A Wintery Day to Celebrate The Last Day of Summer

The equinox was celebrated on the way to Lower Lamarck Lakes Saturday with snow pellets dotting the trail. But it was the wind that was most incredible...

 

We touched the shore around 3pm but quickly retreated as the winds began to increase exponentially. The wind hissed through the pine needles, then began to roar...but then it really started to increase. We began to hear sounds we never heard before...a hollow low-pitched whistle. Not a moan, but an incongruent combination of low pitched vibrations, hissing, and rumbling; we began to crouch as there seemed no end to its escalation. Then it leveled out, and heard it slowly fade behind us as we hastily made our way down to a lower elevation.
 


The sound gave us an idea of the terror one might have felt if they were present during the 150-200mph winds that blew down thousands of 4’ diameter trees a few years ago in the area. We saw those downed trees a few months earlier and tried to imaging what it must have sounded like...now we have an idea.

The fall colors we enjoyed on the way down were a little more vibrant since we had our senses heighten by the experience. Fall is definitely here and looks like a great year for splashes of gold and yellow soon to be painted through the green conifers in the high country.

We were surprised to see heather still blooming in late September.  They usually end their display near the end of July.  Paula guessed its was because of a consistently warm summer and most likely the result of numerous summer rains.






2011 Historic Windstorm...

 

Glass Creek Meadow




Glass Creek Meadows September 7th 2013


Looking for a place to hike last weekend, we decided to visit an old friend - Glass Creek Meadow. The trailhead is near the western edge of Obsidian Dome in Mono County just off highway 395. This giant feature was formed around 600 years ago by a slow-motion eruption of oozing rhyolite. The whole area is a volcanic feature.

The beginning of the hike takes you up the side of a small crater formed by a phreatic eruption, a steam explosion that resulted from molten rock hitting groundwater and instantly flashing to steam. There really are no switchbacks so there is a whole lotta up in the beginning. This is fine since it gets the climb over with quick.

You then enter a valley made entirely of pumice. You definitely can’t sneak up on anybody while you’re walking on this stuff. The contrasts are stunning as we passed golden fall willows that snake through the white pumice. The elevation gain is very small and the 1.4 miles walk is pleasant. After that, you soon behold the 3/4 mile long meadow.

In the spring it is a flower garden, in the fall you can enjoy the absence of insects. Lots of birds eating dried seeds along the way. Oregon Juncos took to the sky in flocks of 30 as we approached a single bush. Hawk and accipiter patrolled the air, and we saw a large and small coyote at the end of the meadow trotting together with a purpose heading out.

On our way out, we walked along a distinct edge where forest meets meadow. Along the way we came across the essence of small camp with 3 disintegrating shovels laid against a collapsing tin shed.

It wasn’t the usual 5 mile 1,300’ elevation gain hike we try to accomplish each weekend, but it was just as fulfilling to our souls. After 5 days of computer-watching, it is always great to feel expended after a hike that melts way the tensions of life in the 21st century.

Turn at Obsidian Dome Rd, 48 miles north of Bishop.

For more information on Obsidian Dome click here.

Lake Sabrina - A Peek into the Past



Lake Sabrina, up Bishop Creek near Bishop California, is one of three lakes in this drainage dammed for the better part of a 100 years for power and flood control (mostly power).  The lake level has been very low due to drought, but the situation has been exacerbated by the fact Edison partially drained it for needed work on the aging dam; it has never recovered  We took friends there over the Labor Day weekend to kayak knowing it would be low...but not this low.



We ended up having to drive nearly a 1/4 mile to the waters edge.  The diminished lake revealed its old shoreline tree stumps, providing a rare glimpse of the lake before human intervention.  It was actually pretty neat to experience a launch from an historic shoreline. 

Hopefully the lake will reach the dam next year, which will have meant a wet winter...we really need a wet winter.

Another Monsoon Coming and What is Dew Point?

This is at least the 4th major monsoon entering the Owens Vally this year.  This moring (Tuesday 8/27) clouds were forming below the Sierra peaks.  This is usually reserved for after rain has occurred in the valley of the moisture has been around for a while.  Very unusual.  The dew points have but a little elevated the past few days with no real sign of clouds which is unusual as well.

Dew point is the best indicator of moisture in the air.  Dew point is the temperature at which air becomes saturated.  IF the air temp is 70 and the dew point is 70, its probably foggy.  IF the temp is 70 and the dew point is 17, then its pretty darn dry. 

Relative humidity, which is the most common indicator, goes up and down with the air temp.  The higher the air temp, usually the low the relative humidity which explains why its called "relative" humidity, or just humidity.

Dew point doesn't care what the temperature is for the most part and stays rather constant, so its an easy to read indicator of the amount of water that is really in the air.

Todays monsoon is coming form the remnants of tropical storms in the eastern pacific along with the regular monsoon moisture that resides over Mexico (the meaning of monsoon comes from the movement of air from one place to another).  Hope lightning storms accompany this latest surge of moisture.

Third Monsoon Wave - Spectacular lightning (and I've seen alot)

Third monsoon wave of the season began around Saturday July 20th 2013.  Monday night was the first nighttime thunderstorm in a long time.  Lightning over the Whites east of Bishop moved from north to south and was close enough to hear thunder.  Around 9pm one came overhead. This lightning was not powerful as is with most in-cloud lighting, but it had many arms and tentacles; two in particular were magnificent. 

The first fibrous bolt began to our right, progressing to the left, but before it reached the far left, it abruptly turn directly down to earth towards us; and looked like it was going to grab our face with its spindly
witch-like fingers.  Embarrassingly I ducked as it  pulse towards us with no end in site until it stopped abruptly.
The second overhead bolt was a spectacular display of dendritic lighting.  The bolt was first directed straight towards us creating a circle or dot of intense light; it then exploded into a radiating spoke of lightning that filled the sky above us.  It looked like a perfect circle.