Alpen.Glow

Yuba Haiku 1.17.2012

2012-01-18T09:42:00.000-08:00

In Dharma's garden,
acrobatic fish, green and red.
We swirling dervish.

Yuba 1-9-2012

2012-01-10T22:12:00.001-08:00

Fluid crystal course,
moorland meaning "skylining".
Fast, flurry 1 subsides!

Tony's Talisker

2012-01-02T15:34:00.000-08:00

Through some simple refinements I have my new wet fly for the Rhitogenia Morisoni hatch.
Over the past few months I have been able to really hone in on the patterns new form and really get some great feedback from the source, Trout!
A few posts back is a profile of one fish that really liked it well.
Inspiration for the pattern is from traditional North Country lead wings that are illustrated in T.E. Pritts book North Country Flies from 1886 and added what I think that set the Salmonoids into a frenzy is the flash rib in the rabbit dubbed body. I also am very fond of the wings luminosity made from Mottled Turkey feather. I'm sure in the light in the water from below they "light up".
If your interested in trying out one of my Talisker's they can be purchased through my on line store here;
Alpen Glow: on-line fly shop

Etsy feedback

2011-12-29T16:19:00.000-08:00

"You can tell these flies are made with the care and patience of someone who appreciates the art of fly fishing himself. Beautiful!"

Thanks Catherine Cavanaugh! Those flies you purchased are flies i carry in my fly box every trip to the river. I appreciate that you can appreciate them. Not all "work all the time" but by in large one or two of my signature flies produce a fish or two... always fingers crossed!

Don't hesitate to send me a picture of a fish you catch with one of the flies, i'd love to see it!

best Tony

http://www.etsy.com/listing/88886129/raty-rhyco

Yosemite of the Middle Fork, Kings River.

2011-12-29T09:41:00.000-08:00

Painted rock cave,
dream and wonder, spiders or the harvest.
Turrets of granite.

Yuba river solstice

2011-12-27T14:35:00.000-08:00

Swirls of blue rushing.
Seeking my offering, Salmonoids splash.
Venus rising.

Hydropsyco and Rhyco Rat

2011-12-09T11:45:00.000-08:00

Two new flies i've been using with good success have been a Hydropsyche and Rhyacophila imitation.
Using them as a secondary fly to a lead attractor dry fly.
Dabbed with some Frogs Fanny and away I go.
The dry shake in-beds the dubbing and soft filaments with a coating that seems to create or hold tiny bubbles that add something that the trout turn on to.
I like using the fine Gamagatsu emerger hooks for these patterns.
Nice gap to hold large fish.
Finer than average wire to add a tad of stealth to the profile.

the Hermit and I.

2011-10-29T19:53:00.000-07:00

Looming sentinel,
Evolution flows golden.
The Hermit and I.

big Hoties @ Hot Creek.

2011-10-23T20:34:00.000-07:00

Hot Creek was hot, no pun intended.
Everyone indicator nymphing. I was no way! We're, dry fly all the way.
Nose's pop'en like Jiffy Pop.
Tied on my BBC. sort of spent caddis with a dab of top-ride.
Was working the film and landing respectable fish.
The far, bank pop'en the big boys, well maybe girls, but big!
Brooks guide was telling clients keep nymphing no dry fly today weathers not right.
Boom then boom again, them the players started to pop.
20 fish day.
Brooks guide took my picture with one hotie.
Sweet guy.

Swing'en Bone Tree in the Truckee hut.

2011-09-10T16:34:00.000-07:00

Peering into pools,
purple depths, fish glide effortless.
Like feet over granite.

I spent a day at the Truckee since the Yuba is closed above the bridge.
The river really turned on at the special time, when the glare easies.
Osprey seem to look elsewhere, but i'm lurking about.
From S-turn to Johns Flat, I worked line.
An 18r on Switch Boo gave me the workout.
No big runs like the Yuba crew, but still the usual "rainbow antics" to play.
The Code... caddis + trout, like a Lotus blooming full of truth.

