The autumnal glow sheds light on how much we accomplished on trail this season. When I first hit the trails, I kept singing the Grateful Dead lyrics “Well the first days are the hardest days, don’t you worry anymore…” Wherever I hiked there were multiple downed trees, heavily overgrown brush, water or massive rocks in the trail, creating many obstacles to the destination. Sometimes it would take many days to saw, lop and shovel my way to some of the viewpoints or lakes. Ultimately, on the other side of the challenge is freedom. It’s so rewarding to clear barriers, open the way on trails, prevent riparian area social trails and it feels especially wonderful to receive gratitude from the Forest Service and hiking community. As aspens strip their golden leaves, the winds whip their cold bites and the brilliant light fades into increasing darkness, I recognize the beauty in the fading. I’m excited to see what winter creates, and when the darkness returns to light, we will again rise up to the challenge and witness the artistry of transformation.

As trail work begins to wind down here in the Sierra Nevada, mother nature ushers in winter time. This year working with Friends of the Inyo has been a wonderful journey. Starting out in the summer heat things were quite challenging. Learning how to navigate and work smart throughout the day was important. It was wonderful to be working up high in the mountains during this time. As time progressed spring began to bloom and blossom. Wildflowers popped up in the wetland areas followed by green topped pines blanketing the alpine. This scenery quickly saw the first snowfall of the season. As things progress towards winter, I am trying to wrap up and finish any last projects left in the backcountry.

In mid-June, I went into Buckeye Creek Canyon to scout the trail and start some trailwork. What I found were LUSH and inundated meadows, filled with irises, lupins, mariposa lilies, and green plants and trees everywhere. I took so many photos because I was not sure if it would ever be that wet again. The record-breaking winter was exciting and it was just as exciting to get out onto the trails this summer and see what the snow brought us. Other big highlights of the wet summer–many pollinators including bees and sphinx moths, water flowing on all of the trails, willows growing big and tall, huge aspen leaves, and many wildflowers I’ve never seen before this season. It was a super bloom season for the flowers. My favorite part was the countless sphinx moths! From the big green caterpillars with a spike on the end to the moth form of brown, white, and pink. They were all over the woods and high alpine, pollinating plants all day.

As the summer went on, the trails started to be less wet, the flowers started to die off slowly, and eventually we arrived here, in October. I was out in Buckeye Creek Canyon my last weekend in the field and we could see and feel fall nipping at our heels. The aspens were turning yellow, the shrubs and bushes were brown, the iris and most flowers were gone, and the field was turning brown. We’ve hit that change in the seasons, where you start to feel the mountains telling me to head home. It’s time for winter. Thank you to the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest for a beautiful summer and I enjoyed the trail work and backpacking and meeting people. It was rad!