Father’s Day Weekend at June Lake

This is ridiculously behind schedule post-wise, but I could not let it go as this was a really fantastic weekend for our family.

It all began when we were packing to go away.

For the first time ever, Judah, age 5, was allowed to pack his very own suitcase.

Shortly before it was time to leave, Jeff called across the house, “You’ve GOT to come and see this…and you've got to bring your camera.”

I walked in to find that Judah had indeed packed the essentials:

Gun? Check.

Rubber knife? Check.

Water bottle? Check.

Green cap to the air mattress we weren’t taking? Check.

Bright red winter cap? Check.

Underwear? Check.

Socks? Check.

Actually, he did a pretty good job…were he staying only one night.

After adding a few other essentials we closed it and found this:

Because you just never know when a toy AK-47 with flashing lights and sound effects will come in handy while staying up in the mountains.

Did I mention that we left very early?

And that we had stopped to pick up grandma on the way?

Jericho was still not quite awake yet, and he'd put in a full week of grueling football practices the previous week.

Judah, however, was raring to go.

We drove and drove and drove.

Some of our journey was dry and dusty and not terribly impressive.

But the closer we got to our destination, the prettier the landscape.

We drove more.

“Snow in the summer?” the boys asked. “In California?”

"We're almost there" dad said at last. "Look at the lake!"

“Oh, isn’t it lovely?” I remarked, breathing in the yummy pine-scented mountain air as we beheld that beautiful, pristine lake.

At long last, we arrived: to find a most happily situated chalet style lodge awaiting us:

The boys were thrilled to discover that our stay also included use of a hot tub.

The view at our backs…and the setting for of an amazing adventure Jeff and the boys would have later that weekend:

We got inside, unpacked our gear into our rooms, and then looked out the big picture windows immediately smitten by the beautiful, peaceful valley view:

Us poor starved-for-green desert rats just couldn’t get enough of all that green.

All of us except Judah, that is.

“Take a pitcher of me, mama.”

As I went out to schlep the last of my gear inside, I snapped this photo of my sister-in-law K and her husband of 30-something years, P.

Not wanting to burn any daylight, we all hopped back in our vehicles to go see some of the sights.

These aspen with their greeny-gold leaves made a beautiful display among the backdrop of rock and forest green pines. Oh, and did I mention the heavenly scent of pine in the air? Mmmmmm.

K & P took us further up the mountain to see a waterfall they knew of:

Then a beautiful little valley with rushing mountain water:

Another beautiful lake in the area:

A high desert in the foothills of the mountains we would be staying on:

And then back to our beautiful chalet with the view:

What a beautiful place.

I think, were I fabulously wealthy, I would spend vast amounts of time here.

Everyone went off to get a closer look at the edge of this lake while I prepared dinner: Chicken Parmesan sandwiches.

We played games and then everyone crashed into their beds in anticipation of the very full day to come.

Not one to waste a moment of the day, our brother-in-law P had us up bright and early and on the road.

Up into the mountains we drove:

Until we reached this gorgeous little lake:

Check out how many feet we were above sea level!

There was still a layer of slushy ice on the lake…in June. The desert down in the foothills was about 95 degrees and hot, but here it was a bit chilly.

Oh, but just look at that crystal clear mirror image:

You’re welcome.

I should interject that it was here, while the guys were dropping fishing lines in the water, that I struck up a friendly conversation with a British tourist and fellow Nikon enthusiast.

He apparently assumed that I didn’t know a thing about taking photographs, and tried to tell me that I needed some fancy filter ring to really sharpen my photographs and differentiate their true-to-life colors.

And for a moment, I must admit I felt that my camera had shown up for the occasion very underdressed.

Until I saw these images on my view screen, that is.

Because what I was looking at in the camera was every bit true to the colors I was seeing with my own two eyes. The skies did look that blue up there.

Hmmmph. Who needs a fancy-schmancy filter ring anyway, I ask?

Of course, we couldn’t resist the snow, which to our desert-dwelling family is always a huge treat:

Jericho sank a line into the water on this side of the lake:

Later, he wound up back by dad once again:

Capturing a self portrait with the pretty scenery in the background proved to be a bit tricky to line up just so, backward, without a tripod:

I ended up looking like I had a very bad double chin because for some odd reason I kept leaning my head way back to hold the camera as far from us as I could manage.

It hardly mattered, however, because a commotion broke out nearby.

Cousin D pulled in the first and only catch of the day:

Judah, having not had much success with his fishing (read: hopelessly tangled and hung-up lines), had serious fish envy:

“Let ME see the rainbow,” he requested, wanting to inspect it more closely.

I’m still not sure that he understood that the opalescent sheen on the trout was what gave it the name, and not a child-like image of a rainbow somehow affixed to it’s side.

