Frozen Holes in the Ground: A Winter Hike to Inyo Craters

Mammoth Mountain

 

 

Date: November 25, 2022

Place: Inyo Craters, Mammoth Lakes, California

Coordinates: 37.681829, -118.994695

Length: 4 miles (including the road to the trailhead)

Level: easy 

 

The chikas have a break from school for the entire Thanksgiving week. Pappa Quail had travelled a lot last summer and didn't wish to go on yet another trip, so I booked a week at Mammoth Lakes for just the chikas and myself. I was optimistic because when I booked this trip there was not an inch of snow yet. Bit we got lucky and a nice snow storm rolled in before we traveled. We skied for five days straight and at the chikas request we dedicated the last two days of our stay there to hiking.

Following recommendations from the Eastern Sierra group, we went to see the Into Craters, a few miles north of Mammoth Lakes, off the scenic loop road.

Our hike as captured by my GPS

The trail itself is less than a mile long, but the road leading to the trailhead was blocked for winter. The snow covered road was nicely groomed tough, and we decided to leave the snowshoes behind and walk with our regular winter boots. 

 

It was a brilliant morning. Chilly at start but sunny and bright. Soon we warmed up from the walk and the top jackets came off.  There was only one more car parked at the blocked road entrance and we met only two people with their dogs on the groomed snow road. The peace and solitude was great. 

While I was interested in the hike and everything that came with it, the elder chika was interested primarily in the local birds. She had specifically asked that we'd spend time in this area near the Minaret Road that leads t the ski resort's Main Lodge because she'd seen a large hawk there on one of the days we came up to ski, and she hoped to see that hawk again. While we didn't see the hawk, we did see plenty of other birds on this hike.  

Mountain Chickadee 

Not all birds fly south in winter, and not all mammals go into hibernation. There were chipmunks and squirrels about, as we could tell from their tracks in the snow. We also got to see a few of the small forest rodents as well.    

Chipmunk

 

We were walking through a primarily conifer forest of pines and firs. Every now and then we'd pass a stand of aspens that were all bare, of course.  

 

 

Little mountain chickadees were active all around us. The elder chika had fun photographing them. Even I managed a few photos but hers came out better. 

Mountain Chickadee

They were hanging down pine cones and some of them dropped down topick something from the snow. Looking closer at the brown specks on the snow I saw that many of them were pine nuts. 

Pine Nut

The roar of engines from behind disturbed our peace. We turned to see a group on snowmobiles coming down the groomed road towards us. We waved to one another and few seconds after, they were gone. Later we run into two more groups of snowmobiles but we were already aware that there was that kind of traffic around and we were watchful.

 

 

The latest snow has been more than a week before our hike but the snow off the trail still looked pristine. White coating covered fallen logs, and pretty much everything. The standing trees however, had already shaken off their load of snow.

 

After less than an hour of easy walk on a groomed snow road we reached the actual trailhead for the Inyo Craters. By the trailhead was a large sign describing the formation of the craters. A oath of footprints in the snow marked where people have walked up and it was then that I regretted not having brought the snow shoes because the snow was deeper and the trail not groomed. We walked on it anyway,going slowly trying to fit our feet into the sunken footprints of the people that had walked there before us. Most of the time it worked but occasionally we sunk into the snow about knee high.

Inyo Craters Trail

The elder chika spotted a red-breasted nuthatch, a lovely little forest bird that we often see when hiking in the Sierra Nevada mountains. 

Red-breasted Nuthatch

 

 The little bird was busy poking into dead tree branches and I wondered if it there were any grubs to be grabbed at this time of the year.

Red-breasted Nuthatch

The person who wrote the recommendation of the Inyo Crater Trail described the crater lakes distinct in their colors, one having blue and the other green water. When we reached the craters the little lakes inside were frozen through and snowed over so no water color was visible. Another thing that we saw when we got to the first crater was a wide, groomed road leading to it from approximately the same direction from where we came. My young chika, who was struggling up the foot path gave my a reproachful look. I shrugged and said that we'll be going down on the groomed trail. 

The south Inyo Crater

We sat on a flat, snow-free rock  near the rim fence and looked down and around. There was no trail going down and the fence was there to keep people from getting too close to the edge. I read the information sign that was posted nearby. It sad that the craters were formed about 500 years ago by steam explosions that happened when rising magma heated the ground water table. A fascinating process.

The south Inyo Crater

I wanted to go take a look at the second crater but the chikas didn't want to go any further, so I left them sitting by the rim rail and went up the groomed trail in the direction of Deer Mountain on my own.

Deer Mountain

The second crater is adjacent to the first one, a bit to the north. On the way I passed evidence that this place is well visited during summer.

The second crater had no fence and I had to be careful not to get too close to the edge while walking on the rim. 

The view down the second crated was obstructed by large pine trees that were growing on the inner slopes of the crater. It is interesting that although both craters were formed at about the same time, one is nearly bare from vegetation while the other is forested. Below, between the trees, I saw the frozen lake of the second crater. Here too, there was no path leading down.

