Sierra Mulepacking, August 2011

Part II, Interlude Between Mulepacking Trips

Continuing the best-est birthday present I've ever had...

Back to the first week, mulepacking with the Kentuckians in Ansel Adams Wilderness... or skip to the second week, mulepacking with Kathie in Yosemite.

The Kentucky gang needed to get back to Reno that night, so they split soonest, and all by my lonesome self,
I wandered down the pitch-black, empty road to find a camp. I ended up in Minaret Falls compground and spent the night listening to the young San Joaquin River.

Next morning I had a real breakfast at Red's Meadow resort, then explored along the road back towards Mammoth Lakes.
I visited a few wildflower gardens mid-morning, bugs a-swarming.

After a shower, a mocha and lunch, I sped south to the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest
It had been over five years since I last visited, and I planned sunset and sunrise, but no camping of course since that's not legal.

And somehow found myself chasing the last light up a ridge after dinner ran late. Chasing anything at 11,000' is bound to fail, and I succeeded. To fail, that is.
But as the sun set, the wind died to a whisper. Back at the parking lot, the guy next to me finally left so I could get out my cot,
and I settled into my cozy down bag to watch the stars, surrounded by silhouettes of ancient, stately, scraggly bristlecone pines.

Next morning I was up in time for a leisurely amble among the trees to a corner of the grove I'd never photographed.
The Patriarch Grove is like an amphitheater open to the rising sun, and I'd high hopes. And there were some clouds this morning!

Almost sunrise at the Bristlecones, and there are clouds!

Patriarch Grove of the Ancient Bristlecones

Non-camping at the Patriarch Grove of the Ancient Bristlecones

In case you haven't driven up Westguard Pass from the west, it follows a wash up, up, up...until it's just one lane of pavement.

Approaching narrowest section of highway 168

So down the hill and back to Bishop for a mocha, a backpacking permit, then up to North Lake and the Piute Pass trailhead.
11 years ago our first joint KY-CA mulepacking trip started up this same trail.
I wasn't going nearly as far as we did then, just to Loch Leven, a few miles up the canyon.

It's a well-graded trail, the sky was hazy, bugs weren't too fierce, nobody else going my direction - nice hike to the lake.
In that narrow canyon there aren't many opportunities to camp; fortunately I had the place to myself.
Nothing like dinner and a sunset in the eastern Sierra!

Camp at Loch Leven Lake, food bagged, ready for bed

Well, nothing like sunset...except sunrise in the eastern Sierra.
Even deep in a narrow canyon under cloudless skies, a Sierra sunrise is incomparable.
Have said how much I've missed the California Sierra?

Then back down the canyon into town for another mocha, then a relaxing soak in a hot spring.

I didn't expect to share with cows. Bulls, really. With big, blood-shot eyes. Intimidating. Even their flies were intimidating.

Two bulls just want a little drink from the spring

After that excitement, a quiet lunch and a relaxing afternoon at aptly-named Mosquito Flat along Rock Creek was just the ticket.
Dinner at windy Rock Creek Lake (no bugs!), then sunset and sunrise a mile or so up Rock Creek Trail.

After breakfast, I drove up to Mammoth Lakes to clean myself up and get the car organized.
Kathie would arrive that afternoon, and we would begin the real birthday celebration - a luxurious mulepacking trip in Yosemite!

Back to mulepacking with the Kentuckians in Ansel Adams Wilderness... or on to the second week, mulepacking with Kathie in Yosemite.