Ready for another adventure, I look out toward the Black Buttes of the Sierra Nevada Mountains north of I-80. Peggy dropped me off at the trailhead, wished me well, and took this photo. And then I headed down the trail.
I am out of the woods— for a day— and decided to check in. I have just finished backpacking by myself for a week in the Grouse Ridge Non-Motorized Area of the Sierra Nevada Mountains north of Interstate 80. I’m going back into the same area tomorrow with Peggy, our daughter Tasha, and our grandsons Ethan and Cody. It’s a beautiful area, and I have lots of adventures to share. Like how do you persuade a cow that she really doesn’t want to camp with you overnight?
Anyway, here are a few photos to serve as a teaser. I should be home next Monday, which will give me a chance to catch up with fellow bloggers after a summer of backpacking. Of course I will be madly getting ready for Burning Man 2017… (grin).
I expect to see wild animals out on the trail, but this one didn’t seem particularly wild. In fact, I think she wanted to camp with me. Maybe she had seen the same fresh bear poop I had.
Turns out the weather was much more of a challenge than the bear. Shortly after my discussion with the cow, I was in the middle of a thunder, lightning and hail storm!
This is an area of incredible beauty that I have returned to again and again over the years. There are meadows filled with flowers…
That are always forcing me to stop and take their photo.
Numerous small lakes…
And the Black Buttes, seen here at Glacier Lake— lit up by the setting sun.
A final shot from Glacier Lake as the sun goes down, outlining what I considered to be a very strange tree.
See you all next week. —Curt
Wandering through Time and Place 
What beautiful pictures! I hope there is more to the cow story 🙂
The whole herd came to visit. There will be more on the story. 🙂 –Curt
Cows, bears, thunder, lightning. All in a day’s work!
Absolutely! 🙂 –Curt
I’ve camped with cows before. They’re usually quite placid, although you have to watch where you tread.
Wise words, Peggy. 🙂 –Curt
Do you think the cow was hinting for you to milk her?
Laughing. If so, she wasn’t having much luck, Gerard! –Curt
Fantastic pictures and superb countryside – I envy you!
Thanks, Ivan. I am indeed lucky to be able to explore it. I think of it as a second home. –Curt
Beautiful photos! Love the reflection in the lake, the Black Buttes. But my favorite by far is the one of the flowering meadows. Glorious.
Peta
There were flowers everywhere, Peta. All the snow the Sierras received this year created a bumper crop! It’s a gorgeous area. Thanks. –Curt
What a lovely trip — hadn’t thought of how cows cope with bears… Burning Man eh, you poor chap 😀
Run fast, I think. 🙂 The youngsters have more to fear than the adults. It doesn’t seem like the bears create too many problems. Cougars are more of a threat.
Yes, it’s off to Burning Man again! –Curt
Really beautiful images Curt. Looking forward to hearing more about your adventures.
Thanks, Sylvia. Now I have to select which photos out of the 500 I took I am going to use. 🙂 –Curt
The meadow filled with flowers has really touched my heart.. until I saw your last photo.. it looks surreal, the colors and the tree. Very beautiful places!!!
The beauty of the area persuaded me to take up backpacking ever so long ago Christie. I was delighted to discover that it is still just as beautiful. I will be putting up 3 or 4 posts. The challenge will be reducing my 500 photos. 🙂 –Curt
Beautiful photos Curt.
Alison
Thanks, Alison. It is a beautiful area. I took 500. 🙂 –Curt
Wonderful photos! Beautiful journey!
Thanks, Kelly. As you know, the Sierras are a great place to hike and backpack. –Curt
Awesome photos! I love the field of wildflowers!
Thanks! –Curt
wow looks spectacular. Love the wildflowers, the reflections, the sunrise/sunset? – ok love it all.
Just like New Zealand, eh? 🙂 –Curt
Totally worth the effort. Love the shots of the cow and the flowers. Gorgeous. Have fun with your daughter and grandsons.
Had a great time out there, Evelyne. My daughter and grandchildren were quite the troopers. They will make it into my next three blogs! 🙂 –Curt
A field of wildflowers has to be one of the prettiest sights on the planet.
Yes it is, Bill… and always a fleeting thing to be enjoyed in the moment, and with a photo! 🙂 –Curt
Very nice post with some beautiful photos
Thanks! –Curt
Madly getting ready for Burning Man? Yay can’t wait to see your posts! I am smiling at the vision of the cow trying to crawl in your tent. Bears, thunderstorms… what is a bovine to do?
Camp, actually, Sue. I might have been out of the woods in a flash with a cow trying to join me in my tent! 🙂 You will see in my Saturday blog, however, that the same white cow came to visit a week later in a totally different location… I think she liked me/us. –Curt
The cow was unexpected lol
Lots of cows!
Hahaha, something a little different and encountered that once myself before. It was quite the expert experience with state downs and all.
There were photos on Facebook today that showed a guy lying down on a beach when a cow came along and laid down beside him, resting her head on his chest. That would be an experience! 🙂
Haha no kidding and I can only imagine….awesome.