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| 2009 Big Bear Lake, CA / Joshua Tree National Park Trip |
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| Day 2: March 29, 2009 |
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We woke up feeling good
and planned to take the Pineknot trail. The trail
ascends from the Aspen Glen picnic area up to the
Grand View Point at 7784 feet. The trail starts
out easy and well marked. We trudged through some
mud and over some small rocks as we climbed out
of the meadow. On the left, you can see many small
cabins that people use year round.
Shortly after we left the part of the trail that
was shared with bikes and horses, we followed the
babbling brook and climbed over some snow. The trail
continued and then stopped. A fir tree had crashed
down and we had to scramble and pick our way around
to rejoin the path. More snow covered the path and
we followed some muddy footprints until they vanished
too. Howard climbed up higher and found some tracks
from skis in the snow. We followed these until they
disappeared too. We crashed through some brush and
sought out what we thought was the trail. It took
us up to a clearing where we had a snack. We realized
that we had no idea where the trail really went
from there.
While we picked out way down the mountain (following
our own footsteps), we decided to try a shorter
trail to view the champion lodge pole pine. At the
car, we checked the map and followed Mill Creek
Road until, suddenly, it stopped. There were gates
across the road - it was closed.
A second hike aborted, we started to look for a
place to have lunch. We followed Route 18 towards
the dam and pulled into Boulder Bay. The bay is
a spur of Big Bear Lake that is protected by three
groups of boulders. The area is well-developed and
a popular place for families to picnic. The sun
was high overhead and we picked an open bench. Despite
the warmth radiating from above, we were cold from
the winds whipping off the water. Many people set
up at the edge of the water and were fishing.
We decided not to attempt another hike, so we came
back to the lodge and cleaned up. After a bit of
rest, we struck out to see the village. The village
is not very large and we covered it in about 20
minutes. There are some quaint shops and mixed in
are shops for bikers - leathers, hates, even bars
were dedicated to the motorcycle. Alas, no good
souvenirs for us to purchase.
Dinner: The Himalayan. Excellent Indian food, Northern flavors. |
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