Tag Archives: mountain

The Day Before the Eclipse

  By | |
Leave a comment

20.08.2017
Māris writing:

We woke up in chilly Oregon’s morning near the lake in camping (in the vicinity of Baker City). It was supposed to go to Mitchell. Day was quite sunny, it became warmer, as the time went by.
For some time we were driving roads in deep forests. Then forests ended. We entered a dryer Oregon region. We could enjoy a nice view of mountain range ahead of us (in the west). A stop is made, and group’s photo is created at the old style looking carriage.

After a couple of hours we arrived in Mitchell. The town was full of cars of eclipse observers. Some buildings looked like those seen in western movies. A discussion was taking place what to do. There were doubts about whether we should go to Ochoco National forest (as was initially planned). While in town, some conversations with local people were made as well (about education, guest students etc.). There were expectations to meet arriving fellow Latvian E.Veide in Mitchell, but we did not meet him. The action plan for the eclipse was discussed. In the end it was decided to go directly to Painted Hills site. After visiting it, a place outside the parking site where to spend the night, was found. It was very close to Painted Hills area (within a walking distance). In early evening Ilgonis played harmonica and sang. There was a nice sunset, but clouds raised some concerns.

We were hoping for a good weather the next day.

Idaho – the state of potatoes, fountains and hot springs

  By | |
Leave a comment

18.08.2017
Agnese writing:

Bliss, the place we stayed at, is very close to the total Eclipse path (~130km), so we are not in too big rush anymore. Still, the people in 3 of our 6 cars have decided to do a shortcut and not go along the scenic routes to the little town Stanley over the mountains. The other 3 are ready for the small detour. The road (Sawtooth scenic byway, road nr 75) gets nicer with every mile and we go over a mountain pass more than 2.6km high. A small parking area with a beautiful scenery soon after that where we not only see the mountains of Sawtooth ridge, but also some curious animals, maybe groundhogs.

Soon after we arrive in Stanley – Lonely Planet guidebook says it’s one of the most beautiful towns in the US. I must admit that this place is indeed pretty. Wooden houses on hillsides surrounded by mountains still having some snow. However, there were couple of other towns where we have passed through during this trip that have been pretty as well – just in a different way.

We agree to walk around and leave in about an hour. Stanley had its own tiny town center and its very own Wall street which doesn’t at all resemble its namesake in New York. We pick up a geocache here, others meanwhile are having breakfast in the local cafe. The food is reported to be tasty, but the highlight here is the bathrooms – decorated so nicely as if this was a palace.

After visiting Stanley we continue on another scenic byway – nr 21, named for Ponderosa Pine. The pines are indeed dominating the scenery. So much that we get a bit bored by looking outside. Luckily there’s another stop planned to chase the sleep away – Kirkham hot springs. We put the 5$ for parking in an envelope and drop it in a box – there is a ranger to check the parked cars for the parking note which comes from the envelope, but the payment system is similar to that of the first-come first-served campings. It’s relying much on the responsibility and honesty of people so can be easily abused. But it’s easy to see what we pay for (people keeping these places clean, maintaining toilets etc), so cheating is not on our minds.

The hot springs are indeed hot. One can only stand the heat for less than a minute. However a mountain river passes right by, so on the bank where the spring water meets the river, the water is just in the right temperature. If you move more to the side of the bank, you get warmer water and if you move closer to the river then you can cool down. The river itself is very cold, but after heating up in the hot water it is perfect for a quick swim – a process that can be repeated.

We bathe here a while, have a quick lunch and then continue to Weiser – a town where we will stay tonight. The other 3 cars are already there after visiting another place of hot springs – Idaho is known to have lots of them. We stop in a Walmart for groceries, gas station for petrol and arrive in Weiser before sunset. Someone has an idea of swimming because the Snake river is very close by. Daumants leads us to the bank, but the colour of the water is not inviting in this place, so we decide to skip the swimming tonight. Later on a group of us find some geocaches, some others visit some activities of the town festival. Everyone is delighted about the possibility to sleep longer tomorrow – will only be leaving at 10:30.

When I asked an American friend what is Idaho famous for, I was said – potatoes. We didn’t check every field, but the car licence plates do confirm that locals are proud of this vegetable. However, for me Idaho will be the state of fountains. The agriculture here is so important that almost every field has long rows of water sprinklers working all around. Not fountains by design, but generally having the same effect.

