Little Superior Wasatch Mountains August 9, 2012

                                   Looking toward Mount Superior

I am sorry for the lack of updates on this blog. My wife and I are very busy with work and preparing for the arrival of our first child in October.

Location: The location of today's hike is the town of Alta, Utah, approximately 8.5 miles up Little Cottonwood Canyon. Today's hike will take me up to Cardiff Pass and then hopefully Mount Superior. It is advisable to park in front of the Alta church. (No signs tell visitors not to park in the area). There are numerous other hikes to enjoy in the area including at the Alta Ski Resort and trails to Big Cottonwood Canyon.

The hike: I am hiking up Cardiff pass and then following the ridge line to the top of Mount Superior. It is approximately two miles to the top of Cardiff Pass with an elevation gain of 1,360 feet. From Cardiff Pass it is another 3-4 miles (distances not exact) and 2,000 feet of vertical climbing. From the church take a paved road that bends to the right. Follow it. The first 3/4 mile is on private property so be respectful.  After 3/4 of a mile you will come to a junction. Follow the trail in front of you up to the pass. If you get turned around the pass is a notch in the ridge with a power line going through it. From Cardiff Pass a trail branches off to the left following the ridge line. This trail is not on any map but plenty of people do take it. This trail will take you over Little Superior onto Superior itself. From here the trail peters out and it is Class two or three scrambling to the top. I did some of the scrambling but chose to turn around because I was by myself. If you hike off trail it is easy to get stuck in a precarious position requiring rescue. Remember in the Wasatch YOU pay for your own rescue. I certainly advise going with another hiker.

                                                           Paintbrush

                     Purple flower

                                      Along the route to Mount Superior

                                      Looking back toward the town of Alta

                                Looking down toward Snowbird; thousands of feet up

                              Cool shot of tree with sky and rocks

                                    The trail up passed Little Superior

                                  Fireweed

Whitepine Lake Wasatch Mountains August 10, 2012

                 Looking toward White pine lake and the north side of Little Cottonwood Canyon

Location: The hike up to White pine lake is located 5.5 miles up Little Cottonwood Canyon at the Red pine Trailhead. This is a very popular trailhead so it is not advisable to hike this route on the weekend. Other possible hikes from this trailhead include Red pine lake and Maybird lake.

 The hike: This hike is 4.5 miles one-way nine miles round trip. It has an elevation gain of approximately 2,500 ft. The hike is on an easy to follow two-track so it requires no route finding skills. However, it is advisable not to try this hike if you are out of shape or not used to the elevation.  The first mile of the hike follows the Red pine lake trail before it cuts off to the left. The trail passes through high elevation conifer and pine forests on its way to the lake. I advise hiking this trail in late July because of the abundance of  wildflowers in the area. Snow conditions may exist well into late July. Please inquire if you are hiking this area in May or June.

                                         White pine lake: showing how dry it has been this summer

                              Fireweed

                                               Fireweed

                                       Little Cottonwood Canyon; Utah

Granite and Eagle Lake Loop Desolation Wilderness July 18, 2012

                                       Looking toward Emerld Bay and Lake Tahoe from the trail
For my last hike in the Lake Tahoe Basin I chose a 6 mile loop connecting Granite Lake and Eagle Lake. The hike starts at Bayview Campground and ends at the Eagle Falls parking area. It is advisable to start at Bayview or take a shuttle because the Eagle Falls parking area is busy with tourists. Shuttles operate every 30 minutes. The Bayview Trailhead is a nice place to start a backpacking trip into the Desolation Wilderness because it is a less popular starting spot. 

The hike starts at an elevation of 6820 feet and tops out at 8220 feet. It is rocky in places so be careful with your footing. After  2.8 miles hikers reach a junction giving hikers an option to go further in the wilderness toward the Velma Lakes or down to Eagle Lake. The trail from the junction to Eagle Lake is the steepest and rockiest. Watch your footing.

                      Nevada with Emerald Bay in the background

                  Beautiful Emerald Bay from above

                                    Nevada and I at Granite Lake

                             The blue of Lake Tahoe with the Carson Range in the background

                                     Cool tree with the wilderness in the background

                                          Eagle Lake
                 
                 Below looking inside the rugged Desolation Wilderness

Cascade Falls July 17, 2012

                                               One of the smaller cascades at the falls

Location: Today's hike starts at Bayview Campground on the western side of Lake Tahoe. The trail to Cascade Falls starts at the back of the campground. A trolley from South Tahoe stops at the Emerald Bay Overlook. It is only three dollars for a trip and a great way to keep from fighting the tourist traffic at the lake.

