Sanctuary of the Monarch Butterfly

NOW is the time to visit Monarch Grove Sanctuary.  According to the Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History in Pacific Grove, California (also known as "Butterfly Town, USA"), the butterfly population is currently estimated at 14,000.  The Monarchs cluster by the hundreds into beautiful orange cascades in the pine and eucalyptus trees of the Sanctuary.  We were recently at the preserve and saw the clustered butterflies awaken and flutter about as the sun warmed the area.  A remarkable sight.

The Monarch overwintering season is from November through February.  "Overwintering" means to pass through or wait out the winter season.  The Monarchs venture to the mild climate of the Central California Coast to avoid colder weather.  They may travel up to 2000 miles in order to make this journey. A docent at the Sanctuary, explained this phenomena is unique as several generations of Monarchs have lived and died since the departure of last year's gathering, and so this generation appears without ever having been to the Sanctuary.

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XplorMor: Monarch Grove Sanctuary

A Hidden Gem

Panum Crater is a hidden gem, literally.

Located adjacent to Mono Lake in north-eastern California, off Mono Lake Basin Road, or Highway 120 East, Panum Crater is a geological wonder with giant shards of obsidian (the largest I've ever seen) and contrasting rough chunks of pumice (pick one up to feel its weight). The other-worldly crater is worth the short hike; it's as though you step onto another planet the moment you enter its core.

XplorMor Panum Crater Expedition

There are two trails at Panum Crater, one leads into the core and the other circumvents its rim. Both are worth the effort as they each offer a unique perspective of the crater, from its internal commotion to panoramic scenic vistas of the surrounding Mono Lake Basin and Sierra Nevada Mountain Range.  If you have to choose between them, you cannot go wrong.

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XplorMor Panum Crater Expedition

Petroglyphs at Fossil Falls

While driving on the 395 headed to Mono Lake and Inyo National Forest, an XplorMor Team member noticed the sign for Fossil Falls near a giant red cinder cone to the right off the highway.  They quickly googled for more info as I turned the car off the highway and onto the dirt road.  The Internet said we'd find a trail and interesting rock formations at the falls.  What that particular site failed to mention is that Fossil Falls is a dry creek bed; water hasn't run through it for ages.  Yet, there's plenty of signs to show how fiercely it once ran.

XplorMor Expedition to Fossil Falls, California

Fossil Falls rock formations were clearly carved and etched and smoothed over much time by the river that used to run through the valley from snow melt of the nearby Coso Mountain range.  We climbed down into crevasses and wound ourselves around the winding stone, and into the valley floor, exploring the facets and caves as we went.  We even came across some unexpected petroglyphs of animals.  A great find!

XplorMor Expedition to Fossil Falls, California

Read more and watch the XplorMor Expedition Slideshow.

On the Edge, Literally

Have you ever stood somewhere and wondered “how did I get here?” I mean literally, not metaphysically or spiritually.  I do on a much too regular basis: find myself saying, “Geez. How did you get yourself here?”  Well, this just happened again on the Lakes Trail in Sequoia National Park.  Let me first describe the trail…

Picture standing on a trail no more than two feet wide that has been created by blasting a granite face, then consider the wall on one side is fairly smooth with nothing to hold on to, and the other side leads to a 2000 foot drop into a desolate rocky valley below.  Add an unexpected layer of snow which has spent several days melting and compacting, and melting a little more and compacting a little more… forming a wonderfully slippery surface.  Now include further factors such as no ropes, walking stick or crampons, and there you will find yourself in the situation in which I stood only a week ago, saying “Geez…”

And, did I mention that I decided to do this by myself?  Yep, I had the brilliant idea of hiking the 12+ mile Lakes Trail by myself in the chilly, early morn.  This wasn’t one of my smartest moves.  Yet, if the Visitor Center staff had informed me with better knowledge and understanding of the trail, including the 2500 foot vertical climb within the first 3 miles, and that I would reach snow, perhaps I could have prepared myself or found a buddy to go with rather than do it alone and ill-equipped.  Of course, I lived to tell about it so no harm, no foul… but is that really the point?

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