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.

 

 

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

 

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

 

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

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

The trail crossed through the meadow
and entered the woods

 

 

where we ran into snow, and great views

 

 

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

 

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.

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

 

We hit the trail about 12:30

Snow was still in evidence

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

 

THe trail meanders along the rim

with beautiful views

 

We ran into more snow

and mini sculptures

 

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

 

Really fine bluebell lined trail with more great views

The flora thinned out as we got up to the point

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

Magnificent bark

 

 

and totally cool hanging bristles.

 

 

 

 

These Bristlecones were gathered around
the trails split

 

The point provided very fine long views

 

 

and a wonderful lunch spot

 

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

 

And baby Bristlecones too

Looking back at the point

 

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

Bluebells and other sweet wildflowers lined the path

 

 

The trail dropped down to this lovely stream

I love the sound of moving water

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

 

 

 

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

 

And Overlook we did

 

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

 

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

 

 

and some nobody’s seen before

caught foolin’ around again

 

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

Eventually we came to those Bristlecones again
from another direction

 

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

 

 

 

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

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

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

 

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???