Category: Hiking

Another HOT Hike to Frog Lake Overlook

As much as I love this hike, I also hate it!

What I love about this trail

Wildflowers are off the charts – The views are amazing – You get a great workout – It’s a favorite hike of the Truckee locals and they are nice folks to chat with along the way.

What I have to be aware of:

It’s hot – I blogged about my heat issues in the past) The trail (PCT) goes through the two tunnels under I-80. Until the snow at the top is completely gone, the tunnels are full of water. I mean knee deep cold as hell rushing water through both tunnels. This year it didn’t clear out until July because of the late snow dump in the Sierra. However, this means that the temps are now hotter than I prefer to get to the top. A very very early start is advised if heat is an issue like it is for me. This trail has a 1500 foot elevation gain in a little over 3 miles with hardly any switch backs making it a hard hike. It’s even a workout going back down as the footing is a little loose.

I try and this trail at least once a year and get up there as EARLY as my hiking partners are willing to go. This year it was later in the am than I would have preferred (8:00am) and we didn’t get back to the car until 2:00pm which is the hottest part of the day and I was spent! I felt like a sloth and my legs were full of lead. I like to get back to the car by noon.

Advice for Senior Flatlander Hikers

GO EARLY. 80 degrees up at altitude going uphill will feel like it’s 100. In the summer, sunrise is 5:30am or so. By 9:00am the sun is very high in the sky. You get the picture. Get an Ultralight hiking umbrella – carry lots of water with electrolytes – eat salty snacks- take a cooling towel to dip into the cold streams if they are still running – take LOTS of rest stops – Listen to your body. Enjoy the scenery

Now for the show!

I got the Relive app which takes the data from my navigation app Gaia and turns it into a cool 3D map of my movements on the trail. Pretty cool! Take a look!

2021 Hiking Stats

I finally got around to tallying my hiking stats for 2021. (scroll to bottom) With the fires it was a challenge so I went to the coast as much as possible. However, it was hard to escape the smoke even at the ocean on some days! In May, Alex and I took a Colorado/Utah road trip with the camper for a couple of weeks and explored lots of roadside trails, in Colorado, Moab, Arches and Canyonlands. Not much real hiking was done, just some meandering with a poodle riding in a backpack. Check out the vids!

Here are my 2021 stats for a total of 149.76 miles

Hiking – Heat Troubles- Being 60 and other BS of being Less Young!

HEAT INTOLERANCE: I’ve always been a wimp when it came to extreme heat. When I was 10 years old, I passed out on the neighbors driveway smack on my face while playing “tag” with the neighborhood kids in 100+ temps. I woke up to find my front teeth broken in half and passed out again! Fast forward to adult life, I seemed to tolerate the heat better as I became acclimated – I was young! The next time I became dangerously over-heated was when I was performing at a rodeo in the California foothills in August in my early 40s. The temps were well over 100 and I was wearing the usual rodeo garb of long sleeve spandex shirt, jeans, boots, thick leather chaps, cowboy hat, etc. I did this for years and rodeo season is always in the summer. It was HOT but I tolerated it.

Jan and Oreo Folsom Pro Rodeo

On this day, I remember going straight back to my horse trailer to strip off all of that garb in my tiny un-air conditioned dressing/tack room… a literal hotbox that was most likely over 120 degrees. I quickly changed into shorts and a tank top and I came out of that trailer staggering, almost puking and about to pass out. Thankfully, we had a couple of ER nurses on our drill team that started pouring cold on me to cool my core down. They gave me the nickname of”code 2″. ER code for “person passing out”. Later, the nurses bought me a little water spritzer fan to carry around with the words “Code 2” taped to it.

Now that I’m 60 and post Menopausal, my thermostat is all jacked up (as my husband calls it) and I go code 2 quickly. One would think that hiking in 85 degrees would be a nice day. But, 85 degrees at 8500 feet or more equates to 95+ in that thin air, especially if you are climbing a steep grade for a few miles in full sun and on granite slabs. I do hike with a light UV hiking sun umbrella which helps some.

On this particular hike, I was almost at a Code 2 just 1/8 mile from my destination. I became nauseous and I knew I was in trouble. When my body talks, I LISTEN! I immediately stopped in the shade, took off my pack and sat… for a really long time. I chugged my electrolyte enhanced water (that I had been drinking throughout the hike), ate a salt tab and munched on some salty snacks. When I felt I had re-set my body temp, I hiked that last short distance to the top.

The rest of my summer will most likely be kayaking and water sports until it cools down about 20 degrees in the high country.

I highly recommend reading the book “Death in the Grand Canyon” It was written by the Park’s doctor and river guide that worked in the Grand Canyon for many years. I learned a lot about heat exhaustion, hypothermia, and all of the other ailments and disasters at the park, etc. The stories are horrific, but a great learning tool for all who venture into the wild.

