Creative Reflections

The Master Artist

Once Mario got up to Tahoe I was longing to take him hiking in the El Dorado National Forest/Carson Pass area but I didn't want to make the boys take the same hike we had taken last week. So, I perused my well-worn hiking book and found a loop trail that features three high-altitude picturesque alpine lakes. This hike definitely confirmed this region in my mind as my most favorite area to hike in all of the Tahoe basin.

I think the reason that I enjoy this area so much is because God's artistry is seen in such abundant and varied ways. Because of the high altitudes the air is always so fresh with that lacing of "snow scent" that has a way of clearing the mind of troubles, casting off burdens of the heart and making your spirit feel so light it is as if your whole being can take wing.

Our hike began at Woods Lake and followed the trail up 1200 feet on the Round Top trail to Round Top Lake. The climb starts at 8200 feet and ends at over 9400 feet. All the while you are working your way up the grade you have before you the snow-clad precipices of the "Sisters" peaks. All around you are alpine meadows filled with the most amazing assortment of meadow flowers. When you reach the top you can look back and see the entire Carson Valley stretched out below while before you sits the pristine shoreline of Round Top Lake. It is just amazing!

The return loop takes you down the backside of the mountain you just climbed; down Winnemucca Lake Trail to Winnemucca Lake which is nestled in the Carson Pass. As you make your way down you can see all kinds of tiny waterfalls and streams melting off of the still thick slabs of snow and wending their way down the slopes of Round top collecting and forming Winnemucca Lake.

After resting at a beautiful little flower-filled cove along the lake we headed down the trail and had the delight of hiking through almost two miles of flower-filled hills. The Indian paint brush with its bright orange plumes was everywhere; offset by the deep purples of elephant head lupine. It delighted this flower-lovers heart!

Our hike began at the streams that fill Woods Lake

The first part of the trail led through a switch back up the mountain. The hills were covered with a mix of white firs, western white pines and mountain hemlock.

A butterfly seemed a bit out of place but once we crested the first mountain and I saw all the flowers I realized why this little guy was here.

The first crest afforded us a view of Woods Lake

Taking a quick breather after our first climb. Don't you just love the fashion sense of my guys?

Woods Creek tumbled down the mountain as we continued to climb. The gurgling, bubbling sound was a sweet orchestration to our hike.

This little patch of flowers was just a "tease" to the amazing floral display that was still ahead of us.

I love the play of light in this photo. 

As you work your way up the trail you come to the Lost Cabin Mine. The mine was in operation until the 1960's and produced gold, copper, silver & lead. The light was beautiful in the little clearing and gave me a perfect opportunity to take this sweet photo of Anthony. Austin on the other hand was not in a "photo taking" mood so I let him be.

The higher we got the more flowers and butterflies there were to be seen.

and the more slabs of melting snow fed into the ever increasing mountain streams

Little did we know that just around the bend of these signs we would be greeted with the most glorious sight!

This was the view that was ever before us compelling us onward and upward.

...with the occasional stop to take yet one more shot of a beautiful flower! 

I wish these photos could capture the scent of the air; a combination of brisk snow, subtle sages and delicate floral perfumes. Also missing from these photos is the call of the birds that was everywhere in these meadows.

Looking back down the valley this little stream seems to tumble off the edge of the world.

The crystal clear waters and the stark, pristine shore of Round Top lake

The lake was as reflective as glass and gave us a double vision of the flowers.

Austin & Tramp play in the snow

Austin created an "ice-head" to bring home to show his cousins.

The snow melt forming streams that flowed into Lake Winnemucca

The trail winds its way down the hill giving you a beautiful over-view of the lake.

The flowing streams form these beautiful little pools all around the lake.

Lake photos of my guys.

One last photo of one of the pretty lake pools before we headed into the hills alive not with the sound of music but with the color of flowers.

I just couldn't get enough of the incredible color of this place!

