Day 1

Pulling out of the driveway; later Tipperbips
The Golden Poppy welcomes us to California
Don't take my fruit (or other contraband)!
Spotting Mt Shasta, driving down I-5
Pleased to be on vacation
Arriving in Sacramento, CA on a smokey night

Day 2

Sacramento rental has a spacious backyard
Light and bright Sacramento rental kitchen
Palms trees and trashy people enjoying watercraft and man-made lakes on the drive east towards Yosemite
Yosemite pay station portends of things to come
What, they've got marmots in Yosemite too!?!? Please, take my $30!
Entrance to Yosemite has some nice branding
Olmstead Point in Yosemite
View from Olmstead Point Yosemite
Another view from Olmstead Point
some-other-lake-in-yosemite
Tioga Lake in Yosemite
Speeding Kills Bears!?!? This is bad news as I have been speeding for years.
John Muir welcomes us to Mammoth Lakes
Greyhawk, the Bridges Unit 206 just before the Lake Mary Road tunnel
The view up to the Bridges
Side view of the condo
The mule unloads the mutt-mobile and climbs the stairs in the thin air
Hallway of condo comples with neat windows on its closed side to keep out hillside snow
Whole Foods provides crackers, cheese, and fruits!
Cookie and Gertie are excited about the southeastern view of the Sherwins and White Mountains beyond
Sherwin Canyon to the south
The view from Minaret Vista
Marmot 01 in twilight viewing the Minarets
Wild trees at Minaret Vista
Sunday Night Football... excellent
The cable box goes out every 5 minutes, no cool, man. I'm concerned.

Day 3

fish sculpture at Mammoth ranger station
Sunny day at Convict Lake starts to get partly cloudy
Convict Lake in the sun
Convict Lake in the sun
Convict Lake
Inlet of Convict Lake leads to lake trails in the mountains above
Cookie enjoys the view from the Muir Wilderness sign
Take only pictures leave only footprints
Marmot on a hot rock
Marmot stays on a hot rock
Marmot on a hot rock continued
Human-Gertie-hybrid smiles at the thought of several days of leisure to come
Marmot 02 on marmot rock at Convict Lake
Colorful mountains surrounding Convict Lake
Marmot 01 in front of mountains at Convict
Here comes the rain!
Rain on the windshield in Convict Lake parking lot
Rainbow from balcony of condo
Rainbow from condo balcony
After drying off we head down the Postpile road
Late afternoon at Devil's Postpile
Marmot considers scaling the rocks
Devil's Postpile
Devil's Postpile
Minaret Falls near dark
Marmot 02 photographing Minaret Falls
Minaret falls
Minaret Falls

Day 4

Sherwin Lakes trailhead sign
Sherwin Lakes
Trout jump upwards at the inlet to Sherwin Lakes
Eek, a snake-- Ruuuun for your liiiiife
Fall colors are starting to turn at the upper Sherwin Lake
Marmot 01 with pinecone - senior portrait
Cookie and Gertie are under attack as wild marmots are everywhere
This marmot just can't stand to have competition
Forest fires have burned close to the lake
Afternoon rainclouds start to form over the Sherwin Lakes
Sherwin in the clouds
Chickaree takes entire pine cone in mouth
Burned tree looms over smaller burned out tree
The meadow at the top of the mountain pass shows signs of fire and recovery
The east side of the mountain loses its shade but gains and amazing east-southeast view
More stumps litter the switchback trail down from Sherwin Lakes
The trail to Valentine features some amazing Junipers
Juniper from below
Texture of juniper tree
Afternoon rain turns to heavy hail at the Coldwater Creek Campground
Old Mammoth Mine housing structure following hailstorm
Mine housing once roomed up to 14 men in the 1880's
Mine equipment sits in the hail
Mine equipment
Mine equipment
Mine equipment
Mine equipment
Mine equipment
Some kind of engine thing with wheels-- is it a locomotive?
The view from Red Mountain
North-northeast view out over a steaming Lake Mary
Hail covers mountain above a steaming Lake Mary
North view from Red Mountain from the Consolidated Mine trail
Sunset selfie as we enjoy 360 degree views of gold, pink, and blue skies

