Passing On the Lore: Backpacking With My Daughter Near Blue Lake, Day 1

View southeast from the Blue Lake/Grouse Ridge trail junction

 

 

Date: June 24, 2023

Place: Tahoe National Forest, Nevada City, California

Coordinates: 39.360476, -120.650284

Length: 4 miles

Level: easy+

   This trip was conceived when my elder chika asked me to help her plan a backpacking trip. Her boyfriend suggested they'd go on one and she didn't feel confident enough for them to go on their own. I agreed with that - my chika's backpacking experience is limited to the few we did as a family when she was a child, trips in which the adults, i.e. Pappa Quail and I, did everything and carried most of the weight. I started talking with her about what goes into a successful backpacking trip when eventually she stopped my stream of talk and suggested that I'd take her on a trip and simply show her. After my initial shock (my chika wants me to take her on a mother-daughter backpacking trip!) I grabbed my calendar and sealed the dates with her before she'd have a chance to regret. 

   Once the dates were in the calendar the preparation was easy enough. Having an actual trip in sight moved everything from the realm of theory into practice. The one question that remained was our destination. My chika wanted somewhere local, but I looked at farther horizons. Not too far though, because we didn't want to waste too much time driving. The High Sierra was out of the question for us - there was still too much snow pack there, after the heavy winter we've had. Eventually the solution came from a friend of mine who lives in Nevada City. I saw his posts about a short backpacking trip he did with his family in that area I asked him for recommendations. I was particularly concerned about snow cover and high running creeks, and his recent experience in the area provided that important information. To cut the story short, we started at the same trailhead and hiked a partly overlapping trail to what my friend did with his family. 

      The Sierra Nevada mountains are full of human-made reservoirs, many of them are also used for recreation. Blue Lake is such a reservoir, one in a group of then just north of I-80 west of Truckee. The land there is managed by the Tahoe National Forest, and no permits are required to go into the wilderness there. The dirt road leading to Blue Lake trailhead was in a very poor condition so we parked in a small pullout which I estimated to be about a mile from the actual trailhead (turned out to be nearly two miles). I took the time to change to hiking shoes and to send one last email concerning an issue that occupied my mind, and my chika used that time to look around for birds.

Purple Finch, male

 I was done with my things and waited for my birder. When she took too long to check in I called her loudly. She returned in tears - she spotted a rare bird, one on her 'wanna see really badly' list, but that bird wasn't cooperative and all she got was some blurry, or partially hidden bird photos. I tried consoling her, telling her that she might see more of them, as well as other birds on our trip, but it took her a few long minutes to calm down enough to get ready and head out. Below is the best photo she got of that bird, which although not ideal, I think is pretty nice.

Hermit Warbler, male

It was pretty late in the afternoon when we started our hike. I planned only a short hike for the day, not wanting to push ourselves too much on the beginning. Unfortunately, my GPS was acting up on this entire trip. On the image below, it marked our starting point off the dirt road. On the second day it was completely off mark, and I will not be using the trail recording because of that.

Our 1st day hike as captured by my GPS

It was a gorgeous day. Sunny, but not too hot. I was ready to enjoy myself big time. My chika however, still in a foul mood started on the wrong foot and went into a long rant, moving from the elusive birds to the weight and discomfort of her backpack, the heat, the slope of the trail, and what not.

Blue Lake Road

She was the first to see the mariposa lilies though. And while I was thrilled by the find, she shrugged and went on with her complaints.

Sierra Mariposa, Calochortus minimus

Every backpacker knows that there is some inherent discomfort to this kind of recreation. Good equipment and pre-trip preparation make a big difference, of course. Most important of all though, is the hiker's attitude and the ability to tolerate, and even disregard a certain level of discomfort, and to see and feel beyond it. When my chika complained about the weight of her backpack I suggested that we'd switch packs. She declined, of course. Although as an adult, she carried a great deal more than she had as a child, my pack was still the heavier one. When I pointed it out to her she dismissed it with, "you are used to it". She was right on that one. 

Common Water plantain Buttercup, Ranunculus alismifolius

My chika did walk quicker than me and considering her state of mind, I was fine with trailing behind her, and admiring the views and the vegetation. 

Spring time in the Sierra Nevada is truly a treat for wildflower lovers. There was bloom everywhere, and I hoped I wouldn't need to use the antihistamine pills I brought with me. Thankfully, the grasses weren't blooming there yet.

Bitter Cherry, Prunus emarginata

A small creek crossed our path. We had plenty of water still so there was no need to stop there, but the chika saw a bird in the bushes, and so we did stop. 

That bird was much more cooperative. It was also of a species that my chika saw many times before so that sighting didn't do much to improve her mood. 

Western Wood Pewee

While my chike was busy taking photos of the pewee bird I looked around and saw a bare-top tree that looked as if it was hit by lightning some time ago. There were no thunderstorms in the forecast for the time of our trip so I didn't need to worry about lightning. 

The next bird we saw was more colorful and impressive than the pewee. A male western tanager is really lovely to look at, and he too was kind enough to stay in the open for a good, long photoshoot. 