...and the Lord says of His artistry. "I make no idle strokes. What I do is never haphazard. I am never merely mixing colors out of casual curiosity. My every move is one of vital creativity, and every stroke is part of the whole. Never be dismayed by apparent incongruity. Never be alarmed by a sudden dash of color seemingly out of context. Say only to your questioning heart, 'It is the Infinite wielding His brush: I know He does all things well.' And in all that I do with a free hand, without interference, I can stand back and view the work and say, 'It is good!" Francis J. Roberts, Come Away My Beloved.

Eagle Lake Hike

Over the years we have often hiked the upper and lower Eagle Falls and taken leisurely strolls down to Vikingsholm. Emerald Bay is certainly THE iconoclastic vision of Lake Tahoe that most people carry in their mind. Maybe it is because of its popularity that we have never ventured to Eagle Lake. There is something in my nature that wants to find the "out of the way" places that not everybody knows about. That instinct has certainly rewarded us with some amazing hikes. But when we hiked up to Eagle Lake earlier this week I realized that there is a reason that some hikes are popular! This is a gem of of a lake! You don't have to drive miles to reach the trail head and the quick hike takes you to a quintessential alpine lake.

That all being said, it IS popular; which means LOTS of people on the trail and around the lake. I think this hike will probably be one that we will do whenever we are in Tahoe but we will set the alarm clock and make sure that we arrive before 8:00 am in order to avoid the crowds.

One of the things I most love about this part of the lake is that it is, in essence its "birthplace." Geologists tell us that Lake Tahoe was formed when the the Carson Range was thrust up on one side and the Sierra Range was thrust up on the other side; leaving the deep basin of the Tahoe Valley. Then glaciers scoured out the southern shore and created Emerald Bay, Cascade Lake, Fallen Leaf lake and the hundreds of other little alpine lakes and deep valleys that characterize this region. Whenever I visit this part of the lake I can hear it whispering in my ear, "This is where I had my beginnings."

The stream that forms Eagle Falls and feeds into Emerald Bay. There are more than 60 streams that feed into the lake annually and only one outflow point at the Truckee river.

The climb up to Eagle lake is steep but at only a mile it is easily reached.

This sweet pose of Tramp makes me smile; he looks like he did when he was just a little pup.

We are missing Alex, both in the photo and in our time together as a family but are still grateful for the opportunity to take this trip with two of our boys.

The upper falls

Beautiful Eagle Lake

Mario and Tramp at the lake

Uncle Mike teaching John the finer skills of casting a line

Joe, wishing he could join Justin and Anthony in their swim.

There is a small island out on the far edge of the lake. Justin and Anthony ventured out into the freezing cold water and swam all the way out and back.

Freezing cold but still grinning!

Hail the conquering heroes!

Tramp on the other hand posed for the dive but never actually made it into the lake. Although he has both lab and Golden "blood" he is not much of a water dog.

A final view of the falls.

Saying farewell to this beautiful spot.

A "Civilized" Hike

After Mario and I got back from our early morning hike to Ophir Creek the entire family decided to take a hike to Watson Lake in the Northstar ski resort area. The hike is made easy because most of the uphill climb is done via ski lifts.

Anthony, Justin and Jerrod all stayed home because of upset stomachs so our crew consisted of Mario, Mike, Nicole, John, Joe, Austin, Tramp and myself. The Northstar ski resort transforms itself in summer to a mountain biking mecca. The ski lifts are fitted to carry the bikes to the top of runs and mountain bikers decked out in protective gear race pell-mell down the mountain.

The hiking here was nice with a lot of ridge-view vistas and it is fun to see the ski runs without snow. But to be honest this isn't my favorite choice of hikes. The fun part of the hike was when we got off of the ski trails and got to hike part of the Tahoe Rim Trail down to Watson Lake. The hillsides were blooming with Mule's ear and Watson Lake was a pretty place to stop for lunch.

The moon had not yet set completely when we reached the resort.

We think there was either an eagle or hawk nest on the top of this tree but we couldn't see any babies or parent birds flying around.

