October 23 -- A Dayhike Up The Piute Pass Trail...

The temperature here in Bishop, CA is finally starting to get a bit colder, so where do I head to for the day? While, a mountain trail at about 9500 feet, where it's not only cold but WINDY...Piute Pass Trail is accessed from the road to North Lake, off the road to Lake Sabrina. I'd last been there a little more than a week before, during the glory of late-autum colors --

Now the aspen and willows are shorn of leaves -- and it's cold. And the wind is starting to pick up...The trail lies in the forest cover below the mountain ahead. 

At the start of the trail, there's a decision for me to make -- Lamarck Lakes to the left, or Piute Pass Trail to the right? Hmmm...I go right. That's my "wildlife camera' resting on top of the signpost, the Canon 7D and 100-400 f/5.6 IS L lens. While hiking I hold it by the lens collar and carry it around with one hand, for fast access. 

Piute Creek climbs alongside the climbing trail. The sun dapples the creek as it has finally come out from clouds that are behind me. 

At this point I spotted another Varied Thrush, a bird I'd last seen on the Treasure Lakes Trail...

Colorful Piute Crags are on the east wall of the canyon -- 

Here's a crossing over Piute Creek, as I was carefully balancing on a log -- 

Even at this late date of autumn there was still a bit of fall color in along the trail -- though the increasing wind probably will take care of the remnants...

The trail winds up that rock face in the photo to the top of it -- and the wind, blowing down the pass, was trying to blow me back -- 

Here's a sad indication of the severity of the drought -- In 2001 I backpacked up the Piute Pass Trail, and this area was a pool full of water -- you can see the water line on the rock -- with streams cascading down the rock face, Alas, nothing now...

Once you're up over the granite cliff, you're at Loch Leven, the first lake, and Piute Pass itself is in the distant saddle. The wind was blowing down through the pass, and I'd say it was at least 50mph; you can see the whitecaps on the lake. I found a place to huddle for lunch, partially protected from the wind. 

After lunch and walking back down the trail, here's the scene from the top of the granite cliff looking south to Table Mountain in the distance. And the "spaceship-shaped" cloud is a possible lenticular cloud in-the-making...

The wind now at my back, it blew me down the trail. Here's the same scene of Piute Creek, now in flu sunlight --- 

Further down the trail, the cloud, now becoming more distinct, is looming over the scene -- 

And a White-breasted Nuthatch investigates a tree in an area sheltered from the wind. 

Back at the RV park, the clouds continue their dazzling display, this time with color -- 

It's now Friday, Oct 24, and I think I'll actually kick back and relax for once for the day...