Dan's Outside

I go, I see, I do, I walk, I think, I like…

The "Official End of Summer?"

Related to my earlier post today, I just heard a radio news reporter state the “Labor Day weekend marks the official end of summer.”

Uh, no. The holiday ostensibly marks the “official” end of the summer vacation season perhaps, but the end of summer is still about three weeks away.

A little fact-checking may be in order here, yes? :-)
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September 1, 2006 Posted by | Commentary | Comments Off on The "Official End of Summer?"

Labor Day Weekend – End of Summer?

News reports refer to this Labor Day Weekend as the last fling of the summer season. However, for me this feels more like the start of one of my favorite seasons of the year.

TreesCliff2004|11|21: Trees and cliff below Vernal Falls. Yosemite National Park. November 21, 2004. © Copyright "g dan mitchell". keywords: autumn fall colors trees vernal falls cliff yosemite national park yosemite valley california color photograph

Trees and Cliff Below Vernal Falls. Yosemite National Park. November 21, 2004. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell.

For one thing, I’m a faculty member at an institution that operates on the quarter system, so classes don’t start for another three weeks. (I don’t get paychecks during the summer months, but I like to think that my job pays me very well in another precious commodity… time. :-)

SierraFallColors2004|10|10: Fall colors at Cathedral Lake. Yosemite National Park. October 10, 2004. © Copyright "g dan mitchell". keywords: fall colors foliage lower cathedral lake tuolumne meadows yosemite national park sierra nevada california color photograph

Fall colors at Cathedral Lake. Yosemite National Park. October 10, 2004. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell.

This gives me some opportunity to wait until after Labor Day weekend to visit some wonderful California places without the usual crowds. During the next six weeks the number of visitors to the High Sierra will dwindle to a trickle – despite the fact that this is arguably the most beautiful season of the year. Already, high elevation vegetation is turning golden, yellow, and red and soon (beginning of October) the aspens will reach their peak.

SilverLakeAspens2005|10|08: Aspens near Silver Lake. Sierra Nevada, California. October 8, 2005. © Copyright "g Dan Mitchell". keywords: aspens golden autumn fall color sierra nevada california silver lake carson pass hiway 88 color photograph

Aspens near Silver Lake. Sierra Nevada, California. October 8, 2005. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell.

With luck, I’ll take three more pack trips between now and mid-October and get to the eastern Sierra at least once to photograph those aspens.

Oh, and did I mention that there are virtually no mosquitos? :-)
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September 1, 2006 Posted by | Commentary | Comments Off on Labor Day Weekend – End of Summer?

   

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