Western Tanager, male

We came to a split of the road and for a short distance we went down the right and wrong branch until I realized that we were going to Blue Lake's campground and not to the trailhead that was on the other side of the lake. I motioned my chika to turn around and go back to the junction. She made a face when she realized that we would be going uphill now. 

I've had enough of her attitude by then. After failing to get her to see the positive side of things I simply made a deal with her - she would cease to complain and I will give her a back massage in the evening, in the tent. She agreed to that. Indeed, from then on she did not complain at all. The faces and groans however, still happened, albeit at a lower level of annoyance.

Sierra Gooseberry, Ribes roezlii

Part way up the dirt road we heard the sound of an engine behind us. Looking down we saw a jeep pulling to the road split and stopping. We wondered if it would come up that really bumpy road, but it didn't. We resumed our walk, listening to the unlikely possibility of traffic. 

Mountain Pink Currant, Ribes nevadense

We were ascending on a fairly steady slope. The path was designed for vehicles so it wasn't all that steep but the day was getting hot and soon we were both perspiring.

Blue Lake Road

My chika kept her end of the deal and although I could tell she was still unhappy, she didn't say a word. Finding other birds in the nearby trees helped diverting her mind from her discomfort.

Purple Finch, female

So far the birds that we say were all familiar, of species seen many times. My chika wasn't impressed, but took photos anyway, which I was thankful for.

Brown Creeper

While my chika focused on birds, I sought other creatures too. Because there were so many wildflowers around, it was only expected that butterflies would be present as well.

Blue Butterfly

The butterflies were very active and moved constantly. Still, a few of them paused, if only briefly, and posed.

Tortoiseshell Butterfly

A few lizards were out in the open, sunning on rocks by the trail side. They were all skittish and skedaddled when we walked by.

Western Fence Lizard

The wildflowers didn't run away, thankfully. There were many flowers all around and I let myself trail behind my chika and enjoy the colorful side of nature.

Checker Mallow, Sidalcea sp.

We made a slow progress uphill. My chika's backpack bothered her. I helped her adjust it as much as was possible. The last time she had used it she was much younger and at least somewhat smaller. It might be that she needs a new, better fitting backpack.

Pussy Paws, Calyptridium umbellatum

Part way uphill we found the dirt road gated to vehicles. In a small pullout near the gate parked a battered, orange-colored jeep. My chika said that if we'd had a jeep we could have made it up to this spot and I reminded her that if we'd be doing a loop trail, that would matter nothing to our hiking distance. If anything, it'll mean going uphill at the very end of the trip.

Blue Lake Road

We sat down for a short break. I helped my chika adjust her camera straps because the camera kept bumping against her poles. Before we resumed our hike I looked around and found that the manzanita shrubs nearby were blooming.

Manzanita, Arctostaphylos sp.

We continued uphill, and eventually we were high enough to glimpse Blue Lake below us. The official trailhead was on the east side of the lake, we still had a bit to go on the dirt road to get to the trailhead. 

Blue Lake

The trail leveled and our pace increased accordingly. On the other hand the trees receded and we were now completely exposed to the sunshine. The beautiful granite of the Sierra Nevada was exposed too, decorated only by wildflowers that bloomed between the rocks. 

Mountain Pride, Penstemon newberryi

It was great to see again my botanical Sierra Nevada friends like the mountain pride and the spreading phlox. I see them on each of my Sierra trips and the sight never gets old. 

Spreading Phlox, Phlox diffusa

I have a similar joy seeing the sheer rock cliffs, although in this case, at least part of the sheerness was human-made when the road was curved into the mountain side. 

Cliff

We reached the trailhead and found there a clearing with a large fallen log conveniently shaped as a comfortable seat. A short distance from us was a private property, no trespassing  sign, and behind it in a great place overlooking the lake - a two story wood cottage that looked pretty new. It didn't look as if anyone was there though. We sat on the log, relaxed, and had some food. The lake below looked very inviting, but that wasn't where we were going. 

Blue Lake

My chika was still resting but I was getting a bit restless so I got up and walked around to check the surroundings, and I found some more wildflowers.

Feathery False Lily of the Valley, Maianthemum racemosum

A small post sing directed us to where the Blue Lake Trail started. I couldn't see to far down the trail because it quickly vanished in the trees. According to the map there wouldn't be too much elevation change to where we had planned to stay for the night.

When I returned to the log where we were sitting I saw a small beetle that was resting too - on my backpack. I photographed it then gently removed it from there.

Eventually what got my chika up on her feet wasn't my prompting but the sight of a bird that flew by and settled in a nearby tree.

Black-throated Gray Warbler

Then there was another bird. One that, after identifying it at home from the photo, turned out to be a lifer: first time sighting, for my chika. She didn't realized it at the time, but her mood did improve considerable after that break and the birds that she saw.

Nashville Warbler

We resumed our hike. The trail delved into the forest and we welcomed the shade. My chika was in a better mood and higher energy we moved at a faster pace now.

Blue Lake Trail

There were also much fewer wildflowers blooming in the deep shade of the trees, but that didn't stop me from pausing to appreciate other lovely sights along the way.

