A Yosemite Birthday (Cake)!

Posted by bubbasuess on October 15, 2017
Posted in: Hiking, Mount Shasta, Sierra Nevada, Yosemite. 3 Comments

So with all the fires and destruction still on going in the Wine Country, I wanted to turn my attention to something more positive. The ruination is still smoldering but life goes on and it is the beginning of the time to look to other things, the good side of life and be thankful. If you y’all will indulge me for this one last blog post, I will return to normal Hike Mt Shasta programming after this (with maybe one or two more posts on the fires down the road).

All that said, my oldest son’s birthday was this past Tuesday and we were going to celebrate it when my parents got back up here to Mount Shasta. Needless to say, with their house in ashes and business needing to be attended to down in Sonoma County, my son’s 8th birthday was kind of put on the back burner. He was very patient and understanding. He also has had plenty to distract him, since he has just started Cub Scouts, loves it, and has been having a ball with all the events we have been doing.

So, to the point. In our family, we let our kids pick what they want to decorate their birthday cakes and then my wife and I try to figure out a way to make it work. Normally it will have a toy or something on it as part of the decoration scheme. In the past we have had dragon, pony, Slugterra and multiple lego cakes, just to name a few. The one rule is that everything on the cake except for the toys must be edible. A few weeks ago my daughter turned 5 and she decided she wanted a leopard cake. We went to work on the cake, and I would say it turned out pretty well. So, now it came time for my son to pick his style of cake. He proudly stated that he wanted a Yosemite Valley cake. Thanks son!

Undaunted, I devised what I thought would be a workable way to produce something like the fabled valley. It required three layers of cake and then a lot of carving. My wife and I then iced the thing down, added some waterfalls and a river and after a couple of hours, we had a surprisingly recognizable looking Yosemite Valley! Honestly, I am a bit impressed with myself that we were able to pull it off, even to the low standard we are able to achieve. Working on Yosemite cakes is far more edifying that watching your parents home turn to ash. I am thankful they are safe and that they are able to help us celebrate my son’s birthday! Moreover, I am proud of my new Cub Scout and excited to begin this new adventure with him! (And this post is semi-relevant to this site, it’s about Yosemite!)

Definitely click to enlarge:

A Lament For Sonoma And A Beautiful Sunset

Posted by bubbasuess on October 9, 2017
Posted in: Hiking, Mount Shasta, Napa County, Sonoma County. 17 Comments

“I firmly believe, from what I have seen, that this is the chosen spot of all this earth as far as nature is concerned.” 
― Luther Burbank

So said America’s preeminent horticulturist of Sonoma County. It has been a tough day in the chosen spot. Much has burned and much continues to burn. The sudden flames battled through the hills and then spilled out into the Santa Rosa Plain, leaving destruction and tears in its wake. My parents house, the house I grew up in, is ashes. Thankfully my parents are quite well and are in good spirits. I honestly think I am taking it harder than they are, though they no doubt are still in shock to some degree. I certainly am.

The neighborhood I grew up in. My house is just out of frame, across the street from the lot with the red arrow. (Image source unknown)

Sonoma and Napa Counties are my hometown. I love them. I have invested deeply in them over the course of my life. I have hiked them, written about them and been created and shaped by them. They have invested deeply in me. Yet now they hurt and I, and so many others, are hurting too. It has been a rough year for fires.

By the end of the day, I had had enough fire, so I decided to go observe some fire of another kind. Watching the interesting, wispy clouds all day while I paced on the phone, I had already decided to go an imbibe some of Mount Shasta’s beauty at sunset. I was rewarded with beautiful and rather unusual spectacle. As the sun was dropping below the horizon, the mountain – and nothing else – lit up. Gradually, as the light on Mount Shasta faded, the clouds glowed until the sky was aflame. The right kind of flame. Even in the midst of the hurt, it is comforting to know that there is beauty in the world. That it was made and declared good. The hurts will heal. It was a hard day, but ended well. Tomorrow, we can start to pick up the pieces.

 

Range Of Light: Autumn Leaves And Sunsets In The Eastern Sierra

Posted by bubbasuess on October 4, 2017
Posted in: Hiking, Mount Shasta, Sierra Nevada. Tagged: . 13 Comments

Fall color dramatically highlights a creek’s descent from the mountains near Mammoth Lakes.