 I chose an easier hike today because Nevada was sore from yesterday's hike to Aloha Lake. The hike to Cascade Falls is a 1.4 miles roundtrip with minimal elevation gain. It is perfect for families with small children who want to introduce their kids to hiking. The hike is beautiful with great views of Cascade Lake and Lake Tahoe. Be advised the last 0.4 to the falls is rocky.

                               Cascade Lake with Lake Tahoe in the background

                                          Scenery around Cascade Lake

Aloha Lake Desolation Wilderness Juy 16, 2012

                                                           Along the shores of lower Echo Lake
Location: The location for today's hike is at Echo Summit approximately 11 miles south of South Lake Tahoe on Highway 50. There are two trailheads one at Benwood Meadow and the other at Echo Lake. Benwood Meadow is a popular trailhead for accessing country on the Pacific Crest Trail south of Lake Tahoe. If you want to hike into the Desolation Wilderness it is advisable to park at Echo Lake because it cuts over four miles of hiking. For ten dollars a hiker can take a taxi to the end of Upper Echo Lake. Be advised that the Desolation Wilderness is the most popular wilderness in the lower 48. Expect to see other hikers. A day hiker is required to fill out a day use permit which cost no money. Backpackers need to register at local Ranger Stations. 

The Hike: Today I deposited my car at Benwood Meadow with the intention of hiking to Aloha Lake in the Desolation Wilderness. From Benwood Meadow the hike is about 15 miles on the Pacific Crest Trail (as stated previous a visitor can cut of over four miles by starting at Echo Lake). I chose this hike to see beautiful Aloha Lake but also the Echo Lakes, Tamarack Lake, Margery Lake and Lake of the Woods. The hike also required 600 feet of elevation gain; a rarity in the Tahoe Basin. Today I saw many backpackers including a few thru hikers on the PCT. I saw high elevation conifers including ponderosa pine and some impressive stands of whitebark pine. Nevada did well on the hike but, by the end of the day he was really tired.

Impressive striations on the rock

                                           Aloha Lake in the wilderness
                             

                                                            Nevada in the wilderness

                                       Desolation high country at Aloha Lake

                             Looking back toward Echo Lakes

                                            Tamarack Lake

                                               Pyramid, Agassiz and Price near Aloha Lake

Virginia City, Nevada Chollar Mine July 14, 2012

                              Stamp used in a mill
Tara and I returned to Virginia City, Nevada, to tour the Chollar Mine. The Chollar Mine, later Chollar-Potosi mine, was one of the best producing mines in Virginia City. While operational miners blasted over $17 million in gold and silver. Today the mine is a popular tour in Virginia City. For seven dollars (two for children) visitors are taken 400 feet into the main tunnel.  Information provided on the tour consisted of the history of Virginia City, the concept of square-set timbering, and what mining was like in the 1800s. Visitors see an impressive array of old mining equipment including drills, headframes, and ore carts. I would recommend this tour to anyone visiting Virginia City. Other posts on Virginia City include Queen of the Comstock Lode and the Silver Terrace Cemetery.(Information from www.chollarmine.com and www.visitvirginiacity.com).

                               Headframe on the grounds

                                Ore chute

                                Mine walkway with yellow ventilation

                Tara and I outside mine

                                  Ore cart with surrounding desert
          
Below; Tara next to stamp used at one of the local mines

To the Summit of Mount Rose July 12, 2012

                                      Me at Galena Falls

I returned to the Mt. Rose Summit without Nevada to hike to the top of Mt. Rose. The hike is strenuous: 10.8 miles round trip and over 2,000 feet of elevation gain. During the first two and a half miles the trail takes you by Galena Falls and a small creek which was a nice place to cool off. Vibrant blue lupine were prevalent along the creek bed. After two and a half miles the trail to the summit of Mt. Rose branches off the Tahoe Rim Trail. From this saddle, the trail switchbacks gaining altitude quickly. Make sure to wear a hat and sunscreen as the sun is intense at this elevation. High winds picked up near the summit. If you attempt to hike Mt. Rose in the spring or fall winds and cold temperatures are a major problem.

While on the  summit I talked to two very interesting guys: Harold and Kenny who lived in Carson, City. They were very interesting; having lived and worked in the Tahoe region throughout their lives. We had a spirited conversation about hiking in the west and conservation in the Tahoe Basin.

                         Lupine in wilderness

                                 More lupine pics

                     Looking toward Lake Tahoe near the summit

                      Looking north along the spine of the Carson Range

                     Me on top with Reno in the background

               Lake Tahoe with rocks in the foreground

                           Interesting clouds on top

                                Different colors of lichen on the summit