McGee Creek, Inyo National Forest 11/1

McGee Creek, John Muir Wilderness.

This has been one of my favorite hikes so far. I love the textures of the aspen who have largely lost their leaves for the coming winter. The trail follows the drainage, and that makes a wide sweeping curve as it climbs up into the mountains, views and foliage seem to change every minute, and the mountains beckon.

Bitterbrush and McGee Creek Inyo National Forest

Aspen grove with rock background, McGee Creek, Inyo National Forest

Sherwin Lakes trail, Mammoth 10/31

Super windy at the top! Like blow the trees over windy. Ginger loved it!

The hike up to Sherwin Lake was a great climb, into a lake basin. it was cold, but the exertion climbing to the lake was great- and the sun felt good. the Wind on the other hand…. made me nervous walking under some of the trees!

Awesome Ponderosas and other huge trees.

Only phone pics- I forgot my camera! I guess it’s easier to get those images to Facebook, but getting them here….. less so!

It was soo windy, but Ginger loves the wind :)

Tioga Pass, Yosemite 10/30

To our surprise, Tioga Pass opened up after the winter storm, so we made a day trip of it to explore Yosemite! Perhaps there will be some fall colors in the park- wouldn't that be great?!

Yosemite is so outstanding, it would be hard to imagine it disappointing.

We learned a little of the long story of geology that is represented in the area. Granite being carved and shaped by glaciers, leaving erratics behind. Also the glaciers scoured the surfaces providing precious little for anything to grow on, but ever so slowly life began to take root.

The pond was frozen over with cool shapes in the ice, and super cool sounds when something like a rock hits it :)

Frozen pond, Tioga Pass, Yosemite National Park

Crystal Lake 10/29

We started the day near Mammoth, but overnight it was 28 degrees and clear. We thought it would be a good idea to let things warm up a little before hitting the trail. The coffee shop was warm and cozy, but the snow started to come down. hmmm, That's not in the forecast. We bundled up and headed to the trailhead.

The trail began with a little snow cover, which made route-finding challenging, but soon we picked up a lone set of footprints. As long as the track didn't lead us to the precipice, that should be ok!

There was such an awe and amazement of the grandness and beauty of the mountains, dusted in fresh snow. The light and clouds changed continuously, providing a little better image at each turn in the trail. The amazement and excitement are frequently met with the disappointment that the photos "don't do it justice"- but how could they? It's not just the 2 dimensions that bring the place alive- it's the exertion of climbing the trail, the smell of the forest, the cold wind in our face, even the sounds of the ravens mocking us on our exploration. Ginger playing and zooming around illustrate that even the canine can enjoy the experience. I suppose that If I can bring just a little of the feeling back, maybe as a memory for myself, or an image to bring back a memory for someone else- That would be great.

June Lake road/ Yost Lake 10/28

Since the road 120 Tioga pass is closed for the storm, we drove the June lake loop. We heard that this area was great for fall colors, but thought we may be too late for that? Nope- it was great! Aspens glowing yellow and orange. The snow that dusted the mountains made our hike to Yost Lake a bit more interesting. The sun was out though, and the warmth was glorious. That hike rose from 7345 feet to 9083 in 2.5 miles, but was a gorgeous as it is strenuous. Ginger loves being out on the trail! We're feeling like we're in the Sierras.

Owens River Headwaters Wilderness.

Sign with Ginger- phone image- add this

Topping that off with a stop to the brewery was great, then we found an even better camp spot, so I explored a bit on my MTB before dark.

I'm finding it challenging to keep up with the journal- the daily activities get in the way of recording the daily activities!