25-JUL-2013
Valley of Springs
A day out in the valley, watching summer visiters heading out to the spring, and I started wanting a place more tucked away.
We'd parked-up here several times over the years and it was starting to get too well known.
I was wanting to explore some of the other springs.
Some searching the map filebase, comparing data w/ the paper maps, loading points into my nav system, and I was ready to go scouting.
28-JUL-2013
Climb to a New Camp
A few days later we were climbing up onto a ridge overlooking another spring. Tucked in a side canyon this one was not as easy to get to, and nicely underpopulated.
29-JUL-2013
From our camp new the edge of the ridge we watch the valley fill with smoke from a distant forest fire.
29-JUL-2013
Smoke
The last several years out here this has become the norm. Watching the sun set red, having distant views hazed out, keeping up on the comms so you don't end up on the wrong side of a moving fire.
At times no one finds it threatening that the wearing of filtermasks and face coverings is prevalent.
31-JUL-2013
Clearing
A few days later we get the first , almost, clear views.
31-JUL-2013
But before long we're smoked in again.