Moon Over the Mountains

After fighting heavy 80 construction traffic, all three cars made the correct decision to use old 40 - which was lucky as there was no waiting for each other and only a slight delay as to which gondola time we would make. It was just as it was advertised: beautiful Squaw Valley (my first trip up there)...exciting ride up in the gondola and short (4 miles - steep at the end) hike a-top the ridge to Squaw Mountain. Fourteen hikers (both Mary's, both Barbara's, Akiko, Tiana, Frank and Ellen, Clarence, Maureen, Selma, John, Elly, and Cyndi joined us there) enjoyed the sunset and moon rise from this spectacular setting. The smooth gondola ride was spectacular! There was a slight forward sway at a couple of support towers but otherwise we glided effortlessly up the rock faces. Amazingly, the geology seems different from the usual gray and pink granite, tending towards the warm, more granular look of the southwest. Cold winds cooled us after the climb so we returned to a lower protected spot under a calving rock wall to eat "dinner" and watch the moon rise. On the way down, five of us dawdled to take pictures and enjoy the colors. The three chatting women realized they had taken the wrong trail when the men flashed their lights from across the ridge. Fearing missing the last gondola down, the women ran towards high camp in the waning light. We made it but further confusion ensued when we realized we couldn't find the group. After fruitlessly searching the restrooms, we found the group already on the gondola. Duh.

Tomorrow is Castle Peak for the extended hike - meeting at 8. Hope to see some hikers then. If no one is up for it, we will postpone that hike. The regular hike tomorrow is the petroglyphs above Blue Lake, Frank will lead.