June 28, 2014 - Colby Lake to Roaring River

Title: June 28, 2014 - Colby Lake to Roaring River

Hike Info:

Type:  Backpacking

Trail: Roaring River

Destination:Roaring River-not ranger station

Distance:  5.77 miles

Start Time:  12:16

End Time:     5:49

Travel Time: 5:33 (1.04 mph)

Moving Time: 3:37 (1.60 mph)

Elevation Rise: 384'
Elevation Descent: 2,174'

Maximum Elevation: 10,486'

Description:

A slow day, as we decided last night. I think we all are feeling a bit tired and worn after Colby Pass. I get up at 7:30. Ray and I talk for awhile, just enjoying our down time. I wash up, so I only partly stink. Also a whole clothesline full of clothes are washed. Like I said, it has been a slow morning. By the time we leave camp, it is after 12.

Colby Lake

Looking into the faux Cloud Canyon

Lots of mosquitoes when we start. I finally beg for mercy and apply Deet. We quickly come our to a point above Cloud Canyon. What a gorgeous sight! We can see beyond Kings Canyon over into the Monarch area. Now. It is down the end of the Whaleback.http://gary-summer.blogspot.com/1970/01/places-ca-whaleback.html While it is a sharp downhill, even Sherri is comfortable with it-probably after yesterday, she would feel comfortable with anything not named Colby. After an hour we gave found the floor of Cloud a Canyon. We stop by the not so Roaring River for a break.

Rachel

Andrea, but not Cloud Canyon

Shorty's cabin should be right before us, on the other side of the river. But we do not see it. But the travel is pleasant, even though a bit slow. We are going down. But after while, some of the canyon features do not line up with the map. Aaaaagh! We are still going down the creek from Colby Lake, not Cloud Canyon! The elevation of 9560' confirms our location.

Gary and Steven

Andrea

Now we cross the Whaleback and start our descent into Cloud Canyon. Now we can look up Cloud Canyon towards the crest. It does speak to us of the  majesty of what we see. And then we find the real a Roaring River. Once again at this point, not roaring, but the start of a river.

We stop briefly to content plate a sign saying Junction Meadows 16 miles, Not A Maintained a Trail, Stock Not Advised.  Sherri feels a bit vindicated about the turmoil of the last couple of days. But the mosquito's drive us out of our resting spot. But not before we said we would have liked to stay here for a couple more hours, without those pesky flying creatures.

Whaleback from Big Wet Meadow

We now pass where Shorty's Cabin should be, but still do not see it. The walking along the canyon floor is so much easier than we experienced from the last two and a half days of walking. But by now the heat of the day has gotten too us, so there is also a bit of lethargy. But somehow beauty seems to bring us back a bit. This time it is a meadow by the unassuming name of Big Wet Meadow. While it is true there are mosquito's, we have seen worse. But the greenness of this Meadow with the background of mountains and canyon  is something to behold. It is what every mountain meadow should look like.

Walking through beauty

Big Wet Meadow

Fallen Tree

 We pass by Cement Table Meadow, which is not up to the level of its companion. By now we are looking for a camp spot for the night. In about 3/4 of a mile, we find a mostly flat place by the river. Even when Ray and I walk another ten minutes do not we find a campsite. So we stay at this unnamed spot-tomorrow we would walk almost all the way down to Roaring River Ranger Station before finding a place to camp. As Andrea would say this is not the best place we ever stayed. Lots of horse poop. Shortly after arriving, the group sees a bear. It evident is not interested in us as he ambles away to other haunts. Then as Steven was putting up his hammock, when the tree he attached it to fell. This was a 20' tree, but dead and evidently ready to fall.

Rachel and Andrea trade dinners. Ray starts a nice fire. Good evening conversation. Ray and I talk way past when others go to bed. Mostly about leading church groups. We finally turn in around 10. I take a little while to fall asleep. It has been a good trip.

Trail Lesson:

Don't conform facts to your plan; conform your plan to facts.

Gary and Andrea

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

Another creek crossing

Looking into Cloud Canyon

Hikers

Glacier Ridge