Mather Pass haiku.

2011-08-20T16:19:00.000-07:00

At the pass, silence.
Vistas unfold, and wrinkled
Granite, like New Years.

email from Gary

2011-08-13T13:59:00.001-07:00

From: muddyboots@comcast.net [Edit Address Book]
To: alpen.glow@earthlink.net
Subject: WOW!
Date: Aug 8, 2011 3:03 PM

Tony,
What wonderful craftsmanship! I received your flies today and am truly impressed. It's a great selection of size and type, all superbly done, from the flashy Stimulator down to the smaller nymphs. Thanks for sending these. I'll be sure to give you a report!
Gary

This was an email sent by Gary Sawyer, a particapnt on my Idaho Fly Fishing trip who i sent an Order of flies to from my Etsy on line Fly Shop.

Thanks Gary!

Ultimate fly kit

2011-07-21T21:46:00.000-07:00

Today i got another order for an Ultimate Fly kit from my Etsy store site.
Alpen Glow: on-line fly shop
With this order, flies come comp'd with a sweet, water proof C&F "design'ish style" fly box.
Most of the flies are of my own creation and/or with slight twist on old favorites.
Alpine Hoppers as well as Alpine Stimulators.
Some High Ridden Megan's.
Some really sweet spun deer hair Goddard Caddis in Tan and Black.
Yep Black, high in the alpine region caddis are often black.
Jet Black.
Plus in the kit are lots of secondary flies to drop of the leed fly.
One of my favorites is Spetanaz, a really cool CDC loop wing emerger that never fails to subdue the most finicky creekers.
Also a little Brown Sugar or lil JoJo to top it off.
Sweet!

Equipment check, part 1

2011-07-18T18:55:00.000-07:00

Today I spent some time going over personal gear for the Sawtooths.
Its good to refresh oneself with gadgets that have been stored from last season.
Like my solar recharger.
Its more a bump charger really.
In the sun the 4 solar panels charge two AA batteries.
These batteries, housed in the solar kit, then bump charge the device.
I've been using it to charge my iPhone and Olympus camera for the past two years.
i set out the panel strip in the sun for about 4 hours.
I plugged it into my iPhone and then the camera and all seems to be working well
Good to go for the Idaho trip.

Casting across the Sawtooths...

2011-07-14T14:15:00.000-07:00

I started this month prepping for the trip i'm leading to Idaho's Sawtooth Mountains. My new Asst. Leader, Wendy is taken the responsibility to prep for half the meals so this trips food prep is about half as hard as usual. I can easily pull from past menus now with ease and go shopping and quickly find what i need for the dishes that will be made up over next next few weeks.
I got out the dehydrator, and began processing curry dishes and different condiments that will go in or be a side to lunches as well as dinners. This season i made a curry chick pea dish and found it dehydrated quite easily. The pickles for Salmon pita lunch, came out better this years since i drained away more of the vinegar compared to last.
For the 9 days in the back country, Wendy and I will be assembling roughly 162 meals for the whole trip not including appetizers and condiments that will be wrapped in ZipLoc storage bags then loaded at the trail head in animal proof canisters. all of which will be shipped to Stanley via USPS.

http://www.sierraclub.org/outings/national/brochure/11161a.aspx

Broke the Boo... Boo Hoo...

2011-07-02T18:39:00.000-07:00

High water prevails on the Yuba.
Dips in the flow to 6000 cfs seem reasonable for fishing this season.
First day with the new Bamboo switch rod, "Switch Boo" was fruitful.
The water was a stable at bottom of the dip. Fish were tight from shore to 20 feet out.
Swinging down the bank was hooking good trout, But hard to hang on to directly below.
Landed a really nice 16inch rainbow on the hang of swing with a bruiser... nice and strong. end of the day.
Switch Boo is very delicate but handles nice with a 295 scandi.

