Hike No. 9 - American River North Fork Ramble

March 7, 2012
2 miles

Errands to Auburn, especially on a fine day, are hugely enhanced by a brisk run down and up the canyon in the TR6. Add in a quiet ramble of a couple of miles along the river from the Confluence, and the head noise developed through a couple of weeks of preparing for my vetting by the Art on the Divide folks was soon damped down into the mellow zone.

The walk started on the north side of the Old Foresthill Bridge. Old, to distinguish it from the New Foresthill Bridge, that splits the sky some 700 feet above the N Fork of the American River. The walk passes the abutments of at least two other NF bridges - The Old Old Foresthill Bridge and the Old Old Old - well, anyhow, lots of gold rush transportation history is littered around this spot in the bottom of the canyon where the North and Middle Forks of the American River convene.

It was a relaxing walk, filled with the beginnings of spring, and lots of stuff to aim the
Panasonic GH2 at, as I continue to try to learn its tricks.

(Video here: https://vimeo.com/38208268)

Canyon Live oak

Gold panning 

Belly Blossoms (technical term for tiny flowers requiring a prone position to photograph)

Parachute Man was no doubt launched from the Foresthill Bridge, 700 feet above.

A quiet spot along the North Fork

Hand-stacked stone still supports a 150-year-old roadbed along the river

The Buckeye always fascinates me with its unique adaptation to foothill summers by getting the jump on the season, leafing out early, flowering, producing seeds, and going dormant by July.

Buckeye leaves a few days old