The weather all summer has been consistently inconsistent and this week was no exception. Bluebird sunny days followed by intense t-storm and heavy rain kept everyone on their toes. The welcome precipitation certainly didn’t hurt our feelings as the much-needed water is truly a blessing, but those caught out in the backcountry were a bit less enthusiastic about the unsettled weather.

The wildflowers just keep on keepin’ on thanks to the rain, with both the quantity and array of flowers far better than what we’re used to seeing after the past few dry years. The higher reaches of the Bishop Creek So. Fork (like behind Parchers Resort or between the resort and Willow Campground) and the area above the North Lake campground are the hot spots.

The number of thru hikers visiting the area is very impressive, clearly a sharp increase in traffic over last year. The backcountry conditions are excellent although the skeeters are still hanging around, no doubt due to the continued dampness we’re seeing.