Monday, March 23, 2009

Everything but the kitchen sink

As some of you know I went on a solo backpacking trip in the hills of Redwood Valley.  Here is my early morning start up the hill.  I followed old logging roads.

Here is a salamander in the early morning light.

The "ghost pine" pine cones were impressive.

Wikipedia says, "The Gray Pine has several additional English names, including Foothill PineGhost PineCalifornia Foothill PineBull PineNut Pine, and also Digger Pine. This last supposedly came from the fact that the Paiute foraged for its seeds by digging around the base of the tree, although it is more likely that the term was first applied to the people; "Digger Indians" was in common use in California literature from the 1800s. The name is now considered a racial slur, and is best avoided though still in widespread use. It is also sometimes thought of as a pinyon pine, though it does not belong to that group."

After hunting around and making a cell phone call to my friend Doug I finally found the "Upper Meadow".

Snow mountain in the distance and a California Vulture in the foreground.

Friday's campsite in the meadow.

Off in the distance I noticed this female deer before she noticed me.

I'm not sure what this flower is but the springtime flowers were out and about.

Day two, hiking higher.  The top of this hill was at 2,647 feet.  The lowest elevation during my trip was 847!  The walking I did in the hills of Shoreline, Edmonds and Richardson Beach paid off!

I spotted several clusters of Black Chanterelle.  They are very good eating but I left them alone.

Second night's campsite as it started raining.

Morning of the third day.  Snow!

Back down to the upper meadow to a completely different environment!

What a difference a day makes!

Returning to the lower elevations the snow dissapated and "summer returned".

Reading my book while things dry out!

It is amazing how much can be experienced and seen during a three day, ten mile hike.  My hiking poles, water filter pump, cat food can alcohol stove, GPS and backpack worked fine.  The tent was noisy in the wind, slippery on the slope and leaked in the rain!  I need to seal the seams, set it up only on flat areas and carry earplugs!

My first backpacking trip of this year was a perfect shake down cruise!

9 comments:

  1. Neat. Thanks for bringing us along.

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  2. I loved this virtual hike with you. I'm just glad I didn't have to endure the leaky tent. You are a real pro. Great photos, Ron.

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  3. That was fun to go on a hike and still get to stay warm! Those purple flowers are called shooting Stars--Dodecatheon

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  4. Nice one Ron, though I'd be a bit embarrassed by the distance covered!
    The flower looks like Western Shooting Star - Dodecatheon pulchellum - very pretty too. The primroses are in flower here in the UK as well, though we do not have that variety in the wild.

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  5. Looks fantastic! I've never seen pinecones so big. Or salamanders of any size!

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  6. Congratulations! You did it! What a great adventure....where is Richardson Beach?

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  7. Wow. Seems like I ought to know that flower. On the tip of my tongue.
    I loved that shot of the trees with the moss. Very ethereal!

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  8. Man, you sure are doing some Serious Walking!!! Tho I certainly enjoyed looking over your shoulder on this "little" outing.

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  9. Cheryl, Richmond Beach along with Shoreline and Edmonds are all in the north Seattle area. I was in the Great North Wet as caregiver for my mother in law for the first part of this year.

    Thanks to you all for the comments.

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