Tag: hot springs creek

mountain bikes, rides, wildlife

Fat Tire Fun, Some Mug Shots and a Special Sighting

WHILE we were hoping that the storm of a couple weeks ago was going to open that storm door, alas that has yet to happen. We’ve gotten a drizzle here and there (a whopping .01 inches of rain yesterday) and some snivelings of snow, but the “big white” has yet to materialize.

THERE is, however, a glimmer of hope. We’ve got a system coming in tomorrow, and last week, on one of my usual rides – the cattle guard just below the 7000′ mark – there was still a bit of snow on Highway 4. The gate at Wolf Creek Road was closed (and Ebbett’s Pass remains closed as well).

A few of us, including a silver-haired stud-muffin who was coming up as I was headed down, took advantage though, and enjoyed that car-free zone.

Fat Tire Fun on the Middle Fork

FARLEY was a happy camper, as was his rider, during our little jaunt up to Grover Hot Springs State Park and requisite trek back towards the village, this time though via the banks of Hot Springs Creek. Formerly known, at least that’s the local lore – I’ve got to look that up – as the middle-fork of the Carson River, it’s a sweet little burbling brook of a stream.

Nice ride, that fire-tire bike… So forgiving on just about anything. Trek isn’t kidding IMO about it being the mountain bikers fat-bike. Very nimble. Light action, too, and as for mud…What mud?

WHAT I think would have been an issue, certainly on the gravel bike and perhaps even on the MTB, (see this “peanut butter post”) was nuffin’ for those puffy tires on Farley.

I can’t wait to get him out on the snow. Perhaps you’d like to join me? Hit me up and let’s make a plan!

Markleeville Mug Shots

WE pulled these just today from the wildlife camera behind the chalet.

THIS hambone we’ve named “Little Blackie” (after the heroine’s horse in True Grit – either version); that image in the left frame helps me cast my mind back to that Louis Gossett, Jr. line in “An Officer and a Gentleman.”

Stop eyeballing me, bear!

A Special Sighting

OUR resilient river (or creek, depending…) never stops surprising us. We get special sightings almost every day. A Great-Blue Heron cruises us regularly, a Belted-Kingfisher, too. And just last week it appeared to be more of a boiling caldron of black goo. Okay, maybe a little hyperbole but not too far off, really.

OTTERS, though? That one I wasn’t expecting. Okay, full disclosure…only one otter, but still, it really was a river otter! Right there. On our river. Of course I didn’t have a camera, or a phone, and it was too far away to get captured on the wildlife cam.

otter drifting on log on river
Photo by David Selbert on Pexels.com

THAT’s not my picture, no. Was definitely one of those, though. No, it was not a beaver, Mom. I can say so without any qualm.

SHE’S such a skeptic.

IT was a wild week indeed, here in the California Alps.

Here’s hoping you had a wild one too (in a good way), and that the coming week brings you many pleasant surprises.

amazing sights, fall colors, weather

It’s Been Awhile Since We’ve Seen Such Spooky Amounts of Water

LAST weekend’s storm dumped about six (6) inches here at HQ in a 36-hour period! Reminiscent of the first winter (that drought buster) we spent here in the California Alps (2016-2017), this storm was a hair-raising reminder of that particular season of rain and snow that seemed to never end. Let’s hope the pattern continues.

Images of Hot Springs Creek (fka the Middle Fork of the Carson). Clockwise from top left: From this year’s recent storm – swollen and blackened (from the ash); after the storm with detritus dropped at the high-water mark; a raging, chocolately version from the winter of 2016-17; from the winter of 2016, before the storm-door opened.

THERE was a definite difference this time, however: this storm came post-Tamarack Fire. That difference was apparent in several ways.

  • Alpine Co. Unified Command cautioned all of us to have three (3) days worth of supplies in case we were “locked-in” and also warned us to be prepared to evacuate.
  • The Sheriff’s office staged a trailer of quad runners at the fire station across the street just in case debris or mudslides blocked access to Hot Springs Road. Forward thinking as usual…Thankfully though those “runners” weren’t busted out.
  • The sandbag station at the fire station was re-supplied and frequently visited. Not by us as it turns out; since it was across the street we decided not to load up bags unless we absolutely needed them.
  • The water was black (instead of the usual chocolate milk to which we have become accustomed) from all the ash being washed downstream.
That old black water making its way downstream…The creek was a bit menacing, and an unearthly color, due to the ash from the Tamarack Fire.

WELL, as you might imagine, we weathered the storm and all has returned to some semblance of normal here in Markleeville (and beyond). Hope the same holds true for you.

The Clean-Up Has Begun!

NORMAL these days frequently includes the sounds of chainsaws, log-haulers, bob-tails and other heavy equipment rolling up and down Hot Springs Road and Highway 89 between Woodfords and Markleeville. It’s a good thing (albeit somewhat sad and depressing at the same time); dead trees being removed, batting and such being laid down…Stuff like that.

MANY organizations and community leaders have met, and are continuing to meet, including tomorrow night and Tuesday. We continue to work hard to bring the area back to what it should be. It will take some time, and some of us may not see it, but the process has begun.

Fishing, Peeping and Riding

THE Carson is back to its clear, swiftly moving self and there have been more fishermen (and women) casting their lines recently. Haven’t heard of, nor seen, any whales being taken out, but hey, any day fishing, right? The weather has been glorious since the storm. We’ve even had a couple high-60 days!

  • Glowing aspens on Hwy. 4
  • In town…Looking upstream from a friends house

FALL colors abound and they seem especially florescent this year. The leaves are dropping but there’s still a few leaf-peeping opportunities here and about. There are patches of red, orange and yellow on Monitor, Ebbetts, Blue Lakes and today I heard that the Walker, Coleville area (Walker River fishing! Oh, boy!) was glowing.

MONITOR is open so you can come here and do some riding in Alpine Co. and Mono Co.

FYI, as of Friday, Highway 4 heading from Markleeville to Ebbetts Pass was closed at Centerville Flat. That’s the campground at Wolf Creek Road. I did ride past the gate several miles to Scossa cow camp – there are NEVER any cows camping there, though -and there is snow on the road. Not sure when (if) they’ll open that gate but fingers crossed we’ll not get too many more chances to try and make the pass this year.

WE need that snow, you know!?

WE’RE off to the annual Halloween parade here in town. Trick or treating is a bit challenging in our little mountainous area so the sheriff’s office closes the road into town, the fire department volunteers fire up the trucks, the kids put on their costumes; and they all parade into town from the library where we greet them with cheers, and gobs of candy.

I’LL have to bring an adult beverage or two to wash down that chocolate.

STAY safe, ride on and let’s kick some spirits’ asses. HAPPY HALLOWEEN!