Two week later, I'm back, flows are 6500. bottom of another dip.
I brought Switch Boo and the dry fly bamboo rod, "Dharma Boo", that Phil gave me some help with.
Back on favorite side alone with Bill. Arata and the caravan were on the public side.
At mid river at the second riffle, the river is extremely braided over the gravel bar.
Willows and shrubs are in the water. It seems higher than 6500.
Bill was in the nursery at the public crossing.
Swinging down the braids into the color change. then moving across.
Near a willow bunch sudden stop... then jolt. As i stripped line frantically it seemed as the fish toar up the fast water i has trying to walk back in the rushing water.
But like a pro a sudden stop and hold then the classic Yuba U-turn and i couldn't feed him line enough.
Whats the top section of the rod doing going into the water... shit! pop he's gone.
Luckily on the bottom fly so i was able to save the top section of bamboo.
Broken at the ferrule.
now the middle section is 2 inches short.
Must have hinged in the ferrule or a nick while planing?
Who knows, at least it was a really big Yuba Bow that broke the Boo!

The rest of the Day i dry fly fished with Dharma Boo.
Nice and delicate as well.
throwing Scottish style may flies, and top water caddis.
Many small fish rising but no bruiser to break me for the rest of the day.
Just academic Dharma for now.

High country desires

2011-06-07T09:48:00.000-07:00

My souls song,
like the Mountain Blue bird.
Free amongst granite.

Yuba flow-ku

2011-04-27T11:51:00.000-07:00

A river once gold,
shimmers Rainbows abundant.
Leaping arches splash.

Now wadding internet,
water watch spins H2o.
a sinking feeling.

March Mavericks-Redux?

2011-04-12T20:52:00.000-07:00

This March came and went like a big disappointment. Since june of last year, the dream of swinging March Brown soft hackles in the film, watching your line tare from the water mid swing, peeling off as they turn, Yuba rainbow trout measured in pounds not inches has been on everyones mind. However in 2011 the river has been high, well not just high but huge. It feels like the river has been in the 6000 cfs range all year. Spiking and dropping like our emotions. Only now and then settling in just to tease us with the thought it may be fishable. AA and I made it to the river in one of those perfect storm drops in the flow, hitting it on day 4, of a consistent low, just the day before it shot up to 15,000 cfs for another week. We each had all our artillery for the battle, the best method was to nymph. Not our first choice in our arsenal. Not even our second. Lets say it was our last grasp. but what a grasp it was. Having the "private" water side all to ourselves, we found our "el dorado". Many really big fish were caught, using really ugly, big flys. Maybe April will bring new hope. Maybe dream of March 2012.

Yuba 3/12/2011, renga haiku

2011-02-15T18:54:00.000-08:00

Brachycentrus, willows cling.
Osprey kiting, the only soul catching,
along this river trail.

EC Caddis, moments code,
three released to be free again.
silver bright, shimmer.

Willows bloom,
YOA watches for me to trespass back,
I sneak away.

North Fork, 2010

2010-10-18T15:03:00.000-07:00

A single coyotes cry.
Sinking into the granite.
North Fork gurgles with Goldens.

Popcorn and warm scotch.
fir needles quiver from the chill.
Casiopia spinning by.

Mac and cheese,
enjoyed in the company of
mosquitos.

Yuba-Ku

2010-04-11T20:19:00.000-07:00

Above crossing glide.
infrequens emerge
Rainbows leap, splash!

Timbuctoo bend.
Rhithrogena morrisoni swing,
oh mighty tug!

March Mavericks

2010-04-04T21:41:00.000-07:00

Januarys winter squals
A river of chocolate milk.
The familiar place,
a more beautiful visit.

Sunny today, willows blossom.
River once chocolate milk,
tumbles through boulders,
glides of freestones anew.

Yuba greenbacks breaking surface.
Rhithrogena morrisoni
palmerd partridge drifts, swing and hover.
like a pitch to the hitter
solid takes, run and landing.

