I was lucky enough to join a friend in his lil PiperII and fly around the Sierra Nevada range from Auburn, CA to about Donner Summit then back down the North Fork of the American River Canyon. This place is so amazing. I've lived here all my life and I'm still finding new gems. Good thing my girlfriend has a 4wd Rav4 because the Prius will not make it into those lakes I found.
Lucky we didn't crash! Seriously though, I don't take this stuff for granted. I mean with all the cancer garbage I'm just happy to be here and try to live life to the fullest and take advantage of all that comes my way. Live like you were dying right?
Carr Lake, Feely Lake, Island Lake, Lake Spaulding etc.. There are a few tiny ones as well. Most of the ones in the pictures are between Lake Spaulding and Bowman Lake. You can see them on Google Earth if you start at I-80 and Lake Spaulding then move north.
Great photos, thanks for sharing, small planes are a kick! What is the massive snow covered peak in the background of 2&3? Lassen?
Now you know why I started young - this sort of thing you never get tired of, or enough of. We're gonna go exercise the Cessna this evening; it is a fabjous day indeed.
That is good visibility for this time of year to be able to see Mt Lasson from there. That's about 85 miles as the crow flies. From my front porch in Lincoln today I can barely make out the peak of English mountain which is about 5 miles east of Bowman Lake. That's about 55 miles but at 340 feet elevation and in the late afternoon, I'm looking through more muck that you were. That's still good summer visibility.
Nice pics. Did you get to fly? Live like you're dyin', and keep on tryin'. Your boots will carry you farther.
Visiblity was fantastic. The pictures came out smoky looking but auto contrast and auto color fixed them up so they apear like what i was seeing up there. Funny that Lassen appeared more distinct than the Sutter Buttes. I couldn't even get a picture of those. I thought of you while I was up there. Again when this plane took off super fast and gained altitude like whoa! I figured that is how you fly. lol I could have asked him to put it on auto pilot so I could pretend to fly. I was too scared to even try. This was only my second time in that plane and my 3rd time in such a small plane! It'll be perfect by then. The snow is melting fast! My friend, the pilot, just went skiing at Squaw Valley last wekend. lol
The Sutter Buttes peaks are 2000 ft and less so you would have been looking through lower elevation haze to see them, compare to Lassen at over 10k feet. Depending on exactly where you were, Sutter Buttes were about 70 miles and Lassen about 85 so it wasn't all that much further.
Two states north, news pics showed plenty of people skiing at Crystal Mountain today, for only the second Independence Day in its history. Ski operations will be open next weekend too. And maybe beyond that, depending on how long the snow lasts.
There were ski areas operating in California today too here's one MY Mammoth - Personal Customized View of the Mammoth Snow Report, Mammoth Weather, Mountain Web Cams and More
I don't think I've ever been in a small plane and not had a turn flying it. OK, so maybe it was only three times - two of them in a glider.... I managed to get both passengers sick the first time.