Last week I took my family for an annual fall getaway to Mammoth Lakes, in the Eastern Sierra. It is not my normal pattern to blog trip reports but this trip was filled with some exceptional scenes that demand an account. While these were singularly memorable sights, beauty of this soul-feeding nature can seem commonplace in the Sierra Nevada. Mount Shasta certainly shares this quality with California’s great mountain range but the vastness and glory of the Sierra is not something easily put out of mind.

I’ll not do a play by play of the trip but I will hit a few of the highlights. These started early on, while driving down to Mammoth Lakes. We camped one night in the Northern Sierra since we left in the afternoon of the first day of the trip. This yielded one of the most colorful and memorable sunsets I have seen in a long time. Not only was the sunset incredible, but the fall color was already setting in at Little Last Chance Creek, which highlighted the fascinating cliffs that line the creek. It augured well for the rest of the trip.

Click to enlarge:

The next day we continued south, stopping in Virginia City so my train-obsessed 2.5 year old could ride the Virginia & Truckee. This was a major hit and primed our three kids for more fun. From there it was on to Mammoth Lakes and the glories of one of the great mountain regions of the West.

For those unacquainted with the region, the Eastern Sierra refers to the remote region that lies on the eastern side of California’s great mountain spine, the Eastern Sierra. The west side of the range consists of a long, gradual slope that climbs up to the crest of the range over the course of many dozens of miles. The east side, in contrast, consists of a sudden, sheer escarpment as the range falls away precipitously to the desert terrain of the Great Basin. This eastern escarpment presents a grand spectacle of rugged mountain beauty and is a paradise for hikers. The quick drop off means equally quick access to the staggering alpine beauty of the High Sierra. Consequently, you have a collision between rugged mountains and lush alpine settings with the stark landscapes of the Great Basin, the largest of America’s 4 major deserts. Typical of the meeting of mountains and deserts, aspens are found in abundance here. In short, it is paradise…especially in the fall.

High Sierra glory at Marsh Lake.

We try to expose our kids to a variety of sights and experiences. Given that their ages range from 8 to 2.5, we are not likely to survive longer hikes intact. This necessitates my wife and I putting in more work carrying the youngest or getting creative and finding more accessible places to take the kids. Fortunately, Mammoth Lakes area has an abundance of places that fit these parameters. To give the kiddos a chance to enjoy the High Sierra, we took them on the hike through Little Lakes Valley. Though this trail is popular, it is very, very hard to find a hike that offers up more scenery for so little effort expended. It makes a terrific introduction to the High Sierra!

Other activities included exploring some of the unique geologic features in the area. This year we headed to the geothermal activity along Hot Creek and the mysterious tufa formations at Mono Lake.

Of course, the fall color was the reason we went and we were not disappointed. It is hard to predict when the leaves of the aspens, cottonwoods and birches will be at the peak of their color, so each year is different. This year was a bit of a mixed bag. Some areas were peaking while others were still green. No matter where in the process we caught the trees, it was remarkably beautiful!

Click to enlarge:

Sunrise on the Ritter Range.

As beautiful as the autumn color was, it was not the most memorable thing we witnessed. On our last day in Mammoth Lakes, my oldest son and I (both early risers) went up to the Minarets Vista to watch the sunrise. The Minarets are a collection of spectacular, needle-like spires that line the Sierra crest immediately south of Mount Ritter and Banner Peak, the twin crowns of the awesome Ritter Range. These are some of the most rugged and superb mountains in the entire Sierra Nevada. The rising sun put on a good show, casting its pink and orange light on the mighty towers. We went on with our day, enjoying the last of our time there. That evening, the plan was to take our kids up the vista and have a picnic dinner with an incredible view. When we arrived, we were treated to one of the most breath-taking sunsets we have ever seen. Suffice to say, our dinner was a memorable one, one which I spent behind my camera in the frigid, relentless wind. It was well worth it.

Click to enlarge:

On the way home, we stopped at South Lake Tahoe, where we had a picnic lunch on the shore of the exceedingly full lake. We then proceeded to Emerald Bay and let the kids climb on the rocks at Eagle Falls. It was a wonderful way to end the trip, before driving the final few hours back up to Mount Shasta. I am deeply grateful to be able to give my kids the opportunity to make memories in places like this! 