At the edge of sacrament
first a prayer, cover the bases?
the slicks boil from rises.
Infrequens the moments code.

A strange faith requires our willing suspension of disbelief. But very different from the suspension of reason. I've waited all season for this moment. The return of March Browns. There emergence drive the fish into feeding frenzies. On the water without an indicator for three months, in anticipation of this moment. To cast first dead-drift, then into the swing. Full faith in the connection. Direct contact. So more poetic than 3 SSG's. Like a ballet. Why would you put an indicator on right now!? Why!? He said, "It would be like walking into a temple with your dick in your hand". I must agree, the Yuba has been a temple for these past few months. How long will it last.

Elusive flow.

2010-01-04T17:01:00.000-08:00

Standing in the flow, emerald clear chill.
I know in my mind and heart you are there, in your space.
I'm here visiting again. With honorable intensions. Only to grasp your spirit for a moment.
Then you'll free me to play in your home another day.
A sudden pull, then a furry of struggle. Your truth becomes my truth, to be free again.

Lower Yuba 12.20.09

Any Creek, Cathedral Peak

2009-10-06T10:09:00.000-07:00

Harvest Sky sets.
Rust Caddis flutter about.
Rainbow acrobats.

Ice forming.
Chill in the shadows.
Aspens turning leaves.

Membraneous wings hibernate.
Last hatch over.
Longing for more trail.

On the trail again.

2009-08-18T15:38:00.000-07:00

Braided water cascading.
Mossy log crossings.
Slip, now wet boots

Mixed agitated surface.
Occasional drifting lens,
reveals hidden fish.

Golden, red, blue parrs.
Within cirque fed flow.
Swims from my approach

Misty rain falling.
Fly sags, dribbles. Another
damp down morning.

Masked face peers.
Sleekly traverses talus ahead.
Under a weasels watch.

Pika calmly watches.
Two legs lumbering by.
I'm entertainment.

Snow covered peak,
levitates above the clouds.
Beckons adventure.

Evolution Basin 08

2009-05-27T20:23:00.000-07:00

Bright granite shimmers.
Cascade burnished bench.
Golden, red blue fish.

Membranous wings beat.
Evening pines whisper "glow"!
Single Malt easy.

Ridges silhouette deeper than night
Tea cup and Virgo blur.
Fire-ring tales whispered.

Stani-Ku 2

2009-04-18T12:53:00.000-07:00

bluffs, rusty pumice
through rocks running, turquose blue
palmerd hackle intices

chrome flash, zip zoom
flowing motion bending wand
spreakeled bow swims free.

pussy willows and fig tree buds
three ssg's a copper john
become one, re-rig

drifting chaneal transforms
salmanoids descretion fooled
worm puppet subdues

blue dicks, fiddlenecks
water breathed is constant life
while wind above suffocates

like wind flowing, riffle
tug, opposition, final surrender
final release to breath again.

Stani-ku

2009-03-16T21:18:00.000-07:00

Pale Duns Flutter at Dawn
Willows' Polen drifts
Oh my runny nose.

A Fig tree's shaded silhouette
Hiding my shadow, cast across stream
Tug then zoom.

Glide into my net
Callibatis flavor of the day
from my hand swim free.

Knapsack Snow Wish 09

2009-02-22T10:01:00.001-08:00

Cirrus clouds whisper
Sierra crest enveloped by snow
My rain jackets wet.

Mono Creek rushes
Rainbows rise to Salmon flies
Osprey circles high.

Lilies and lupine
Bumble bee bumbles about, yellow legs
Knapsackers eye, the welcome note.

Violet, red sky
Swallows swoop, Bats flutter
I love DEET.

Leopard prints in snow
Feed Lower Ottoway
Over falls, Valley to Bay.

