Ted's Hiking World Square Lake
Inyo National Forest

June 20, 2019

To celebrate my birthday (yesterday), I am visiting at the cabin of my Eastern Sierra connection, Gary.  With us is another hiker-photographer friend David, from SoCal.

In this year of big snow, all the major trailheads remain snowbound; yet things are different here.  Near my home, everything above about 7,000 feet elevation remains inaccessible; yet in these warmer mountains, many areas above 9,000 feet already are snow-free.  Gary knows a short little walk close to home, so here we are.

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Starting out on an obscure route *
David is toting his fancy new drone

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It's flower-shooting time *
Two-color Phacelia

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The trail is faint, and wet

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The little meadow is awash with little yellow guys

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Creeping Buttercup

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Getting closer

David, who has been here previously, is concerned that the lake might already have dried up for the season, but no.

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There it is — Square Lake

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False Truffles

David heads for the far end of the lake so as to photograph it with a pretty mountain in the background.

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The drone is launched

Meanwhile, Gary and I are content to hang out beside the lake, which is not as square as usual due to the high water level.

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Primrose-willow *
Looking south

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Looking east *
Looking west

There's a little pond down there that is worth checking out.

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A so-so reflection of Mount Goode

Just being here feels especially good right now, as it always does on every first visit of the season to the Eastern Sierra.  Doubtless, the fact that I was raised in these environs has something to do with it; nevertheless, the combination of pines, aspens, grasses, babbling brooks, and the smell of the sage is a potent formula.

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Heading back

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This aspen has seen better times

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Arroyo Willow *
Dandelion

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Narrowleaf Onion *
Oneleaf Onion


§: Well, this was a fine start to the day, and it still is mid-morning.  I always am amenable to visiting a new place.  We'll find some more interesting stuff to do this afternoon at the 'lower' elevations — in a drone-friendly location, I presume.

Scenery *
Difficulty *
Flowers *

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