Western Sierra

The family and I just got back from a week trip up to the western foothills of the Sierras, staying in Angels Camp. Last Sunday after we arrived we drove on up to near Grass Valley ( up HWY 49 ) to visit Nevada Naturist ( he post here occasionally ) who currently lives and works in that area. In the middle of the week we went on another day trip down to a favorite spot of Ricks, Yosemite :-) Lots of falling water right now with the snow melt. We hiked up the Half Dome trail up to where we could see Nevada Falls. I pointed out to the family another route I once ( we did not hike it ) took years ago when racing my brother up to the top of Half Dome. Its a canyon that heads north of the Emerald Pool just up the river from Vernall Falls, then the route heads east across the south side of Half Dome then up a very steep hill to catch the trail again. My brother beat me, running up the traditional 8.2 mile trail the whole way ( his time about one hour and forty minutes ). My " short cut " ended up being a bit challenging, and my time up was about two hours and ten minutes. The veiw from up there is just awesome.

Went up to Big Tree ( giant sequioias ) east of Arnold one day. Took a tour down into Moaning Caverns near Murphy which features a 165 foot old spiral staircase ( salvaged from a ship ) made out of metal that you descend on into one of the big rooms of this particular cavern. The oaks and other trees were beginning to sprout their spring leaves and the hills were a wonderful green everywhere went. I didn't realize how many people live up in that Mother Load country. So much interesting history to be seen and read about in the local museums. Took a walk through an old cemetary in Angels Camp with the headstones of people who lived and died in the early to late 1800's. How amazed those folks would have been to have seen the changes that have occurred since their time.

We just got home this evening and I'll put some photos up at my Flickr site from the trip and will post here ( as soon as I get the time ) when they are available.