Well, it’s been a
while my dear readers. Most of my hiatus has been filled with camping at new
places for you to explore…and work. However, I won’t dull your senses
with my escapades of selling ad space to clients.
Anyway, on with our first installment of my second season of bringing to you
some very tasty areas to enjoy the night sky and fun stuff to do during the
day, if you’re awake after a great night of viewing the heavens.
So get out your California travel map and move your finger up Interstate 80
towards Lake Tahoe. Just north of the highway 20 off ramp is a little road
which leads up to Bowman Lake. Most of the road is bumpy and you might want to
consider a high-clearance vehicle, but it is so worth getting there as Bowman
Lake is a sapphire jewel set in the mighty Sierra. (However, I have seen on
occasion a pre-1980 Cutlass and a very low Honda romping through the roads up
there.)
I’ve been to Bowman Lake three times in the past two years and it’s
has to be one of my favorite places to go to when I really need to get away
from the urban craziness in our beloved Bay Area.
One of the nice things about Bowman Lake is that it’s FREE. I like free,
free is good, free fits into the budget.
Bowman Lake is tucked up in Tahoe National Forest. You will get good east and
south sky depending upon where you set up. Most of the campsites are surrounded
by trees, and there is a babbling creek nearby but it’s just short walk
down to the boat launch from my favorite campsite which makes a nice place to
set up the telescope. The times I’ve been up there, I was blessed with
clear skies and comfortable (comparatively speaking) temperatures. Take a look
around as there are other areas to set up the tent which have flat,
open-to-the-sky sites that are good for your telescope.
During the day, if you are so inclined, there are great hikes, good fishing,
good birding (we saw eagles that last time I was up there) and great
kayaking/canoeing. Swimming is pretty good if you can get over the first shock
of the pristine water. And for the four wheelers in your family or group, the
road is pretty fun to drive up to a higher lake.
The Milky Way at night is so bright that at first you may not know what you are
looking at. The first night you are up there, cruise around our fair galaxy we
call home with a pair of binoculars. (Or if you are only staying one night use
the first couple of hours of darkness to get your bearings.) I would estimate,
conservatively speaking, that I could see up to magnitude 6 naked eye. The
elevation is at about 5,568 feet . So you’re about a mile up. If
you’ve not been in a high altitude area, give yourself time to acclimate.
Bowman Lake is a great destination for a few days away from the fray. You
should be ready for camping in a primitive environment. There is an outhouse of
sorts in the middle of the campground. Fortunately, it is far enough away from
most of the campsites that you will not notice it. Bring enough food, water,
batteries, etc as the nearest town is a good hour and half away. (It will take
you at least 45 minutes to get from the campsites to the smooth part of the
access road.) Holiday weekends tend to get the local crowd, so if you can get
up a day early, you’ll have no problem in finding a good campsite.
Out of a possible 10 stars, I give Bowman Lake six stars for it’s all
around characteristics.
Directions: I-80 East pass Emigrant Gap to Highway 20. Go west on Highway 20
for about 4 miles. Take a right on County road 18 (Bowman Road). It’s
about 12 miles up to the first of the campsites, which will be on your right
hand side. Please note that this road is ROUGH. I’ve gone up in 2 wheel
drive (in a pick up and a van) and a 4 wheel drive (but stayed in 2HI). What
you need to be concerned with is clearance…if you are taking a car, figure
on 5 mph max on this road. Also, stop in Auburn for any last minute items, such
as ice and top off your gas tank.
Notes: A Tahoe National Forest map is the ideal thing to have.
|