Everything is Big in America

  By | |
Leave a comment

05.08.2017
Kristaps writing:

I woke up around 6am. Cold. I was cold in the night, the sleeping bag failed. If it was too hot previously then now I was missing heat and woke up with a sore throat. When the Sun rays hit the tent at 7am, I decided to wake up and quietly left the tent trying to not wake the others as the plan for the day allowed them to sleep for another hour. Only 9 degrees above zero. It had been raining more in the night and the forest was wet. The sun enlightened the rain drops that were caught by leaves and needles.

As long as I had stood firmly on my feet and looked around, already two girls asked if we are leaving today. Exactly how we did it yesterday. Only they did it already at 7am! This campsite is really demanded! It’s not exactly clear why so, though, as it was possible to stay somewhere lower down at the base of the mountain where it’s much warmer. They were happy by the answer that we are really leaving today already, asked where are we from, why. I told again that we will be chasing the eclipse. I didn’t try to explain where Latvia is – they were already surprised that we have come from Europe. So that the campsite would be safely “booked” they left their equipment in the site which was still for now ours.

To feel a little bit more live I decided to wash my hair and shave. Probably those are not the most typical actions of campers, but the decisions made early in the morning can be not as wise. Then I went to walk around the area while others were still waking up. In many places campfires were lit and breakfast prepared, here and there music was playing already, It looked like many people arrive here for several days – camper car (RV), sleeping bag, drying clothes, … And so many people. What’s the joy and nature here if all those neighbours are so close.

In the morning briefing Agnese says that “today we have only one thing in the plan, even though yesterday there was only one as well”. There’s a round of laughter as everyone remember the adventures in the mountains yesterday where we had to do “just one” round-trip to the Glacier point and back.

We gathered our things, got ready and left for the road. I already gradually started to get used to the winding roads of mountains, did not have the anxiety as in the first times of driving. I started to enjoy them. Really. The roads to the park, from the park and inside the park, those are simply really unreal, they are as in the game “Need for Speed”, only wit that difference tat the stress is real as there is no space for mistakes. Turn to one side, to the other, back to the first, downwards, a bend, more downwards, turn while going up, besides those are all one after another without any straight sections in between, they are not flat, but made as race track bends with an actual slope inwards. There are also no barriers, only trees – if you let the car go straight, then it’s for forever. And the sights behind the trees and past the edge – mountains, far away and other impressive sceneries. It’s fantastic to drive on such roads, and usually I don’t really like to be at the wheel.

The American road signs seem quite weird, they like to write all kinds of texts on them, and there are quite small amount of pictograms. Some signs are similar to the European ones, for example “stop” and “give way” (yield), but the speed constraints are completely different – those either work from one sign to another (zone) or for a particular distance which is depicted on another sign, for example – the 2 following turns. They are writing all kinds of texts on the signs, for example, “Report drunk drivers, call 911″, “Please don’t drink and drive”, “Two left lanes go to X city”, “Fasten safety belts, state law”, “Right lane must turn”, and some more variations. Besides, those are really standard road signs not informative posters.

It was hard to get used to three more american traffic features. They are allowed to tur right on a red if the road is free, They can put “stop” signs in the junction on all the roads which join here – then it’s as suspected – who comes first, stops and continues the first. And also on the highways they pass also on the right. Must be careful for this one. I don’t know if it is really allowed but my suspicion is that is because the highways go through cities, and cities are merged, and it is easier to not differentiate what’s happening in the part of populated place and what outside it.

When we got to the Wawona village, those who had the least gas, filled their tanks by a couple of gallons so we could safely reach the next fueling place. The fuel in mountains is, of course, much more expensive than outside the Yosemite, but it would be much worse to be left somewhere on the road.

Then we went to Nelder Grove to the big trees – sequoias – some of which are still growing there. Already by the parking we notice two stumps of the former giants. They seemed unbelievably big. We did a small, a couple of kilometres long loop along forest path to find sequoias. There were not many of them, but the view was impressive. Those trees are huge, even hugely huge. “Everything is big in America” somebody will say later. It’s, however, not really possible to photograph that hugeness by taking a simple picture, they look like quite ordinary trees, but when a person is put next to them to understand the scale, the person in the photo will be tiny. They must be seen in the real life to realise the grandness. Sequoias are growing for many thousands of years – it is sad that many were cut so quickly and without much reason.

