Category: Field Trip

2016-11 Bald Mountain 4WD

Day Trip! Bald Mountain exploring

Call of the Wild! Attention, Four Wheel drivers… The view from the top of Bald Mountain, looking down on Shaver Lake is astonishing and awe-inspiring.  The summit where the fire lookout stands is one of the highest places you can drive in the Sierra National Forest! Check out our four wheeling day up on Bald Mountain and the directions…

Corn lilies of Beasore Meadow

Corn lily or Skunk cabbage?  I find out… A wildflower walk yields a new name and an interesting plant to photograph up in the high country near Jones’s Store in Beasore Meadow. Travel from Bass Lake, California, up Beasore Road, opposite the Pines Village, and you’ll be in the high country within 40 minutes. Cattle…

Historic Iris

For the love of Iris

A gardener’s April day trip On a recent visit to Coarsegold, California, I stopped by the Hillside Iris Farm of Bill Tyson, just before the peak bloom.   His farm is open to the public just during the month of April when Iris are in full bloom and ready to order by color and shape.  You choose the ones…

Grinding holes

Grinding holes in the Sierra Foothills

Looking into the Sierra Foothill’s past Generations ago —women would gather at these spots to grind their acorn meats. “That’s where they would go get to work. That’s their kitchen — they would keep that very clean,” “You’ll find different holes at different depths. Traditionally, they like a shallower hole to pound the acorn flour.…

Intermountain-Nursery

In praise of Intermountain Nursery

Celebrating a fine nursery… Have you been here?  I hope so! We are very fortunate to have a nursery nearby that purchases and grows plants that are perfect for our foothill gardens.  Besides having a wide variety of California native and drought tolerant Mediterranean plants, Bonnie Bladen, her husband Ray Laclergue and their staff are…

Riding the High Country

 “Hmmm. Wonder where that goes?” My husband says as we pass by a hidden trail heading into the forest.  Those are familiar words to me and a joy to him as a new trail is a treat to explore with his friends where they’ll find new routes long ago forgotten through the spectacular Sierra National Forest. I know he’ll file that bit in his mind somewhere and go back later to check it out.

Central Camp Road, near our place

Central Camp Road, near our place

It was my husband’s work that brought us here to these woods and a particular joy to me to be able to get up high on granite peaks and deep into pine forests where the pines get shorter as you get higher.…

New Yosemite Nature Notes-Black Oaks

A new video has just been released today by Steve Bumgardner, who has lived and worked in Sequoia and Yosemite Park for over 20 years. I recommend this whole series highly because of his filmmaking skill using new timelapse techniques that bring the park to life. I keep a page with the entire series of Yosemite Nature Notes in the Cool links tab.  Thanks, Steve!…

St Catherine's Church cemetery, little ovens

Hot as an oven, …a California ghost town

Field Trip: Hornitos On a recent photo trek through the area between the Sierra foothills and the Central Valley of California, the little tiny town of Hornitos was found, baking in the 105 degree heat. My brother Ken accompanied me. Quiet and deserted now, the one-street town once had 15,000 people living there, Mexicans who…

Lewis Creek: The Wildflowers

Lewis Creek is about 7 miles south of Yosemite National Park, CA. The trail all along it with the flowers,waterfalls and natural beauty are a lovely alternative to visiting the Park if you have limited time, or if you want to avoid crowds, or if the roads are snowy in the Spring. I described the trail and…

Lewis Creek: Converging Ladybugs converge

In May, I decided to take my camera to explore Lewis Creek Trail, just 7 miles south of Yosemite. The creek is named for Washington B. Lewis, one of the Park’s early superintendents and is a few miles of us along Hwy 41 heading north.  Part One: The trail and the bugs The trail This is a favorite walk…