The flower-strewn hills on the TRT

Watson Lake is a tree-rimmed lake that collects the forest "winter-kill" when the snows melt.

Tramp took the opportunity to get in touch with his "inner lab."

Joe likes to drape himself over, around and on top of his cousins. This time it was Austin's turn to get that special kind of "Joe Love."

This is not the greatest exposure on this photo but I like that is shows us all together and having fun.

Uncle Mario helped pass the time on the trail by playing, "In My Grandma's Attic" with John.

Laughing in Flowers

Many, many years ago Alex and I drove up to Ophir Creek with the intention of hiking. But that summer the snows came late into the season and in the middle of June the entire Tahoe Meadow was still covered under three feet of snow. Contrasting the memory of that trip with Mario's and my sunrise hike this year I realize how very tough and resilient these seemingly fragile meadow flowers are.

The meadow flowers look so very delicate and yet they have an inner strength in their core that allows them to survive the most harsh and brutal winters. Sometimes life circumstances can make me feel equally fragile and yet I know that the inner strength with which I can depend comes from a faithful and loving God who will always see me through.

Greeting the morning with an early morning stroll in Tahoe Meadows along the banks of Ophir Creek.

The air was brisk and the temperature was in the high '30's. A light coating of frost blanketed many of the grasses and smaller flowers.

Everywhere you looked there were wide swaths of beautiful blooms. Emerson says, "the earth laughs in flowers," I'm certain that I heard them singing praises to the Lord.

"My arms are around you, and never have I loved you more! I will make you like a garden of fountains whose streams are fed by the mountain springs." Francis J. Roberts 'Come Away My Beloved'

Starting my day with my hubby & my dog in an outrageously beautiful place. It just doesn't get much better than this!

I love the delicacy of these beautiful little flowers!

This is one of my most favorite "mind-bending" photos. There was a small pool of water; a run-off from Ophir Creek. The water was so still and so clear that it reflected like glass. The "upside down mountain" is a reflection of Mt. Rose in the pool.

The Continuous Sound of the Waterfall

If Emigrant Lake speaks of her Creator's solitary, pristine, and holy "otherness" then Horsetail Falls speaks of his Creator's majestic power. On Saturday my sister, two of her sons and my two boys drove to the South Lake Tahoe basin and hiked this beautiful region on the edge of desolation wilderness. The scope and power of this place is hard to capture in a photo but it always leaves me with a sense of the trustworthiness of a God who with a very word can create such majesty. Why should we fear ANYTHING when our creator God shows us the scope of His power displayed in the magnificence of His creation?

Did you feel the mountains tremble
Did you hear the oceans roar
When the people rose to sing of
Jesus Christ the risen one

"Oh my daughter, will I speak to you as one whose voice is lost in the noise of the crashing surf? Or as one who calls in vain in the midst of a deep forest, where there is no ear to hear nor voice to respond? No, I would have you be as the waterfall whose sound is continuous, as a great river whose flow is not interrupted." Francis Roberts...Come Away My Beloved

The boys traverse the broad expanse of the glacier-scarred granite fields leading up to the falls.

A resting spot halfway up the falls

Looking back down the valley from the fall's overlook.

A New Hike

The El Dorado National Forest/Carson Pass area is quickly becoming my most favorite place to hike in all of the Tahoe Basin. A few years ago we discovered Big Meadow and Lake Dardanelles; a hike we called, "The Best One Ever." Yesterday we may have found a hike to rival it. We started at Caples Lake; a man-made reservoir. The lake itself is not the most picturesque but the flower-filled trails that skirt the lake more than make up for the utilitarian nature of the lake. The first couple of miles of the hike traverse the lake.

Once past the lake you find yourself on Emigrant trail which runs along Emigrant creek and ends two miles later at the gloriously beautiful, pristine Emigrant Lake. The trail head starts out at 8400 ft. elevation and Emigrant Lake sits at an impressive 9000 ft. elevation. Of course the creek means mosquitoes so you want to be sure that you SLATHER yourself with bug repellent and the starting elevation proved to be a bit of a challenge for me. But it was a challenge that was overcome with persistence and a "I'm not gonna let the mountain get the best of me" attitude.

