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Lessons From Lundy

Beaver Pond, Lundy Canyon (10/10/20) Steve Arita

The outdoors are a classroom that are constantly teaching us. Anyone who thinks they know it all, isn’t paying attention.

Steve Arita was Saturday, when he hiked up Lundy Canyon to the waterfalls. He observed and reported, “The day started out great, beautiful clear and calm morning, got some good shots of the first beaver pond, but as the morning progressed, within the hour, the wind picked up, and clouds came in, but it didn’t rain.

Autumn was dressed in her best. Steve noted the “fall colors were beautiful in the trailhead parking lot and up through the waterfalls, some patchy light yellow trees, but also bare ones as well, I hate to say.”

He hated to admit it, as wind lifted many of Lundy’s aspen leaves and sent them swirling across the land. He estimates, it “may be done within a week and a half or so, certainly best to go now.” Steve’s lower case use of “go now” seemed tinged with resignation.

He certainly was sympathetic about what the good folks who live in June Lake have had to endure. The Creek Fire has been sending its soot over the Ansel Adams Wilderness to seep into every corner of the June Lake Loop.

Sadly, after last autumn was a bust for June Lake, now smoke wants to suffocate the color. “It wasn’t the best for photos,” Arita admitted about the scene, though noted that aspen are Near Peak to Peak along most of the June Lake Loop.

A sad lesson learned.

  • Lundy Lake (7,858′) – Near Peak to Peak (50-75%) GO NOW!
  • June Lake Loop (7,654′) – Near Peak to Peak (50-75%) GO NOW!