After record-setting rains in early 2023, the Margaret Fleming Trail in Torrey Pines Extension was awash in a wildflower super bloom from April into June. Here are photos and commentary from some of my regular trail runs down to the beach and back. Caption dates indicate when each photo was taken.
My house is next to the Extension of Torrey Pines State Reserve, and this sign is at the top of the Margaret Fleming Trail that leads down to the beach. (May 1)
The top of the trail is a sea of sunflowers with an actual sea beyond. (May 1)
This prickly pear has flowers of three different colors: yellow, red, and orange! (May 15)
Further down the trail, chamise is in bloom by the famous pines for which the reserve is named. (May 4)
The trail drops into a little valley where lavender-colored black sage competes with the bush sunflowers. (May 1)
Deerweed blooms with its unusual two-toned yellow and red flowers. (May 13)
Yerba santa is in bloom too. (May 13)
Here is a closeup of the lavender flowers of black sage. (May 15)
A dense cluster of golden yarrow bursts into bloom. (May 15)
Purple nightshade blooms in the underbrush. (May 13)
Wild cucumbers are on the right as the ocean beckons beyond. (May 1)
Popcorn flowers, morning glories, and bush sunflowers border the stairs near the bottom of the trail. (May 1)
Down on the beach, I see this by-the-wind sailor, one of many stranded on the beach this spring. This remarkable animal consists of a colony of blue polyps topped by a translucent sail to go wherever the wind might take it! (May 4)
Several sailors are stranded together. (May 4)
After running along the beach, I return to the bottom entrance to the extension where I continue my run home. (May 1)
The two most common lizards in the reserve are the western fence lizard … (May 4)
and the side-blotched lizard. When I tried to get closer to this one, it disappeared into the hole by its head! (May 1)
White sage is a late bloomer. (June 1)
Dodder covers buckwheat. (June 1)
Yellow bush sunflowers and lavender-colored black sage are joined by red-orange monkeyflowers by the side of the trail. (May 1)
The encroaching wildflowers brush against my legs as I climb up the trail. (May 4)
The trail opens up a little as it passes the only pine tree that grows right next to it. (May 1)
Brilliant purple phacelia blooms in a shady spot along the trail. (May 4)
Chaparral honeysuckle blooms further up the trail. (June 1)
California cudweed blooms later too. (June 1)
Back on the ridge, I encounter the densest cluster of pink canchalagua flowers that I have ever seen! (May 27)
Blooming chamise, golden yarrow, and monkeyflowers are intermixed nearby. (May 13)
A cluster of monkeyflowers puts an exclamation point on the top of the trail! (May 4)
On May 2, 2023, I did a 7-mile out-and-back run on the Pacific Crest Trail north of SR 74. The weather was great, wildflowers were in bloom, and I saw several thru-hikers on their way to Canada!
Photos and commentary follow.
This is the trailhead on the north side of SR 74.
Baby blue eyes provide some brilliant color.
A sea of popcorn flowers covers the sandy soil.
White ceanothus, which stopped blooming in Del Mar two months ago, is still in bloom at this higher elevation.
Snow-topped San Jacinto Peak beckons in the distance, but I am not going that far today 🙂
Instead, I follow the switchbacked trail to this much closer rocky outcrop, where I will turn around.
At the outcrop, the trail threads its way past yuccas and a large manzanita in bloom.
This closeup shows the bell-shaped flowers on the manzanita.
This yucca has an impressive bloom.
After I get to these goldfields, I decide to turn around.
On the way back I see these Indian paintbrush blossoms that I missed before.
I also see these unusual flowers, which are of beautiful rockcress according to an iNaturalist expert.
A patient beetle threads its way through rocks and popcorn flowers.
These wallflowers provide a final flourish just before I get back to my car 🙂
Gordon, Kurt Knutson, and I had a great time riding our mountain bikes in a 24-mile loop along and near Santa Ysabel Creek on March 19, 2023. Starting at the Boden Canyon Trailhead on SR 78, we rode above the creek through Boden Canyon, along the floor of Pamo Valley, up the Black Mountain and Santa Ysabel Truck Trails, higher still on Black Canyon Road, and then back to the start on paved roads.
Photos and commentary follow.
Kurt and Gordon are at the start of the ride at the Boden Canyon Trailhead on SR 78. We briefly follow the Guejito Truck Trail on the other side of the gate.
Kurt pushes his bike up this steep single track after we leave the truck trail when it drops down to the creek.
The trail soon widens and levels out. Blue ceanothus (California wild lilac) is in bloom.
This view looks back to the trail above and the creek below.
I bike past more blue ceanothus.
Gordon bikes past blue ceanothus in the distance and yellow poppies on the right.
The canyon opens up at Pamo Valley, and we briefly follow a paved road until it crosses Santa Ysabel Creek. This is the view downstream from the bridge where the pavement ends. The creek has much more water than usual because of the wet winter.
On the other side of the bridge we ride on a trail through the ranch in Pamo Valley above Temescal Creek.
This map shows that we are more than halfway up the coast-to-crest trail along the watershed of the San Dieguito River.
We continue on the trail after it crosses the dirt road. Pamo Valley is owned by the City of San Diego and leased for cattle grazing.
Kurt stares down a steer that obviously has the right of way. Kurt eventually goes on the grass around the steer.
We leave Pamo Valley and begin a long climb up Black Mountain Truck Trail and then Santa Ysabel Truck Trail, where I am here.
We pose for a team photo with Santa Ysabel Creek far below. Remarkably, one of the few persons we encounter on the truck trail happens by and takes this photo of us 🙂
We continue on the truck trail above the creek. Black Canyon Road, which is our way out, is in the distance.
This big rock is in the middle of the road, so no trucks have gone by recently.
I stop to decide how to cross the creek.
