This month our stargazing getaway journey takes us up to the high country of the Sierras. At 8,200 feet, you'll feel pretty lightheaded if you're not use to high altitude but in comparison to the Rocky Mountains, after awhile of acclimating, you'll do fine. (NOTE: Persons with health conditions should check with their doctor first before planning a trip to any high altitude venue. I'm in pretty good shape and I even had some lightheadedness when we first arrived at this month's destination.)

In planning this month's trip, it was decided that the place we would go to had to have several elements as it was over a long holiday weekend. Good campsites, ease of access, water for kayaking and fishing, fun hiking trails, clear horizons, no light pollution and a beautiful drive. What we found was Upper Blue Lakes, near Kirker and Luther Pass and Kirkwood Ski Area that met all our criteria.

The campsites are maintained by PG&E and they are quite nice with bathrooms, pads, picnic tables and fire rings. We noticed that they did fill up very quickly the holiday weekend we were there. Our campsite was rather nice as it faced the lake and there were bushes between our neighbors and us. There are a couple of boat launches and fishing was pretty big…most people came back with fish as did we. My friend brought his kayak and spent a great deal of time paddling.

Hiking around Upper Blue Lakes is a good experience also. There are a number of trails in the general area and you can hike further back to take in the varying terrain. The drive into the area is very nice and there are two roads you can take - one, which requires 4WD, and another which you can easily do in the family sedan. (Guess which one we ended up taking in a low to the ground van!)

Upper Blue Lakes is quite high as far as altitude is concerned. While driving in, we saw snow from the last of the previous winter's storm. There were people actually snowboarding! However, because of the altitude, you will find extreme temperature changes. We were glad we brought our ski jackets as the nights got a tad cold.

Star gazing at Upper Blue Lakes is a grand experience. I was blessed with pristine night skies. Transparency was incredible and the seeing (turbulence) was almost none-existent. Great horizons to the south, north and west. Not much of a problem with dewing even though I had set up by the lake. Scorpius and Sagittarius were absolutely incredible. I had fun checking out the various star clusters in each. The Milky Way was dazzling almost to the point of having to turn away for a few minutes so my eyes could adjust to viewing through my telescope.

Some basic camping notes: It took a little longer to get the campfire going due to the altitude. (For comparison, at Bowman Lake, I can get a 5 alarm fire going in about 20 minutes; here at UBL, it took almost twice that long, and no, I don't use lighter fluid.)

It also gets VERY cold at night. Think winter wear and an extra blanket for in the tent. The wind across the lake during those early morning hours can really pick up. So bring extra tie-down ropes and secure your tent.

While the campgrounds have trash receptacles, try and pack out as much as you can. Yes, you do pay a fee for staying there (about $15 per night), but it's a good habit to get into regardless of where you are camping. It also lessens the impact on the environment. PG&E does a good job of maintaining the site but every little bit helps.

Altitude: At the beginning of this month's article I mentioned altitude and I will again. If you are not used to high altitude, don't push yourself. If you have a medical condition, check with your doctor first, particularly if you have breathing problems or circulatory or heart concerns. Even if you are in the picture of health, take things slowly when you get there. And, lay off the beer/wine until you've been there for a while. It really does go to your head!

Upper Blue Lakes gets a solid 6 stars from me. While I'm more of a "find my own campsite off a fire road" type of camper, I have to say it was nice not to have to dig my own "reading library" for this particular trip. (Needless to say, we had lots o' stuff!) The seeing and transparency play a big part in the 6 star rating as my focus for this trip was some serious stargazing and I got it.

Directions: From SF: I80 to Sacramento to Highway 50. Highway 50 to Highway 89. South on H89 and drive over Luther Pass to the junction of Highway 88. Turn right (west) and drive two miles to Blue Lakes Road. Turn left (south) and drive 11 miles to a junction at the south end of Lower Blue Lake. Turn right and drive 3 miles to the campground and the left side of the road. (Suggestion: Look at a good road map before heading out.)