Rubicon Trail in the Rain (El Dorado County, California)

 

Once again, rain has been forecast for most of the immediate area around Reno, but once again, I refuse to let it prevent me from my wanderlust adventures. Meeting up with my friends Linda and Cassie, we make our way up Highway 50 towards Lake Tahoe. This will be Linda's first visit to the late since moving to the area a little over a year ago. While we all know that Tahoe is sunny most of the time, today is pretty overcast. Still, I think she will enjoy the view. 

We drive through South Lake Tahoe and head up to the Vikingsholm parking lot to start a trail I have been trying to do for a couple of months. The Rubicon Trail, not to be confused with the famous 4x4 trail, is a 4.5ish mile trail that traverses the perimeter of Emerald Bay and heads up Tahoe's shoreline towards D.L. Bliss State Park. As we descend down the switchbacks to lake level, Linda expresses concerns with coming back up, but we offer encouragement and continue on.

Arriving at the shoreline, we are faced with multiple forks in the trail, as it meanders in and amount Vikingsholm and the Emerald Bay Boat Campground. Navigation isn't terrible and we quickly find our way. All the while admiring Fannette Island and it's tea house in the center of the bay. What a remarkable structure.

Continuing on, Linda comments on the blueness of the water, to which Cassie and I voice our agreement. It is what Tahoe is known for after all. We make our way across the point and start the final two miles of the trail, only to meet rain turning to small hail. Luckily, we had all packed accordingly and retrieve our rain gear from our respective packs. After some discussion, we decide to turn back towards the car in case the storm gets any worse. 

Luckily as we arrive back at Vikingsholm, the clouds part and the sun begins to shine through once again. We rest for a short time and admire the mansion before heading back up the series of switchbacks towards the car. All in all, we only knocked out a little over six and a half miles, but the views make it all worth while. I plan to try this trail again later in the summer when this persistent overcast and rain shower weather finally depart.

Obsidian Dome (Mono County, California)

Spring has come late to the Sierra Nevada. Reno has gotten at least some precipitation every day for the past three weeks and it's really been putting a damper on my weekend plans. No more! Rain or shine, I decided I was going to finally check out Obsidian Dome, south of Mono Lake and one of the Mono-Inyo Craters.

This entire region is a hotbed of volcanic activity and I have visited many other sites nearby over the years, but this one has eluded me due to weather or time constraints in the past. Luckily, today was a pretty good day to finally hit the site. Making may way down the rough gravel road for about three miles and dodging other site-seers along the way, I finally arrive a small parking lot alongside an obvious trail into the crater.

Reaching the top with minimal effort, I'm immediately struck by the amount of volcanic glass (obsidian) strewn about the landscape. Obsidian boulders the size of cars and washing machines are scattered all about the area. No wonder this crater was named so. I'm also struck by the area of the crater. I've visited many volcanic craters in the past, but this one covers a huge area. Walking around the barren landscape on a makeshift trail, I would estimate the top of the crater occupies an area approximately the size of a football field. At one point, I encounter an nearly-solid obsidian cone jutting 30 feet out of the ground - Amazing. 

I wander a bit more realizing that I've lost track of my entrance point to the crater, but no worries, there are several trails I had seen from the entrance road. I find the nearest one and descend into the forest below. Following the road, I arrive back at the parking lot after only about half of a mile. It was a relatively quick visit, but well worth it.

Rock Lake in Spring (Washoe County, Nevada)

Every since reading about the presence of lily pads on Rock Lake in the spring, I've wanted to hike back up there. I made the 8-ish mile out-and-back hike back in February and loved the lake, but it was still full of snow and slush at that time of year and not very hospitable to spring growth. I decided today was the day. I mean after all, I had only run the Biggest Little 5k yesterday and the Moms on the Run 5k this morning. I figured my legs could use a little more exercise (I'm sure I'll be paying for that tomorrow).

Starting up the well-maintained and now reasonably familiar trail from Davis Creek Regional Park, I decided to take it fairly slow. I was already a little sore from my earlier run, but I still made pretty good time up the steep trail. I was afraid that there might be a bit of snow or at least mud on the trail, as we have recently had a little bit of rain/snow fall, but it was bone-dry; another reminder of the drought conditions were are in. At about the two-mile mark, I hit the now very familiar crossing of Ophir Creek. As always, crossing the fingers of this creek is a matter of patience, balance, and path-finding, but as I hopped from rock to rock and balanced across some small fallen logs, I made it to the other side and safety without incident.

As I start up the steepest part of the trail, I start to question my common-sense in doing this today, immediately after running two 5k's, but as I'm planning on doing an overnight-er next weekend, I really need the workout. Arriving at the fork and spotting the sign for Rock Lake, I make the right turn and start down the hill to my destination. It's only about a quarter of a mile until the lake (or at least the stained boulders submerged in the lake) come into view. Unlike many alpine lakes, this one is unusual in that it is littered with giant granite boulders that have, over the eons, been stained to a rich golden yellow color, presumably by something mineral or biological in the water. 

Unlike my last trip to the lake though, I decided to really embrace the rock crawling/climbing this time and maneuvered my way all the way out to the largest visibly open spot on the lake. And to my satisfaction, there they are . . . lily pads. As I admire the plants, I'm greeted by a small group of mallard ducks flying around and landing and then flying again on the lacks surface. I take a few minutes to relax and eat a snack before heading back over the rocky terrain and making my way back to the jeep. All in all, it was only 8.5 miles, but with already-tired legs, it seemed like a bit more.