Since I saw moving purple spots last time I tried to hike, the next time I went up the hill, I stayed closer to the cabin. Perhaps it was just an excuse to be lazy; on the other hand, maybe I was using my noggin. I left home around 8:30. It now takes me almost […]
Tryna Hike in Mineral King
On my last trip up the hill, my back hurt. I don’t know why. It just does sometimes, and after a week, it subsides. I never know if it is good for it to get taken for a walk or if I should just lie on the floor on ice. I decided to ignore the […]
Mineral King Road
The Mineral King Road is a doozy. 26 miles (I think, but maybe it is 25), much of it a cliff-hanger, no fog lines, rails, center stripes, and in some places, no shoulder. The lower 10 miles is under county jurisdiction, the upper part under the feds (national park). About 13 miles of the upper […]
August is my Worst Favorite Month
My longest running drawing student Mae borrowed a photo of this cabin from me and drew it when she was brand new to drawing (but experienced at watercolor painting). She put in in an art show where local history buff and old friend Alan George insisted that it had been drawn by me, despite her […]
Mineral King, (But it’s not Friday!)
In order to do my August calendar picture post and the Learned-in-July-List in a timely manner, this week’s Mineral King report is landing on the wrong day. Flex with me, Readers! It was a time of many people in our neighborhood, with much socializing and renewal of friendships. I felt as if I fit in, […]
The Mules of Mineral King
Book This is the title of a very good book about Mineral King, written by a cabin guy who began working at the pack station at age 12. Last Saturday Kevin Alltucker spoke at the annual Mineral King Preservation Society’s Picnic in the Park. Great storyteller, excellent speaker, knew how to reach the crowd and […]
Sawtooth and Me
50 years ago today I got medevacked* off Sawtooth. A group of high school kids were on a backpacking trip in Mineral King, a week long loop. We were fully chaperoned by experienced adults, age 32. (Why does that no longer seem like an adult age??) We camped at Columbine Lake below Sawtooth with a […]
Mellow Time in Mineral King
The idea was to hike somewhere during my most recent stay in Mineral King, but instead, I just hung out at the cabin with a few forays out to attempt to photograph a few wildflowers. I also ventured out to photograph a cabin to draw, but in case the cabin owner is one of my […]
Two in the Wild
A faraway friend got a thrill and texted me about it. She was in the downtown area of her town, went into a gift shop, and was floored to see two pencil drawings of Mineral King. Upon recognizing them, she took some photos and texted me. These were reproduction prints which used to be my […]
Mineral King Cabin Life
This could be cabin life anywhere, especially if your cabin is part of a community of cabins. We often take walks to the bridge in the evening to enjoy the views, the light and one another’s company. My guess is that many cabin communities have gathering places and times in their own areas. Sometimes we […]