We continue our route to Los Banos and feel that the air and everything else get hotter and hotter. On the way on the straight highway the ones in front suddenly brake and turn off the road to the roadside gravel. I wasn’t at all excited by this maneuver but I must admit that it was worth it – we have stopped at figs plantation, they were very delicious – as normal for a forbidden fruit..

This time we are in the motel very early, late afternoon. And it’s very hot, the temperature is more than 100 degrees Fahrenheit or around +39 degrees Celsium. Hot. We spread out the wet tents in the yard, and those got dry in one moment,

We turn into a petrol station (Circle K, by the way), where we fill our tanks full this time, and again visit Walmart, to prepare for the long drive tomorrow and also a party tonight – a week has passed by since we started the trip.

The Second Day in Yosemite Valley

  By | |
Leave a comment

04.08.2017
Kristīne writing:

We wake up in 6 a.m., because we plan to leave at 7 a.m. We have to start early, because we don’t have reservation for next night. Most of the camping places need reservation, but there are some available upon arrival. So the earlier you get there, the bigger chance to get camping place. 5 minutes long team meeting and discussing of plans, and we are on our way.

At 7:50 a.m. we arrive in Bridalveil Creek campground. It occurs there are no instantly available camping places. All the campground is full. We are suggested by volunteer ranger to walk around and ask to people whether they leave today. It works and we find two camp places that will come available during this day. Ilgonis and his companions succeed to arrange co-camping with some German campers. They are only two persons, but the limit is six persons per camp place (and 2 cars). At about 9 o’clock we have camp places for all. As we are suggested to place some of our belongings there, we build up our tents before leaving. Cost for one camp place for six people is 18 dollars. I must say we cheated a little bit and lived more than 6 people in every place. As one of reserved camp places is set free quickly we all gather there for breakfast.

At about 11 a.m. we are ready to leave for hiking. There are thirteen of us who are going to do the hardest route to Glacier Point and back to valley. Other five are going to take the easiest route – Mist trail.

Route to the Glacier Point is 7.5 km long with elevation of 900 meters. It’s pretty steep and all the way is going up. Most of us move quite quickly and are up in some two hours or little more. It’s not so easy for me, Māris, Ausma and Inese, and we reach the end of the route in 3 hours and 20 minutes.

Finally we all are on the top of this mountain and can enjoy the view, the fact that we did it, cold drink and ice cream. It was worth to hike up, the view from the Glacier Point is beautiful. And I think this is one of the better reasons to climb mountains – to enjoy the view. We can see the valley down and higher mountains beyond it, including the Half Dome.
And yes, there is a shop up there, and pretty much of civilization, because most of people don’t hike up there, but arrive with cars and have to walk just some five hundred meters to the Glacier Point reaching of what was quite hard hiking for us (at least for some of us).

After some thirty minutes we are ready for the next 13.5 km route to get back to the Yosemite Valley. It is called Panorama trail and it takes the hikers along Vernal Falls and Nevada falls. Almost all the way it goes down except part of the route in the other side of the valley which goes up again.

We hike without rush enjoying the view and taking a lot of photos. Thirteen kilometers seem nothing to us. Somewhere at the Nevada falls we realize that it’s still some 5 km to walk down and it’s already pretty late. Twilight sets at about 8 p.m. and it gets dark at about 8:30pm there. It means we really have to fasten our pace to get down, because it’s pretty dangerous to hike in the darkness on the wet stones (it’s also raining from time to time).

So three of us decide to hurry down – me, Ausma and Inese. Others still decide to go till Nevada Falls and then down taking the longer route. We are down from the mountain little before 8 o’clock making it in the twilight still. The last 750 meters along the valley we walk in the darkness, but we have one flash light, so there is no problem with walking. Soon we are at the road where shuttle bus goes. It goes along the valley and is free of charge. We are happy to be down from the mountain, but are little worried about our group mates, who are still somewhere in their way to the valley. While we are waiting for bus, we succeed to contact them on radio (walkie-talkies). They are fine and will be on the shuttle road in a while.

Bus arrives in ten minutes, and after some round along the valley we finally are at the parking place where we left our cars. We get a text message from others that they succeed to catch next shuttle bus.

At about half past nine we arrive in campground. Our tent is wet and not only from outside – in the morning rush we did not fix the outer layer well. We dry it as we can, then some late supper and sleep. It was long day and everyone is quite tired.
Officially both routes together should be 21 km long, but our GPS navigation says we made 26 km.