(note: I tried a beta feature of Blogger that automatically inserts search links. For what it's worth, most of the links herein are AI generated)
Finally! Camping!
I had planned to visit the North Rim of the Grand Canyon in early September, but a fire ravaged the area and forced the closure of the North Rim for the season. I pivoted and made a reservation in Yosemite, but I was thwarted again when another fire in the Northern Sierras caused heavy smoke to settle in the park and made me reconsider.
So, I rescheduled Yosemite for early October. The government shutdown threatened my plans again, but the National Parks stayed open, so I packed up Poppy and we headed out! It was an easy but all-day drive to Yosemite, and I got to Crane Flat Campground just before sunset.
DAY ONE
I got up early, knowing that just about every destination in Yosemite is popular and packed, even on weekdays in the Fall. I made a short drive to the trailhead for the Tuolumne Grove of Sequoias.
Even before I arrived to the sequoias, I was awed by the other conifers in the forest. Massive multi-hundreds-of-years-old Douglas firs, white firs, sugar pines, and ponderosa pines were all around!
I love dead and damaged trees, too.
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| This guy survived a lightning strike! |
I found little critters too.
And then the Sequoias.
How does one take photos of a sequoia? Not easily, and wholly unsatisfyingly. The sight and thoughts of the story of a 3,000 year old organism gives you pause. It was deeply moving.
For what they're worth, here are my photos. Completely inadequate. You'll just have to go visit a grove to get the full experience!
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| "Big Red" |
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| There were two fallen sequoias in the grove. Imagine the earthquake when they came down! |
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| The inside of "Dead Giant" |
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| Graffiti has been around since humans could hold a tool |
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| There's something charming about 19th century graffiti artists using a serif font! |
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| One more look at Big Red. |
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| Pretty dogwood |
I found out today that in July, a Bay Area woman (and a swing dancer!) was killed by a falling branch on this paved trail. So tragic.
After a bit o' lunch in Poppy, I headed next up the road a bit to White Wolf Lodge, where sits a trailhead to Lukens Lake.
Gorgeous! I passed exactly one person on the trail, which is just how I like it. It was a pleasant walk through the forest.
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| Douglas squirrel |
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We each waited for the other to go a different way when we crossed paths. Finally, mama took her two babies in a different direction. I had to cross a little creek.  |
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| Brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) |
I don't recommend this collection method, though. My home charger is still gathering the filings from my watch!!
After my day of hiking, I had a beer at the campground, read, ate some dinner, and went to bed early!
Tomorrow I head to Yosemite Valley!
Go here for Day Two and Two-and-a-half.
