Tahoe National Forest
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Mount Judah Loop Tahoe National Forest |
June 23, 2022
Even though we did three hikes in Yosemite just a few days ago, Cindy, Eileen and I
are back for more, on what will be my 50th hike of the
year. A week or so ago, the Donner Summit area remained fairly snowbound; yet we
have ventured up here anyway, prepared to fall back on Plan-B should the
need arise.
This road down the eastern side of the pass has been closed to construction for more than a year; it is lucky that we live on the west side of it. Also, it is scheduled to rain up here later today; so we have arrived early.
Starting out on the historic US-40
On the Pacific Crest Trail
The first half-mile or so is fairly rough, being comprised of a lot of gruss and numerous big granite steps that are necessary for maintenance purposes.
Beyond the talus slope, it is mellow going
Lake Mary is privately owned
Nuttall's Larkspur
California Waterleaf (new to me)
Sierra Stickseed (the white and purple shades also are new)
I rarely include multiple images of a flower variety in a journal, but today seems somehow different. With the benefit of some cloud cover, my camera seems to be outdoing itself in terms of picture quality.
Two doggies and two humans
We happen to be in the middle of the area's biggest ski complex, so encountering some equipment is to be expected.
Sugar Bowl chair lift
An unmarked trail junction begins our lollipop loop.
Always a pleasure to find
A budding Snowplant
There is lots of moss around
We must be on the north side
Bankera Fungus
Orange Peel Fungus
Van Norden Meadow used to be a lake
And Lake Van Norden used to be controlled by PG&E; now it is part of the growing Truckee Donner Land Trust, making it available for public use. A restoration project is underway.
Mule's Ears line the open areas
Pleasant going in the trees
Leaving the PCT
Continuing straight would get us eventually down to Squaw Valley, but that is not in the plan.
Who was here?
Tinker Knob (left) is more than a mile behind Anderson Peak (right)
I'll take my friends over there in a few weeks, for I know a shortcut.
The top of Mount Lincoln
So far, this has been fine hiking weather
Still some climbing to do
Pink Star Onion (new)
California Valerian (new)
Castle Peak to the north
Granite Chief Wilderness to the south
Corgi, but not cordial
Arrived! The identifying signpost is missing, but this is the summit of Mount Judah. It also is our first eastward view of the day.
Interstate 80, Donner Lake, the Transcontinental Railroad, and distant Mount Rose
It so happens that my last-ever ski outing was here at the Sugar Bowl — at
age 21. Go figure.
Lunch at 8241 feet
The amazingly colored Showy Penstemon are right on the semi-arid summit.
Go figure
The route continues northward toward another point that isn't quite as high as this one, and which features a lot of communications paraphernalia. Fortunately, before we get that far, an optional downward detour presents itself; so we take it. This puts us on the shadier side of the hill, where several white obstacles must be negotiated.
Snow bunnies
Presently we encounter a previously unsigned spur route over to little Donner Peak. It's a short, fun option that I had really wanted to to; but the weather is slowly turning on us and, as usual, I am somewhat unprepared. I don't fear a rain, but my camera surely does; and I have packed no protection for it. We mutually agree to save that little climb for another time; it can be accessed without doing the entire loop.
Torrey's Blue-eyed Mary (they're tiny)
Silver Bush Lupine
The storm cloud is coming this way
Bitter Cherry
Mountain Ash
Spreading Phlox
Western Service Berry
Mountain Pride
One-seeded Pussypaws
Fanleaf Cinquefoil
Lake Mary reappears
Pink Sierra Currant
Sulfur-flower Buckwheat
My camera battery chooses this moment to die, just as I am recording some interesting new flowers-to-be; and I cannot change it, because it is stuck! Older batteries can become 'fat' with age, and this one has indeed expanded. I'll have to pry it out at home and discard it, but I do have plenty of spares.
Oddly enough, after a few minutes I turn on the camera again, and it works long enough for me to get a few more nice shots near the end of the trail, including this gem:
Western Wallflower
A few droplets have fallen from the sky, so it is "scurry-time".
Red Mountain Heather (not previously observed in this region)
Because I have been stopping so much for photographs, my companions have gotten well ahead of me. As the trail ends, they turn the wrong way on the road. When I get to trail's end myself, I whistle to get their attention, but do not wait for them to rejoin me; for the rain has begun. I scamper the last couple hundred yards back to the car, making it just in time to keep my camera dry.
Trying to beat the downpour
§: Well, today proved an amazing outing for this flower photographer, who
not only logged a record eight new varieties, but also scored a couple dozen more
entries to the permanent website collection.
Next time, we'll include both Donner Peak and the nearby Snow Shed Graffiti Gallery.
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