Aunt K and Uncle P

Cousin D and his wife S:

Wait…what’s that he’s saying?

A wild mountain critter was running through the nearby field of snow?

Indeed there was!

I tried to get a close-up:

We’re still not sure whether it was a wolverine, badger, fisher, or marmot. Fishers generally have longer tails, and marmots aren’t usually found at that elevation this time of year or some such. With a little help from Google, we’re thinking it was probably a badger or wolverine, judging by the leg and tail lengths and other distinguishing characteristics.

Our boys tried their best to get a little closer, but the critter hurried along on his way down mountain.

So I rounded up the fam and did what I like best on vacations and took a bunch of pictures:

Where was grandma all this time, you ask?

Well, it was a bit chilly for her tastes, so she went back to sit in the truck and read a couple chapters of a Francine Rivers novel while our party attempted to fish.

The truck was parked right near where I saw this little bird sitting on a rock enjoying the general splendor.

And this patch of lichen on a rock near the dam:

Love that color.

Not sure I’m brave enough to wear or decorate with citron, but I’m likin’ it nonetheless.

I’m likin’ the lichen.

Ahem.

Here were a couple of logs that served to funnel the chunks of slush over the appropriate portion of the dam:

Here was where everything went rushing beneath the walkway:

And then…down the mountain:

This little manmade walkway was the only obvious sign that this was in fact, a hydroelectric power plant cleverly hidden in this scenic ‘park’ area above the dam:

When nobody had any further bites on their lines and the Slim Jim beef jerky supply had run low, we once again packed into the cars to go see some more of the area.

Ahh, there’s grandma!

She was totally gunnin’ for me.

Another beautiful vista:

K & P

“C’mon, boys, could you just work with me here?”

“Nooo…no, Jericho. Noooooo….”

Too late.

Poor, poor Judah.

**hangs head in shame**

I try. I really do try to instill decency and manners into those two, but sometimes…well, boys will be boys.

Just keepin’ it real, folks.

Once again looking down the mountain:

Daddy dipped Judah’s toes in an ice-cold mountain waterfall at a scenic turnout so he could feel just how cold mountain water is:

Tired from fishing, hiking and playing, cold, cheeks pinked up from the brisk mountain air, we headed back to the chalet.

Our porch view at nearly dusk:

Everyone kicking back at the end of a wonderful day:

Now THAT is tired!

Judah was out the moment he laid his head back.

:: :: :: ::

The following morning, we all got up, had Uncle P’s blueberry pancakes, bacon and biscuits and gravy for breakfast, then walked around the little town of June Lake.

Afterwards, we girls went into Mammoth in search of outlet mall shopping.

Uncle P and Cousin D elected to do some more fishing.

Jeff took the boys on a hike up behind that house I mentioned at the beginning of this post. He took our extra camera, and captured several really great pictures.

It’s also how I learned that he lets the boys to much crazier stuff on his watch than I ever would.

Things like, oh, say climbing around on a precarious, very large dying tree that had recently been hit by lightening if the scorch marks were any indicator:

Our chalet was down somewhere below where Judah was sitting.

Oh, merciful heavens! I want to reach into the photo and tell him, “You come down from there this instant!”

Oh, Judah…not you, too?

**hyperventilating at the very sight of my baby so high up in the tree**

The view from up there:

It was beautiful.

That would have been enough to behold.

However, the Lord had other surprises in store.

Only steps away from the climbing trees, they rounded a giant pile of boulders, and happened upon a doe.

A deer. A female deer...grazing contentedly in her peaceful surroundings.

However, upon hearing the crackle of their footsteps, she lifted her head suddenly and bounded towards them, coming within a foot or two of my guys to get out of the narrow little glen she’d found herself suddenly trapped in.

She literally passed within reaching distance, but they were all so stunned and everything happened so fast that no one thought to take a picture or reach out and pet her.

But boy did that make for a wonderful, breathless tale for Judah to recount for me blow by blow when we arrived back to the chalet.

Later that afternoon, we reluctantly packed up our bags and left our merry party for the long drive home.

After saying goodbye to K, P, D & S, we took grandma with us, hopped in the truck and headed for home, tired but refreshed. Sunshine and fresh mountain air are good for the soul.

It also happened to be the day of our 18th wedding anniversary, which would be celebrated the following day, and boy do we have a tale to tell!

I simply couldn’t resist these photos of Judah at a rest area on the way home:

While daddy was in the store, Judah was sitting on the edge of the truck bed holding his new sunglasses which grandma and Aunt K bought for him.

I watched as he held them in a way that he seemed to think made him look very cool in the eyes of all those passing by.

The little scamp.

Gorgeous location, seeing wildlife in their habitat, having a relaxing and refreshing time together as a family...priceless.