Kilted on the trail for our 30th anniversary

[Alan H]

The Luminous Joan and I celebrated our 30th anniversary doing what we do best, together....backpacking! Here's a quickie review of the trip....

Here's the teaser shot...the view up towards Upper Mono Creek Canyon from the "resort"...if you could call it that, that runs the ferry across Lake Edison. Lake Edison is created by the Southern California Water company, it's a dam with a quite large lake behind it. The road to the lake is pretty intimidating, so it doesn't get a whole lot of use besides seriously dedicated fishermen and backpackers.



After the ferry ride, here's where you land....strap that pack on and start walking! It's 13 miles to Fourth Recess Lake!



After you leave the ferry, you hike for about a mile through fir-pine-cypress forest. Then you hit a prety good little hill and at the top you get your first real view of Upper Mono Creek....and a 1,000 year old Sierra Juniper.

[Alan H]

Here's looking back into the First Recess off the main trail. We're at about 8300 feet elevation, here. "Recesses" are side canyons that open up from the main canyon, and there are four of them as you ascend towards Mono Pass at 12,000 feet.





I hike in a kilt, usually. It's my RevK digicamo. We actually met a fellow, name of Steve, who was doing the John Muir Trail in his Sportkilt. I gave him the X Marks URL, so maybe he'll post when he finishes the trail in a few weeks.



Joan wears shorts!



Just a little view of Mono Creek, about 8 miles up the trail...

[Alan H]

Finally, early in the morning on day three, we got to Fourth Recess Lake...which I have to say is absolutely, incredibly spectacular.



Fourth Recess Lake outlet stream...

[Alan H]

The next day we day-hiked up about 200 feet...actually, down 200 and up 400, of course...to the Pioneer Basin, which is on the opposite side of the Canyon. Here's the UNBELIEVABLE view you get when you emerge from the trees.



After seeing that, we took a deep breath and charged the closer ridge, aiming for this little lake at treeline...





The top of the day hike..me sweaty, tired and hungry at an unnamed lake at 10,800 feet in the Pioneer Basin.

[Alan H]

PANTS! ...but this proves that we made it to 10,000 - plus feet. Joan took this shot on the way out, the first day down the hill. It took two days, as my knee was acting up.



Finally, the fun has to end sometime, so here we are, 13 miles later and almost 2700 feet lower...back at the ferry landing after 6 days on the trail. What do we want?


A. showers
B. non-freeze-dried-food
C. to get back on the trail ASAP for another adventure!

It was a great way to spend our 30th.

[Scot01always]

Very beautiful place! Very nice photos of y'alls hike. Glad you enjoyed it.
Cheers, Leslie

[Mael Coluim]

What beautiful country and a beautiful couple. Congrats, Joan and Alan on the 30!

[2a5t2f7]

Congratulations on 30 years! .. and thank you for sharing your wonderful experience in a beautiful part of the world. The picture of you in blue jeans is almost shocking in contrast to the other pictures kilted.

[denmcdough]

Beautiful scenery! Reminds me of the Canadian Rockies.

[MacMillans son]

Congratulations on your 30th Alan, Quite a milestone!!

Great photos, I need to add that to my "places to see" list. Is that on the eastern side of the Sierras near Mammoth or Mono Lake, or just a shared name?

Thanks for sharing your trip, it looks like you had a great time.

Brooke