Trail head:Woodchuck Creek
Hike Info:
Type: Backpacking
Trail: Unnamed
Destination:Blizzard Camp on Woodchuck Creek
Actual Destination:Woodchuck Creek, same place we camped on
Aug 25, 2016
Distance: 6.21 miles
Start Time: 9:35
End Time: 3:42
Travel Time: 6:06 (1.02 mph)
Moving Time: 4:39 (1.34 mph)
Elevation Rise: 446'
Maximum Elevation: 9,976'
GPS Track
Description:
As I was getting out of my bag to do some business in the middle of the night, I realized that with my new camera,
there is a night/star mode. So this is a good time to try it out.
Fortunately, it was not too cold-just cool enough that I did not want to mosey too long. So I was able to shot a
couple pictures-one at 60 seconds; the other at 15. They look pretty good.
 |
| Night Sky at 60 second exposure |
I suspect that we can never describe the glory of my Lord. That we get
a brief look at glory is grace to us. No wonder God had to shield Moses when he passed by. When at sunrise, when the sun starts to bask
the mountain sides, this is when I get reminded of the beauty
which is His.
I got up around 6:30. The light was
already starting to shine but not directly on me yet.
Loper Peak catches the light early. I had my quiet time just
asking in these mountains I time alone just pondering.
 |
| Sun on Loper Peak |
So
once again we are little bit lazy in getting started. We have our
breakfast, well some of us did. We shorted our oatmeal and so Rose have gave us some oatmeal also. By the time which we got packed and
ready to go it is 9:30. But we are not worried about the times it is
mostly downhill today. We should get to where we camped Thursday without
too much problem. The question is will we get all the way out today and
do we want to?
 |
| One of many meadows |
We leave the same way we did
yesterday, that is along the west side of the lake, not following a trail for the first third of a mile. It is fine just walk along the rocks picking our way through.
Eventually we hit up the trail and get up to the trail junction. This is where we split from yesterday. Instead of going to
Crown Pass we head west and head
back to
Wishon Reservoir.
 |
| Talus field |
Going down a different
trail is interesting and I keep in the back so that I can stop and look
around. While there is not a lot of variation to scenery, it is good to
just to feel for this area. Like a lot of the High Sierra's, there is a sparseness to the trees which makes the forest seem open and and
alive. The open part of the trail is good, letting the clean air infiltrate our lungs. The decline is moderate.
We pause once before the junction to
Chimney and
Marsh Lakes. Now the
trail goes down a little bit more. We stopped and break a limit for a
few minutes.
 |
| Loper Peak |
Here Sherri, before an interesting grouping of rocks, she discovers that her camera lens will not retract. After much work, I was able to get the lens to retract somewhat properly. But the thing about this kind of probably, you never know if the camera is focusing properly or is a bit off.
 |
| Snow sign at Lunch Meadow |
 |
| Rose |
As
you go down the trail it doesn't get steeper but the side of the
mountain does. But the Forest Service has done a great job of
grading the trail so that it will be a gentle decline. I'm not sure I
would want to come up, but at least it seems like it would be a
good climb rather than something which will leave you whimpering. We get to the meadow which we ate at
Friday. We stop and eat here also. Sherri has been walking pretty good and
she got here about 10 to 15 minutes before Rose and I did. So she is all
rested up. Lunch is peanut butter and Nutella and crackers.
Sherri
and Rose leave a few minutes before me. I catch up on some some of my
blog entries-recording them rather than trying to write them in with my fat fingers into a tiny cell phone keypad. Also
The Lord of the Rings has been calling me, so I spend more time reading. So
I'm about 10 minutes behind them but that is good because I can go at
my own pace and enjoy a little bit longer stride.
 |
| Rose resting |
 |
| Hiking around a tree |
After
about a half an hour I catch up with them. They are now going down the
steeper parts of the trail. Eventually we stopped and rest
maybe about a quarter mile above where we camped Thursday. Rose and Sherri take off again. They are a few minutes ahead of me. I should have
realized how close we were to our old campsite, but I did not. They continue on past our old campsite. When I come to it, I recognize it and then chase after them, literally whistling them down.
 |
| Sherri trucking on |
 |
| Is this man happy? |
After
returning to the old campsite we talked about what we want to do. The consensus is, why hurry and push our way back? Even tomorrow we can get back before 5 and still be good. On the plus side, we can spend one more night in camp-isn't that a good thing? So we
decide this is a good place to stop for the day. We are about 5 3/4 miles from the car and it should take another 3 hours to
get back. So I get to enjoy another day of rest. how do I do this? By laying out on a rock by
Woodchuck Creek and continue my reading.
While we are setting up camp, Adam
and Jason come by. They are also looking for a place to camp and I show
them where we have looked last Thursday. They seem to be okay with that
place. Our camp is set up and we are content just to relax until dinner
time. After dinner, all go to bed, except for me. i am waiting for the dark to try some more night pictures.
 |
| Mountains beyond Wishon Reservoir |
| Breakfast |
Lunch |
Dinner |
Snacks |
| Oatmeal
and add-ins, such as dried peaches, strawberries, nuts, granola.
Tang. |
Ritz Crackers, Tortillas, Peanut Butter, Nutella |
???? |
Clif Bar, GORP, Propel, CytoMax, Scrytch, Coffee Candy, Jelly Belly |
Travel Time: 6:06 (1.02 mph)
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