I ford it on my bike and come out with clean shoes 🙂
When the trail reaches Black Canyon Road, we follow it uphill toward Ramona to the south. Here Gordon celebrates the top of the climb! We then have an easy downhill on dirt until we get to paved roads that take us back to the start 🙂
Betsy and I went on an epic week-long climbing trip in the Sierra at the end of May and beginning of June in 2022. We climbed three tall peaks, each via a steep chute topped by a summit plateau and summit pyramid. Here is what we did each day.
Day 0 (Monday, May 30): Drive from Del Mar to Lone Pine. Climb giant boulders in the Alabama Hills, and camp at “secluded” Campsite 39 in the Whitney Portal Campground. Day 1 (Tuesday, May 31): Backpack up the Meysan Lakes Trail from the trailhead at 7,900 ft to Meysan Lake at 11,446 ft. This takes us 9 hours, including finding a good campsite. Online blogs say that the distance is 6 miles, but Betsy’s GPS says it is 7 miles. I packed up this trail in 1978 with Mary, my brother Jay, and climbing buddy Don McEachern. Day 2 (Wednesday, June 1): Climb Mt Irvine at 13,770 ft in 12-1/2 hours. Betsy’s GPS says that the day’s distance is 10 miles. Day 3 (Thursday, June 2): Climb Lone Pine Peak at 12,944 ft in 12-3/4 hours. Betsy’s GPS says that the day’s distance is 9 miles. Day 4 (Friday, June 3): Relax, read, and hike on a rest day. Day 5 (Saturday, June 4): Climb Mt Mallory at 13,850 ft in 12-1/2 hours. Betsy’s iPhone battery is dead, so we don’t have a GPS distance, but it is probably 10 miles. I climbed Mts Mallory and LeConte in a single day with Mary, Jay, and Don in 1978. Day 6 (Sunday, June 5): Backpack out in 4 hours. I drive home, while Betsy joins her friend Emily for another climbing trip 🙂
Photos and commentary follow.
Day 0: Monday, May 30. After driving from Del Mar to Lone Pine, we are treated to this view of the Sierra Crest from the Eastern Sierra Visitor Center. Lone Pine Peak, which we will soon climb, dominates the central skyline, while Mt Whitney is in back to the right and Mt Langley is at the far left. The lack of snow at this time of year is unprecedented in my memory.
Day 1: Tuesday, May 31. We start backpacking from our car on Whitney Portal Road.
After a quarter-mile pack through the Whitney Portal Campground, we come to the trailhead for the Meysan Lakes Trail at 7,900 ft. We do not see another person the rest of the day.
I pack up the trail with Owens Valley in the distance. We see lots of lizards along the way.
This pile of rocks is called a duck. It helps travelers find the route where it may not be obvious, such as when it is under snow. We will see many of these during our trip.
A side trail leads to Grass Lake, which is beyond the trees behind me. That is where I camped with Mary, Jay, and Don in 1978, when the ground was covered by several feet of snow. We continue up the main trail to the right.
This is Camp Lake. It is partially silted in and only has water in the distance. Marmots watch us warily. We decide to continue on to the higher Meysan Lake to reduce the distances for our upcoming climbs. Mt LeConte is just left of center, while Mt Mallory, which we will eventually climb, is on the right above the trees.
Finally we reach Meysan Lake. We find a good campsite and pitch our tent in the twilight. Betsy cooks Pasta Primavera on her little stove, and we both eat and sleep well.
Day 2: Wednesday, June 1. Today’s climbing objective is Mt Irvine, whose impressive east buttress towers over our campsite. The summit is out of sight behind the buttress but can be reached by following the northeast ridge on the skyline.
We opt to climb Mt Irvine via the easier east chute south of the lake. That snow-filled chute diagonals up to the right above our tent. To get there we clambor over rock benches and giant talus blocks on the east side of the lake to the left.
After getting to the south side of the lake, I am drawfed by my surroundings. I head for the chute, which is a third of the way from the left.
Betsy rejoins me and starts up the lower snowfield, which is dimpled with suncups. Our tent is an inconspicuous triangle on the far side of the lake.
The suncups get bigger as we climb and make the climbing secure. Here Betsy stands in the largest suncup that we find.
I continue up the chute on snow.
After reaching the top of the chute, Betsy begins the hike across the summit plateau. The summit is atop the small pyramid in the center of the skyline.
Betsy reaches the summit after scrambling up the final rocks of the pyramid.
Betsy stands on the summit of Mt Irvine, at 13,770 ft! Mt Whitney is behind her to the northwest. Consultation Lake below her is still frozen. I spent a cold, sleepless night there on my first climb of Mt Whitney in 1965!
We celebrate the summit with our traditional Dr Pepper toast 🙂
Betsy signs the register. Kim from Bishop gets to the top just before us. We exchange waves with her, but she leaves before we arrive.
Mt LeConte on the left seems to merge with Mt Langley, which is behind it. Mt Mallory, which we will climb later, is in the center to the south across the plateau that separates it from Mt Irvine. We retrace our route down the pyramid, across the plateau, and down the chute.
Along the way we see granite boulders with rectangular feldspar crystals, such as these. When we finally get back to camp after 12-and-a-half hours of climbing, I am totally exhausted and get in my sleeping bag without eating dinner.
Day 3: Thursday, June 2. Today’s climbing objective is Lone Pine Peak. It is lower than Mt Irvine, so we start later at 8:35 am expecting that the climb will take less time.
Soon after we leave camp we see the tedious talus traverse that awaits us to reach the steep chute leading to the summit plateau of Lone Pine Peak. This may not be a short day after all.
Traversing the talus requires care to avoid injuring a leg. Here we are almost to the chute, which is filled with loose scree. That means a slippery slog.
Finally I near the top of the chute!
This duck in the lower center marks the top of the chute. There are many more ducks from here to the summit plateau.
Betsy finds a giant block of quartz, but it is too big to take home 🙂
Here is the summit plateau and summit pyramid. The actual summit is not visible.
