Click on images below to enlarge:
|
 |
|
|
|
|
| The first in a series of shots of Lake Tahoe taken from the bus window
on the way to start the day's hike. It wasn't as dark as it looks--we
left for the hike at a reasonable time. The picture looks dark because
I upper the shutter speed a ton to take a picture out of a moving
vehicle.
| We had some pretty good views of the lake because the highway was high
on a ridge.
| Looking back at Lake Tahoe toward the hotel.
| |
|
|
|
|
|
| Grasslands and trees near the parking lot at the beginning of our hike.
| Our hiking group begins to gather. Note the height of the trees.
| A light-hearted way to warn about an unpleasant thing.
| Another view of the gathering crowd dwarfed by trees.
|
|
|
|
|
|
| One of our guides said that jeffrey pines smelled like vanilla. She was
right. Yours truly tested the claim.
| Spencer's Cabin, built in the 1920s, which we passed on the trail.
| White-barked trees that are probably either birch or aspen. Birch and
aspen are difficult to tell apart; allegedly the best way is by the
leaves, but these don't have leaves so I can't tell. One of my
coworkers claims even easier than looking at the leaves is listening to
the sound of leaves rustling in the wind.
| A field of so-called mule's ears plants.
|
|
|
|
|
|
| A corn lily.
| A purple thistle.
| And up we go, through mixed brush and trees.
| Birch or aspen? (dotted along the trail)
Aspen, by the way, grow in long-lived colonies, meaning a group of trees
above ground derive from a single seedling and the seedling / root
cluster can sprout new trees as the current trees die. Interesting,
like something out of a sci-fi novel.
|
|
|
|
|
|
| A large field of mule's ears flowers surrounded by evergreens.
| Some ridges provided an unobstructed view of distant hills/mountains.
| Some are high enough and windswept enough that nothing grows near the
top.
| A forested valley.
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Our first glimpse of Marlette Lake.
| A clear view of Marlette Lake, with a ton of wildflowers in the
foreground.
| A sample of the wildflowers in the foreground of the previous picture.
| A proper picture-perfect view of Marlette Lake.
|
|
|
|
|
|
| A panorama of Marlette Lake nestled among the Sierra Nevadas. I like
the look of the grass growing directly out of the water.
| Marlette Lake used to be owned by a defense contractor and "reserved for
the fishing pleasure of visiting dignitaries"?! Crazy.
| The stone chimney on the peninsula sticking out into Marlette Lake.
| A plaques explaining the history of the chimney (and its associated
cabin, which was accidentally demolished!).
|
|
| Fodder for Marlette Lake Panorama
|
|
|
| |
