After a glorious desert wildflower season, I was treated to more flowers in Russia, and then on our return the Sierra was alive with flowers and their pollinators, the mosquitoes. I don't have any photos of the mosquitoes, so will share some of the lovely flowers. Unlike the desert, the Sierra spring is long lasting. As I write this spring, summer, and fall are all merging into one in the mountains.
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| Rubber Boa. What an odd snake. |
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| It really does have a head. |
Sand plant -- a weird parasite from the desert
Nancy, Ron, Barb and Susan look for shorebirds at Mono Lake. Our most interesting sighting is the blazing star flower.
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Rock Spiraea |
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| Last Chance Peak and Mount Nunn (both climbed this summer) behind the pinyon covered foreground hill. |
Long Lake with Bob
Piute Pass with Bob
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We hiked to the top of Piute pass for the exercise, the flowers, and the views. On the way back we ran into a large group. At the tail end of this group were two women who we exchanged pleasantries with and found out more about their group. It was an organized trip by the Alpine Club. Horses had packed their stuff in the day before and now they were headed to the pass. The one lady commented about how it had been easier the last time she was there 30 years prior. Her next comment blew us away. It was something to the effect that, "I realized the other day that in one year and four months I will be 90 years old." Yes, at 88 she and her friend were out hiking in the backcountry for five days. I have a new goal.
Tyee Lake car shuttle with Ann, Walt, and Bob
ebird list
Grass Lake with Bob and Bill
ebird list
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