After a delicious lunch prepared by Karen, she led Janet and me on a hike on the Hawley Grade.
According to All Trails, "Hawley Grade Trail is a 4.2 mile lightly trafficked out and back trail located near South Lake Tahoe, California that features a waterfall and is rated as moderate. The trail is primarily used for hiking, trail running, horses, and mountain biking and is best used from May until October."
I have never been on a trail with such a diversity of butterflies. I was in heaven.
This trail is steeped in history was well. According to South Tahoe Now, "In 1854, Asa Hawley established a trading post in Lake Valley. Construction began for a wagon road as the grade was gentle enough to safely travel, unlike the existing Carson Grade, where block and tackle had to be used to get the wagons over into Lake Valley. The new route was completed in 1857 and further improvements were done by El Dorado and Sacramento counties. Hawley's Grade was, for a short time, the route to take. Built to convey miners and the like to the Mother Lode country, the Hawley Grade was a reverse route as well when the 1859 discovery of silver happened in Nevada territory. As the Hawley Grade's purpose was to bypass the steeper road, so the Hawley Grade was itself bypassed in favor of an even shorter path, the wagon-and-stage toll road down Meyers Grade (today's highway 50), completed in 1860."
This trail was adorned with beautiful wildflowers as well. WOW.
Karen found a Paper Wasp's nest. This is created when wasps gather fibers from dead wood and plant stems, which they mix with saliva, and use to construct these water-resistant nests. I learn so much when in nature with friends.
Our destination was this amazing and powerful waterfall. What a wonderful day!
“As long as I live, I'll hear waterfalls
and birds and winds sing.
I'll interpret the rocks, learn the language
of flood, storm, and the avalanche.
I'll acquaint myself with the glaciers and wild gardens,
and get as near the heart of the world as I can."
― John Muir
posted under |
0 comments:
Post a Comment