Showing posts with label kayak. Show all posts
Showing posts with label kayak. Show all posts

Monday, January 26, 2015

Missing the sign.....

 Last summer we went to Taylor Lake, between Taylorsville and Antelope Lake in Plumas County.  I have heard of it, knew kind of where it was located so we set off with great expectations.  The drive to Antelope Lake was beautiful.  We drove around the south side and had beautiful views of the lake.  The water level looked good all things considered in this dry year.  We headed down Indian Creek towards Taylorsville looking for the signs to Taylor Lake.  We found the turnoff, no problem but that was the last sign we encountered.  It took my entire map reading abilities, George’s Eagle Scout skills and a few coin tosses to find the small lake (and we met a friend on the road who hadn’t been there in 25 years but thought we should go this way…).

Taylor Lake sits at the base of the Kettle Rock (elv.7820) and is a small natural lake.  Once I was home I asked for directions on Google Maps, and it had us traveling gravel roads from Diamond Mountain.  I have been on those roads, and that is not the way to get there.  There is a huge granite wall on one side of the lake with springs trickling down the crevasses.  Tall trees and an old burn area it was beautiful.  We saw osprey, a bald eagle, flickers and a small hawk I have to identify.  We launched our kayaks and paddled around the lake a couple of times.  What a wonderful day, lunch lakeside, good friends and a most pristine location.  I worked my upper body and had a good exercise experience.  Mission accomplished!


On our way out we looked at the turnoff we had come in on and determined we came in the wrong way.  We went straight out and came up on a junction with a “SIGN” .  How did we miss this!  So on the way home we found the “normal” road that was well graded and fast.  But we did explore on our way in and had an adventure.  I guess missing the sign is not always a bad thing.

The huge granite cliff,


George and I sporting a Bali shirt.

Sunday, January 18, 2015

Local Lakes

One of the main reasons I started this blog is to promote Lassen County. In 2015, I am planning on visiting every lake with water (an important distinction in a drought), kayak and photograph them all.  I took a map and drew a circle 50 miles out…. That is a lot of area. Here is my list of lakes and reservoirs:  If anybody has knowledge of them and they are dry, please let me know so I don’t make the trip.  This is 55 lakes and reservoirs!  I figure I need visit 6 per month!  Counties are close I didn’t specifically look at counties.



Plumas County
Lake Almanor
Mt. Meadow Res (Walker Lake)
Round Valley Res
Butt Valley Res
Snake Lake
Wilson Lake
Smith Lake
Lake Davis
Frenchman Res
Taylor Lake
Antelope Lake
*Juniper Lake
Snag Lake
Butte Lake
Window Lake
*Horseshoe Lake
Triangle Lake
*Silver Lake
Caribou Lake
Twin Lakes
Cluster Lake
Manzanita Lake
Lake Helen
Crumbaugh Lake
Jakey Lake

Shasta County
Baker Lake
Swains Hole

Lassen County
Echo Lake
Homer Lake
Dearhart Lake
Eagle Lake
Moon Lake
*Hog Flat Res
*McCoy Res
*Feather Lake
Ebey Lake
*Crater Lake
Straylor Lake
Jack Lake
Bullard Lake
Gordon Lakes
Summit Lake
Swanbereger Res
Heath Dam
Moll Res Lane Res
Hollbrook Res
Dodge Res
Carlo Res

I had to add a couple of lakes I missed:
Smoke Creek Res 
Ward Lake