Swing Dancing, River of Skulls

2009-02-16T21:17:00.000-08:00

Its super cool to watch your rig drift the boom boom room, and suddenly see from no where a long torpedo shape flash follow close behind the anchor fly. Then, the end of the drift comes, you hold your breath, suddenly like getting rear-ended on the freeway, you got a rodeo on. Zero to sixty in a Lamborgini second, its on... Hope I checked that Uni-knot twice. Catch and Release, a sweet two year old green back Chromer, 12 inches of pure beauty.
The River of Skulls is a sweet spot, and to get into the spunky ones I found loosing flies is what you pay to play. lots of hairy snags abound and tight over grown areas hold the biggest of the wild Salmonoids...
I lost about thirty flies Thursday but I netted 13 Rainbows and 3 young Chromers. Their size has no comparison to the leader busting monsters that cruise the runs below the Foundation Hole on the Lower Yuba, but with a 3wt. they can defiantly give your 6x tippet a good stretching.
CU-Soon Skull Bows

Yuba Haiku

2009-02-02T10:24:00.000-08:00

Stream dance Moby Bow
Skawala Nymphs down deep
Swinging till dusk, skunked

Bald Eagle circles high
Wary Chromers tight jawed
None hungry for my Fly

Dredging Zebra Johns
Ripping wild through the riffle
Awesome tree trout snag

PMD's flutter
Prudent Aram and Larry
Their Cobra succeeds

Ben, Lou and I fish the Lower Yuba today. We met up with Aram and Larry, not pictured, fishing the run below us.

Sierra Club Hike-ku

2009-01-25T12:03:00.000-08:00

Mist wind drizzle mud
Like minded friends hike as one
Chilled, damp through the fog

Now warm hearted sitting
Beer and pizza in cafe
Sharing treks to come

Rainbow Haiku 1

2009-01-05T20:54:00.000-08:00

Tony casts his nymph,

Big flash of rainbow, kype-jawed.

Oh, what a monster!

by John Marsh, freelance writer, Seattle Wa

River of Skulls

2008-12-13T15:10:00.000-08:00

El Rio de las Calaveras
Getting lost is part of the whole reason to go fly-fishing.
However, you don’t want to be getting lost driving to the place of adventure.
After we left Stockton, like Marysville, you begin to intersect tiny towns hit hard by the recession along with demand on the local home laboratories.
Driving Hwy 26, Many of the street signs, removed or missing like the teeth of a few locals we asked directions from, made it a challenge to navigate.
After a few misguided attempts, Roger and I finally found “The Bridge” and then the River of Skulls.
While we geared up for our hike and new adventure, another fly fisherman hiking out was kind enough to give us advice about the place since it was or first time there. Roger prudently took the Obama decal off the back of his car and we headed off.
After a few minutes hiking, I began to imagine in my mind images from the Spanish naming of the river.
"In 1805, Lieutenant Gabriel Moraga was ordered by the Spanish Governor of
California to explore the Great Central Valley. Displace the local Natives, and
re-name everything he found. Well, one day Gabe and his horsemen came across a river
the banks of which were littered with skulls. No one knows for sure how the skulls