We follow footprints along the west ridge of the summit pyramid and come to the top of the rock rib shown here. Betsy climbs over it and continues along the ridge.
Eventually we reach the summit of Lone Pine Peak at 12,944 ft! Betsy holds the giant register box. Mt Whitney is in the background.
The register box is really big because Lone Pine Peak is frequently climbed. Nonetheless, we have the summit to ourselves. Betsy soon finds the most recent log book and signs it.
This is the stunning view to the west. Three lakes are visible. Moving diagonally down to the right they are Meysan, Camp, and Grass. Mt Irvine is in the center, and yesterday’s climbing route to the left is clearly visible.
Betsy approaches the top of the chute as we return to camp. A duck is to her right, but the correct chute is just above her head. It is really important to find this chute.
As we retrace the tedious traverse, we find these sticky polemonium flowers nestled among the rocks.
We finish the last half hour with headlamps in the dark! Here I climb the last few rocks to the bench with our tent. After 12 hours and 45 minutes of climbing, I am again too exhausted to eat dinner.
Day 4: Friday, June 3. I decide that I need a rest day to recover after two grueling days of climbing. Betsy cooks scrambled eggs, the first of three hot meals today!
I start reading E.O. Wilson’s wonderful book The Social Conquest of Earth, while Betsy takes a nap.
I decide to wash up by the creek at the outlet of the lake. The duck in the lower center marks a rock staircase down to the creek from the bench with our tent.
Betsy and I go for an afternoon hike and find this giant vein of quartz! I look for gold but do not see any.
Betsy continues hiking without me and gets to the bottom of this waterfall.
Day 5: Saturday, June 4. Today’s climbing objective is Mt Mallory. The route goes up the narrow Y-shaped snow chute above the right-side of Betsy’s head, as seen here. We start at 6 am to ensure plenty of daylight.
After going around the lake again, Betsy starts up the chute on snow. Above her it turns to the right behind the rock outcrop.
There the chute is blocked by this small frozen waterfall. Betsy uses the adz of her ax to cut steps for her feet and scrambles up. I follow her but am uneasy with the marginal handholds on the rock to the right. I do not look forward to coming back down this way.
The snow is so hard this early in the morning that the long spike on my ax will not gain a purchase. Thus, I use the short pick on the head of the ax for extra support along with the points of my crampons as I work my way up the chute.
Betsy reaches the top of the snow. We take off our crampons and continue up on rock.
A duck marks the top of the chute. The summit plateau and summit pyramid are ahead.
Betsy plans a route through the rocks of the summit pyramid. The summit is off to the left.
Betsy sits on the summit of Mt Mallory, at 13,850 ft! The snowy peaks in the distance to the west form the Great Western Divide.
Mary, Jay, and Don sit on the same summit rock 44 years ago on May 28, 1978! The recent disappearance of the typically heavy snowpack shows the dramatic effect of drought fostered by climate change.
Betsy signs the register.
Here is her nice note. The last climb before ours was three weeks earlier.
To the east are Lone Pine Peak above and three lakes below.
To the south are Mts LeConte and Langley. We retrace our route back down the summit pyramid and plateau to the chute. Soon after we start descending, we shout and wave to a party of three that is approaching the summit via a different route.
When we get back to the frozen waterfall, we decide to go around it on these rocks. Because they are covered with loose scree, we rope up and belay each other. Here I belay Betsy from below. The rope goes from me to her around the rock next to her. I let out slack as she descends. She unties afterward, and we retrieve the rope.
We find a garden of buttercups when we get to the plain south of the lake. I feel good back at camp and enjoy a hot dinner of Pasta Primavera with Betsy 🙂
Day 6: Sunday, June 5. It is time to collect our gear and pack out. Here are all our clothes that got wet in the soft snow yesterday afternoon.
My pants took a beating sliding on rocks and have three horizontal tears across the seat. Fortunately my butt does not have matching stripes 🙂
I put on my pajama bottoms to start the pack out.
We find some shooting stars that burst into bloom since we were here five days ago.
The final stretch of trail has a steep drop-off.
We are back to our car in four hours after our epic adventure!
Here is my blog of the awesome, six-day bike tour with Lizard Head that I did in and near Death Valley in March 2022. Among the adventurous group of 14 guests and 2 guides were my son Gordon, brother Jay, and nephew Brian Cornwell, as well as friends Barb Schreiber and Mike Smolin with whom Mary and I biked in 2007!
I biked EFI (every fricking inch) of the offered rides, and the following itinerary reflects that.
Day 1 (Sunday, March 13): Red Rock Canyon -> Blue Diamond + Old Spanish Trail -> Shoshone (49 mi & 2,600 ft of climbing) Day 2 (Monday, March 14): Shoshone -> Furnace Creek (77 mi & 3,900 ft) Day 3 (Tuesday, March 15): Furnace Creek <-> Dante’s View + Furnace Creek <-> Beatty Junction (63 mi & 4,200 ft) Day 4 (Wednesday, March 16): Mile 12 -> Ubehebe Crater -> Stovepipe Wells (74 mi & 4,300 ft) Day 5 (Thursday, March 17): Stovepipe Wells <-> Emigrant Pass (46 mi & 5,400 ft) + 4-mi hike in Mosaic Canyon Day 6 (Friday, March 18): Stovepipe Wells -> Rhyolite (41 mi & 5,300 ft)
This was a very well-photographed tour by me and others, so my blog is longer than usual. Also, check out Annette’s poem at the end.
Enjoy!
Day 1: Sunday, March 13. After a short shuttle from Las Vegas, Gordon, Wayne, Jay, and Brian are ready to start riding at the entrance to Red Rock Canyon.
A long line of bikers heads for the beautiful canyon with the horizontal red stripe.
The Fab 4 take a break at a scenic overlook near the mouth of the canyon.
We bike to Blue Diamond, have lunch, and then shuttle into California to ride along the Old Spanish Trail. Here our guide Wylie prepares to unload bikes for the afternoon ride while Rebecca and Annette take pictures.
