Finally out!

[hemingray]

What gorgeous weather for a first trip out today! Went up Mosquito Ridge Road (TNF 96)\with plans for lower elevation spots depending on what I found. Most of the side roads above 5000 feet are still clogged with snow, but I ended up on Red Star Ridge (TNF 57 road) and explored a bit, trying to get down to the old Red Star Mine site. It was completely free of snow - and a lovely 70 degrees at 6000 feet. Wow!

Here's the road about 5500 feet. Lots of large patches of snow.



The 43 road to Robinson Flat/Duncan Peak is still drifted.



This was a pretty massive drift!



Looking east from Red Star Ridge to French Meadows Reservoir. The crest still has a lot of snow.



Story of the day. I must have moved at least 10 trees today, both by just dragging or with the winch. I spent probably 45 minutes on one huge log - I really wanted to get to the mine. I learned a new trick - instead of dragging the thing, I wrapped a strap around it in a choke, but kept the hook at the top on the backside. Then, when you winch it, it forces the log to roll. Fun. Sorta. I didn't get a picture of the thing though - go figure!




Anyway, underway again - this is a neat road that really does some climbing.



This went on all afternoon. Geez.



This is the burn area of the Star Fire (see here for a video I shot from Duncan Peak on day 2 back then! Little did I know then I would have an ATV and be riding the burn area!) Finally, 10 years later, the oaks are making a run for it and starting to really show some recovery.



All good things must come to an end. Just a mile beyond the big log fight, came across this triple trunk oak. Done. No way around it and no chain saw today.



Indian Paintbrush already! Seems early.



The Middle Fork American is really running - quite a roar in the canyon. Across the river is the evil Eldorado Nat'l Forest...



I was surprised to find this series of little falls, I am just a couple hundred feet below the top of the ridge.



There's a patch of Dogwoods in one of the unburned areas.



Duncan Creek looks more like a river (this is from the 96 road where it crosses).



Great start to the season - loved being back on the forest again.

[blm510]

Greate Pics who were you ridding with some one had to hold the camara This time of year there is one tool you could use we carry them much of the time a chainsaw.
You need to still join us I"ll still put a burger on for you , but no potatos! ask Eigermike its hard to tell on your self.

B

[GrizzlyGuy]

Dang, that's a lot of trees! You did better than I would have, I'm so lazy that if I can't just pick up the tree and move it (or go around it) I turn around and go home!

[hemingray]

The pics were timer shots. I got a little tripod - Ultrapod I - for about $10 from Amazon awhile ago. It's great - folds into a tiny space and its very steady (for the little camera) and has a velcro strap to either safely tether it (so camera doesn't go tumbling) or strap it to a tree branch or whatever. I like it a lot. I had a Gorillapod and the cheap plastic top broke and this is the replacement.

GG: I really wanted to get to the mine! Wish I had a pic of the log I fussed with for so long, it was 3-4 ft in diameter.

I meant to take the chain saw, even if just to have in the truck to go back and get. I have to figure out how to carry it with all my other junk on the quad though!

Here's the tripod.

http://www.industrialrev.com (images from their site)

[EigerMike]

nice that you finally got out! great pics really need you to come up here and ride .i think you would have a great time takeing pics! thanks for shareing i allways look forward to them! =D>

[hemingray]

I pretty much do day trips, but I definitely would like to come up that way sometime this summer!

[hellcat650]

Greta pics as allways. And cool little tripod.

[hemingray]

What a difference two weeks makes. The snow is all gone from the 43 road (though it's blocked two miles up.) The giant drift is almost gone.

[GrizzlyGuy]

Yeah, it's melting fast. My neighbor took a shot at riding his bike out to Jackson Meadows today, but I haven't heard yet if he made it.

[hemingray]

Sailor Flat Road off Foresthill Road today. 200 feet from here there is a 5 foot wall of snow on Foresthill Rd, just 300 feet of elevation below Robinson Flat.

[GrizzlyGuy]

Wow! Didn't we do our ride out there last year on July 4th? We made it to Robinson Flat, but couldn't get to the lookout up above it. Even with all the snow we got last spring, this year is still worse.

[avejoe]

I rode from Foresthill today on the two-wheeled street legal quad. Plan was to ride to Grouse Falls and Last Chance, exit up Cavanaugh Ridge, have lunch at the Duncan Peak Lookout, and head back via Foresthill Road. Made it to the falls and Last Chance, but did not make it to the end of Cavanaugh Ridge.

Had a great ride even with the loop ride ending up an out and back.

[hemingray]

Well, you can get to the top of Cavanah Ridge now - but access towards Robinson Flat is still blocked. But you can go down from there on the 43 towards Miller's Defeat and take Last Chance Road back. They are doing logging in the area right around the top of Last Chance Rd. and along with making the usual mess, they have bladed some of the roads.