Crystal Basin Trip Report - Day 1 - 8/6/11

          At the crack of dawn I pulled my restless body out of bed. I was excited and anxious to explore the meadow and watch the sun rise over the mountains to the East. The meadow grass was wet with dew as I strolled out into the early morning fresh air. Immediately I was amazed at the sheer number of wildflowers in bloom throughout the meadow. Flowering Corn Lilies dominated the meadowscape with carpets of various wildflowers surrounding. Among others were Lupine, Larkspur, Tiger Lilies, and Paintbrush to name just a few. I explored the surrounding area a bit before the sun finally rose above Tells Peak.

Sunrise over Tells Peak
          When I came back to the cabin expecting to find Sarah still sound asleep I was pleasantly surprised to see her enjoying her tea on the front porch. She too got to experience the moment.
          We had a slow morning enjoying the views from the porch. A ranger we had spoken to a couple days before had warned us that it had been pretty warm lately in the Van Vleck Area and by 9 A.M the hot sun had already proven that to be true. I sure can’t complain about a sunny day, however, anything over 75 in the Sierras tends to drain my energy (especially in full sun).
          We prepared a lunch and drove the short distance to the Tells Creek Trailhead where we set off to hike the Bassi Creek Loop.

(Click HERE to read more about our Bassi Creek Hike)

Bassi Creek
          After the hike and back at the cabin we enjoyed some brews and views from the front porch. The gorgeous meadow set out before us did not get old to look at.
          Just before sunset, as swarms of mosquitoes came out, I set off to take some photos in the meadow while Sarah prepared dinner. Although there wasn’t a cloud in the sky, the light cast on Tells Peak changed dramatically.

Van Vleck Meadow and Tells Peak at Sunset

Van Vleck Meadow and Tells Peak at Sunset

The Glowing Light Fades

Van Vleck Meadow Just Before Dark