A Wandering I Will Go

Give me a good vehicle, a tank of gas, and I'll end up somewhere. This morning I was looking for some small creeks that I could include in my presentation on fishing small streams in Amador, Alpine, and El Dorado Counties tomorrow at the Amador Fly Fishers monthly meeting. 

Having been given some information on another "Secret Lake" I figured it would be a good time to check that out (which I found) and see if there were some small creeks in the same area that would work for my presentation.

On the way, I came across this water flume. It was such an optical illusion I had to show you. It looks like the water is running uphill. 

Water is running downhill.

The picture below is one of the many canyons along the road. There is a creek down there somewhere. I don't think I'd like to hike down to the bottom to find it.

After 20 some miles I finally came to the dam at Salt Springs Reservoir. I've never made it out here before and if you'll remember the trip last year Here where I ran into the cows, this is where I was headed. 

Dam at Salt Springs Reservoir

When you leave the base of the dam and climb the road to the top, I noticed this huge granite rock outcropping. I thought it worthy of a picture.

Granite outcropping

When you get to the top of the dam, all you have is a little spot that will hold a half dozen cars and a stinky toilet. 

Parking lot at the dam

Once you walk up the little hill to the access point to the lake, the only way you can get around this lake is on foot. There is are no other roads near the lake other than the one I just came up. 

From the access point to the lake.

Now this is the part I found interesting. From where I'm standing in the picture above you can see how hard it would be to get to the lake and keep in mind that the DFG stocks this lake. Yet, on a similar sign like the one below, there is a notation about using a boat on this lake and making sure it is properly registered with the Department of Motor Vehicles. It even gave an explanation of what type of boat needs and doesn't need to be registered. 

How in the living hell are you going to get a boat (motors are allowed except at the far end) in this lake when there is no launch facility and not even any access to the lake? But make sure your boat is properly registered before you put it into the water. HOW????

On the way out, I shot this picture of the rock face that was blasted out for the construction of the dam.

I did find a bunch of creeks and took pictures, but I'm going to hold them for another post and because I'm using them tomorrow for the presentation and don't want to give anything away.

Till next time.

Mark