Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined.

Henry David Thoreau

The Bristlecone Pine Blog and other wonders

Thursday July 7, 2011
Cedar Breaks
Serene Point Campground Site #9

 

Since I ended yesterday with
the camper who didn’t show up
at the campground,
I’ll start today with a couple of folks who did.
Including the nice flowers on the right
and the great tent site below.

 

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After fiddling the morning away on who
knows what
but sadly not a great breakfast.
We got organized and off to
hike the 4 mile round trip trail to
Spectra Point and Ramparts Overlook


 

I had checked the weather to make
sure our morning clouds didn’t portend
rain

 

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All clear “supposedly” until about 5PM

So at about 11:00 we set out to walk the half mile
to the Visitors center and pick up the
trail head there.

The walk to the center through the meadow was lovely

 

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complete with everyone’s most common “wildflower”
in ABUNDANCE all over the place

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Along with the Bluebells which are in
full blossom and even more common
than the Dandelions

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We found out that pocket gophers also
live here in Abundance and the trail is
no deterrent to their construction prowess .

 

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an “off trail” village.
Rather doubt we will ever see any of the
inhabitants.

 

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Hope we can stay up late enough to take advantage
of this neat offering

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The trail crossed through the meadow
and entered the woods

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where we ran into snow, and great views

 

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At the visitors center we found the ranger
giving a talk on winters in Cedar Breaks.
Look carefully at the Visitors Center
in the background

 

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He had some great pictures of the winter
Ranger Station after the Visitors Center is closed
A Yurt to which you can snowshoe,
cross country ski or snowmobile
(as long as you stay on the groomed trails)
They provide hot chocolate and cider.
NICE.

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and one of the Visitors Center during this
winter’s 15 feet of snow.
 

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We hit the trail about 12:30

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Snow was still in evidence

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and the wildflowers were coming on.
Amazing how they grow and bloom in soil that
looks and is hard as bricks.

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THe trail meanders along the rim

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with beautiful views

 

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We ran into more snow

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and mini sculptures

 

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on our way to our first stop
Spectra Point
out on the end of this beauty

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Really fine bluebell lined trail with more great views

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The flora thinned out as we got up to the point

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Around the corner we found what we ultimately
called Bristlecone alley.
Great looking OLD (1600 years) THRIVING
Bristlecone Pine trees.
I remarked to David that these trees had
been around when the Christians were being
thrown to the Lions.  They were just located in the
wrong place to observe.
We are now even more in love with the Bristlecones.

They have GREAT shapes

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Magnificent bark

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and totally cool hanging bristles.

 

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These Bristlecones were gathered around
the trails split

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The point provided very fine long views

 

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and a wonderful lunch spot

 

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Of course walking off of the point
and on toward the overlook required
that we make the turn and go further down
Bristlecone Alley

Just amazing, these trees are just amazing
they grow in cement

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And baby Bristlecones too

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Looking back at the point

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The trail to the overlook went
down down down in the woods
(and you know what that means)

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Bluebells and other sweet wildflowers lined the path

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The trail dropped down to this lovely stream

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I love the sound of moving water

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I LOVE streams (water water water)
especially with wildflowers on their banks

 

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After another climb up,
we came to Rampart Overlook
and the end of the trail.

 

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And Overlook we did

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Looks too gorgeous to be real doesn’t it?
And I was there and this is proof!  :-))

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We dawdled some more and then
determined that in order to get
back before the window of no rain
closed, we’d better get moving.

 

So UP down the trail we went where,
as usual,
we saw things we hadn’t seen
going the other direction

 

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and some nobody’s seen before

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caught foolin’ around again

 

Since coming in was all down hill
we were now into the all uphill

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Eventually we came to those Bristlecones again
from another direction

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We were half way back now
and they were so inviting.
Rain or no rain
we just had to sit for a spell.

 

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We were prepared now for more UP.
Nice to look back on once you are at the top.  :-)

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And before long we were back on the bluebell
snow lined path to the campground.

We beat the rain.  But not by much. :-)

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Wildflower festival officially starts tomorrow
and the windows of no rain are smaller
so we’ll just have to see what happens.

Ya’ll come back now ya’heah???

6 comments:

  1. It just never ends...one beautiful hike after the other...we LOVE it.

    We especially love your new HAT:o)) One of these days we want you to get your boots and hat on so we can have a picture of our favorite Cowgirl!!

    Keep haveing fun because that means we are having fun;o)))

    ReplyDelete
  2. Great tree pics!!!! And did i ever say i LOVE your hat??!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  3. 15 feet of snow??? Yikes -- that's a lot of snow!!

    Another great hike!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Wow, what a hike! Beautiful views....what a great experience.

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  5. Just amazing that those Bristlecone pine trees are really that old. Of course, there are days I feel that old, too...

    Another hike along some cliffside trails. You really do like living on the edge! ;c)

    ReplyDelete
  6. Another tree I've never heard of...Bristlecone Pine. More amazing photos and I love the hat! :)

    ReplyDelete

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