Dan's Outside

Yosemite Creek Aspen

Yosemit Creek aspen. Yosemite National Park. October 10, 2004.
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October 11, 2004 Posted by gdanmitchell | Commentary | Comments Off on Yosemite Creek Aspen

Sunday morning at Lower Cathderal Lake

Sunday morning at Lower Cathedral Lake, Yosemite National Park. October 10, 2004.

October 11, 2004 Posted by gdanmitchell | Commentary | 1 Comment

Back from the Sierra

As sometimes happens, plans changed.

One of the members of our party was uneasy about heading 8 miles out and up to 10,300′ with an approaching front bringing the possibility of snow followed by cold and windy condtions.

Instead of heading the Fletcher Lake we picked a shorter trip and ended up at Lower Cathedral Lake. Here is a brief report – more details later when I have more time and after I’ve gone through my photos.

On Friday we headed up to Lower Cathedral Lake, a beautiful spot only 3.5 miles from Tuolumne Meadows. The promised cold front never materialized that night and we woke up to sun on Saturday.

On Saturday we took a cross-country route up to Upper Cathedral Lake, from which we ascended the saddle next to Cathedral Peak by a more-or-less cross-country path. It was getting a bit clouder when we reached this high point but since conditions still looked good we headed down the other side to Budd Lake.

Jane crosses the ridge between Cathedral Peak and Budd Lake.

After a lazy lunch we headed back up to the ridge between Cathedral and Echo Peaks, this time crossing closer to Echo Peaks. As we sat on the top we picked up a few snow flurries and before long we were getting moderate graupel (clumpy, pellet-like snow). We headed down as it continued to precipitate, arriving back at our tents in somewhat wet conditions around 5:00 pm. It soon stopped and cleared, allowing us to cook dinner outside.

Dan, Owen, Mark, and Jane on ridge near Cathedral Peak. October 9, 2004.

We picked up some wind on Saturday night and again on Sunday morning for our walk out. After our much-anticipated lunch at Tioga Pass Resort we said goodbye to another backpacking season.

Grass and leaves in a pond on Tioga Pass Road. October 10, 2004.
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October 10, 2004 Posted by gdanmitchell | Commentary | Comments Off on Back from the Sierra

FletcherIrelandParsonsMap

Topo of Fletcher Lake, Ireland Lake, Parsons Peak area
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October 7, 2004 Posted by gdanmitchell | Commentary | Comments Off on FletcherIrelandParsonsMap

Quake forecasters at UC Davis on a roll

SFGate:Team correctly predicted 15 of 16 temblors

<blockquote>Earthquake predictions in California come a dime a dozen from scientists on the edge and outright quacks, but now a team at UC Davis has astonished even its own members with a set of predictions that — so far — have been remarkably accurate.</blockquote>

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October 5, 2004 Posted by gdanmitchell | Commentary | Comments Off on Quake forecasters at UC Davis on a roll

Final pack trip of the season

I’ll join a few friends next week for our traditional (well, its been a few years now) final pack trip of the season. At the end of the week we’ll head up to the Tioga Pass area for a first-night car-camping stay. The next morning we hike up to Fletcher Lake at 10,300 – from which just about everyone else has now departed. We attempt a traverse of a high ridge between Fletcher Peak and Parsons Peak, and then return to Tuolumne Meadows on Sunday for a last lunch of the season at Tioga Pass Resort.

Of course, this time of year weather could change everything.

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October 2, 2004 Posted by gdanmitchell | Commentary | Comments Off on Final pack trip of the season

Sierra fall colors

Aspens in Lundy Canyon, Eastern Sierra Nevada. September 26, 2004.

On this weekend’s quick Sierra trip I came close to hitting the peak of the autumn aspen colors – I think that the real peak may be perhaps a week away still.

This photo was taken in Lundy Canyon, which is just north of Lee Vining and Mono Lake, and up a very narrow dirt road. But you can see these colors in many places on the east side of the Sierra right now.

One of the most spectacular stands of aspen trees is on top of Monitor Pass between Markleeville and Hiway 395.
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September 27, 2004 Posted by gdanmitchell | Commentary | Comments Off on Sierra fall colors

Two days in Tuolumne

I’m heading to the Sierra very early tomorrow morning for a quick fall day-hike and photgraphy trip. I’ll likely day hike in the Tuolumne/Tioga area on Saturday, camp nearby that night, and either hike in the same area on Sunday or possibly take the long way home via Lee Vining, Mono Lake and Sonora or Monitor/Carson passes.

Hike ideas currently include the trail out past Dog Lake, Mono Pass, something around Saddlebag Lake, or something else near Tioga Pass. Elizabeth Lake and beyond, the Fletcher Lake area, Mt. Hoffman, and Cathedral Lakes are other possibilities.

I’m hopeful that my Talusdancers buddies and I will be able to squeeze in one last pack trip to Fletcher Lake during the second weekend of October – hopefully before the weather turns.
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September 24, 2004 Posted by gdanmitchell | Commentary | Comments Off on Two days in Tuolumne

First weather front of the season

Mt. Hamilton from Almaden Quicksilver. September 18, 2004.

The first Pacific front of the season is approaching today, and it felt very much like Autumn.
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September 18, 2004 Posted by gdanmitchell | Commentary | Comments Off on First weather front of the season