Here is the video of my HOT hike this week. No Dialogue, just views, an unbelievable array of wildflowers and some soothing music.

Take a minute and enter your email on the right to get alerts when I upload a new blog post! You won’t regret it, and I’m pretty sure Unicorns will appear at your door. I think… Not sure.. but pretty sure… give it a try!

Trees with Tumors and Jumping Fish! Desolation Wilderness Delight

It’s day onehundredeleventysomeningorother of the pandemic so onward I hike. On June 29, 2020, my niece Jenny (trail name Legs) and I head off from Wrights lake and find out way up the granite to Twin Lakes.

The trail goes on for miles deep into Desolation Wilderness, but since we took our time and really savored every moment in this area, we turned around at Lower Twin Lake which made for a 6.5 mile day.

The route up to the lakes is mostly granite so there isn’t much of a trail. We lost the trail many times, but having GPS on my phone, we were able to find the trail easily again. Going up, it was hard to see the cairns and the lines of rock in places that marked the route. Going back down was a piece of cake as you can see the cairns a lot better.

We were treated with many waterfalls, small lakes and exceptional views. I want to go back and explore further in, maybe with my overnight bag!

Because of the Pandemic, the Forest Service has suspended the need to get a day hike permit, but you still need one if you are an overnight backpacker.

Welcome New Hikers, Now go the F**k Home!

I know… that was kind of harsh.. right? Let’s talk about the current state of our Forests, Mountains, Water Falls, Trails and other nature areas during this time of Pandemic. Simply put, they are being mobbed by bored humans! Is it because venues such as movie theaters, concert venues, etc are closed? Maybe. Is it because we had to spend two months in our homes? Maybe. Will this wave of crazed humans that suddenly want to explore the outdoors fade when this pandemic is over? Hopefully!

Now don’t get me wrong. I’ve been encouraging people to get outside and explore our fabulous wonders of the Earth for a long time! This current situation has put me in a quandary! And, I know some of you longtime outdoor people feel the same! What I’ve been seeing on social media, with the mountains of trash that has been left in the wake of all of these humans, sickens me! The mile long line of cars at trail heads where emergency crews can’t get through. Big Foot is getting pissed and I don’t blame him! I just have to tell myself that these people are temporary tourists and they will soon be back going to the movies, bars, concerts and other stuff that typically keeps urban dwellers busy.

If the pandemic got you out for the first time, and you decide that this hiking lifestyle is for you, then WELCOME! But know this… romping around in the woods comes with responsibility for yourself and others. THE WILDERNESS IS NO JOKE AND SHOWS YOU NO MERCY.

Forest Service personnel are working harder than ever to put out illegal campfires, pick up trash, and RESCUE lost and injured hikers.

Do your part and be smart. Like that rhyme? Here’s another one for ya.. Stay safe and leave no trace!

Let’s go hiking! But, let’s go hiking the responsible way! Don’t Piss off Sasquatch!

Here is the link to what I carry in my Day Hiking pack and other useful information to help in your quest for the outdoors.

In Search of a Monkey and a Swing at Lake Tahoe

It was a photo on one of the Northern California hiking FaceBook groups that brought my attention to this trail. In one photo was a monkey carved out of granite keeping a watchful eye over Lake Tahoe, and in the same post was a girl on a swing hung from the branch of a pine tree with nothing but sky and the lake surrounding her. She was literally in thin air. I had to see these things for myself. So, with my trusty map of the area, I plotted a course and called out to hiking pals Lee, “Bunny Hop” and “Pokey”

The trail starts just outside of Incline village. You can’t miss the parking lot at the end of the Tunnel View Cafe. It’s the same place where the old Ponderosa (Bonanza TV Show) theme park used to be. (It’s been gone since 2004) Take the Tunnel Creek trail for a couple of miles (all uphill) to see the granite monkey and swing. Continue on the uphill climb to the Marlette Flume trail for the most spectacular views of Lake Tahoe. Thankfully the Flume trail is flat. Beware, this very narrow trail is shared with bikes so be prepared to move out of their way! The bikers were courteous and at no time did I feel I was going to get run over or shoved off of the cliff. Those bike riders are braver than me as that trail is Narrow!

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The Big Thaw in the Northern Sierra is Happening!

While the blazing sun is lighting our hair on fire in the Valley, there is still quite a bit of lingering snow in the high country. Here’s a short clip of me and my hiking buddy John on our little romp in the slushy snow heading towards Peter Grubb Hut. It was slow-moving, but we had a ton of fun and out of the heat. Snow will probably be mostly gone in a couple of weeks.

The Loooooong Climb to the Sea

Follow the adventures of Pokey, Tumbleweed and Sparkles as they make their way up and over many steep hills on a three day backpack to Pt. Reyes National Seashore in Northern California.  Spoiler alert… there will be Tequila, Rum and Whiskey!