came to be on the banks of this river. Perhaps they were the remains of an ancient
battle, or a terrible plague. Or perhaps it was a really great party that suddenly
went horribly wrong. Whatever the case old Gabe, being a true master of the obvious,
named this river "El Rio De Las Calaveras" or in English, "The River of Skulls".
We started with pretty much the same rig, two-nymph setup; size 16 Pheasant Tail with a 18 copper BH midge behind.
The First few access seemed quite, we were just getting warmed up, swing casting, like Pete Townsend playing the guitar, just get’en into the rhythm, nothing fancy.
Then, we hiked upstream a bit more enjoying the solace of the stream, just looking around. At the next pool we noticed a few trout rising. We peeked in to get our game plan on. Roger would take the access first and I would go play just downstream from him.
A few swing casts, and Boom, there’s the flash of silver in the drift, zoom zoom and yow, hang on! Luckily, Roger had his camera ready and snapped a few pics, plus the landing, yow a beautiful young Steele, maybe a 2 year old. She was beutiful to see tear off after the release.
I hiked up stream and l gave Roger some room. It was a perfect day, overcast and cool. I had a banana and hung out looking around, woh no garbage, it was so refreshing not to be picking up garbage as I hike like at Putah or Lower Stan.
I hiked into another access and waded in quietly, that’s the trick the more stealthy the better, however my cast was crappy but I let it finish the drift, instead of ripen it out of the water early just to get it out 16 more inches and yow it paid off, boom! I got into a big one, I could see a deep large flash and the rodeo was on. After a few giving and taking of line, she was able to get down stream and tie me of on a limb… yow good fight she was big! I reeled in, tied on a size 18 brassie and waited for the area to cool off. Took some pics from where I stood in the river and enjoyed watching Roger upstream from me. He was getting some good takes from what I could see. After 10 minutes, I took careful aim and swung cast upstream from where that last drift originated, slowly it came right over the same spot, boom same as before, repeat performance except this time I kept a little more tight on her. She gave it to me for a couple of minutes, and then I guide her into the net, Yow 16 inches. She was beautiful! Simply stunning! Took a portrait and then she tore off into the abyss. I thanked the spot and headed for more new territory up stream.
While hiking along and enjoying the oaks, and willows, the stream meanders along unpretentiously with tight snaggy runs and riffles to play in. Along the way, I caught a few more bows in the precious size and gently let them go. Arriving at the dam we switched to dry fly and got one looking with an October Caddis Emerger right at the spillway. After letting him go, Roger had a go at it for a bit.
Soon we headed back down trail and across the stream, and went back to the first two areas and I got a couple there one on the caddis emerger and another on the caddis pupa dropper below.
When the Lower Stan is closed, The River of Skulls is my new winter sweet spot.