Day 5

Under Puddles' Bridge which crosses the Middle Fork of the San Joaquin River
Puddles' registration tag under the bridge on the way to Shadow Lake
Puddles' dog tag under the bridge crossing the Middle Fork of the San Joaquin river
Multi-color rocks generously litter the trail up to Shadow Lake
The trail up to Shadow lake
Twisted Juniper on the trail up to Shadow lake
September wild flower on the trail to Shadow Lake
The view south towards Mammoth Mountain from Shadow lake
Petrified Juniper
Dead tree
Another viewpoint
Waterfall at the outlet of Shadow lake
Waterfall pouring out of Shadow Lake
Waterfall at the outlet of Shadow lake
Waterfall out of Shadow
Cookie and Gertie bask in mid-day sun from their sitting rock at the far end of Shadow lake
Great sitting rock at the far end of Shadow lake
Shadow lake selfie
Relaxing at Shadow lake
Shadow Lake through grass
Who put all this freaking grass here? I'm trying to see the lake
Cookie and Gertie watch the fish boil like crazy at Shadow lake
Cookie and Gertie soak up the afternoon sun at Shadow lake
Shadow lake with views of the Ritter range
Shallow end of Shadow Lake
Shadow Lake through the trees
Wildflowers on the trail down from Shadow lake
Mountain bees get with mountain flowers along the Shadow lake trail
More wildflowers on the trail back from Shadow lake
Viewpoint
Stormy clouds over the mountains that house Shadow Lake
Stormy clouds over the mountains that house Shadow Lake
Scary bear tree trunk continues to terrify passers-by near Lake Olaine
River at Rainbow Falls
Rainbow Falls Bitches!
More Rainbow Falls
Rainbow Falls
Rainbow Falls selfie
Sotcher Lake named for early settler Red Sotcher
No beavers showed themselves but the fish were jumping at sunset

Day 6

Trail map of Dana Meadows area on the eastern side of Yosemite
Marmots portrayed in all their glory on trail-side sign
Looking down into Dana Meadows from the top of Gaylor pass
View from Gaylor Peak to Dana Meadows
Gaylor lake selfie
What is that on the horizon?
Getting closer
Marmot at a distance
Marmot
Qwiet, I'm hunting marmots!
Lovely arm haunches of the beautiful marmot
Marmot enjoys our offering of a carrot
A different marmot is angered by our offering of a carrot
Marmot outside of its den
Toothly marmot grin
Hello, Ms September
Marmot Senior Portrait
Marmot lays flat because we are getting too close
Marmot in profile
Marmot ponders the meaning of life
Marmot sits outside of den with lake view
Marmot with wind blown look
Lovely jaw-line
Marmot between the rocks
Marmot on the rocks
Marmot
Tossing carrots and jicama to marmot
Marmot in active contemplation
Queen marmota!
Marmot
Marmot does upward dog yoga pose
Mamrot
Marmot
The trail around Gaylor lake
Gaylor lake sits at over 10,000 feet
Marmots live in the rocks at the lake outlet
Gaylor lake looks like it is sitting at the top of the world
Marmot live among rocks at Gaylor lake
Creek flowing into Gaylor Lake
Gaylor lake
Gaylor lake
Wildflowers at Gaylor lake
Cookie and Gertie look out at the habitat of their people
Cookie and Gertie commune with distant relatives
Golden Eagle flies overhead and w-02 somehow gets this gorgeous shot!
Little frog poses for a couple of pictures
Frog is probably the size of a quarter
Frog midleap
Frog blends in on branch in Dana Meadows
Tuolumne Meadows visitors Center where we acquire a marmot to take home
Tufas sticking out of Mono Lake

Day 7

Don't Feed the Bears!
Near side of Barney Lake
Far side of Barney Lake
Barney Lake
Barney Lake
Barney Lake
Photographing Cookie and Gertie
Cookie and Gertie at Barney Lake
Cookie and Gertie at Barney Lake
Wildflowers at Barney Lake
Wildflowers on the hike up to Duck Pass
Barney Lake from the switchbacks up to Duck Pass
Barney Lake sits in the canyon below Duck Pass
Our first Pike viewing!
Duk (Duck) Lake
Duck Lake
Duck Lake
Duck Lake
Duk Lake with Pika Lake in the distance
Cookie and Gertie at Duck Lake
Cookie and Gertie at Duk Lake
C & G at D
Cookie and Gertie with Duck and Pika Lakes in the distance
Cookie and Gertie marvel at late season snow
Mountains at Duck Lake
Pika Lake trail sign
Pika reveal themselves on the trail back down to Barney
Hello beautiful
Goodbye beautiful
A blurry marmot at Barney Lake

Day 8

Sadness sets in a we realize the tv is not going to get fixed
Mammoth Village proves dangerous
Cando selfie
Don't know why this picture made the cut...
Sunny day at Convict Lake starts to get partly cloudy
Generic deer almost lets me get close enough to pet it
Therapy marmot! We named her Tuolomne

Day 9

The 395 driving north towards Reno
Beautiful highway 395
Highway 395
Reno awaits
Nevada is amazing...
...because Steak and Eggs
Misc roadside lake
Tar Lake
Reno
Metal deer wander the hills near Reno
Mt Shasta on the drive home
Metal dragon near CA/OR border
1856.5 Miles Driven!
Tippi in her Be-Not-Proud Bonnet is pleased we have returned... doesn't she look pleased?