July 13, 2013 - Rae Lakes

Title: July 13, 2013 - Rae Lakes

Hike Info:

Trail: John Muir Trail

Starting location:  Woods Creek Crossing

Destination:  Rae Lakes

Distance:  6.8 miles ¹

Start Time:  8:20

End Time:   3:30

Travel Time:  7:10 (0.95 mph)

Moving Time: 4:24 (1.55 mph)

Elevation Rise:    2,053'  ¹

Maximum Elevation: 10,600'

Description:

Looking back North

Even though this is a slow day, we will be rising up 2,000' in about 6 or 7 miles. This should give us a jump on Glen Pass tomorrow. In the meantime, Rae Lakes is the crown jewel of the JMT. So it will be a pleasure to spend time there.

The rise up is a continual rise, most of the time, nothing extreme. But not too terrible gentle either. The skies are clear, so in the morning this hike is pretty nice. We are in some forest and a bit of meadows, with a creek crossing or two.

Dollar Lake and Fin Dome

We meet up with a couple of groups doing the Rae Lake Loop. The first is a family of four formerly from the Ukraine. The kids are are 6 and 11. They looks like they are doing pretty good. Quiet, expected, full of inquisitiveness, and enjoying themselves. What a good education and training for them. The second is two friends from the Bay Area-Caroline and Lea. They are doing the JMT in segments. We seem to see one of them each time we stop.

Lower Rae Lake

Speaking of stopping, we stop at Dollar Lake for a leisurely lunch. Beautiful, peaceful lake. Looks like much of the camping is restricted from around the lake, but Sherri found a place or two up above the trail. This would be a good place to stay, if one is doing as the Loop on a slow schedule.

Mt Rixford and the Painted Lady

Each time we look back the place where we camped last night, it looks lower and lower. Of course, that says we get higher and higher. Just fantastic seeing this spread out behind us. As we look forward, we start to see Fin Dome, the Painted Lady and the rest of the mountains around us.

Middle Rae Lake

We got in around 4, or a little before (36.80294, -118.40273 ). Nice time to rest. We do see another piece of trail art. Is the message for us? From Ray and Rachel? We will need to ask them. I take a dip in Upper Rae Lake. Must have left a slick of trail dust on the lake-no longer, it no long is as pure as it once was. But it does feel oh so good. Then it is time to wash clothes. The wind helps to mostly dry them. Dinner is Spotted Dog.  We go to bed a bit early-before 8, mostly because it it getting cold, but the wind lets up. We decide to put the rain fly on to help keep warm.

Our Camp

For us?

Today's JMT Lesson:  O Lord, Our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth and heavens. Psalm 8

Breakfast	Lunch	Dinner	Snacks
Oatmeal and add-ins, such as dried peaches, strawberries, nuts, granola. Tang.	Peanut Butter and Nutella on crackers	Ranier Spotted Dog	Clif Bar, Jelly Bellies, CytoMax, Propel, GORP, Bank Balls

 ¹The supplied figures above come from either the book John Muir Trail: The essential guide to hiking America's most famous trail by Elizabeth Wenk or from topo maps. There was only partial tracks for today in my GPS. Below is the readings from today's status on the GPS. I view it as only somewhat accurate.

Distance:  7.6 miles

Elevation Rise:  1,887'

Maximum Elevation: 10,600'