To see photos of the day:
River of Skulls

My Joy Rider/Fly-Pack

2008-11-13T18:06:00.000-08:00

One Sunday after Mary and I returned from the JMT trek, we went to the local farmers market. While we were looking around Mary spotted a vendor she wanted to show me. Nan Eastep a clothing designer and seamstress had a pair of biking pants she wanted to show me. As we browsed her pieces, I immediately noticed a backpack that she had made. Constructed from waxed cotton making it water proof, it had two front pockets similar to a fly-fishing vest and then a large pack compartment behind with two additional side pockets for stuff. The cotton is all natural, the zippers made of steel rather than cheep nylon, and all hand made by her.
Whoa, I was hooked! I tried on one of the sample packs, and knew right away that it was great. I gave Nan a credit card and she took measurements, did a formal fitting and that was that.
1 month later Nan emailed me and said it was ready and that I could come by and she would finalize the loops for my rod keepers and handle.
I’ve been using it now for every trip and its really super comfortable to hike in. I thought at first I would take it off to fish and cast but I find that the shoulder and breast strapping fits so well that I totally forget it’s on.
To visit Nan Eastep:
Joy Rider Clothing

Moby Bow

2008-11-02T17:31:00.001-08:00

A few weeks ago I traveled to Mossbrae Falls on the Upper Sacramento River. I heard great things about its amazing scenery and fishing since its recovery from the 1991 Southern Pacific train derailment where a tank car ruptured, dumping 13,000 gallons of metam-sodium - a highly toxic pesticide into the river killing everything down stream for 35 miles.
To reach the falls I parked along the road after crossing the bridge on Scarlet Way in Dunsmuir. I hiked along the railroad grading for a while I began seeing multiple side trails leading down to the river. I checked out a few spots but was eager to get to the falls since I never have been there before.
To say the least, the falls are stunningly beautiful and the fishing was quite great. Once getting over the secludedness, I tied on a standard fly that always seems to work, first a Hare’s Ear, then a Copper John, then a Pheasant Tail, but still nothing. I looked around on the shore in the Willows, in the water, but nothing noticeable bug wise, except for the hundreds of old exoskeletons from past Stone Fly hatches months ago. OK this is serious I thought, I’m going to work for this one. Time to bring out the big gun, my Cased Caddis. Its seems irresistible to trout sometimes, and when sharing the tie with others, most don’t use it, maybe that’s the reason for its success. After a couple of swing casts above a large submerged rock, there she was… Boom! Two jumps and the rainbow rodeo was on! After some good runs I finally landed her, and she was awesome, took a portrait and eased her into the recovery room. After the excitement, I sat on the shore, had a cup of coffee, and then focused on the pool just behind the same submerged boulder. This time I tied on a Birds Nest using a Duncan loop, I dredged the depths of the pool. Suddenly like a torpedo with wings, Yow! Out of the water, and across the stream he went. I had to take quick care, dropping in behind me, the full weight of the current and trout was against my 6x tippet. Patiently I got him in and took the portrait, catch and release! After the workout I sat and enjoyed the beauty of the place and was very grateful to be there, I hiked up and out of the spot and crossed the railroad tracks near the Train trestle and down again to the stream. The scrambling was great and hours peeled away before I knew it. Hiking by the railroad tracks and playing in the river reminded me of being a kid At 4pm I decided to hike out. Along the way back I only ran into three people visiting the falls.
To see photos of the day
Moby Bow at Mossbrae Falls

Conservation on the Upper Sacramento River
Cal Trout

Authority of the Resource

2008-10-02T16:09:00.000-07:00

During our JMT trek this summer, Mary and I took special attention to packing out our garbage and biohazards.
As we trekked from South Lake into Kings Canyon National Park, we were shocked to see progressively higher amounts of garbage and litter on or near the trail.
I felt that Trekkers in general had a mindset of, “Oh some ranger will come and pick my Cliff Bar wrapper for me”.
At many of the lakes where we camped, old myths were evident. One that was prevalent: if you get the campfire hot enough, the fire will melt the tin foil used to cook trout. Often we could see the foil at the bottom of these lakes.
Toilet paper and Feminine products were also evident near most of the campsites.
The most shocking offense was our lunch stop at Sapphire Lake in Evolution Basin where we actually found a pile of human waste and toilet paper as close as 10 feet from the west shore near some erratic boulders. Did these hikers believe that the toilet paper would degrade that quickly, even if it were biodegradable?
Mary and I were so shocked by the litter, we began picking it up, if it was not biohazard in nature.
During the trek into Ansel Adams Wilderness just north of Devils Post Pile, we could see the evidence of Inyo National Forest’s effort to put more oversight into protecting the fragility of the high lake basins. At Shadow, Garnet and Thousand Island Lakes, recent obvious postings of wilderness regulations were at all of the trails leading into each of these lakes. The signposts explained the regulations on camping at these lakes with a map that also illustrated where you could and could not legally camp. This I thought was a good step but feel there still needs to be a conversation about why there are regulations, and what their goals are. It’s seems meaningless to say it is the “law” that you must camp 100 feet away from a lake without explaining why. Maybe “Authority of the Resource” rather than “Authority of the Badge” can empower conservation in the backcountry more effectively.