The north Inyo Crater

I looked around for a few minutes, then turned to walk back to the first crater, where I left the chikas. From the rim of the north crater I had an excellent view of Mammoth Mountain. That view alone was an excellent reason to have hiked there.

While I explored the north Inyo Crater, the elder chika was busy photographing a Clark's nutcracker, a type of jay that's common in the high elevation and lives there year-round.

The bird, which usually sits high in the trees, cooperated with my chika and dropped down to sit on a rock by the crater.

Clark's Nutcracker

As I came down from the other crater I found my elder chika stalking a ground squirrel until she got a photo of the pretty little rodent.

Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel

The loud noise of snowmobile engine came to our ears again, and soon two snowmobiles appeared, carrying each a woman and a toddler. We waved to one another, then they continued up to the second crater. I called the chikas and we started down the groomed trail. Coming up the trail were a few more people, but they were much quieter - they were going on cross-country skis.

As it turned out, the groomed trail led us directly to the snow road. We made fast progress from there, taking only brief pauses to sip water and take photos.

Squirrel tracks

A single pine cone was on the snow near the trail. It was perfect shape. It was also open and empty of seeds/ I thought about how many creatures depend on the pine nuts for their living, especially through the winter. The birds we saw definitely depended on them for their survival.

Jeffery Pine Cone

As we made our way back we came across many more people who were making their way on foot or on cross country skis up the snow road. I was glad that we got there earlier and had the morning's peace before the crowds arrived.

I'm sure that on a spring or summer hike of this trail we would have seen not only the crater lakes' colors but also more wildlife and wildflowers too. Winter hiking however, has its own charm and its lovely to walk in the snow and enjoy the kind of hum-free quiet (when no loud snowmobiles are zooming by). Winter wonderland is beautiful.

Going High and Dry: Hiking at the Sierra Vista Open Space Preserve

Date: May 19, 2022

Place: Sierra Vista Open Space Preserve, San Jose, California

Coordinates: 37.394067, -121.813692

Length: 7.4

Level: strenuous

After recovering from my foot injury last winter I was looking to get back into a routine of weekly hikes in the Bay Area. I invited my friend to join me on as hike to Sierra Vista Open Space Preserve and she invited one of her friends, so on the planned day the three of us met at the west parking lot of Alum Rock Park and started walking uphill.  

Our hike as captured by my GPS

After merely 300 yards I realized I forgot my camera so I left my friends waiting for me under a tree and went down to retrieve it from the car.  I then made my way uphill again back to where my friends were sitting and chatting. 

Sierra Vista Open Space Preserve is a wild area above and around Alum Rock Park, and the watershed of Penitensia creek. We were hiking there in mid May but since the winter of 2021-2022 had no rains past December all the hills were already dry and yellow. By sight only, I could have thought we were hiking in July. The day was mild however, warm, but not too hot. 

Almost the entire area of the Sierra Vista Open Space Preserve is oak savanna plant community, meaning open grassland with oak trees that either stand alone or in small stands. The lone oaks each have a different shape or, 'personality'. I love looking at them, the look so majestic. 

Live Oak, Quercus agrifolia

On the way up we kept turning on trail switchbacks. Looking west I saw a stand of fan palms that were clearly planted there. A bit higher behind the palms was a large estate that looked like it's been there forever, perhaps from the earlier days of San Jose. 

Farther below to the west we had a grand view of downtown San Jose. San Jose is a huge city (and even been California's capital briefly in the past). Too bad the air was too murky to get a clear view. 

Downtown San Jose

Last spring wasn't a very good bloom year for most of California, the Bay Area included. Even so, I expected to see more flowers than we actually found on this hike. Everything was already very dry. Some flowers, the hardier species, did bloom here and there. 

Western Morning Glory, Calystegia occidentalis 

I also expected to see more wildlife than we actually saw on that hike.  I settled for evidence of wildlife, even of the smaller kinds. 

Spider Burrow 

The oak savanna of the East Bay hills is also lined with the dark lines of thicker creek tree growth. Not exactly a riparian vegetation - it's too dry for that, but the gulches do provide more moisture preservation that supports thicker growth. 

Past the switchback part of the ascent, we moved to walking directly uphill on the ridge overlooking the valley of Penitensia Creek. My friends took the lead, chatting between them, while I brought up the rear, enjoying the quiet air where the city noise didn't reach. 

Trail

We were now high enough to clear the ridge line and see the peaks of Mount Diablo to the northeast after turning the curve. This was the only point during this hike where we had sight of Mount Hamilton. 

Mount Hamilton Pick-A-Boo

There was one plant species that didn't show diminished bloom and that was the California Buckeye tree, one of the signature trees of the Bay Area. When there magnificent trees bloom they look like chandeliers bearing countless of white, candle-like inflorescences. They are quite a sight to see. 

