Your Central Calif. Artist Went to the Wildflower Cafe

Whatever does that title mean?

Glad you asked! The junction of the Farewell Gap and Franklin Lake trails is the best wildflower area in all of Mineral King, and its peak is always right around July 4. Well, okay, probably July 1, but July 4 is a significant day, and who actually knows the specific peak from year to year? It is 4 miles to the junction, and we often time the hike to eat lunch there; hence, “Wildflower Cafe”.

I finally remembered a dime, AND I had someone hold it for me so that I had both hands free to wrestle with the phone.

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Felwort
Blue-eyed grass
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Baby’s breath

Instead of chitchatting, I will just bombard you with photos.

weird-colored Indian paintbrush
Franklin Creek

Photos never do this hike justice. It certainly was a different sort of visit to the junction than last year’s exciting excursion.

More White Chief in Mineral King

Today we will continue and complete our White Chief hike in photos. I always thought it was a short hike, but maybe someone moved White Chief, just like Franklin Falls got moved. My phone, masquerading as a camera, also told me that I went 7.5 miles and climbed the equivalent of 43 floors. Yes, indeed, it is a steep one.

That dark spot is a mining tunnel. There are natural caves up there too.

The clouds were building up back toward Mineral King, and although it was still sunny in White Chief, the wind was downright chilly. So, I headed back.

Tomorrow I’ll tell you a couple of pieces of cabin life.

A Hike to White Chief (in Mineral King)

Trail Guy and our friend K went to White Chief, and came back raving about the flowers. Two days later I went to White Chief and came back raving about the flowers. Our photos are intermingled on my laptop, so I’ll just post some many in today’s post and many more in tomorrow’s, keeping the chitchat minimal.

Super clear day, heading up the right (west) side of the valley.
The ferns along the trail are tall despite only being the end of June.
Spring Creek is running strong—thankful for that footbridge!
thimbleberry
collomia
penstemon

Entering White Chief, like a painting that sold earlier this summer, except the stream is dry now.

Pride of the Mountains was stunning!

The color clash was amusing to me. . . color combinations acceptable in nature would be weird in someone’s wardrobe.
Whorled penstemmon was profuse.
morning glory
sulphur flower
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Come back tomorrow for more. The whole thing was stunning, and neither the camera nor the iPhone 14 do it justice.