To see bio-hazard
Authority of the Resource

Rainbow Rodeo Part 1

2008-09-16T17:13:00.000-07:00

During my John Muir Trek between South Lake and Tuolumne Meadows, I
was fortunate to fly fish some of the most exhilarating and technically challenging streams in the
"Range of Light."
One that ranks for me as the most stellar of wild trout habitats is the
South Fork of the San Joaquin River. First, the terrain is very exciting, from
Goddard Canyon to the confluence with
Piute Creek, much of the access requires a "sixth sense" or
"ballerina awareness" while carrying your rod and gear. Climbing over
talus and polished granite benches is a skill set to access the many
exquisite pools, tail outs and countless riffles. It's understandably
apparent once you hook into one of these wild trout, that they are a
product of this environment. Feisty and strong, these hybrids would
hammer the fly, then propel themselves out of the water, to then
vigorously swim upstream and launch themselves out of the water again
often two feet into the air. Angling one these inspired fish with my
3wt rod was like equating it to a "pinball rodeo." Wow! Just hang on!
Tight line!
Even at this high elevation, roughly 9,000 feet, the fourteen trout I
caught and released were an average size of twelve inches nose to
tail. It was obvious that high biomass and the water purity that
flows from many alpine catch basins at the headwaters are definite
causes to their size and spirited strength. These well-fed trout, I'm
calling Cuttbows, rather than Paiute Cutthroats, have striking
coloration, heavy spotting, evident parr marks and distinctive red
stripe while lacking the slash under the jaw. (See Sierra Trout Guide
by Ralph Cutter, pg 15).
During my energetic scramble up this freestone stream, I found
abundant amounts of Cased Caddis and some large March Brown Stonefly
Nymphs which resembled ones I have found on the Lower Yuba east of
Marysville in northern California. During the day that I had to
investigate this stream, I thrived on the remoteness and grandeur
that complimented this rugged river. Most of the fishing technique
was high stick nymphing with a BB amount of weight. Before the trek,
I tied a few ginger "Hares Ear's," with gold ribbing, and a small
piece of holo-graphic tape over the thorax, that closely resembles
the Cased Caddis flies I have found crawling over the rocks in most
of theses streams. This fly worked very well and was one of the most
productive flies I tied for the trip. From any trail head the upper
South Fork is a least a two-day strenuous adventure on trail in the
wilderness, however as you loose yourself in the scenery and quality
of angling, the distance will seem to fade away.

120 miles on the John Muir Trail, not the JMT Speed Cult part 1

2008-09-07T17:32:00.000-07:00

Mary and I just returned home from trekking and fly-fishing roughly half of the John Muir Trail. We started our adventure at South Lake, on the east side of the Sierra Nevada below Bishop Pass after a fun hitch hiking adventure from where we left our car in Yosemite National Park.
We were trekking the untraditional direction of south to north for pure convenience. During the whole trek from start to finish, we did not see as many people on the trail proper as we imagined we would have. From LeConte Canyon to Yosemite we probably saw on average 8 people a day, with many crossing the trail to find adventure in other areas of the region.
Of the many trekkers we met, we were amazed how unprepared they were for the more difficult sections of the trail to still to come, that being Sequoia/Kings Canyon National Park. Most of the trekkers had cross-trainer type footwear with little or no ankle support, but still were carrying at least 40 lbs some 50 lbs. Many of the novice type had sprained ankles and much blistered feet. A few that we had meet at the Vermillion Resort at Thomas Edison Lake were already considering plan “b” to their attempt at “JMT in 21 days”. Some of these “Speed Cultist” even had other issues that ranged from infected full depth blister wounds, debilitating raw chaffing in their genital area and shin splints. Yow! I was just very surprised, when fellow trekkers, particularly one in the Duck Lake section, asked me if the trail was going to keep getting harder, unfortunietly with a dumbfounded look, I didn’t tell him what he wanted to hear, but what he feared. “ I said from Yosemite to wear the South Fork of the San Joaquin River comes out of Goddard Canyon is some of the most manicured and graded parts of the JMT you’ll hike, from there on to Mt. Whitney you get into some rugged trail in comparison, more wilderness and no easy way out. Oops? I guess I should not of said that. I was just stunned! Where are you from? Oh, well…Mr. dark cloud…
Mary and I did very well, we decide that we wanted to enjoy our 21 days doing half of the JMT, spending the afternoons painting, journaling, fly fishing or simply enjoying each others company and a leisurely swim.
Neither of us had any injuries not even a blister. We do wear good footwear; Asolo and Vasque backpacking boots are necessary especially on the freshly graded trail in Evolution Lake Basin. Soon I will post a gear list of what we brought and the individual weights of everything.
To see photos from our adventure
120 miles of JMT
To see trekking journals
JMT Trekking Journals