California Buckeye, Aesculus californica 

Perhaps perennial species have better time dealing with the drought. The sticky monkeyflower, another common East Bay bush, was also blooming nicely. 

Sticky Monkeyflower, Diplacus aurantiacus 

Other plants of species that would normally make carpets this time of year were disappointingly few. The California poppy, our state flower, had very little representation on our hike. 

California Poppy, Eschscholzia californica

We kept ascending up to the ridge. The hills are all covered with soil and grasses but here and there there were exposed rocks. In one places an exposed rock by the trail (it may have been cut in the making of the trail (showed the lovely layers of sedimentation from eons ago. 

Layers

The day was growing hotter and after a good long uphill walk we were ready to have our break. In good timing we had reached a place where the trail leveled off into the creek's creese where there was thick growth of oaks and laurels. We sat down in the shade to rest, drink, and snack. 

As in many other open spaces in the East Bay, the Sierra Vista Open Space Preserve land is also leased for grazing. While we were sitting by the trail side a cow walked up the trail with here calf trailing behind her. I got a bit edgy because cows can become aggressive, especially when they have calves, but these two merely passed us and moved on up the trail without regarding us whatsoever. 

We stayed put until the bovines disappeared around the curve. After the good break we had it was time to move on, and I hoped that we won't find the cow and calf blocking our trail. They didn't and soon we emerged from the trees and were once again walking out in open grassland. A small dark bump in an otherwise smooth golden slope caught my attention - it was a ground squirrel standing guard where was his family's burrow. I don't recall that it emitted any warning calls as we passed by. Perhaps we were far enough to not be considered a threat. I presume these little creatures are familiar with human hiking habit and know that we don't usually stray of trail. 

California Ground Squirrel 

The slope was tapering off as we neared the summit of the nearest hill. Every now and then we passed an oak tree of a small stand of oaks. One of the tree stands we passed however, was of buckeye trees in full bloom. 

California Buckeye, Aesculus californica 

At the top of the hill there was a view point and we took the little detour to get there. On the way we came across a solo hiker who seemed a bit sour about encountering us there. It was a bit odd, most hikers I meet on the trail are friendly, or at least neutral. Very rarely I see a hiker that's obviously grumpy. Perhaps he wanted to be alone at the view point and we ruined his anticipated solitude. 

Vista Point

From the view point we had nice view down to the Santa Clara Valley, which today known as the Silicon Valley. Tp the south we also had a nice view of Mount Hamilton, the tallest mountain in the Bay Area. 

Mount Hamilton

We sat on the bench at the Vista Point for a nice long break, eating and chatting away. We also discussed where to go next and eventually came to the conclusion that we didn't have enough time to make a much longer loop. We also didn't want to simply go down and finish the hike too soon, so I suggested going down along the North Rim Trail of Alum Rock Park and visit the mineral springs of Penitensia Creek.  

Hills of Gold

We started downhill looping around the hill we were just at the top of. Once again we were going on a switchback trail, looking at Santa Clara Valley with each turn to the west and up at the basin of Penitensia Creek with each turn to the east. There were very few other hikers out that day and for the most part we had the trail all to ourselves. 

Descending, west view

We also didn't see any wildlife except for a few little birds that didn't pause long enough for a photo shoot. There weren't many flowers either, but I did see one blooming datura shrub. 

Jimsonweed, Datura wrightii

We completed the big hill loop and went down the connecting trail to Penitensia Creek. On the way I spotted a few interesting looking birds. They were songbirds, mostly black but their wings flashed white when they flew. They looked unfamiliar to me and although I tried my best to photograph them, they were top far away and in the trees and I didn't get any decent photo of these birds. I did memorize their appearance though, and when I got home and described them to Pappa Quail he surprised me with his ID - the birds I saw were apparently male phainopepla. Now, I've seen phainopepla many times before, but usually perched atop a bush, and I didn't remember the white flash of their wings in flight. Phainopepla are desert birds of the south areas and this was the first (and so far only) time I've ever seen them in the Bay Area. 

Alum Rock Park, North Rim Trail

When we reached the North Rim Trail we took it east and went down to see the mineral springs area. I've already posted on this blog about that part of Alum Rock Park, and I didn't see much that prompted me to take more photos. it is a very nice park and a lovely trail at any time of the year, though.  

Mama mallard with three ducklings in Penitensia Creek

After exploring a bit the mineral springs area it was time to finish the hike. My friend was pressed to get back on time to pick up her kids, so our walk down the South Rim Trail was at a fast pace. It was nice that we were under the shade for a change.

Penitensia Creek Trail

Despite our needed haste I had to stop and look at a blooming rosebush on the way. I even smelled the flowers. 

California Rose, Rosa californica

Sierra Vista Open Space Preserve is an excellent getaway place that's close to town and doesn't require much driving. The ridge trail offers sweeping views and a chance for relative solitude. I would like to go back there earlier in spring in the hope of seeing more wildflowers and possibly see the phainopepla that ventured north once more.