Sagittarius Viking
Mindful exploring, through the eyes of a viking daughter.
Favorite Place – Castle Crags
Yesterday I was supposed to go snowboarding with a friend. I had been looking forward to it for a while. I haven’t done much snowboarding this winter, and my new snowboard is barely broken in. (Getting 100+ days/year is a fading memory.) I’d just finished packing my stuff, and some yummy lunch, when my friend discovered that his snowboard was stolen, he had it in a storage place. Slightly disappointed we decided to enjoy the day outdoors anyways.
We decided to go snowshoeing above Heart Lake. We rented snowshoes, and drove up there…or almost up there. Two miles from Castle Lake, the trailhead you park at, to hike to Heart Lake, there was so much snow on the road that we decided it wasn’t worth the risk of getting stuck. It had been lots of snow for a few miles, but as we gained elevation the snow depth increased even more. It was only two weeks ago since my last visit there, but there was considerably more snow now, and the temperatures were dropping. The road started to become very icy.
Of course we couldn’t give up on the day yet, there was still a few hours of daylight left. We decided to visit Castle Crags. It was marvelous, as always. It was the first time I visited Castle Crags National Park that I didn’t see any bears. There’s lots of black bears in this National Park, I usually see them, but I’ve never been bothered by any of them.
I think the majestic granite spires of Castle Crags, in northern California, is one of the coolest places around. I enjoy feeling small, in comparison to the awe inspiring nature in Castle Crags wilderness area. I keep returning. Sometimes to enjoy the view, or show visitors these amazing creations, sometimes for a hike, a picnic, or some silent meditation. It’s definitely one of my favorite places. Despite everything, it was a great day.
Do you have a favorite place that you keep returning to?
I hope that you had a wonderful weekend, and that the new week started in the best possible way for you 🙂
Love,
Ms Zen
Gretchen seems to be enjoying the view. She’s such a handsome dog!
LikeLike
Yes she was 🙂 I even found a little lake so she could go swimming. She was in heaven!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Stunning photography! What a gorgeous pup!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you so much Nancy. I’m glad I added the photo of Gretchen then 🙂 I wasn’t thinking of posting that one, it was just a last minute decision.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Good move!!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I love that shot of your dog.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you so much Colline. She’s a good model. Lol. Thank you for your thoughtful comment.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Pingback: Favorite Place – Klinkenbergerplas 3 – What's (in) the picture?
It looks gorgeous! I hope to get up there one day! This summer, I’ll do Mount Tallac with my son, another easy-ish hike I’ve never done.
We won’t have near anything as pretty as this though, especially with all the snow.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you! It is worth the drive. There’s a very nice campground, or actually several, but one more developed than the others. I’m thinking of taking my daughter camping there this summer. Have fun on your hike!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Maybe I can convince our scout troop to put this one on the calendar for a campout one spring…
LikeLiked by 1 person
I bet they would love it. Lots of fun exploring to do in the area. The hike up to the base of the biggest dome is totally doable. That’s a spectacular hike.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’ve been wanting to visit Castle Crag’s for the longest time. Hopefully this summer. Thanks for sharing this!
LikeLike
They have the nicest campground! I’ve been wanting to try it out for the longest time. Maybe we should make it a date!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Lol, can’t wait to check out this SP!
LikeLiked by 1 person