Big Bear Lake

Still crossing snow glaciers to get to these places, building my endurance and strengths. But just look at that place. A slice of heaven, isn’t it?

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Frozen Salmon Lake

Already we have reached (almost) the midpoint of our year, and the sixth month, June is several days old.

Here in my neighborhood we received record snow amounts and moisture this winter, which is said to be the effects of an El Niño year. I heard that about 150 lakes in the Sierra are still frozen and I believe it. This was the first picture of Salmon Lake this year, and much snow still surrounds the area. Waterfalls are popping up all over the place from snow run off, also building little streams and ponds of flooding.

I think hiking the PCT (Pacific Crest Trail) will be nearly impossible and extremely dangerous, if attempted this year. Waters will rise at raging levels, making any safe crossing extremely difficult. Also much of the trail through the high Sierra could well be buried under the heavy snow pack, which could hinder navigation and the overall progress.

While some roads in national parks such as Lassen Volcanic Park might not open until later in July due to snow, others such as the slopes of Mammoth Lakes plan to stay open until August. Wow, that’s almost unheard of and the hiking season is off to a late start when it comes to accessing some of my favorite areas.

Horsetails Falls

Ah the snow is finally stopping, although there is still plenty of it in higher elevations. Some roads like Lassen Volcanic Park are said not to open until July, while the ski resort in Mammoth Lakes plans to stay open until August due to the snowpack.

This was finally a beautiful day in the Sierra, hiking amongst boulders and glacial erratics, dodging some snow run off that resulted in a little flooding, and finally finding a rock to nap on with similar view like this only higher up and closer. Ah, bliss.

Sardine Lake

It’s a late start of the season here at lower Sardine Lake and the Sierra Buttes, due to all the snow this year. But better late than never and I would have not been able health wise to go earlier anyways, so it all worked out. Have you noticed that things always have a way to somehow work out, perhaps even get easier when not resisting and going with the flow. At least in my life it has and I try to practice this way of being as often as I can.

Sardine Lake is a beautiful get away, away from the busy crowds found at Lake Tahoe and always a favorite. There is also a upper Sardine Lake you can hike to, and of course I have a favorite spot there as well 😉. What’s not to love….

My Vortex

I had to wait a year and a half to see this place again. I call it my vortex because there is definitely a healing energy field, I feel every time I’m there. It’s calm and peaceful, a tingle in your core being and a knowing that everything is alright.

It was a little challenge to get up there because of the RA, but definitely worth it. Just look at the place. I had to go slow, watching each step to not twist my ankle, and most steps were painful. The good news is that I hiked it better and with more ease, despite, than the very first time I did many years ago. It’s a good sign and a shift for the better has been initiated. It’s time and I’m very grateful for all that us happening lately.

Earth Day

Just yesterday we celebrated Easter and I hope everybody got to spend time with friends and family.

I feel that I have been MIA lately, and there simply isn’t enough time for everything. It’s hard to grasp and it appears that I have less time now vs the time I had while I was working. Perhaps it is because there is so much important work to do now, because I am changing my stars, focused on healing both physical and emotionally, and it’s been a rollercoaster of a ride. But then again I did predict it would be, besides the health issues, those I did not forecast.

Today we celebrate Earth Day, and our Mother Earth is beautiful and abundant. I am going to do something a little different this year and decided to plant some wildflowers and food for bees on my hike today. I also want to plant a tree in the near future, a gift back to Mother Nature for her blessings, and something I should have done already.

Life is changing fast for me right now and I am in the middle of transformation and transitioning. But today I will take a break from the pressures and wish you all much love and abundance. The weather is finally warming up, maybe enough to take your shoes off and feel the heartbeat of the earth while grounding yourself.

Volcanic activity

There is something about this rock shaped by volcanic activity and I always look for it when in the area. The area I live in is so rich in variety, filled with so much beautiful landscapes that are completely different from each other, from one direction to another, no matter where the wind carries you. It’s beautiful if you love Mother Nature and can appreciate her many faces. Or you might simply enjoy the variety and the the impacts that volcanos, glaciers and the desert had on the landscape.

Sierra Nevada Splendor

The granite Sierra Nevada mountains, and the limestone Buttermilk’s make this an area of extreme beauty and a favorite place to explore. But beware, this place gets hot and crowded in the summer month with people bouldering and climbing. However, if you can tolerate the heat, then there is plenty of space to get away and find your own little corner of bliss. We found an awesome place a few weeks ago as all the monarch butterflies passed by with a little seasonal waterhole to cool off in. Surely it will evaporate in the summer heat which will bring another blessing and make way to an awesome camp spot under the full moon.

Yolo….🦋

Forever a part of me

Sometimes we love a place so much that it becomes a part of us. It’s a place we feel at peace, where we can breathe deeply and let all the troubles melt away. Where time stands still and everything is ok.

Lake Tahoe is such a place for me that never gets old, no matter how many times I have seen it. And I’ve been lucky enough to live close to see it many times. It’s a magical place that will forever hold a part of me.

Monarch migration

A few weeks ago I got to hike in one of my favorite areas, “The Buttermilk’s” near Bishop, CA. These days I have to work for my step goal more than ever and too often every step is painful and I have to push through the pains. Sometimes I don’t know if I am making things better or worse, but I have to keep going.

Sitting at the edge of a little seasonal waterhole on top of the ridge, the sights were pretty spectacular already. But then it happened and we got to witness something truly unique and amazing. Right in front of us an endless number of Monarch Butterflies passed, all following the same direction. Dancing in a wide band across the sky before disappearing behind a giant boulder. I have never seen so many butterflies and it was a magical moment.

It was a few days later that I found out that the Monarchs was currently migrating from Mexico and were passing through the area. How very neat and what perfect timing to be in the right place at the right time to witness this. 🦋❤️