Mud Ranch’s Real Dirt

Last Saturday we headed back up to the Wilderness Area and visited Tangle Blue Lake.  We had thought it was going to be a mile and a half long walk in but our very out dated book had us driving closer where there is now a new gate further down the road — we ended up walking 3.5 miles one way instead.

That really wasn’t a problem for Simon and I as we had Annie in a backpack most the time but we had brought along our friends with their four girls from 8 down to a year and a half, and they got very tired.

Me standing on a stump over looking the creek behind me.

Hubby and I were noticing all sorts of tracks and “sign” as we walked in the trail, this one really caught our eye though as it was so large!  What on earth could it be… then we found a big sloppy pile… cows.

Being the strange farm girl that I am, I got really excited about the prospect of seeing a herd of cattle grazing in an alpine meadow.  I started hoofing it and was leading the pack by quite a ways.  I heard the cattle lowing in the distance and the “sign” kept getting fresher – I knew I was gaining on them.

We had many creek crossings and water crossings to go through (very normal for our alps) so I was thankful for wearing my Chaco sandals.  They served me well, and I enjoy walking through the fresh streams anyway.

There were a few blooms along the way, not a whole lot, but enough to really catch your eye.  These little blossoms were about the size of a dime — not very big.

The Cedar trees in one area were quite large.  I am always impressed with the really big Cedars as they are fairly rare down in the valley where I live.  They’re so beautiful and majestic, I always enjoy them and the large Sugar Pines as well.

We popped out in this little meadow and I could hear the cowboy’s calls to teh cattle then, and knew they were right up in the trees, just out of sight.  Unfortunately, they were headed the wrong direction so I wouldn’t be seeing them up at the lake we were destined for.  Oh well, maybe another time.  I would be thrilled to find them again, up at a high lake in the middle of a wilderness. 

We arrived at our destination, three hours later, to Tangle Blue Lake.  It was pristine, surrounded on the south and west sides by the large granite mountain. 

Hubby told me of his story when he was on the county Search and Rescue team of rescuing a young man who had gotten “high” then rock climbed up the granite face you see there toward the top, he had fallen then broken his back.  Hubby slept slumped in his sleeping bag over a small tree coming out of a rock out cropping and waited for the helicopter at first light to come and air lift the man out.  Craziness…

We both set out to fish with our poles and after about 6 casts I brought in this trout.  He was beautiful, gorgeous colors, and a nice size!  I was more than pleased that he’d decided to bite my lure.  We turned him back but I told Hubby that if we were backpacking, he’d be wrapped in foil with some garlic and put on the fire!

My poor old boy, Oliver, came with us.  He’ll be 13 on Sunday the 6th, and used to do these trips with us all the time.  He used to see us get his doggy pack out and would bark in excitement.  This time he didn’t carry a pack but was exhausted by the time we got to the lake.  He slept hard in the shade but I know he enjoyed every moment of our hike.  He lives for these outtings and I’m glad we could take him on another, before he leaves this world.

Before long, it was time to head back down the mountain.  We weren’t able to stay too long because of how long it had taken us to get up there.  Annie insisted on walking down for about a mile until we made her get in the pack — she was pretty tired and in desperate need of a nap (which she hadn’t taken all day…)  She is quite a little trooper and is definitely a “do it yourselfer.”

She would refuse Hubby’s hand when he’d hold it out during slippery spots, then every now and then he’d grab her hand because he knew it was going to be too hard for her and after he did, she started leaping off rocks.  She was so funny, refuse a hand, then when she has one she turns in to super woman!

Not long after we made her go in the pack did she konk out.  She was very tired, and I was very thankful she had her Bubby along so she could rest her head on him.  Look at that face… dirty girl, good thing I brought a change of clothes.

After about 20 minutes of snoring, Hubby re-positioned her foot and her head popped up.  The eyes were open but I can’t say she was registering anything.  It wasn’t long until she was fully charged again and ready to go… this girl has a lot of energy, just like her Daddy.

We found another one, a tree growing inside a tree – only this time the stump is very old and very large with a good sized baby Cedar growing right out of the middle.

Lots of thistle blooming down lower in the altitude — you know, my horses eat those purple blossoms.  It always amazes me when I see them curl back their lips and bite one off, never touching those spines.  I thought this one seeding out was pretty, though I’m not a big fan of thistles.  We call them “bad guys” around here.

And a panorama I pieced together from a bunch of continuous photos… we had a great time!  We hope to go back again soon.