Fern Garden

The trail undulated, with a bit of uphill-downhill sections interspaces by more level stretches. Occasionally there was a clearing and the late afternoon sunshine washed the forest floor and the bushes that grew between the trees.

Blue Lake Trail

More than once we had to cross muddy, even flooded areas of the trail but in a few places we had to cross actual creeks that flowed strongly right over the trail. We balanced on across rocks that were strategically placed there by previous hikers.

The more open areas displayed more wildflowers of the forest undergrowth. Once again I was lingering behind.

Goosefoot Violet, Viola purpurea

Some of the wildflowers I saw there were very familiar. Others, although not being able to identify on the spot, I knew were unique, and perhaps 'lifers' for me.

Jepson's Monkeyflower, Diplacus jepsonii

Some of the wildflowers were not yet blooming. The milkweed was just beginning to bud out, but the unopened flower buds were lovely as they were. I pointed them out to my chika, mentioning the used that the Native Californians made of milkweed to make cordage.

Purple Milkweed, Asclepias cordifolia

The trail brought us to the edge of the slope and when the trees parted we had a nice view of the mountains on the southeast, on the way to Donner Pass. There was still some snow on the mountain peaks. We were planning to get to the snow line tomorrow, on our side of the valley.

I recalled my friend's description of the place where he and his family spent the night on their trip a week ago and I started looking. It was near the grouse ridge trail junction, he told me, but from my printout maps it was hard to tell how close we were to that junction. I estimated we were getting close but I avoided sharing this thought with my chika, to not disappoint her if we ended up walking a bit more. After all, 'near' can have different meaning to different people.

Wallflower, Erysimum capitatum

Meanwhile we kept moving forward and I kept finding more and more wildflowers on the forest floor. Lupines I always love seeing, wherever I find them.

Tidy Lupine, Lupinus lepidus

Little collinsia, or 'blue-eyed Mary'  matted small patches of forest floor, growing well on a bed of composting conifer needles.

Torrey's Collinsia, Collinsia torreyi

We came upon another creek crossing. This one cut its way deep, forming a rut in the trail into which we had to get down in order to cross. The water dropped in a happy series of cascade and splashed onto and over the trail.

The nearby rocks and soil were saturated with water splashed from the creek. That small area was covered with wildflowers of numerous species, some of which were very similar to flowers I knew from the Bay Area.

Bulbed Woodland Star, Lithophragma glabrum

Some looked new to me, yet similar enough to familiar species. I wasn't able to identify all of them to the species level.

Monkeyflower, Erythranthe sp.

Going balancing my way across the water I noticed a patch of small blue flowers. At first I thought these were more collinsia but on a closer look I saw they were different, so I snapped a few quick shots and moved on. At home I enlarged the photo and identified these flowers as a Phacelia species that is rare and unique to that part of the Sierra Nevada mountains. I regret now not having paid closer attention to these flowers.

Marcescent Phacelia, Phacelia marcescens, rare

My chika was far ahead of me so I finished photographing the wildflowers buy the creek and darted after her, as fast as I could with the heavy pack on me.

Meadow Deathcamas, Toxicoscordion venenosum

I caught up with my chika quickly because she stopped to point out to me a round mushroom that was in the process of emerging from the ground.

A bit further I saw a different kind of mushrooms and showed them to my chika. She asked about tyhe edibility of these mushrooms and I told her that I didn't know, therefore it was better not to try. I also told her about the huge bolete mushrooms that I found on my Golden Trout Wilderness/Mt Whitney trip last year. I'm a bit sorry that I didn't try eating those.

Mushrooms

It was getting late and I hoped that we'd find soon the place for the night. I was willing to settle for a different place than where my friend had recommended, but I didn't see any suitable place yet. I did see more wildflowers though.

Broad-leaf Lupine, Lupinus latifolius

It didn't take much longer though. We crossed another creek, and then I saw the open rock ledges that my friend had talked about. we continued a little bit to verify that the trail junction was indeed where it was supposed to be. Now it was time to find a place to pitch our tent.

Pine Woods Lousewort, Pedicularis semibarbata

My chika was tired so I led her to the rock ledge, took ff my backpack and told her that we'd have our dinner there. She waited there with our packs while I looked around for a suitable camp site.

Three-toothed Horkelia, Horkelia tridentata var. flavescens

I found a suitable site around the curve. It was obvious that others had slept there before. It was a bit too close to the trail than I'd have liked, but I suspected that very few hikers, if any, would pass by that evening or by morning. Besides, there were many mariposa lilies around and that was a great sign of an excellent place.

Sierra Mariposa, Calochortus minimus

I returned to the rock ledge to grab the tent and instructed my chika to gather sticks from the wood stove while I pitched our tent. When that was done I sent her to arrange the tent''s inside while I cooked dinner. The view from the rock ledge was spectacular. We ate quietly, and after cleaning up and getting ready for the sack I went back to the ledge to look at the fading daylight.

Sunset

I entered the tent, expecting my tired chika to be fast asleep, but she was awake still and reminded me of the deal we made earlier on the hike. She got a good back massage that evening, before tucking in for the night.

Link to the blogpost of the second day