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Noticing in Mineral King (and a little Neglect)

Timber Gap Trail

The bottom part of the Timber Gap/Monarch/Sawtooth trail is usually dusty, hot, and always steep, with steps that seem to be made for giraffes. One morning I walked up it a ways, intending to go to the junction.

The trailhead is another site of the Park’s neglect. There is nothing indicating what trail you are on, which could be a problem if you’d never been there before.

And that’s all the photos that turned out because I was shooting directly into the sun. Well, there is another one of some stupid hon-yock hiking with his dog, but it also shows the face of a friend who probably wouldn’t mind, but I am not putting her on the world wide web without her permission.

So, let’s move on to noticing other things.

Noticing

The Timber Gap trail wasn’t dusty because it rained the evening before. There was a bit of a puddle-flood on the road, but Trail Guy reverted to Road Guy and solved it.

I didn’t photograph it after it drained because that would be ugly.

My neighbor’s cone flowers (a native wildflower, not actually planted by her) began blooming at the beginning of August.

A few weeks ago I did a little pruning around the cabin and discovered the weirdest branch.

On the way down the hill that weekend, we saw a fire from a lightning strike.

I sure hope it doesn’t turn into a conflagration, as a similar strike in a nearby location did a few years ago.

That’s too grim of a thought to leave with you. Here, have a look up the road at Sawtooth and the residual clouds from that dastardly storm. No, the storm was good, the lightning was dastardly.

2 Comments

  1. Those Timber Gap trail steps were created by 6ft. 10in men. Must have been.

    Signage all over the valley needs to be replaced! But our little community is on the low priority list because so few people visit (especially when Cold Springs Campground is closed. We like it that way!).

    Unfortunately, the Coffeepot Fire has grown to 100 acres with 0% containment. But they are sending fixed wing aircraft to battle it.

    • Sharon, I think the Coffeepot Fire is now 850-900 acres. Smoke is terrible in MK starting around 10 a.m. each day.

      And I heard that Sequoia is operating at about 60% of the number of employees that they need.


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