Emigrant Wilderness trip - July 2012

**Alan H** · 25th August 12, 07:41 PM

The Luminous Joan and I headed out for our annual summer backpacking trip a few weeks ago. The June trip to the Golden Trout Wilderness was basically an audition of her new titanium hip, to see if it could handle the rigors of Sierra Nevada hiking. Well, it passed with flying colors, so we headed out for our annual week...me, kilted (most of the time, anyway) of course.

The "BEFORE" Picture....we're still clean!

5.5 miles and three BIG hills and descents later, we're at the first nights camp at Whitesides meadow....but wait!! Where's the water?

It's been a VERY dry year in Northern California... there's usually 3-4 feet of water behind this little dam. The stuff that's in this photo is disgusting - muddy and full of duck poop. We hiked about a quarter mile downstream, got water and double-purified it.

**Alan H** · 25th August 12, 07:46 PM

The next morning we pack up, and head out.... here's the Luminous Joan with her pack on, waiting for me to cross the top of the dam at the meadow....

A few hours later, we stopped at this pretty, un-named lake for lunch, and a fill-up of our water bottles.

...and then hiked another couple of hours to our destination....13 miles from the trailhead: Deer Lake.

We haven't been to Deer Lake in over ten years. This picture is from the outlet stream, looking across the lake to the moutains to the east. The stream wasn't running, BTW.

**Alan H** · 25th August 12, 07:49 PM

The Luminous Joans favorite time of day is morning "coffee time"....

..but soon we're heading out for our first day hike...day three of the trip....to Buck Lake, probably my favorite lake in the entire northern Sierra Nevada. Joan leads the way on the trail.

...and an hour and a half later, we're standing on the sandy beach at the south end of Upper Buck Lake...

**Alan H** · 25th August 12, 07:52 PM

This IS a kilt board, right? So that means that there HAS TO BE a "pleat shot".

Upper Buck Lake, on a stormy summer day....I wish I was there, right now!

**Alan H** · 25th August 12, 07:54 PM

A little break in the clouds allowed this little islet to light up for a few moments....

...but the storm clouds were rolling in! So we wrapped up lunch ----

..quickly hiked down to take a look at Lower Buck Lake...

**Alan H** · 25th August 12, 08:00 PM

...and sprinted back to Deer Lake. It POURED! It hailed...it dumped rain. The lightning and thunder were incredible. We got away with wet air mattresses, but the mattresses kept the sleeping bags out of the water that leaked into the tent so we were OK. The people 150 yards away down the lake had a foot and a half of water in their tent. Blecccch!

The next day dawned with a few puffy clouds, but nothing threatening.

So we followed our plan and hiked up to Long Lake, which is where we'd camped two years ago. .....same kilt, by the way!

The exit stream from Long Lake, down to Deer Lake was almost the only running water we saw in the entire trip. Like I said a VERY dry year in California.

**Alan H** · 25th August 12, 08:05 PM

Finally our two days at Deer Lake were over....

..and we headed back the way we'd come in.

Here's Yours Truly, all packed up and ready to tackle the trail on the last day....eight hours away from a root beer float!

....and a shot of my rig. THANKS, JanSport! -- about 50 pounds going in, and about 45 (probably) coming out.

and finally the "AFTER" shot. Hey, Joan is wearing the SAME SHIRT AS THE BEFORE PICTURE! Yuck!

Hope you enjoyed this!

**Meggers** · 25th August 12, 08:11 PM

This made me miss my ranch so bad. I lived in Bangor, CA right at the foothills of the Sierra Nevadas on a 1,000 acre ranch a few years ago. It was paradise. Ive never been so happy in my life as I was when I lived there.

You look awesome out there!