Wrapping it Up at Home...

Rain on the 21st (pickleball tournament canceled women’s and men's)...played mixed doubles on Sunday with  

lots of room for improvement.  My partner Ed and I lost 11-1 then 11-2   and then also lost our consolation round 15-10...oh well only one way to go...and that's UP.

Hiking was far better as we trekked along the beautiful Donner Peak/Mt Judah Loop which started at about 7404’.  We had lunch on top of Donner Peak 8000’,  and then on over to Mt Judah at 8188’.  Cloudy...fall was in the air and winter on the ground with a little snow.  Winds gusting about 30 mph on the ridge - hard to stand up!!!

For my last CA hike this year we explored the Donner Ski Ranch area on old Hwy 40.  Hiked up to the top of the peak to Airway Beacon.  Elevation gain 7000’ 7771’ - a hard 1.1 miles.  Then we explored down the backside (north) on more dirt roads and trails for a 5 mile loop - a lazy kind of day.   The last 1.25 miles being part of the famous Pacific Crest Trail (PCT).  The day was filled with lakes and granite mountains, one of which is a rock climbers paradise.  We saw 4 climbers today.  Our 13% grade for the first mile of our hike seemed like nothing when we watched these climbers scamper up their 45 degree slope, on all fours!!!

Now that the fun is over, we’re packing the 5th wheel for our trip up over Donner Summit, down thru Nevada, and over to St George UT where I will be playing Pickleball for 3 days at the Huntsman World Senior Games...  We leave home on the 9th and invite you to follow along via this blog.  I’ll try to recap our adventurous trip to AZ every couple of days, starting Oct 10 as we head south for the next 5 months!!!   Watch out ahead for geocaching, site-seeing, pickle balling, and road scenery.

An inviting vista point - Castle Peak in the distance.
You've seen it before on many other hikes.

Looking East to Donner Peak

You can tell which way the wind blows up here...North

It's a little "hairy" getting on top of Donner Peak...
and "scary" going down...

Audrey and Bob are glad to be at the top

And I'm busy taking pictures of the southern view. 

Just a dusting to let us winter's coming

as we follow the patches which mark the trail
to the top of Mt Judah.  All downhill after this...

Till the next Tuesday as we started to climb right
of the car at Donner Ski Ranch

Airway Beacon looms ahead

Shiomi makes the final climb

While I stop to photograph Castle Peak once again.  By
the time I get to the top

Nancy B names the southern peaks for Shiomi
while Lake Angela and Donner Lake glisten in the foreground. 

Lunch Spot - Granite grows well here, but not the trees.

Marilyn and I climb the steps and lean against the dam railing

for a better look at beautiful Lake Angela

More granite as we head for the car...

Look closely for the climbers, one on top, one down
a little lower...

While they climbed this 45 degree slope, another propelled
off the ledge (dead center)...

And we even found a few "granite" people

near the end of the trail...along Hwy 40.

As I sit here thinking about St George, I glanced
out the window

and noticed a deer "pruning" the rock roses and we
haven't even left town yet,

and he brought a group of friends... I guess I won't have to
prune when I get home mid-March!!!