If you are interested in exploring these incredible places, be sure to pick up a copy of my latest book. It is a great primer on all that this part of California has to offer!

An Interesting Mount Shasta Snow Pack Comparison

Posted by bubbasuess on September 26, 2017
Posted in: Hiking, Mount Shasta. Leave a comment

Early fall snow pack on Mount Shasta.

When I posted my little collection of images taken my son’s soccer practice, I was reminded of an image of Mount Shasta I took way back in the early days of HikeMtShasta. My family had joined a few other families at Shastice Park in July for an evening picnic. As the sun set, I pulled out my camera and snapped a few shots of the mountain as it was lit with alpenglow. The previous winter had been the first of two disastrously bad winters, where very, very little snow fell. By July the snow was starting to get sparse. Avalanche Gulch had already passed as a good route to the summit and activity was shifting over to the Clear Creek route, which is much more realistic when snow is not thick on the ground.

I am not sure why the image from back then popped into my head last night but I dug it out and was struck how, even now, at the end of September, there is still more snow on Mount Shasta than there was at the beginning of July in 2013. That is dramatic testimony to how bad the winter was that year and how plentiful the snow was this year. Personally, I am hoping we have a perfectly average winter this year. Plenty of snow, but not so deep that summer on the mountain doesn’t start until August. I am sure I am not the only one who is eager for some winter mediocrity. We’ll find out soon enough!

Click to enlarge:

Beginning of July 2013 on the left. End of September 2017 on the right.

A Soccer Sunset

Posted by bubbasuess on September 25, 2017
Posted in: Hiking, Mount Shasta. Tagged: . 9 Comments

Fall sunset on Mount Shasta.

Fall is here. I know this because the calender says so, from the weather, and by the fact that my son is in the throes of soccer. Autumn has officially begun and the weather is absolutely gorgeous. The nights have been cold and the days are spectacularly ideal. Of course, I have had to build some fires for my wife and our garden is now covered and unhappy, but the scenery and temperature could not be better. That was particularly true today. There were some small lenticulars early in the day and the morphed into larger disks above the mountain. By afternoon they were gone, though some interesting clouds did threaten to become lenticulars. Alas, they did not.

Indicative of the coming of fall, we are now in the thick of soccer season. My son has practice twice a day at the middle school here in Mount Shasta. Honestly, it is hard to imagine a more idyllic, spectacular location for an athletic field. There is a 360 degree view of the mountains around town. The panorama includes the Battle Rock and the high peaks of the Castle Crags Wilderness, Mount Eddy, Black Butte and, of course, Mount Shasta. With so much to observe, it is honestly hard to concentrate on watching the soccer at times. This evening was one of those times. The sunset was beautiful and the kids were having fun, so I pulled out my camera (again) and documented the changing clouds and light.

As the sun set, all was well. It makes me glad to be able to raise kids here! Be sure to head out and enjoy the magnificent weather. Last year the first week of October was excellent and it then rained for a month straight. Best take advantage of the good conditions while it lasts!

 

Lenticular Season Is Coming!

Posted by bubbasuess on September 21, 2017
Posted in: Hiking, Lenticular Clouds, Mount Shasta. 3 Comments

A September lenticular cloud marks the coming of the lenticular season on Mount Shasta.

As summer ends, we can look forward to the gorgeous fall hiking season here in Mount Shasta. While the we may lament the approaching winter and the passing of this year’s gorgeous summer (despite the smoke), there is another thing we can look forward with a great deal of anticipation. Fall marks the beginning of the time of year when lenticular clouds occur with a notably higher degree of frequency on Mount Shasta. This means that, while we may not be able to hike the trails in the Trinity Divide, high up on Mount Shasta, or in the surrounding mountain ranges like the Trinity Alps, we do have the opportunity to enjoy the grand spectacle of these magnificent cloud formations heightening the mountain’s unique grandeur. Indeed, uniqueness and beauty of these strange clouds makes this one of the highlights of the year.

