Front Row Seat to a Sierra Storm

High Sierra -- My destination may be 280 miles from LA, but what the heck--it's only few hour's drive. This was my view as I watched storm clouds gather shortly after dinner near Lower Golden Trout Lake. That night a steady rain fell as I slept like a baby inside my 11-ounce, cuben fiber shelter. Okay, one pound if you count the titanium stakes and polychro ground sheet....

I shot this photo using a Canon Powershot Elph 110.

If all goes to plan...

The High Sierra -- Not much more than a three-hour drive from Los Angeles, looms the Southern Sierra. Hopefully, I will be heading up into the high country of the Sierra Nevada to commune with my furry-tailed friends. The plan is to take a group of Scouts on a four-day backpack. This will be one of two trips planned this Summer. The second trek will be with my wife in Yosemite's high country.

A Piece of Heaven Above The Heat

Yosemite National Park -- Los Angeles is experiencing a heat wave this week. Palm Springs was 115f degrees while suburbs in LA was a cool 107. What better way to beat the heat than to rise above the traffic, the concrete and menagerie of people and just be...?

At the bottom of the trail leading to Cathedral Lake is a sign with the words of John Muir after visiting this area in 1869, "This I may say is the first time I have been at church in California."

Summer!

Those were magic times when I was a kid. No better day than the last day of school and the beginning of summer. Although we still had to pick up our rooms, take out the trash and do odd jobs to help pay for miscellaneous toys, at least we knew we were free to roam the neighborhood in search of adventure.

Water Flows Not So Free

Los Angeles is in the middle of another water shortage. We Angelinos are asked to only water our lawns twice a week, sweep our driveways instead of using the hose and avoid flushing the toilet unnecessarily. Yeah, right!

LA doesn't have too many natural streams like in the old days. There are a few near natural streams like the Arroyo Seco in Pasadena. Most of our water resources come from our mountains both near and far. Anyone read Cadillac Desert? Despite the lack of water, there are some secret spots here in LA that still flow with cool, sparkling water--even in the dog days of summer. Of course it's harnessed and directed by man, but it's still water.

Skywatch Friday in the High Sierra

Rock Creek, CA -- At 10,000 ft: A mere, 4-1/2 hour drive north from Los Angeles, but well worth the effort.

Happy Friday!

Tree Hugging

Bishop, CA -- About 300 miles north of L.A., along McGee Creek, I found two Aspin trees appreciating each other.