No, not that kind of high, the elevation kind! It seems like it’s been hotter that usual here this summer. Or at least hotter earlier than usual. One way to beat the heat is to go up high, and luckily, there are many options for that in Siskiyou County.

One place that is particularly pleasant this time of year is Deadfall Meadows. While wildflowers bloom in the spring at lower elevations, they bloom in mid-summer in the high places.

The red columbine is especially showy and one of my favorite alpine wildflowers. Especially when I can find it in a place that offers an interesting background for the image.

The trail to Deadfall Meadows is about a mile, and it’s uphill pretty much all the way. But, at about 6500′, you will find the temperature to be at least 10-15 degrees cooler than down in the valleys. This makes the hike much more bearable. If you continue on the trail past the meadows for another half mile or so, you will reach Lower Deadfall Lake.

And just a few hundred yards further, is Middle Deadfall Lake. It’s a beautiful hike, but be warned. If you start out late in the afternoon, like I did, there will be many biting insects. Don’t forget the insect repellent, like I did! I was itchy and miserable and covered with red welts for a week!

Another fine place to get above it all is Kangaroo Lake. This is one of the few high alpine lakes in the area that you can drive to, and the road is paved, too. On the day I was there, I watched in awe as ospreys dove into the clear, cold lake and came out with fish–every time! Of course, I had gone there to photograph the scenery, so I didn’t have my telephoto lens. But, there were wildflowers, too, so all was not lost.

The Columbia Lily, also commonly called Tiger Lily, is another showy flower that I can’t resist pointing my camera at. I guess I have a thing for bright orange flowers. Or, maybe just bright orange in general.

I couldn’t get past my amazement over the ospreys, though, so I went back a few days later–with the long lens. Of course they weren’t nearly as active when I was prepared for them, but they still made an appearance.

There is a point on the trail around the lake, where the water flows out, where you can see for miles to the northwest. This is the view from that spot.

If you are still not cooled off enough, Kangaroo Lake is a wonderful place to take a swim, or a float, or paddle around in a kayak.

My choice is usually to go late in the day, so I can catch the nice evening light. And, sometimes I get a bonus on the way home.

So the next time the heat of summer is getting to you, think about getting high!