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Late Summer Camp at Scotts Flat

·California, United States·#california#summer#tahoe#sierra nevada#lakeside#camping
A wide, golden-brown grassy field in the foreground with a lake and dense forest hills under a cloudy sky.

Hauled the trailer out for a late summer camp at Scotts Flat — Jeep, WoollyBear, tent on top, bike hanging off the back. Parked by the boat ramp in the morning when the water was still flat enough to hold the whole far shore upside down.

The meadow grass has gone fully tawny already, seed heads everywhere, and the lake looked lower than earlier in the season, rocks and old stumps showing along the point. Walked back to one of the smaller lakes in the trees, where the surface was doing the same trick with the clouds — barely a ripple except near the reeds.

By afternoon the cumulus started stacking up over the ridge and the wind put a chop on the water, so that was it for the glassy stuff. Fine trade. August up here always ends the same way, calm mornings sold off by two o'clock.

A calm lake reflects a blue sky with white clouds and a dense forest of evergreen trees.A calm lake reflects a blue sky with white clouds and a dense forest of evergreen trees surrounding it.A dark green Jeep tows a white trailer with a rooftop tent and a red bike, parked by a forest lake.A calm lake reflects a dense forest and mountains with snow patches under a clear blue sky.A clear blue sky above a still lake reflecting a dense evergreen forest and distant mountains with some snow.A wide lake with gentle ripples, a dense green forest, and mountains under a blue sky with white clouds.A large blue lake is surrounded by a dense forest, distant mountains, and a blue sky with white clouds.A blue lake bordered by forested mountains under a bright blue sky with scattered white clouds.

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