After biking over the first of the tour’s two Emigrant Passes (a small unmarked bump of elevation 2,848 ft according to my GPS), we cruise downhill to the Amargosa River. This sign seems a stretch, since there is no water to be seen.
But after a few miles we see some water. Could this be the wild and scenic river?
Our day’s ride ends in Shoshone, which has one motel, one restaurant, one store, and one gas station.
We share some stories in the courtyard of the Shoshone Inn. Clockwise from guide Peter in bright blue are Wylie, Brian (who is wiped out), myself (who can’t seem to stop talking), and patient listeners Gordon, Mike, and Barb. (Thanks to Jay for the pic.)
On our way to dinner, Barb remembers that she needs to make a call. I don’t think it went through 🙂
Day 2: Monday, March 14. The Fab 4 are all smiles after breakfast is served outdoors by our guides. The phone booth behind me looks less functional than the one Barb tried the evening before.
Gordon, myself, and Jay start the tour’s longest ride in Shoshone and soon reach the entrance to Death Valley National Park. Without his bike, Gordon will have a tough time keeping up. (Thanks to Annette for the pic.)
Jay powers up the deserted road to Salsbury Pass.
After Gordon recovers his bike, we all make it to the top of Salsbury Pass (aka Salsberry Pass on the map), the high point of the day.
After a seat-rattling descent on a very rough road, we reach the floor of Death Valley. Jay seems well attired for the ride ahead. Telescope Peak has little snow on top because of the drought.
Eventually we rejoin Brian, who shuttled ahead, and get to Badwater.
There is actually some water here but not to drink.
After lunch we hike up a short, narrow canyon, from which there is a striking view of Badwater. (Thanks to Gordon for the cool pic!)
Gordon and I (as well as Chuck, Mike, and Lou) ride the full 77 miles from Shoshone to Furnace Creek to finish the day at The Ranch at Death Valley, our home for two nights. This is a very large resort with lots of greenery, including a golf course. There must be a lot of water underground.
Day 3: Tuesday, March 15. Two rides are offered today, and Gordon and I opt for the more challenging climb to Dante’s View. We are joined by Lee, who, along with her husband Richard, is only on the tour for two days. Wylie shuttles us up the first 11 miles and 2,300 ft of the climb so we can get back to Furnace Creek in time for lunch.
That still leaves 13 miles and 3,400 ft of climbing to the top, with a 15% kicker at the end.
We look for tortoises but don’t see any.
Gordon manages a smile despite the grinding climb.
The spectacular view at the top proves worth the effort!
Here is the view without us. Relevant elevations are 5,463 ft at Dante’s View, -282 ft at Badwater, and 11,049 ft at the top of Telescope Peak.
After lunch at Furnace Creek, I do a solo 24-mile ride to Beatty Junction and back. Along the way I see a few wildflowers but no superbloom.
Later I check out the 20-mule team wagons and other machinery at the outdoor Borax Museum on the grounds of the resort.
Day 4: Wednesday, March 16. After breakfast we shuttle a couple of miles to the site of the Harmony Borax Works, which is described on this plaque.
The entire team of 14 guests and 2 guides, except for Richard and photographer Chuck, gathers for a group photo. We then hike to the ruins and wagons behind us.
Here are wagons for hauling processed borax and drinking water.
Wylie retrieves Annette’s bike so she can ride a shortcut from here to Stovepipe Wells. The rest of us shuttle to Mile 12 on Scotty’s Castle Rd.
Once we arrive at Mile 12, we are greeted with a ferocious headwind that awaits those who will get on their bikes. Gordon takes this amazing video of Wylie playing a tune on a rubber band in that wind. That persuades almost everyone to shuttle 13 miles further. (See video with sound below.)
Chuck, Mike, and I get on our bikes and take turns breaking wind for 13 brutal, uphill miles until we get to the first rest stop. Chuck decides he has had enough and gets in the van for a bump, but Mike and I soldier on. Thankfully the wind and grade ease up, and we are fine. Here Mike leads me as we approach the turnaround at Ubehebe Crater.
Mike stands on the rim of Ubehebe Crater, which was created by a volcanic steam explosion in the recent geologic past, estimated at hundreds to thousands of years ago.
Eventually we regroup in the shade at the Grapevine Ranger Station while waiting for lunch. (Thanks to Chuck for the pic.)
After lunch we reverse the morning’s route and are treated to a terrific tailwind while going downhill as well 🙂 The wind spawns lots of dust devils, such as the one ahead near the sand dunes.
Most guests end the ride at the last rest stop, but a few of us, including Gordon here, continue on our bikes to Stovepipe Wells.
Along the way we pass the Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes.
Finally, we arrive at Stovepipe Wells, our home for the next two nights. Mike and I bike 74 miles this day. Gordon bikes all but the first 13 miles.
We enthusiastically gather for dinner at the hotel’s restaurant and place our orders only to discover that there is only one cook this evening! Nearly two hours later (after some of our bedtimes 🙂 ) our food finally arrives. (Thanks to Annette for the cheery pic.)
Day 5: Thursday, March 17. Mike and I, and eventually Chuck, begin a long out and back ride from Stovepipe Wells to the second and much higher Emigrant Pass of the tour. It is 9 miles to the turn to the pass and 14 more miles to the top.
Mike and I get to the turn just before the van arrives with most of the guests who have taken a bump to start the day. (Thanks to Jay for the pic.)
I ride the last few miles to the pass with Patti. By the time we get there the temperature has dropped to the mid 50s! (Thanks to Chuck for the nice pic.)
Soon Gordon joins me at the pass, but there is not much to see besides this sign. I started the day at 10 ft above sea level and so have climbed more than 5,300 ft. The return to Stovepipe Wells is the most incredible downhill of the tour!
After lunch we go for a 4-mile hike in Mosaic Canyon. I hiked here as a graduate student in 1966!
