Tahoe Rim Trail

Our fourth Tahoe-area hike: Tahoe Vista Trail (a.k.a. Tahoe Rim Trail). Over nine miles, because we included a spur trail for an extra view. This was the only time we really saw Lake Tahoe on our trip, because traffic around the lake was bumper to bumper both times we tried to get anywhere close. We were happy to see it from a distance, without the cars, and with fewer people around.

View from the top of the spur trail:

The daily hovering-rock photo shoot:

View from ~8,260 feet:

Five Lakes

Our third hike near Truckee: Five Lakes Creek Trail. Steep, dusty, hot ascent, then cool, shady, and relatively flat, with one beautiful lake after another. 

What makes zigzags on tree trunks?

Lake 1:

We saw hundreds of dragonflies zipping over the lake in formation, as well as lots of damselflies. This one stayed put long enough for me to photograph it:

Lake 1 continued:

What's this bug?

Lake 3 was the most idyllic. Ducks, dragonflies, wildflowers, shady--excellent for snoozing. (Did you notice no Lake 2? It was nothing to write home about.)

Damselfly:

Lake 4:

Lake 5:

Heading back down...

Donner Peak hike

Our second hike near Truckee was an attempt at the Mt. Judah loop trail above Donner Lake. The most impressive views were from the top of Donner Peak just below Mt. Judah. Continuing on, we somehow missed a fork in the trail and ended up on a slightly lower trail, where slippery snow pack on the ridge forced us to turn around. Oh well. Lots of beautiful wildflowers on this hike too, though nothing like the fields of flowers on Castle Peak.

Obligatory floating rock photo:

Top of Donner Peak:

E found a geocaching box.

It was filled with assorted notes from folks who had found it, including a Polaroid snapshot from the day before:

E was fascinated by the chipmunks in California. This one was fascinated by him too.

Donner Lake from Donner Peak:

Why, what's that wee spike atop Donner Peak? O noble chipmunk!

 
Harsh environment, but this tree set down roots:

Bright green lichens on tall tall trees:

A view of Donner Peak and Donner Lake from a ridge below Mt. Judah:

After we got home, we steamed diminutive artichokes from the Truckee Farmers' Market. I accidentally learned that if you microwave 6 tablespoons of butter for 2 minutes instead of 20 seconds, the milk solids become toasty without turning brown, which in turn makes for the best lemon butter ever. Nom nom.

Castle Peak

Today, we hiked up Castle Peak. Steep trail, abundant wildflowers, beautiful views, and friendly hikers en route made for a rewarding morning. We've been largely horizontal this afternoon.

Proof we were there:

Photos didn't do the wildflowers justice:

Most of the way up, we chatted with a doctor who had lent us essential bug spray in the parking lot. She and her husband had had fellowships at Duke Hospital, and noticed E's NCSU T-shirt. Husband did a 16-mile trail run while wife and energetic dog hiked.

A view from the top:

Heading back down. I am very very very very very slow going downhill on steep trails, particularly when I can see opportunities to fall off the trail. I'm pretty sure this is related to my acrophobia, since I had no trouble going downhill on an equally steep trail a week ago in the Blue Ridge mountains, with overgrown wild blueberry bushes providing mental support by pressing in on all sides. No blueberries on Castle Peak, just dry scree and steeper drop-offs. In any case, my slowness meant I could take photos of E and S zipping down far ahead of me.

(Here's a photo of those Blue Ridge blueberries, to make my point. Can you see the trail? No? Neither could I. Overgrown blueberries are to the acrophobe what a thundershirt is to an anxious dog.)

Back to Castle Peak...

Looking back up at where we had been:

Finally, an artsy collaborative photo courtesy of E and S, who had to find something to do while they waited for me to catch up to them.