Beavers Relieve WaterDogs From SoCal Drought w/pics!

I have three dogs whom I love and I take their health and well-being seriously.  I take them hiking regularly, particularly to creeks and lakes whenever feasible.  This winter in SoCal was the driest I can remember in my 48 years.  I've been taking them to Deep Creek canyon outside of Hesperia because at 15 miles, it's the closest "legal" water I can access.  I decided a month ago to take them one last time to Deep Creek, being certain that the water level had dropped to mere inches.  To my suprise, once I hiked past the spillway a couple hundred feet, I came upon a beaver dam that was up to five feet deep and more than one hundred yards long that boasted an aquatic ecology practically unheard of in SoCal.  Follow me over the dam, the water's fine.

Here are [l to r] Patches [my sister's dog], Sara, Doobie and JJ getting ready to rumble.

Here's the entrance off Highway 173.

Here's the spillway which is just downstream from the first beaver dam.

A view of the spillway's massive log guard.

Doobie checking out the dam.

JJ blowing down the dam.

This next shot is a real treasure for me.  It's a footbridge over the creek that connects two segments of the Pacific Crest Trail at Deep Creek.  I found out from a Park Ranger I met hiking in April, that the bridge is illegal and is scheduled to be removed.  It was apparently put up by friends of the trail crew [gorillas] without approval.  I wish the Park Service would leave it be, the next major flood will wipe it away in any event.

Here's a close up of the counterfeit Park Service logo.  Go to my flicker page for a closer view or email me for a pic.  The lower left is a trade mark that says "Rockart".  Pretty spiffy counterfeiting job

A shot of the bridge from upstream.

The closest I got to getting all four dogs in one shot.

My favorite "artsy" pic

Sara and JJ over and under, though JJ is most certainly not a
"troll"

A shot of the January 2005 flood debris. The flood got up to 68 feet above the creek!

Here's a last shot of Sara and JJ.  JJ is proudly carrying one of his throw sticks.

I've been meaning to post this for a couple of weeks.  I found out one thing about diaries; a draft really only lasts two weeks before deletion, even if you updated it on the 13th day.
May all dogs be as blessed as mine are.