Soon the canyon narrows.
Jay climbs up a dry waterfall over water-polished rock.
When the canyon is blocked by a much taller dry waterfall, the way around is obvious.
Brian and Gordon are dwarfed by their surroundings at the top of that dry waterfall.
We end the day with a stargazing outing at the nearby sand dunes and see the International Space Station fly over. (Thanks to Jay for the cool pic!)
Day 6: Friday, March 18. To avoid a shuttle, I start the last day’s bike ride from Stovepipe Wells and leave before anyone else.
I scream around the turn at Beatty Junction to meet the van, which caught and passed me earlier. (Thanks to Jay for the nice pic.)
Chuck, Mike, and Lou catch me at the van’s first rest stop, and we get ready to resume our ride. Some bikes are still up top for guests who are taking a second bump. (Thanks to Jay for the pic.)
I approach the second rest stop and leave Death Valley behind. (Thanks to Gordon for the pic.)
While I grind up the road on my bike, Jay hikes to this vantage point to take a picture of the van at the second rest stop. It is called Hells Gate because of the sere canyon ahead.
Mike, Gordon, and I celebrate our arrival at Daylight Pass, the high point for the day.
After one last downhill, we cross into Nevada and reach Rhyolite, where our biking ends.
The oft-photographed Cook Bank building is a shadow of its former self.
Here is what it looked like in better times.
The train depot still looks good, but the railroad was profitable only during its first year in 1908.
You can read its sad story here.
This is the intrepid team of 12 bikers who started and finished the tour together: Jay, Brian, Wayne, Rebecca, Barb, Mike, Chuck, Annette, Steven, Patti, Lou, and Gordon.
Multi-talented Annette wrote the following poem to commemorate the tour.
A fond memory by Annette Orella
I’m here to tell you all a quick rhyme Of a trip by fourteen once upon a time To Death Valley they rode Bicycling their mode To partake of all possible sweat and grime
Of great import were the guests on the trip Not just anyone can take on this ***blip**** It takes true guts Or perhaps be a little nuts To ride through the desert at a clip
From Oregon came Mike with Barb by his side Three cross country trips a source of Mike’s pride But she’s got a new plan E-biking to catch up to her man So up the hills her legs won’t be fried
From San Diego hailed Rebecca and sweet Lou Up and down the dunes they both flew Not a pool did they miss And with push ups found bliss Through the trip their broad smiles and good karmas grew
From Kansas and San Diego came the clan Bikers all through and through to a man Wayne a true EFI Gordon sturdy and spry Jay and Brian never opting for the van (at least that’s the way I’m choosing to remember it!)
Next from New York came Patti and Steve Whose laughter was truly a reprieve She cranked up each hill Pulling others by pure will And keeping all entertained by your leave
Partway through we were joined by Richard and Lee Sadly only one biker would they be But Lee carried the flame Riding hard all the same While Dear Richard patiently did a look-see
And last but not least Chuck – none too slow Whose love for cycling continues to grow As Annette tries to catch him His sights never dim As he continues to go go go go (go go go go go)
Now this story could not be complete Without the people who enabled this feat Our guides were the best Keeping bellies full, minds at rest Peter and Wylie thanks so much – what a week!
You might ask about our intrepid guide Wylie Of whose praises we sing very highly On each road he would dash With tattoos and a stash Providing care and encouragement kindly
This poem’s not complete without mention of Peter Jersey born, a man of skills hard to beat(er) Soft hearted and kind Helping us out of many a bind Having him guide was really a treat(er)
Now before we all say goodbye And return home with a bit of a sigh We’ll pack up one last time Jump on bikes, turn on a dime And drink in the desert landscape and sky.
Betsy and I spent five glorious days climbing and biking in Joshua Tree National Park and Owens Valley in November 2021. Here is what we did each day.
Day 1 (Thursday, November 4): Climb in Joshua Tree. Day 2 (Friday, November 5): Bike near Lone Pine. Day 3 (Saturday, November 6): Take Smoke’s climbing course in the Buttermilks near Bishop. Day 4 (Sunday, November 7): Betsy takes a second day of the course, while Wayne bikes nearby. Day 5 (Monday, November 8): Climb in the Alabama Hills near Lone Pine.
Here is my blog of our trip with lots of cool photos by Betsy.
Day 1: Thursday, November 4. After driving from Del Mar to Joshua Tree National Park, we hike nearly two miles to the entrance of the Chasm of Doom. The park is incredibly uncrowded.
I enthusiastically enter the Chasm of Doom with my headlamp on.
Before long I come to the Birthing Canal. To proceed, I wiggle on my back through a skinny passage under the rock at the top of the photo and then shimmy up a chimney.
The way opens up briefly to the view in the following photo.
This is the sunset view out from under the rock above my head in the previous photo.
After that I go back into the bowels of the Chasm. Here I make my way under another giant boulder.
Finally I make it through and am coming out!
Day 2: Friday, November 5. After our Joshua Tree climbing adventure we spend the night camped in Betsy’s van on dry Coyote Lake north of the park. Here I am just before sunrise.
Then we drive to Lone Pine in Owens Valley where we go for an afternoon out-and-back bike ride. This is near the start on Lubken Canyon Road. Lone Pine Peak stands out behind me.
Before long we get to Horseshoe Meadows Road, which goes for miles along the valley floor and then up into the Sierra.
Higher up we cross a creek with cottonwood trees in fall color.
After nine miles of uphill biking we reach the first switchback and turn around. Owens Lake, which is mostly dry, is behind me in the valley.
I whizz downhill just before the end of the bike ride. Afterward we drive to Bishop to check into the Craggin’ Classic climbing festival.
Day 3: Saturday, November 6. Betsy and I take Smoke’s rock climbing course in the Buttermilks, an area of giant boulders west of Bishop. This course commemorates Smoke Blanchard, who was Bishop’s first rock climber. Betsy talks to other students and Doug Robinson, at the far right. Doug organized the course and leads us on routes that he learned from Smoke.
