Larkspur

Thanks to some prodding from Theresa, this weekend we decided to check out an area that’s been on my to-do list for a while: Cache Creek Natural Area. Cache Creek runs through the range between the central Valley and Clear Lake, and is generally too hot for comfortable hiking in the summer and too muddy for comfortable hiking in the winter. Our timing was perfect, hitting the area while it was still cool, but sunny and dry. In addition, the wildflowers were at their peak, with purples, yellows, and blues exploding all over the green hillsides.

We were planning on hiking in the short three miles to Baton Flat, then once there we would decide whether to set up camp there and dayhike the additional four miles one-way to Wilson Valley, or continue on to camp at Wilson Valley. It turns out we had no choice – Cache Creek was high compared to normal, making the crossing at Baton Flat possibly dangerous. We set up camp and decided to spend the afternoon lounging around – napping, exploring down the creek, photographing wildflowers, reading, fishing, and wandering. Later, some other backpackers came by and were able to scout a passable route and crossed slow but successfully, but we were already comfortably settled in to our camp.

No fish were successfully caught (though enormous carp were seen), and the wildlife was surprisingly scarce. We saw a bald eagle or two soaring in the distance, a turtle struggling upstream against the current, a frog, rattlesnakes, lizards, and ducks flying up and down the creek. The highlight was the coyote I saw on the drive along highway 20.

The real highlight of the weekend (other than the company, of course), was the wildflowers. Larkspur, Chinese Houses, Lupine…everywhere we turned there was color. I spent Saturday afternoon wandering around and gleefully snapping photos of every wildflower I came across…until I startled a rattlesnake, at which time I was spooked enough to go back to the safety of my tent for an afternoon book and nap.

I’m glad to have finally visited this area. I’m not sure if I’ll go back – as mentioned before, the heat is a deterrent for most of the year. I was also surprised that the majority of the other people we saw were hunters, and it makes me a bit nervous to be wandering around in the same area as people with bows and shotguns. The fishing isn’t the best, with carp being the common fish (to the best of my knowledge). However, I’d definitely come back for the wildflowers!

Cache Creek Baton Flat Backpack (04.19-20.2008)

60 photos