As is often noted, the mountain creates its own weather and it can do so at any time of the year. Naturally this means lenticular clouds can occur throughout the year as well. However, fall and winter have a demonstrably higher frequency of the clouds’ manifestation. To show this, I collated all the images I have from the last 10 years and broke them out into the months when they occurred. Some of the clouds are exactly lenticular clouds, but they are unusual in shape and exhibit at least some of the qualities of the famed formations. Obviously this is not exactly scientific documentation since I have missed some of the clouds. Nonetheless, generally speaking, if there is a lenticular I try to capture it in some fashion. Taking the fact that I have missed some of the clouds, this display still demonstrates what months have greater likelihood of lenticular clouds appearing around Mount Shasta. Hopefully the upcoming lenticular season produces some exceptional specimens!

September

October

November

December

January

February

March

April

 

May

June

July

August

 

Mount Shasta’s Hummingbirds

Posted by bubbasuess on September 16, 2017
Posted in: Cascade Range, Hiking, Meadows, Mount Shasta. Tagged: , . Leave a comment

Lush Hummingbird Meadow offers dramatic views of Red Butte.

The Old Ski Bowl area is one of the most popular destinations on Mount Shasta. When the road from Bunny Flat is open, this incredible area is an easy-to-get-to highlight that features fascinating geology, incredible views of Mount Shasta and magnificent vistas that extend dozens of miles to the west and south. All of these features help make the Old Ski Bowl one of the most popular trailheads on the mountain. Trails traveling higher up into the Old Ski Bowl, South Gate Meadow, Panther Meadow and even Gray Butte all begin at the Old Ski Bowl. While these are all worthy hikes, in their midst is another easily reached spot that is often overlooked as a destination unto itself. This is the beautiful combination of Hummingbird Saddle and Hummingbird Meadow.

Though neither is officially named, the term “hummingbird” has long been applied to the saddle and meadow that lie on the eastern edge of the giant Old Ski Bowl. How the name came to be associated with these landmarks is a bit of a mystery. Although the saddle is devoid of anything that might interest a hummingbird, the meadow offers abundant and sweet work for the hummingbird to cultivate. While the name may be somewhat mysterious, the area itself does see a fair amount of human visitors since it lies along the upper route to South Gate Meadow. However, it often seems to be the case that this lovely little patch of the giant mountain is often sped through in the effort to reach the great fountains of South Gate Meadow. This trend is compounded in dry years when the small meadow’s flowers and spring are not vigorous and it tends to dry out quickly. Yet Mount Shasta’s Hummingbird deserve a little recognition on its own merits. If it did not lie along the path to South Gate, it would deserve to be a distinct destination. Hopefully it can be elevated above its current, overlooked lot and be appreciated for its own great beauty.

Saddle vista of the Sacramento River canyon and the Castle Crags.

Coming from the Old Ski Bowl, the saddle is the first Hummingbird encountered on the way to South Gate Meadow. Braced by Green Butte to the west and Red Butte to the east, it is a striking landscape that marks the entrance to the Mount Shasta Wilderness. Aside from a few fragile plants and some stunted white bark pines, the saddle is a fairly barren landscape. However, what it lacks in vegetation, it compensates for in incredible views. To the west, the Trinity Divide, great rampart of the Klamath Mountains, rises on the far side of the Strawberry Valley. Mount Eddy is particularly prominent. Beyond these mountains the oft-snowy peaks of the Trinity Divide can be discerned. The southerly view takes in the canyon of the Sacramento River as well as the Castle Crags, Grey Rocks and a significant chunk of the “McCloud Range”. Looking east, the crimson cliffs of Red Butte are striking. Above this whole scene is the majestic mass of Mount Shasta. Aside from the summit of nearby Gray Butte, it is possible that this is the most view-packed spot on Mount Shasta accessed by a maintained trail.

Shastarama Point looms above Hummingbird Meadow.

Lying in a small valley between the saddle and the flaming walls of Red Butte, diminutive Hummingbird Meadow is a stunning oasis amidst the barren volcanic landscape that is Mount Shasta around the treeline. The meadow is sustained by a small spring. The clear, cold water gives life to lush grass and dense explosions of wildflowers despite the inhospitable, yet beautiful, landscape. A small stream flows musically through the grass before reaching sandy soil and dissipating into rock-strewn sand that makes up the slopes of Mount Shasta. High overhead, the great block of Shastarama Point is a dramatic landmark. Large rocks immediately south of the meadow offer excellent places to sit and appreciate the lush and fleeting beauty of Hummingbird Meadow. It may not be a marquee destination, but the meadow is a worthy destination for a short, quick hike on Mount Shasta.

