Milestone: Our Grandson Starts School

Mainly posting this to mark this day.

He attended Pre-K for a semester last year, but today he officially starts traditional kindergarten.

Mooser

Our daughter and grandson

It's That Time...

...The California Fall Color website! 

"dude, autumn happens here too"

California Fall Color

The Hard Way At Salt Point

One of our favorite hikes on the Sonoma Coast. We started from a pull-out along Coastal Highway 1 near Horseshoe Cove and hiked to the Sentinel Rock Overlook at Fisk Mill Cove. It's an interesting hike that takes one through coastal prairies, over forested knolls, along the rocky bluff, and finally through a overgrown forest area where the trail is hard to follow, there are two creek crossings that require a down-climb, and a lot of downed trees. 

An out-and-back hike of 5 miles, but feels like 8 or 10.

The perfect hike would be a thru hike from Horseshoe Cove to Gristle Cove with a shuttle car at the Gristle Cove parking lot at Salt Point State Park. That would be a hard 6 mile hike because of the overgrown trail between Fisk Mill and Stump Beach Cove, but would allow you to hike almost the entire coastal portion of Salt Point State Park.

 

More Info: https://www.sonomacounty.com/outdoor-activities/salt-point-state-park

The Rat Patrol

56 year ago today.

July 29, 1967

TV Guide cover - The Rat Patrol

 

I was nine years old and loved this series.

 

 

Massacre Lake Potential Campsite

Recently, while traveling through the remote Northwestern corner of Nevada, I decided to take a short drive a few miles off the main gravel road to have a look at the seldom seen Massacre Lake.

 

Over the past several years we have been exploring this remote corner of The Great Basin, which contains several interesting areas, and the wet winter of 2022/2023 had produced enough precipitation to actually fill up Massacre Lake. Massacre Lake is huge, shallow, and sits in a massive high desert filled with sage. It is also part of the Massacre Rim Wilderness Study Area and the Massacre Rim Dark Sky Sanctuary (see links below).

I've been wanting to go out there and spend a couple nights during a new moon to experience the dark sky sanctuary, and figured this was a good chance to suss out the lake and locate a few decent camping sites. 

 

Just as I thought, it's an amazing place and would be perfect to stretch out on the playa dust and pass away the night star gazing.

 

Massacre Rim dark Sky Sanctuary information along Road 8A.

On the two lane track heading out to Massacre Lake. That is the Massacre Rim on the horizon.

A nice dispersed camping site close to the lake.

A good access road goes futher around the lake.

The lake was pretty full in June 2023, but no telling how long it will last.

Looking Southeast back towards Road 8A.

A nice open spot for a campsite. Bring your own shade!

More Info About The Area...

Massacre Rim Dark Sky Sanctuary:  https://www.blm.gov/massacre-rim-dark-sky-sanctuary  

BLM Massacre Ranch:  https://www.blm.gov/visit/massacre-ranch-recreation-area

Sheldon National Wildlife Refuge:  https://travelnevada.com/wildlife/sheldon-national-wildlife-refuge/

Steven's Camp/Upper High Rock Canyon Trail:  https://nevadamagazine.com/issue/may-june-2015/2437/

DISCLAIMER: This area is remote with no services or cell reception. Be informed, be equipped, and be prepared to take care of yourself. Having a high clearance 4x4 vehicle with tools and a full size spare, and traveling with a small group of other vehicles is recommended.

Always be yourself...

 

Bishop Area Rest Day

We had been going for a week straight, so we took an easy rest day while staying in Bishop. We did an easy Piute Pass hike at North Lake and checked conditions at Lake Sabrina and South lake.

 

It got hot fast, but it was an enjoyable morning seeing a few places we hadn't been for many years.

 

 

The Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest - White Mountains

A few bad photos from a short hike at The Schulman Grove Visitor Center.