Lake Tahoe, Gold Beach, The Redwoods and Crater Lake

It was tough leaving Yosemite's panoramic views and the rapids of the Merced River feeding into spectacular waterfalls - truly a plein air painter's paradise!  Only something completely different and equally inspiring could measure up as our next destination. Enter Lake Tahoe!

Of course, we knew it would be beautiful since this lake is surrounded by the Sierra Nevada mountains. At 6,225 ft., it is the largest alpine lake in North America. What we didn't expect was the abundance of snow cover on the mountains, which accented the beauty even more. 

Doug was mesmerized by these snow-capped mountains and led our expedition to find them. Consequently, we came upon Mt. Rose.  At 8,260 ft., Mt Rose is the tallest mountain surrounding Lake Tahoe and hosts a popular ski resort. Nature still rules here, however, since there were two major avalanches on Mt Rose in January and February of 2017. The first one buried two skiers who were ultimately rescued; and the second one buried the main highway to Reno under 20 ft of snow. We could still see remnants as we reached the higher altitudes. 

The lines created by the avalanche and hardiness of the trees to survive such an onslaught of snow were captured by Doug in these paintings:

"Evening Shadows - Mt. Rose"

"Avalanche! - Mt. Rose"

"Bristle Cone Pines - Mt. Rose"

Lake Tahoe has been a popular resort for many years. It is equally positioned on the California and Nevada border and the cultural difference is quite obvious. On the California side, there are quaint little cabins and a rustic atmosphere. Drive down around the lake to the Nevada side and suddenly there is the glitz and glamour of casinos. Even though they are designed to blend into the landscape, they are still a bit out of character for the area. Our campground was on the Nevada side, but it was sprinkled among the surrounding pine forest, directly across from the lake and far away from the casinos. 

Our next destination took us back to the Pacific Coast to Gold Beach, Oregon, where we met up with Doug's sisters Deb and Shelley, their husbands Mike and Dave, along with his cousins John and Helen. Everyone else stayed in cute cottages in the same RV park and we enjoyed each other's company as we toured the surrounding coastline.

After saying good-byes to family, it was a short one hour jaunt to our next destination - the Redwoods. We returned to the same campground where we stayed two years ago and it is one of our favorites. Situated in new growth Redwoods, it still contains trunks from the old trees. It's not that the campground cut down the trees, but instead, they preserved the trunks of trees that were cut down over 40 years ago at the height of the logging industry. Fortunately, preservation efforts created several state and national forests that make up Redwood National Park. Sadly, only 4% of original, old growth trees remain. These trees are as much as 2,000 years old and are only found within these parks. 

Being in the old growth forest is like being in a cathedral. There is a sacred silence that descends as one is enveloped by these gentle giants. Beneath this canopy, moss and ferns grow abundantly, giving a feeling of stepping back in time to some prehistoric fairyland. 

As a painter, it is a challenge to capture the full spectrum of beauty and majesty contained in one place. The Redwoods are so tall that one has to choose between looking up to paint the canopy or down at the curiously gnarled trunks, often sprouting new growth. Both are excellent subjects. 

Many trees also show the effects of forest fires. The bark of the full-grown Redwood can be 12 inches thick or more, providing excellent protection from fire. Fires actually help open the seed cones to create new growth. Many of the oldest trees have survived multiple fires and, although they have scars, still continue to thrive. Doug loves to paint these ancient warriors.  

"Alone in the Redwoods" 

"Redwood Footprint"

"Survivor's Row" 

"Along the Smith River"

After experiencing the peaceful, settled feeling of the Redwoods a second time, we dubbed it our "home away from home" and made a pact to return as often as possible.  As we left, it dawned on us that our trip was two-thirds complete and suddenly, we felt a rush of homesickness and missing family. Fortunately, remembering our final destinations of Crater Lake, Yellowstone, Jackson Hole and the Grand Tetons quickly rekindled the excitement and anticipation of travel. While there truly is no place like home, where we are headed next ain't too shabby either!