At age 76, Doug solos the first climb. The rope is just to belay other climbers once he gets to the top. Note the bush below him.
Here I am on the same climb, having just reached that bush! Unlike Doug, I have a belay.
I make it to the top of my first climb of the day. Bernd, one of our guides, has me on belay.
Next we play follow-the-leader without any belays. Gregory, who is fourth in line, looks over the edge with some trepidation about his next step.
I go up my first chimney of the day with a belay from Ryan, our other guide. I apply counterforce to each side of the chimney to move upward.
Bernd is on top with a nice view from the Buttermilks to the Sierra Crest.
We play follow-the-leader on the last chimney of the day.
When the chimney widens near the top I put my back and hands on one side and feet on the other side. Jacob, a photographer for the American Alpine Club, is deep in the crack behind me taking cool photos.
Betsy does a hard final climb with a belay. I take an easy alternative route to the top 🙂
Day 4: Sunday, November 7. Betsy takes the second day of the climbing course, while I do out-and-back bike rides up Pine Creek Road and Bishop Creek Road. Here is the van at the start of the first ride on Pine Creek Road. Mount Tom is the massive mountain in the distance.
The first stretch of the bike ride up Pine Creek Road climbs gradually across the valley floor to the mouth of the canyon.
This herd of deer by the side of the road is unconcerned by my presence.
The canyon is narrow at its mouth but opens up here to show snow-capped Sierra peaks with fall color below.
I reach the end of the road after nine-and-a-half miles. The tungsten mine shut down 30 years ago.
These golden cottonwood trees frame a nice view on the way down. The White Mountains in the distance are on the east side of Owens Valley.
Day 5: Monday, November 8. After we camp overnight in the Alabama Hills near Lone Pine, Betsy enjoys breakfast next to her van. Lone Pine Peak towers in the background.
This area is known as The Candy Store. The big rock on the left is Tootsie Pop, and the one on the right is Rock Candy. We climb two easy routes on the other side of Rock Candy.
Betsy is near the top of the Almond Joy route on Rock Candy. I climb it too!
We hike the beautiful Arch Loop Trail with Mount Whitney in the background. Many Western movies were filmed here.
Betsy stands on top of the Mobius Arch for which the trail is named. What a great trip we had!
After missing a year because of the pandemic, Betsy and I were happy to again spend five days backpacking and climbing in the Sierra in June 2021. Our primary objective was the summit of Mount Lyell, the highest peak in Yosemite National Park. The morning of the sixth day we kayaked on Mono Lake to the east. Here is my blog of our trip.
Day 1: Sunday, June 13. We started at the parking lot for the Dog Lake Trail east of Tuolumne Meadows in Yosemite and headed the opposite way (south) to the John Muir Trail; despite what the sign says, the JMT is almost a mile away; the elevation here is 8,700 ft.
After nearly a mile we reached the Lyell Fork of the Tuolumne River and crossed it on a sturdy bridge with two spans; the JMT is just beyond and shares the path with the Pacific Crest Trail; we followed the combined trail south along the west side of the river the rest of the day.
Much of the trail is in a pine forest, but occasionally we got to an opening with a nice view; here is our first glimpse of Donohue Peak, our climbing objective three days hence; we passed a steady stream of thru-hikers backpacking from Mexico to Canada on the PCT! we camped in the forest by the river after six miles of easy backpacking with very little climbing.
Day 2: Monday, June 14. The valley became more open as we continued south along the river; we got a good view of Mount Lyell, our climbing objective for the next day; it is the high peak in the center above the glacier, which is the source of the river; Mount Maclure is the slightly lower peak to the right of Lyell.
After crossing the river one more time on a bridge, we had to cross here on slippery rocks or take off our boots and wade; we opted for the latter; our feet were pretty cold when we reached the other side.
When the trail came to the next and last river crossing, we left it and backpacked cross country until we reached a good campsite near water at 11,000 ft; this was our base camp for two nights; our backpack distance was six miles again.
Day 3: Tuesday, June 15. We left camp before 6 am and soon began climbing with crampons, ice axes, and daypacks; the snow was firm with lots of sun cups, so we made good time; our tent is the tiny white spot above Betsy’s head between the pond and patch of snow.
Betsy is on the Lyell Glacier below the face of Mount Lyell; the climbing route goes up the steep snow chute in the center of the picture and then proceeds up the broken rock face to the summit ridge; the summit is at the far left.
Betsy nears the top of the snow chute, which is the steepest that I ever recall climbing; crampons with front points and ice axes were essential; the crux of the climb was just above, where we moved off the snow onto a rock ledge, removed our crampons, stowed them and our axes, and made our way up the rock face.
On the rock face we found several piles of rocks called ducks like the one here by my foot; placed by previous climbers, the ducks reassured us that we were going the right way 🙂 my ghostly pallor is from the sun screen with high SPF that Betsy gave me to protect against the sun on the snow at high altitude; it worked: I did not burn!
Climbing was easy along the summit ridge until the summit itself, where Betsy is dwarfed by the large rocks above.
Nonetheless, we soon reached the summit of Mount Lyell at 13,114 ft where we ate lunch, took pictures, and savored the view.
Here is the summit register and Betsy’s entry in the log documenting our climb; two other climbs the week before were noted elsewhere in the log.
Day 4: Wednesday, June 16. We packed up camp and headed back down the valley to climb Donohue Peak; its twin summits are the two leftmost bumps in the center of the picture, while the rightmost bump is Mount Andrea Lawrence; of the two Donohue summits, the eastern one to the right is higher, as we learned later in the day.
We went down the valley until we reached the river again; there we left our backpacks, put on daypacks, and rejoined the JMT/PCT, which crosses the river on easy rocks; we followed the trail toward Donohue Pass for a short distance and then headed cross country toward Donohue Peak.