Uncle Mike took along his fishing pole and made quick work of catching a trout with his "magic" lure.

The flower-strewn path along Lake Caples

Wild delphinium

Mules Ear

Emigrant Trail

The trail meandered back and forth across Emigrant Creek.

I tried my hand at some abstract photography; these are pebbles in the flowing creek.

Our first views of Emigrant Lake. The air was crisp and clear and smelled of the snow that still slept on the glacier scree. It is impossible to explain the abundant, extravagant beauty of this lake. It gave me goose-bumps and brought tears to my eyes.

Anthony & Austin and our traditional "Lake Reward" photo.

My nephew Justin

Tramp and my sister's dobie Jethro; they have become great friends

My handsome Pookie Bear

Tramp posing pretty

Our crazy crew of cousins

As I look at these photos and remember the beauty of this place I think of the words of this devotional, "I am the Lord your God. I know no limitations. I know no lack. I need not reserve My stores, for I always have a fresh supply. You can by no means ever exhaust My infinite resources. Let your heart run wild. Let your imagination go vagabond. No extravagance of human thought can ever plumb the depths of My planning and provision for my children."

And His people sing with gladness for the goodness of their Lord.

The gift of a light and merry heart!

I know that we should be ever aware of the magnitude of the love God bears for us. But sometimes the to-do lists, the errands to run, the taxi-cab ferrying of boys to and fro dims that awareness. When I come away to the lake the reality of God's love seems to blossom anew in my heart.

This morning I read from a devotional: "I have betrothed you to Myself, and though you are sometimes indifferent toward Me, My love for you is at all times as a flame of fire. My ardor never cools. My longing for your love and affection is deep and constant...You may take the gift of a light and merry heart, for My love dispels all fear and is a cure for every ill."

With those sweet words of love from my Savior still whispering in my ears Anthony, Tramp and I and headed over to Spooner Lake for a sunrise morning walk as God continued to reveal His love in the beauty of His creation. I do have a light and merry heart this day!!

An early-morning fisherman with the mist rising

Anthony & Tramp

Indian grinding stones

Pine cones in the grass

Tramp checks out "Big Blue"

Heading up to Tahoe

I am heading up to Tahoe first thing tomorrow morning. I have an odd mixture of delight and melancholy in anticipation of this trip. Delight because I am heading back to my beloved lake and anticipate wonderful hikes, time spent with my boys, my mom, my sister and her family, fun on the water and all the other blessings that God might have in store for us. The melancholy comes from a sense that "things" are changing. New seasons of life present new opportunities but they also battle with treasured memories of the past.

This year will be our dog Tramp's first trip to Tahoe. He is just a one year old pup and will no doubt have a blast playing with us on the beach and romping through the woods. But, because of her age and some concerns about her health we will not be bringing Millie. Instead she will be staying with my brother while we are away. I know she doesn't know any better and she loves staying with my brother but it chokes me up to think we probably have seen the last of my beautiful golden girl leaping for joy into the lake and racing ahead of us on the trails and then stopping and waiting faithfully for all of us to catch up. It is Tramps turn now and I'm sure there will be delight and fun with this goofy dog who is after all Millie's son...but still....

This will be the second year that Alex has not been able to join us. He is doing the right and responsible thing; continuing to work at his summer job to earn money for college. I'm proud of him. But I know there will be times as I watch Anthony and Austin ride on the wave runners that I will be thinking, "Oh, I wish Alex was here-he would love this!"

Something that causes my heart to rejoice without reservation is that Mario will be able to join us for part of the trip this year. He will be flying up next weekend to join us. The Cozzi's, the Vrzich's and mom...all one big happy family. I can hardly wait to see what adventures are in store!!

I'll be back to post photos in a day or two. Pray for safe travels tomorrow. Tahoe....here we come!!