Another trip up Ash Canyon

The original plan was to hike up Carr Peak today, but the road to the upper trailhead is closed. So my alternative plan was to take all the dogs for the much shorter hike up Nipple Peak and see Ash Canyon from the upper trail. This was a hike that I had originally planned for yesterday afternoon, but was held back by a short but intense shower in the upper foothills.

It was in the upper 70s and breezy, but mild with mostly a clear sky.

We got to the trailhead and started the hike at 12:05pm. Sara quickly tired 25 minutes later so we stopped for 20 minutes before tackling the rest of the trail.

The trail wasn't as bad as expected. The bales of hay that the Forest Service had dropped in the upper canyon in July had collected in many crevices, creating a thick, soft mulch layer that retained some rain water. Sara liked that. But I didn't want to sit much and pushed everyone to hike to the ridge, which we made in just over an hour. Despite no serious hike in almost two months, I felt fine. (My big hike is this Saturday with Ellen up Mt Timball, and that is a dogless hike.)

It's been four months since the fire swept through the mountains. Damage to the upper canyon was bad, but there is already so much regrowth. The emory oaks that are standing scorched along the trail are all growing new shoots from the rootbase. Even some manzanita that looked burned is growing a few green branches. It's so odd how life can renew itself.

And thanks to the seeds that the FS also dropped with the hay, there's more grass growing ON the trail now than before. In fact, there was an eerie orange-brown hue in the hills, with black lines caused by the oaks that stood blackened along the way. My photos did the scenery no justice.

We were back home by 3pm. Sadie was still ready to hike some more, but the two older dogs collapsed in the hallway, still breathing hard.

I enjoy this little hike. Once I found my rock of solitude, I sat in the sun while the three dogs rested in the shade of a tall shrub. I looked around me. The vantage point I had didn't show that much damage on the ridge. The fire kept north of Nipple Peak and rushed down Ash Canyon. There were few burned trees on the peak's southern slopes. The trail itself is still very passable although many of the manzanitas are now scorched.

There's even new trash that the Mexicans have been leaving. I found two backpacks full of clothes and empty plastic bottles. A group of 12 Mexicans were rescued from that area a week ago; I wonder if that was their trash?

We never saw a soul. I liked that today. I'm going to start doing more afternoon hikes on days I don't work. I need the mountains like others need a church, and I need to concentrate on getting back into shape.