The current route of the trail to South Gate Meadow takes hikers right alongside Hummingbird Meadow. Older, narrow paths once passed through the small, delicate patches of grass but this have been condemned and the meadow is slowly reclaiming these routes. Nonetheless, the meadow is at times threatened by careless hikers who trample the fragile landscape. To protect this small area further, the section of trail that passes next to the meadow is slated to be closed and the way to South Gate Meadow will be rerouted away from the meadow. While the course of this new trail is not yet set, it seems that taking the path north makes the most sense. The way south is a large talus field and would not make the easiest trail work while just north of the meadow is a low, barren knoll that would easily accept a new trail. While it is somewhat disappointing to lead people away from the meadow, it makes sense to do this in order to keep careless people from damaging the small path of life. Given that there are no trees, the new route would surely be scenic too, with incredible views in all directions.

Hummingbird Saddle and Meadow are not premier destinations on Mount Shasta. They nonetheless deserve to be loved and appreciated, whether en route to somewhere else or on their own merits and as destination unto themselves.

Click to enlarge:

Right Now Is The Perfect Time To Hike On Mount Shasta

Posted by bubbasuess on September 15, 2017
Posted in: Cascade Range, Hiking, Mount Shasta. Leave a comment

Awesome late-summer thunderclouds above Mount Shasta.

With the passing of Labor Day, the end of the traditional summer hiking season has ended and much of the traffic up on Mount Shasta has dissipated. School is back in session and vacations have passed. Even the weather seems to recognize that the summer is over. With only a week left before the official start of autumn, temperatures are dropping and while daytime conditions are near perfect, night is starting to feel cold. Fall hiking around Mount Shasta is always a pleasure, often marked by pleasant weather and fall color. This year, however, a different opportunity presents itself.

With the deep snowpack and late start to summer conditions at the higher elevations, the onset of autumn is also delayed. That means that the springs on Mount Shasta are gushing, many of the wildflowers are blossoming and the grass is green and lush. Even some of the more ephemeral springs are producing notable amounts of water, sustaining their small patches of life that thrive amidst the barren sea of the volcano’s rock, cinders and sand.

Indeed, conditions are nearly ideal. The summer crowds (such as they are in Mount Shasta) have passed and yet peak summer conditions persist! This is particularly true of the trails the begin along the Everitt Memorial Highway. Easy access and spectacular scenery await! Yes if there is one element that is less than ideal, it is the persistent presence of smoke in the area. Fortunately, the trails on Mount Shasta are high and, for the most part, climb above the smoke layer. Blue sky, cool breezes and clean air are usually found along the trails now.

Particularly attractive right now are the hikes to South Gate Meadow and Horse Camp. As noted already, the wildflowers and spring-fed creeks are in great shape right now. At Horse Camp, the grasses are still green and much of the lupine and rabbit brush still have blossoms on them! Moreover, a fair amount of snow still clings to the upper section of Avalanche Gulch, giving the area more of an alpine feel, as well as emphasizing the great height and immensity of Mount Shasta.

Obviously things are not going to stay this way. As noted, the coming of autumn is presaged by the dropping temperatures. Flowers are going to diminish and the grass will die. But, while the rest of the mountain will be preparing for winter, the springs are still gushing. The creeks are large is raucous and the cascades are gorgeous. For now, the rare opportunity to enjoy the mountain in its glory right now is a real blessing. I hope everyone is able to appreciate it while we can! Get out and explore Mount Shasta while conditions are excellent!

 

 

Some Quick Thoughts On The Old Ski Bowl’s Late Opening

Posted by bubbasuess on September 11, 2017
Posted in: Cascade Range, Hiking, Meadows, Mount Shasta. Tagged: . Leave a comment

Summer splendor at South Gate Meadow.

After heading to South Gate Meadow over the weekend and seeing Mount Shasta in its full summer glory, I was struck by the lateness of the peak this year. Now, as we near the midpoint of September, the meadows, flowers and fountains of the mountain are at the crescendo of their beauty and lushness. Flowers are exploding, the springs are flowing vigorously and the grasses are a verdant green. September is always a lovely month on the mountain, but it seems that this year’s clock has been pushed back considerably.

September’s verdant meadows on the mountain.

