Easy Sunday from Strawberry Peak to Meadow

After last Sunday's harrowing adventure, coupled with my having an early Monday morning client, I was relegated to a day long adventure on Sunday. I opted for Strawberry Meadow and Springs. The name sounded beautiful. It should be about an 8 mile round trip hike, which sounded like a nice Sunday to me.

I was feeling a bit melancholy, but no sooner did I hit the trail than a feeling of utter peace and bliss came over me. I literally said outloud, "I love this!" I can honestly say with abandon that my weekend adventures are like meditation to me. They are necessary to my life. I love my career of coaching. It is fulfilling. I get to help people every day all day all week.

Therefore, when the weekends come along, I do not feel guilty about seeking out solace. I need it to refresh my batteries.

Once again I stopped at the Ranger Station, or rather the Indian Trading Post on Red Box road off the Old 2. The Asian looking fellow with the missing teeth was there to greet me again. He brightened up when I told him I was going to do Strawberry Meadow today. He said, "The Peak? Oh, you've got to do the peak." Not thinking I had time for both today, I smiled and said, "No, just the meadow today. It's too hot."

He told me "Well then, you need one of these maps!" He proceeded to show me a map that he proudly proclaimed was the most accurate map of this area. He had painstakingly put it together himself in his map making program from 4 other maps, changed around bits to make it better and deleted parts of the trail which were no longer correct. It was a lovely map. I paid him $4.00 and set out on my journey.

No sooner did I set foot on the path than I spotted a deer off up the mountain to my left. I'm feeling pretty confident that if I chose to, I could kill enough meat to eat, but I still have no idea how to skin it, butcher it or save it from the ants, bugs and bacteria. If the hunters followed me, they'd never go hungry. I'm 3 for 3 deer in 2 weekends.

I set up on a lovely path filled with mild switchbacks. The views were stunning. I could hear the motorcycles on the road below. I wondered if they looked up if they could see me. I felt on top of the world.

I hike at a fast pace, stopping when I feel the urge to drink in the air, sun and vistas, which is at least every mile or so. I love how every corner reveals a new landscape. I must say, this never gets old to me.

Not too long after I set out, I saw the only snake of the weekend. I realized it was the same kind of snake I saw on my first adventure up on Trail Canyon. From the photos I researched, it appears he was a Northern 3-lined boa. Whitish with black stripes vertically following the length of his body. This one was obviously a baby, but he was brave. He crossed a mere foot in front of my step.

I knew he wasn't poisonous, so I followed him into the leaves with my gaze. I often think about what it must be like to be an animal up here. Each animal has its own challenges. Snakes are limited to the ground. Deer must constantly be on alert. Even mountain lions have it rough. I learned that they kill their prey then cache it nearby in a tree or the like for safekeeping and later meals. I would love to see a mountain lion cache, except not really, as that would mean a lion was nearby.

I wonder how hard it must be to carry a 100 lb deer up a tree.

I once read about a young boy scout who trailing behind his pack was one of the 3 fatalities in 30 years in So Cal history via mountain lion. They found him cached in a tree.

I continued my upward climb, following my excellent map. Enjoying beautiful views.

I revel in being alone up here. I marvel at how the malls are packed, yet I am the only human here on the entirety of planet Earth right now.

I continue up until I reach a fork which clearly divides the road to the peak from the road to the meadow. I see what I mistakenly think is the Peak off to my left. I can clearly see the path as it meanders up and over the ridge. That looks far too close and too doable to pass up, I think. After a few minutes calculating whether or not I have enough liquid and time to do both today, I decide there is no way I can leave this mountain without doing Strawberry Peak as well, so off I set.

As I approach the peak, I see above and further to my left, another higher peak. I know I have been fooled, and I am thrilled by the challenge. I calculate I can get there in 40 minutes. I marvel as I watch a hawk get there in less than 2. The path is awesome. It is clear cut. It is widely used. It is challenging (not for the severely out of shape or feint of heart), but it's not death defying either. Despite liking adventure, I'm not really ready yet for trail blazing. I don't even (yet) own a machete!

I keep following the trail up and over several more false peaks before seeing the ridge that leads to the Strawberry Daddy. I find a sturdy walking stick in the nick of time, and I huff and puff my way to the top in exactly 40 minutes.

What views! I took pictures of all 360 degrees here.

Wow! As I stood on the peak of the highest mountain in the immediate area. I felt literally on top of the world. Shortly thereafter, I was joined by another human. So now there were two of us who chose to come here rather than the mall. Excitedly, I mentioned this to him, but he seemed to want to be alone, so I set out on my trek back down the hill back to the fork heading to the Meadow.

It took me 40 minutes to get up, 10 mins to revel in beauty, and I hoped for 35 mins down. I made it in 36 minutes. Good enough for me, as the downhill is not my favorite. My blackened walking stick friend had proven himself worthy to be a keeper.

I headed down beautiful switchbacks and shady paths. Some were clearly worn away by our recent dual thunderstorms we had back a few months ago. I thought about what the animals do during these. I decided there and then that I will ensure I am camping again the next time one is predicted, as I am fascinated by these prospects.

I see remnants of trees duly burned by the Station Fire everywhere. I am flabbergasted at how quickly and far reaching this fire's path was. Every trail I have been on shows witness to this atrocity. I wonder again about how horrifying it must've been to have been an animal here during that. It is amazing how quickly the forests have come back though. Most of them are only a few feet away from where they once were.

After about an hour, I reach the meadow. It's beautiful and smallish, but it's truly a meadow.

I hike along the path that leads the way to obvious once formerly oft used campsites. They are all overgrown now. Eddie mentioned there is a bonafide Spring here, but any evidence of water here is long gone. I search for remnants of water, but I can find nothing. Again, I marvel at how the animals survive here.

When I was first looking for Trail Canyon I came upon a creek under a bridge off the Old 2. I hiked down, as it looked interesting. This was in May before those rains came. I was thrilled to find a creek. It was about 8 feet wide and about 8 inches deep with water. Immediately I felt a tick dig into my leg.

I'm sure the animals know where all the good watering spots are. Maybe someday I will too.