't possible to drive to the lake. Hiked down to Silver Creek and then back up to the road on some old, discontinued forest service or logging road and then back up to what looks like a horse trail.

Then we drove for snacks and some time to read and sit in a chair at the big meadow at the crossroads. Lady bugs were flocking everywhere and flying around like tiny orange lights in the sun.

The picture is a big hunk of the stream bank that has fallen into the stream. The bank is covered with flowers and they are completely submerged in the water.

Wright's Lake June 28, 2011

Managed to drive up to within 2 miles of the lake. Took the bike uphill for about a mile, then stashed it in the woods and proceeded on foot. There was too much snow on the road to make the bike feasible. Hiked over snow berm after snow berm until I got to the boat ramp at the lake. It's completely submerged. The view is spectacular as you can see.

I think that's Mt. Price at the right. I've hiked up its shoulders to Grouse Lake and also to the cirque in the middle of the picture to Twin Lakes. I never get tired of this view and this area.

This is some of the snow we had to cross to get to the boat ramp. It was very firm and packed except at the edges and was not a problem to traverse. There was a vehicle just past this berm. He said it had taken him a half an hour to get through. I was very glad I'd oiled my boots to keep the water out because what wasn't snow was water furiously trying to get downhill right now!

I was also glad to find my bike where I had left it behind some small pinelings. It was well hidden and I walked around its vicinity before I finally spotted it.

Sun Rock Trail to Tells Creek

I've been trying to find this trail for awhile and today found part of it. It supposedly starts about 2.7 miles in from Icehouse on Cheese Camp road. I think logging and forest clean up has obliterated that part of the trail because there is no trail head at Cheese Camp. There is a forest service road at approximately 2.6 miles that leads to the base of Sun Rock. Head uphill across the huge downed tree trunk (stripped of bark) and follow the heavily eroded dry creek up. Thankfully someone had hiked up here before so I saw an occasional boot print and some cairns. At about 1/2 mile the dry creek joins the trail. It's not too hard to find as it's eroded about 6 inches below the surface although it doesn't seem heavily traveled. There were lots of downed trees and branches on the trail. I lost the trail just as it heads down after a long flat stretch (good luck) but managed to find it again. Then I lost it again at a small creek crossing (go up the creek) but managed to find it again. There were snow berms obscuring the trail near Tells Creek and the trail is wet. With the extra snow melt I certainly wasn't crossing Tells although I suppose someone with ropes, strength, a change of clothes, the ability to withstand extremely cold water, and partners might be able to get across.

I sat on a convenient log and ate my sandwich while Commando dug holes. The start and end to the hike was so-so but the middle flat part goes through a redwood forest next to a green meadow and is gorgeous. I'll do this hike again and try and make it all  the way to Bassi Creek.

On the way home we took a side trip and found the Wright's Lake cutoff to be passable. Some vehicles (very high 4WD with winch) were making it to the lake. The road to 50 is still impassable.

More reasons to like higher elevation

Yesterday I took Commando to the same place he "got lost" and hurt his paws. He seems to have healed fine and had a good time running and sniffing. We didn't stay out too long because I wasn't sure if he had healed thoroughly or not. I'm sitting in my chair surfing the internet later that afternoon and discover a tick. I also discover one on Commando's head. I douse him with his flea and tick medication (it's time). I discover another tick in my chair. Then one on my bed. Then one on my pants in the laundry basket. Made a trip to Target and bought some tick killing, cancer causing poison. It seems to have worked because the ticks I've seen since have all been dead enough to pine for the fjords.

Today we went up to Union Valley reservoir and hiked down to Silver Creek campground. It was a very boring hike, more like a walk really. No ticks. There's still plenty of snow but also plenty of bare dirt. I think it's time to move the snowshoes back into the house. It will soon be hiking season again.

Union Valley Reservoir

Took advantage of the beautiful new snow and the sun to take a quick snowshoe expedition to UVR. I stopped at the first road and the wonderful plow folks had made a nice little parking area. No one was there but someone had thoughtfully snowshoed to break a trail. We made good time down to a parking area (for a bike trail?) and then the trail ended. We went a bit further but the snow was not very supportive so we headed back.

Happy New Year Snow Dog

No pictures but we went up to the Icehouse area and snow shoed at the Jones Creek area. The snow was lovely. It was wet but still fluffy and, once we got over the snow plow berm it was easy going. It snowed heavily for a bit, then the sun poked out just a bit in some areas, then it clouded up again and began a very fine, light snow. Commando really enjoyed it. He ran and ran. We played several games of jump for the snow ball. My favorite round had Commando leaping up backwards and reaching for the snow and then falling back on his ass. He also played snow plow several times and lifted snow with his nose on purpose so he could snap it out of the air. As we were leaving an ambulance and fire truck were headed up hill with lights and sirens going. I hope it's a minor injury and not a fatality. It is too nice of a day to die.

Gambling and hiking along the Mormon Emigrant Trail

Met up with some of the BOE folks for a bit of gambling and the delicious buffet at Red Hawk. Commando napped in his luxurious palace in the back of the car. I was a loser at all the games I played. Scott was the big winner.

Then drove up MET to see if it was clear to Highway 88. I turned close to the end as the snow was noticeably deeper and I really do NOT want to get stuck. We hiked along the Light Canyon road in light snow, or maybe it wasn't Light Canyon. We strolled for about a mile paying close attention to the interesting animal footprints. We got to a road crossing that hadn't been driven too since the snow dropped. There was a rock fire pit and a nice place to camp or picnic. I briefly considered going overland on the unmarked road, but decided that it would be wiser to just retrace my steps.

I tried several times to take a good picture of the Crystal range. It was glowing with the late afternoon sun. Unfortunately, in my cell phone pic, it was a tiny whitish smudge. Someone else with a better camera will need to snap the picture.

Sitting at Icehouse Lake in the Eldorado National Forest

I wasn't in a very good mood today but forced myself to head up and do some hiking. I'd originally planned to hike around Wright's Lake, but there was a bit too much snow on the road. The vehicle has 4WD and snow tires, but they don't seem to be really good snow tires. We drove back down to 50 and then up to Icehouse. We parked along the Wright's Lake Tie road and hiked down to the lake and then along the shore. I tossed sticks for Commando and found one that he really liked. He carried it for a long time.

I stopped in some shade to lean against a rock and just look out over the lake. I like this picture because I think I framed it nicely.