This, of course, should not come as a surprise. The winter of 2017 was a thankfully heavy one. I have lived in Mount Shasta since 2007 and over the last 10 years, I would rate last winter as the third highest in terms of snowfall (after 2010 and 2011, both of which dumped almost twice as much as what fell in 2017). Naturally, the heavier snowfall pushes the timetable for everything back and this is definitely true for life on Mount Shasta. There was still several feet of snow at Bunny Flat at the beginning of June and spring was really just setting in at that time, let alone the summer’s eruption of mountain life. It was always going to be an unusual summer timetable and for those of us who were waiting to hike some of our beloved trails on Mount Shasta, we were going to need to be patient for the warm summer weather to work its magic.

It was expected that the normal date for the opening of the road from Bunny Flat to the Old Ski Bowl would not happen on the traditional date of July 1st. In normal years, the beginning of July has given the snow ample time to melt off the road. It also affords Panther Meadow a chance to dry out a bit before people arrive and threaten to veer off trail and trample the fragile landscape. As anticipated, July 1st came and went and soon the projected date for opening the road became July 21st. Google Earth recently updated its maps to reflect conditions on Mount Shasta as of July 8th of 2017. The images reveal a lot of snow up on the mountain:

One week beyond the road’s normal opening date, there is still significant amounts of snow on the pavement. Perhaps more importantly, Upper and Lower Panther Meadows were completely covered in snow. This meant that not only did the snow on the meadow need to melt, the meadows then needed to have a chance to dry out a little.

Waterfalls and flowers at the Old Ski Bowl.

Of course, July 21st came and went and beyond that no date was given for when the gate at Bunny Flat might be opened. Finally, 5 weeks past the traditional date, the road was clear and vehicular access was granted for the Old Ski Bowl. It was not normal conditions at road’s end either. Not only were the pasque flowers seeding out abundantly, but everything was green and lush. Crowning the unusually verdant scene was a lovely waterfall cascading down the rocks below Green Butte. The rushing water’s symphony was audible where normally none is ever heard. It was marvelous.

Though I would not want to wait 5 extra weeks every year to get up to the higher trailheads at the end of the Everitt Memorial Highway, this year was a real treat. The delay in the flowering season was also serendipitous, since it gives us an opportunity to enjoy the wildflowers’ peak display when the skies are clear and blue. August turned out to be an exceptionally smoky month and had the timetable not been pushed back, the flowers would have had to be enjoyed in ugly, oppressive conditions. Thankfully they can be appreciated now, unusually in September, when the sky has cleared of smoke and the peak beauty on the mountain is truly peak. All in all, the winter was a blessing in many ways. Let us be grateful.

Mount Shasta – A Sunrise After Smoke

Posted by bubbasuess on September 7, 2017
Posted in: Cascade Range, Hiking, Lenticular Clouds, Mount Shasta. Tagged: . 4 Comments

Sunrise lenticulars galore!

It was really hot over the weekend but beginning Tuesday, the temperatures have been dropping and the changing weather seems to have flushed the smoke right out. This morning was particularly nice, since there was no haze and Mount Shasta was graced with some fine lenticulars! I noticed them a little too late to really maximize the light, but I was able to get out to somewhere where I could capture them.

Mount Shasta had a nice lens-shaped disk catching the morning light. While the shape of the cloud was not really unusual (though still quite beautiful), it was on this morning notable, since the sun, still low in the sky, was casting a shadow on the lenticular, just above Mount Shasta’s summit. That was a phenomenon I haven’t seen before from this angle and it was really neat to observe. To the northwest of the mountain was a large collection of turbulent clouds. They changed their shape pretty rapidly, but held to the general pattern of a large disk situated above a swirl of changing clouds. This too was a grand sight, though it would probably be better further to the south. Nonetheless, I was grateful to be able to witness it. All in all, a pretty spectacular morning, especially given how quickly it has come on the heels of a month of oppressive smoke.

I don’t want to jinx us (I probably am for saying this) but this morning at least it feels like we have turned a corner. Cooler temps are in the forecast, autumn approaches and, Lord willing, we will be rid of the smoke for the rest of the year. I am still a bit downtrodden about what is going on in the Columbia River Gorge, but hopefully the worst is past in that fire and the healing can begin. Hopefully there will be more mornings like this one in the near future!

Click to enlarge: