Musafir's Musings: August 2011

Sunday, August 28, 2011

Another Summer Rushing Past

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Naked Ladies aka Belladonna Lillies (Amaryllis belladonna)

If Clarkias are called 'Farewell to Spring' then Naked Ladies deserve to be described as 'Farewell to Summer'. Here in the San Francisco Bay area they begin to be noticeable in August and are gone in September. For a brief period the tall, slender stalks with lovely pink blooms catch our eyes and make us think. Of what? Well, that depends on who you are. For me, the thoughts are about summers past; walks on the beach at Pajaro Dunes; graduation parties; hikes on trails in the foothills and in the Sierras; alfresco lunches under Oak trees; dry, brown landscape and autumn rains soon to follow. Bitter-sweet.

Naked Ladies I, Parrott Drive, San Mateo, CA

Naked Ladies I, Parrott Drive, San Mateo, CA.

Naked Ladies II, Parrott Drive, San Mateo, CA.

During recent walks on Parrott Drive, San Mateo, saw Naked Ladies in a number of front yards. It is hard to appreciate them driving past in cars. A clear sign that another summer will soon be behind us; the Autumn equinox is less than a month away, on September 23rd. Schools are open; Labor Day weekend is around the corner. After the picnics and barbecues are over, the 'end of summer' feeling will sink in if it has not already done so.

Here is the late Philip Hamburger's superb description of end of summer which appeared in The New Yorker some years back.

A piercing blue sky, gentle ocean breeze, low humidity, clean air. But what Seamus Heaney has called "the ache of summer" is increasingly palpable. Darkness will clamp down earlier and more suddenly this evening--one moment a rich, haunting Maxfield Parrish blue, the next pitch-black and night. Hard to face, but wouldn't you know, summer is ending and it is time for memories...Night is falling. There is a chill in the air. Winter will come. And go.

Philip Hamburger © The New Yorker

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Naked Ladies Amaryllis Belladonna Summer 2011 Autumn Equinox Philip Hamburger

# posted by musafir @ 11:37 AM 0 comments

Monday, August 15, 2011

Canyon Creek In The Trinity Alps

Backpack Trip up Canyon Creek Trail

The trail head to Canyon Creek, about 14 miles from Junction City, is a long drive from the Bay area. Recently, SG and I made the trip. Ripstein Campground, where we spent the first night, was just over 350 miles It was worth it.

Trinity Alps look different than the Sierras....more green. And the trail to the lakes never far from the stream. Wild flowers were abundant.

Refer to "Hiking California's Trinity Alps Wilderness" by Dennis Lewon

We left on August 4th; stopped at Weaverville Ranger Station for Wilderness and Fire Permits. Drop Box outside the Ranger Station can be used at all times for permit applications. Then continued on Hwy 299 to Junction City and drove for about 14 miles on Canyon Creek Road to Ripstein Campground. The campground is undeveloped, with vault toilet, no running water, but free, scenic, and only a mile from the trail head parking lot.

Began our walk up the trail on the morning of August 5th. Our plan was to go to Upper Lake but we changed our minds and decided to set up camp near the Middle Canyon Creek Falls, just under 6 miles from the trail head,with a view of the water roaring down. The unusually high snow pack has resulted in rarely seen force of the water falls and streams.

Our pace was slow and we made frequent stops. Took us more than six hours to reach the Middle Canyon Creek Falls. There were many backpackers, including women of all ages. And dogs, with their own packs. Many were repeat visitors from Shasta/Redding areas. We talked to backpackers who had come from Oregon. There was a couple from Salem, OR, who had come to celebrate their weddding anniversary after being there 40 years ago.

Trail markers were notably absent. Not a major problem. Our timing was just right. The weather was surprisingly mild. Day-time temp not not much different than the South Bay; the nights were not uncomfortably cold, in the high 60's. See Forest Service Weather Report updated on Thursdays.

We carried a bear canister but could have done without it.

Next day, August 6th, we left our camp site and hiked up to the Lower and Upper Canyon Creek Lakes with just water bottles, some trail mix, power bars, and fishing gear. The lakes are very pretty, located in rocky area with 8,886 ft Sawtooth Mountain towering over the landscape. There were many backpackers camped near the lakes. We tried fishing at the Lower Canyon Creek Lake -- no luck, and didn't see anyone else catching fish -- before carrying on to the Upper Canyon Creek Lake, less than a mile away.

On the return trip from the lakes, we bypassed Boulder Creek campground and reached our tent before darkness set in.

We broke camp on Sunday, August 7th, and headed back at 9:30 A.M. Took us about 4 hours to reach the parking lot. Then it was the drive home with a stop at Weaverville for lunch and gas for the car. A good trip. The photographs below will give an idea of the trail, the water falls, and the lakes.

At Ripstein Campground