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Hello and Brrrrrr, everyone!

A funny thing happened on the way to the forest. I got up super early to catch the sunrise, only it was hidden behind some very heavy rainclouds! A bit grumbly, I had no choice but to continue on, for the driver would tolerate no complaints. However, Nature had a few tricks up her sleeve, and as we rounded a curve, the sun came out and unveiled a jaw-dropping winter vista below!

At this hour, the rangers had not set up their checkpoint to help install tire chains, so I shared my confusion with a lovely couple form Madrid and decided to push on as far as the car could go. Shortly thereafter, the road turned to snow pack, and though the tiny Honda held its own while it had momentum, as soon we pulled over to photograph some of the beautiful lighting, it was all over. We were parked uphill, on the ice, with impotently whirring wheels and fingertips cracking from the cold. Sometimes life forces a beaver to take action, and after twenty minutes of struggling, I and the driver successfully installed the chains and unleashed such barbaric yops into the air that we surely awoke several hibernating bears!

One challenge conquered, we continued through the gold and gray stripes of sunlight. It was like a piano keyboard, conducting a symphony of natural beauty where the radio has no reception! Near the (closed) entrance to Crystal Cave, we met up with a great ranger and a group of wonderful outdoor adventurers for a 2-hour snowshoe trek! Since they didn’t have snowshoes in my size, I rode on the ranger’s shoulder as the clouds rolled back in and shrouded us all in mystical fog, darkening the forests and turning slopes into precipices! Nonetheless, we pushed on through the snow, talking about animal life in winter and how to recognize tracks. Hibernation is so overrated!

By the end of the trek, having seen no other signs of wildlife except for the tracks of one marten, my tummy was rumbling. I don’t really fancy nibbling conifers (I prefer aspen), so I decided to try the vittles at Wuksachi Lodge. I ordered the Bib Lettuce Salad, and what I got was a handful of lettuce tossed onto a plate with three crumbs of goat cheese and four apple slices. I may be a small beaver, but I need real food for lunch! The waiter asked if I wanted anything else. I suggested a knuckle sandwich, and I offered to feed it to him. The rest of my lunch consisted of scavenged bagels and licorice.

Since the road to Grant Village was closed for the winter, I returned to General Sherman, but this time, I took a bold detour, setting off, all by myself, on a path normally taken by folks with snowshoes. After all the hassle from earlier, it turns out that these webbed feet of mine work pretty darn well on the snow, and I found myself in that beautiful silence where the ears scream for some hint of sound. I walked a long way. It began to snow! There were a few friendly groups passing the other way, one of which directed me to the President’s tree, where National Geographic was on assignment, photographing the sequoias! I had to check them out!

En route, I visited the House and Senate. No, I didn’t jump across the continent to DC; there are two groves of enormous sequoias called The House and The Senate. So I got my politic on and frolicked for a bit among them. By the time I frolicked my way to the President’s tree, the National Geographic team was all set up, and three of their members were several hundred feet up in the tree! They were filming using a pulley to hoist the camera from the ground to the top of the tree. It was so cool! I asked if I could take a ride (after all, I don’t weigh that much) but they didn’t have any waivers for me to sign. Oh well. It was still awesome getting a chance to see a real National Geographic team in action.

At about this time, the clouds rolled in much more thickly than before, putting visibility at roughly fifty feet, so it was time to return to the Inn. Needless to say, the line of cars going down the mountain stretched on and on, but it gave me ample time to bid farewell to the sequoias. I’ll see them again soon, though. I hope. After getting dropped off at the Inn, I took some time to hang out. It is essential, at the end of a long day, to relax/regroup/recharge- you get the picture. This really is a swell little cabin here. I wish I could spend more time in it. Maybe I’ll come back here next time I’m in the area.

I had dinner across the street at the Gateway Restaurant where “The only thing we overlook is the river.” Ironically enough, they gave me the lunch menu for dinner, which was so much cheaper anyway! Too late to leave, I ordered the salmon burger (yes, I’ve been known to eat fish from time to time), which came with corn chowder and a stuffed bagel. After a day in the snow, this was a perfect dinner! It was hot, delicious, and filling, and I topped it off with a creme brulée cheesecake to bring a fully glorious day to a close.

Deliciously yours,