Time to take a hike in Alpine County

Although there's still sufficient snow up high, skis have been put away and it's time to start hiking again. But with so many snow patches still around the question of where to go invariably comes up.

Unfold a topo or a wilderness map and take a look. Many trails are open but whether you walk on bare ground, mud or snow will be determined by elevation, aspect and soil type. Below 7,000 feet trails on south facing sunny slopes are generally open while north slopes are still snowbound. Distance from the Sierra crest will also play into that equation. Further east equal less snow. It's a good time to get out though " less bugs, less people, high sun angle and relatively cool mornings make for an enjoyable outing.

Early flowers are forcing their way into the world. Phlox, sulfur flowers (Eriogonum), death camas and manzanita are in bloom while at higher elevations things may not happen for months. Death camas bears little resemblance to blue flowered edible camas, a staple food of the Nez Perce and other tribes, but it can resemble a certain subspecies of wild onion (Allium textile) before flowering. Onions smell like onion, death camas does not. Down lower bitterbrush is in full bloom and might be contributing to that itch you feel in your nose.

Birds are in full song and breeding plumage. Now is the time to see them the way they look in your bird book. Mountain chickadees do a sing-song version of the word "cheese-bur-ger" while blue grouse boom during their display rituals and red-winged blackbirds have a three-part call followed by a trill. Bring the binoculars and a camera with a good telephoto.

Streams will approach or often reach maximum flow during this month, which, unless we get more precipitation will be somewhat lower than average. But the water will be rushing through glades, over rapids and down falls under the inexorable force of gravity propelling it toward the Carson Sink.

So where to go? Well, just pick a place. There are nice trails in Woodfords Canyon, at Grover Hot Springs and along Airport Road. The road to Wolf Creek is open, as is Ebbetts Pass. Blue Lakes Road will open this month making many more choices available. Note elevation and aspect. Bring the usual stuff; water, food, clothing appropriate to the weather, map, first aid and survival kits. Check the Sierra Club Web site for a complete list of the 10 essentials.

Alpine Watershed Coordinator Chris Katopothis and I recently did some lobbying for the Sierra Nevada and Alpine County at the Capitol Building in Sacramento. Appointments and routines were set up by the Sierra Nevada Alliance and the Sierra Fund which gave us a chance to visit numerous legislators' offices. In our rounds we urged legislative staff to keep our region in mind, pointing out that 60 percent of California's drinking water comes from the Sierra; that the region is an important recreation area for all state residents and protecting the resource from potential impacts should have priority. We reminded legislative staff that budgeting is in place for the Sierra Nevada Conservancy and asked for their continued support.

We discussed local issues such as maintaining water quality, wildlife habitat, restoration efforts and reducing wildfire danger in mountain communities.

The Markleeville Guard Station restoration is one of 12 featured projects compiled by the Sierra Fund and was showcased in our discussions.

The Alpine Watershed Group meets on the second Tuesday of the month at 6 p.m. in the Alpine County Library basement. All are welcome.

Our purpose is to preserve and enhance the watersheds of Alpine County by developing strategies and policies through stakeholder consensus building.

Friends of Hope Valley are having a workday 9 a.m. May 24 at Pickett's Junction which is the intersection of highways 88 and 89 in Hope Valley. The group will have the three usual work parties " fences, willow planting and general cleanup/trash removal. Dress appropriate for the weather; bring work gloves, shovels and fencing pliers plus water to drink.

Lunch will be provided at about noon. This may sound like work (it is) but the workplace is one of the most beautiful in the Sierra and a prize will be given for the Best Never Heard Before Exclamation while wrapping up barbed wire.