along the trail.
We hopped over it,
waded through it,
and used it to do our laundry.
Some times it was still and choked with ice
and some times we had to search to find a way across it.
but at the end of the day, it was always great just to cool off in it.
but Chief Lake was one of the most memorable.
It was at 10,400 feet and we reached it after a long day of climbing up to Silver Pass (10880feet).
We were worried that the mules might not be able to make it through the snow.
But they did, though not without sliding down the hill and crushing our cook stove. I never thought I would worry if the trail would be good enough for a mule. The idea that we would go places that a mule would refuse to go never occurred to me, but perhaps I do not appreciate the esthetics of the common mule.
Our camp was set up
and dinner was finished as the sun began to go down,lighting up the peaks,
As the shadows began to creep across the lake
a beautiful alpenglow lit up the peaks
until evening set in.
Then as the sun set in the west, we could seen the outlines of Banner and Ritter Peak four days hike in the distance.
starts before sunrise. Pat and Laura would be up making breakfast
while the rest of us were breaking camp and packing our equipment to be put on the mules
and filtering water for the day’s hike.
We started hiking
but at some point we would stop at a lake to cool down with a swim
or at least soak our feet.
Pat and Laura would make us a lunch
Some time during the day we would head up hill.
there was always more up hill.
One day coming out of Tully’s hole
it was really steep
but there was usually a breeze and the views were always great and eventually, we would reach the top of a pass
or a ridge
where we could look a head to where we would be that evening.
We would begin the hike down
to another beautiful campsite.
and get ready to start the whole cycle over the next day.
On the eighth of August, I headed off to California to hike the northern 110 miles of the John Muir trail. Eleven of us headed across Florence Lake
with our guides Laura and Pat
to the other side where we met our mule skinner Rob and his six mules. We were allocated 15 pounds of personal property for the 10 days.
And so Jacob, my hiking companion and tent mate,
we said good by to civilization and began our climb into the High Sierra.
Where $400.00 a day buys to a tent spot on the rocks
and restrooms with great views, but minimal facilities.
One last hike before I headed out on my 12 day trip along the John Muir trail. I headed up to Snow Lake and then onto Gem hoping to get a little work out in the heat. I don’t normally like hiking in the heat, but I was trying to acclimate to it before I went to California. and I was successful. It got very hot, but beautiful
I went on past Snow Lake, pausing only long enough to eat a sandwich before I moved on. Saved my Oreo cookies for the trip back incase I needed some energy encouragement. Gem lake was largely deserted except for a couple of people camping and a few thousand mosquitoes. turned out it was good to acclimate to the mosquitoes too.
There was quite a bit of snow around Gem lake. It looked as though the lake had been melted out, (well almost melted out) for less than a week.
I climbed a ridge and got some nice views to the east. going right to left you have Snoqualmie and a little bit of Ludlin peak, the nice phalic shape of Mt. Thompson, the tiny little pyramid of Chimacum Peak and then I think three queens.
I made my way back to look down at Snow Lake and thought, “that’s really a long way to walk back to my car”
but in less than three hours I was back at my car and ready to have a slice of pizza at Red Mountain Coffee on Snoqualmie Pass.
Well, I’m still two months behind on my postings, but I hope to get caught up this week. The end of July I headed up to the Ira Spring Trail to Mason Lake. Ira Spring helped write may of the classic hiking books with Harvey Manning, but Harvey wouldn’t speak to Ira at the end of his life. Harvey didn’t want to see more people in the woods and Ira did. As an aside, several young hikers stopped me a couple of years ago and asked if I was Harvey Manning. Not entirely a compliment since their books have been described as hiking with grumpy old men, but I was over sixty and I did have a beard, so I looked the part
It was hard to believe that this was the hot part of the summer. Clouds and snow on the ground at 4500 feet. Global warming seems to be cooling us down.
But all of the moisture and cool weather made for nice green meadows. The bear grass thought it was great. Hopefully, the Oregon grape and huckleberries will ripen before winter sets in. Otherwise there will be some very hungry and irritable bears next spring.
The lake was peaceful and quiet and the breeze kept the mosquitoes away.
and there were sever nice rock formations along the shore. (When the clouds are low, your vistas are very short range. ) And the mosses and lichens seemed very happy with the weather.
It wasn’t great weather, but I didn’t get wet, I didn’t get lost, and I was able to set at the lake with out mosquitoes. Three out of the four things I always hope for in a hike.