We went directly up the ridge to the western summit, not realizing that there are two summits; the talus blocks became larger and more tedious to climb the higher we went; I regretted wearing shorts as I scraped my bare legs against the rough granite.
As we neared the western summit, we discovered the higher, eastern one shown here; it has smaller talus blocks separated by sand and would have been much easier to climb.
Betsy stands on the eastern summit of Donohue Peak at 12,023 ft with a benchmark next to her left foot; Mounts Lyell and Maclure are to the right of her in the distance; we began the day at the bottom of the snow field below them.
The benchmark confirms that we got to the right summit, even though it does not give the elevation; we did not find a register.
This is the spectacular view south to Banner Peak and Mount Ritter; Betsy and I climbed Banner (on the left) in 2012, and Mary and I climbed it with two good friends in 1970!
We descended by the easy north slope and then circled around the base of the peak to rejoin the JMT/PCT; there we saw this marmot, one of several that we encountered during our trip; after crossing the river on rocks, we put on our backpacks, descended a short distance, and waded the river to our last campsite in Yosemite.
Day 5: Thursday, June 17. We retraced our route of the first two days and covered the 10 miles to the trailhead in seven hours; here I wade across Ireland Creek; Betsy crossed on an upstream log, but I did not trust my balance; Betsy drove us in her van from the trailhead to the Tuolumne Meadows Grill where we ate burgers and shared stories with PCT thru-hikers 🙂
Day 6: Friday, June 18. This is Mono Lake from the visitor center; the green strip in the center follows Lee Vining Creek to the lake; Betsy drove us in her van down a dirt road to the boat landing left of the creek.
This plaque at the visitor center has information about the two large islands in the lake.
Betsy begins pumping up her kayak; normally it is folded and stowed beneath the bed in the back of her van.
After installing the seats, Betsy shows that the kayak is ready to go!
We paddled along the shore to a group of limestone tufa towers, which formed underwater when the water level was higher; the lake is green from algae now but will become clear later in the summer when brine shrimp eat the algae; then lots of birds will come and eat the shrimp!
Osprey nest on top of some of the towers; the lake is too salty for fish, so the osprey fly miles away to catch fish in freshwater lakes; the video below shows us cruising past an osprey on its nest; if you turn on the sound, you can hear the osprey call 🙂 ; after paddling for more than an hour, we washed off the kayak, packed it up, and deemed our trip another great adventure!
The last bike tour that Mary and I did together was with Lizard Head in and near Yellowstone National Park in August 2019. We biked EFI (every fricking inch) for the first four days with the following itinerary.
Day 0 (Saturday, August 17): Fly from San Diego to Seattle and on to Bozeman. Day 1 (Sunday, August 18): Shuttle to West Yellowstone and then bike to Canyon Village (40 miles & 2,500 ft of climbing); this was my best birthday ever: riding a bike with my best friend through spectacular scenery in perfect weather with a tailwind! Day 2 (Monday, August 19): Canyon Village <-> Yellowstone Lake with side trips to the north and south rims of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone (47 miles & 2,300 ft). Day 3 (Tuesday, August 20): Canyon Village -> Grant Village (66 miles & 3,700 ft). Day 4 (Wednesday, August 21): Grant Village -> Cody (103 miles & 3,400 ft).
Mary did these challenging rides with a cold that worsened each day. By the time she got to Cody, she was exhausted and decided that she could not bike the even tougher days ahead. Thus she rested on Day 5 and flew home on Day 6 😦
I continued on, however, with the following itinerary.
Day 5 (Thursday, August 22): Out-and-back from Cody along South Fork Road (52 miles & 2,000 ft). Day 6 (Friday, August 23): Cody -> Cooke City (77 miles & 8,000 ft). Day 7 (Saturday, August 24): Cooke City -> Red Lodge (66 miles & 5,300 ft); shuttle back to Bozeman.
Photos and commentary follow.
Day 0: Saturday, August 17. I had a great view of the High Sierra during our flight to Seattle; Thousand Island Lake is at the lower left, Banner Peak and Mount Ritter are at the lower center, and Mammoth Mountain is at the upper right.
Mount Rainier towers above the clouds in this view from our flight to Bozeman.
Day 1: Sunday, August 18. After a morning shuttle, we biked from West Yellowstone to Canyon Village; we followed the Madison River upstream to its source at the junction of the Gibbon and Firehole Rivers; we whizzed along with a tailwind most of the day
At the river junction, we continued up the Gibbon River
Steam vents are prominent throughout the Norris Geyser Basin
Emerald Spring gets its beautiful color from the combination of yellow from sulphur lining the pool and reflected blue light from the sky
Steamboat Geyser is the world’s tallest! major eruptions of 300 ft are infrequent; minor eruptions of 10 to 15 ft are common; although it is just steaming here, I have a video of a minor eruption
Day 2: Monday, August 19. We biked an out-and-back from Canyon Village to Yellowstone Lake
We followed the Yellowstone River for miles; on the way back we stopped at Hayden Valley, shown here, which is prime habitat for bison
This one was on the other side of the road; we saw lone males every day in the park but no herds; they were reportedly further north in Lamar Valley, which is closed to bicycle tours
When we neared Canyon Village, we took side trips to the north and south rims of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone; this famous view is of the Lower Falls
The Upper Falls, though not as tall, is also impressive; we biked across the bridge above the falls
Day 3: Tuesday, August 20. We biked from Canyon Village to Grant Village and went past many more steam vents
Old Faithful was true to its name; thousands of people joined us to watch this spectacle; I also have videos of the eruption
We crossed the Continental Divide from west to east twice; this first crossing of the day at Craig Pass featured Isa Lake, a narrow little lake covered with lily pads
You can read here about this remarkable little lake
Day 4: Wednesday, August 21. We biked from Grant Village to Cody, outside the park; here are our vans and trailers at the first rest stop; the bikes on top of the blue trailer belong to guests who wanted a “bump” so they would not need to do the entire 103-mile ride
Throughout the park, we passed miles and miles of burnt trees from various fires, the most massive of which were in 1988; these trees are above Yellowstone Lake
After a steady climb, we reached Sylvan Pass at Mile 43; from here we had 60 miles of downhill to Cody! along the way, we left the park via its east entrance and encountered sporadic showers
Our long downhill followed the North Fork Shoshone River
We biked through three tunnels at Shoshone Canyon; this is the first and longest one
A weary but relieved Mary stands in front of the cabins at Buffalo Bill Village in Cody, our home for this night and the next; her face and helmet are spattered with mud from drafting me on rain-soaked roads; in the four days since we left West Yellowstone, we biked EFI (every fricking inch) without a shuttle, covering 256 miles and climbing 11,900 feet
Day 5: Thursday, August 22. This was an optional rest day, but I chose to do a relatively easy out-and-back ride on South Fork Road, which follows the valley of the South Fork Shoshone River; the lack of traffic compared to Yellowstone was a pleasant change; I got worried when my thermometer hit 93 °F before the turnaround; fortunately clouds moved in and dropped the temperature by 10 °F
The most distinctive landmark along the way was Castle Rock, shown here left of the sign
Day 6: Friday, August 23. I was one of only six or so guests who biked all 77 miles from Cody to Cooke City; most shuttled the first 17 miles to the start of the Chief Joseph Scenic Byway, which covered all but 13 of the remaining miles to Cooke City
These are the long, sweeping switchbacks that I climbed at the start of the byway
Eventually I got to Dead Indian Pass (8,071 ft), which commemorates the unsuccessful 1877 flight of the Nez Perce to escape the US Army; this is the jaw-dropping view of the switchbacks I descended from the pass; at the bottom, I crossed Dead Indian Creek and had a gradual climb from there almost all the way to Cooke City
After crossing Dead Indian Creek, the byway first goes along a bench above the canyon of Clarks Fork Yellowstone River and later follows the river itself; Pilot Peak is the pointed spire in the distance
This group photo in Cooke City shows our 20 guests (without Mary) and four guides
Day 7: Saturday, August 24 The last day’s ride was entirely on the Beartooth Highway from Cooke City to Red Lodge; the first 13 miles retraced the end of the previous day’s ride except that the temperature was in the 30s most of the way and reached a low of 35 °F! fortunately it got warmer once the sun came up and we started to climb; this view back shows Pilot Peak in the morning light
Once again, there were long, sweeping switchbacks to climb; this view back above timberline is just below the summit
Here I am at Beartooth Pass, the high point of the tour!
After crossing the summit plateau, I was treated to an incredible downhill all the way to Red Lodge; long straights were broken up by these spectacular switchbacks going down; at one point I hit 43 mph in a 45 mph zone!
Four happy bikers celebrate the end of an awesome tour in Red Lodge; Bruce, Ilse, and Jeff are friends from Vancouver who biked with Mary and me in Arizona three years before; in the final three days, I biked 195 miles and climbed 15,300 feet, which gave a total of 451 miles and 27,200 feet for the week
Betsy and I spent five days backpacking and climbing in and above Little Lakes Valley in the Sierra in June 2019. Here is my blog of our trip.
Day 1: Sunday, June 16. Betsy and I arrive at the Mosquito Flat trailhead; this is the end of Rock Creek Road at 10,300 ft and the usual start for backpacking in Little Lakes Valley; however, we had to start lower, about a mile and a half back, because several snow patches on the road had not been plowed
Betsy crosses one of the last bridges on our pack in; after this the trail became less distinct, and we crossed streams on rocks or snow bridges
Our spectacular campsite was on the rock bench immediately to the right of partially frozen Long Lake; our climbing objectives were the rightmost and leftmost of the four peaks in the distance: Mount Dade (13,600 ft+) and Pyramid Peak (12,840 ft+)
Day 2: Monday, June 17. We climbed Mount Dade, the high peak on the right; most of the climb was on snow; the steep, 1,000-ft Hourglass in the middle was the hardest part; we originally planned to camp at the Treasure Lakes, shown here, but realized once we got to Long Lake that they would still be frozen over
View down from the top of the Hourglass to the Treasure Lakes and Long Lake; we still had another 1,000 ft to climb on mixed snow and rock to the summit; the snow above was not so steep but softer, so we often postholed to our knees
After two more hours of exhausting climbing, we reached the summit of Mount Dade! Here I am on top with Mount Abbot to the right of center
View from the summit down the last part of the climb; the top of the Hourglass is at the lower left; Bear Creek Spire is the prominent peak in the upper center; the cloudless sky of the morning was replaced by ominous clouds nearby
Betsy documented our climb in the summit register; as she noted, we had some drama on the last part of the climb, including snow, hail, and thunder! Some rugged guy from Madison did a winter climb this year on skis!
Day 3: Tuesday, June 18. After 13 hours of climbing and descending the day before, we decided to enjoy an easy day; here Betsy reads in our kitchen above Long Lake 🙂
This is our bedroom, next to the kitchen 🙂 My clothes are drying after getting soaked in the snow the day before; in the afternoon, we hiked up the talus slope in the middle to the base of the granite tower
Here I am near the top of the talus slope with Long Lake below
Betsy and I savor the stunning scenery; Bear Creek Spire is on the left, while Mounts Abbot and Mills are on the right; Mount Dade is behind us, out of view
Day 4: Wednesday, June 19. Today’s objective is Pyramid Peak on the left; we went right of frozen Dade Lake and then left up the snow and eventually the rock
Betsy climbs yet another steep snow slope; we used crampons going up and an ice ax going both up and down
Betsy nears the top of the climb; we traversed alternating ribs and chutes until we found a way to the summit
Betsy touches the summit cairn! By the time we got back to Long Lake (in the distance), we had spent 14 hours climbing and descending! The next day, we had an easy pack out 🙂
Wayne Pfeiffer 