Leaving Fort Bragg summer time fog Mothership and Cowack!
First camping spot beyond Nevada City.
Sinkholes in the area because of mining activities.
Lake Tahoe.
After a couple days of sitting-driving take a four mile round trip hike.
Looking back at Lake Tahoe.
Snackage!
Lee Vining. Mono Lake in the distance.
Lee Vining gas price.
One of the warm springs at Navy Beach - Mono Lake.
Navy Beach.
Smoke from the forest fire near Yosemite.
Almost full moon rising.
Mono Lake Tufa.
I decide to go for a moon light kayak adventure.
I heard there is a Osprey nest on one of the Tufa.
Not only a nest, an Osprey!!
Trying to find my launch site in the dark was very interesting!!
I camped in the Sage Brush back from the lake to be out of the "No Camping" area.
I decided to return to Navy Beach for another look at the Osprey tufa.
Beautiful morning, flat lake!
I think one of the pair has a fish.
What a wonderful morning.
I find a shady spot below a huge pine tree south of Mono Lake.
As part of my acclimation to altitude I do a hike with backpack into the cinder cone area south of Mono Lake
Interesting area.
Returning to the Mothership I notice cleared areas around the trunks of various trees. I have no idea how this can be.
A great camping spot off the beaten path.
A, fun to do, sketch of my situation before heading south on HWY 395..
Driving along I noticed the turn-off to June Lake. I found a place to launch and went for a paddle.
My silhouette on the bottom!
There's the High Sierra!!
One of the Osprey from Mono Lake??
Onward.
Staging campsite for McGee Pass and beyond. I want to wait until Labor Day is over before going on my 7 day backpack trip
One Juniper tree. One perfectly parked Vanagon equals Hammock!!
I promised Pete I would photograph bugs during my adventure.
One of those Fritillaries!
I walk over and take a look at Hot Creek.
Another amazing moon rise in the smoke from the Sierra.
I decide to do a training hike to the Hilton Lakes area.
The trail head sign near Rock Creek Lake. I like John Muir's saying.
Every where I go. There they are! Clark's Nutcracker.
Looking back at Rock Creek Lake.
Adding a bit more twist to this stump!!
Mid afternoon I reach the first of the indicated lakes. It is dry!! Rain starts to sprinkle and I decide break is over.
Time to head back to the Mothership.
One of many "stairsteps" which I have mixed feeling about.
Thunder and lightening makes me anxious. I'm not use to these summer storms which blow up and then blow away.
Rock Creek Lake comes back into view.
By the time I am back to my camp spot the sky is blue again!
I have been to Mammoth Lake Ranger station. I have my back country permit. A bear canister is now required. Fortunately Pete loaned me one, just in case.
6:00 AM the morning after Labor Day. My pack is packed! I spent the night at the McGee Pass trailhead.
My new friend, the bear canister. The chair will have to stay behind!!
6:30 AM. Off I go!
The idea is to get an early start and stay in the shade as long as possible.
The, entering the John Muir Wilderness, sign.
Perfect weather and temperature.
The first log bridge crossing.
The beaver pond.
Recent beaver activity.
Those have got to be sharp teeth!!
The second log crossing.
"Candle Marks" on the trees marking the trail.
More steps!
Better than scrambling in this case.
I'm gettin' there!
Ah! Big McGee Lake! Give my tootsies a break!
Plenty of day left to set up camp
and have a spot of tea.
Perfect!
I try on my Tyvek "Hazemat" suit.
Just to scare the hell out of my neighbors!! Actually good sports and interesting to visit with.
Morning light arriving at Big McGee!
Sort it all out and pack up.
Leaving Big McGee
Little McGee Lake.
One of my Big McGee Lake neighbors elected to hike up McGee Pass with me. It was nice to have company.
Switch back city!!
At last!! McGee Pass!! Jim thinks about hiking up Red Slate Mountain and I head west down towards Fish Creek.
Looking back at McGee Pass.
Hard to believe how far I can travel in just a few hours.
Second campsite.
I use my stocking cap as a cozy for my morning's oatmeal.
Bubble Butt has returned to the High Sierra!!
Time to break camp and press on.
Restocking my water supply from a small stream.
Look Lolli! Snow!!
Always someone hanging around!!
Looking over Fish Creek.
Skirting Tully Lake.
Heading up to Cotton Lake.
A wee frog. I could hear him a lot "louder" than I could see him!
McGee pass back there!!
Izaak Walton Lake.
A small, wash and swim, lake.
My clothes line!
The weather men. Those two guys standing on that knob!
Beautiful days but almost freezing at night.
First light on the Silver Divide!
Well worth getting up for an early morning walk around Cotton Lake.
Racoon? Marmot?
Home Sweet Home for two days.
Pumping water from Cotton Lake.
Checking my food supply.
Five guys from Fresno passed through. Obviously not into light weight backpacking.
After a nice chat, away they go.
Peace and quiet returns! Perfect!
Looking down at the stream crossing I will make tomorrow.
Are the weather men trying to tell me something?
I'm always fascinated by the quartz lines in the granite.
Second attempt! The camera timer caught me on the previous photo.
Off for more water.
A posed photo for Pete.
My kitchen. The bear canister makes a nice seat.
Thunder head.
Time to move on.
The trail alongside Tully Lake.
The stream crossing I looked down on the previous day.
Flowers at the lower elevation. Filling my water bottles, again.
Another afternoon storm?
Sure enough! It starts to rain. I hastily erect my tent and get my pack under the vestibule.
The lake gets very musical for a while.
Just enough rain to dampen the ground.
Time for some Orange Spice tea.
Clearing and then
it hails!!
Funny weather.
After the weather system passed through I went for a walk around the lake. A coyote started singing!
It took a while to spot him.
He blended in with the terrain.
Telephoto photo looking back at my tent from the side of Red Slate mountain.
Zoomed back out!
Beautiful high altitude lake.
Torching off "Bubble Butt" the Seva 123 white gas stove Pete gave me.
Abe Lincoln's nose.
Early morning attire for writing in my notebook on cold mornings!
This is more like it!
The makings for....
Bed and Breakfast!
Getting this stocking cap cozy down to a science.
They are always watching me.
Hazmat Man!! RUN!!!
Dawn of my departing day.
Fine weather
but soon it clouds up, again.
Rain and even snow squalls!!
Down to Fish Creek I go.
The weather clears.
Back over the water crossing.
I really like my Gossamer Gear Mariposa Plus backpack and Pacer Poles.
Leaving the Fish Creek area and heading back to McGee Pass.
McGee Pass switchbacks on my GPS.
Looking down the switchbacks
Good bye, Silver Divide!
Telephoto shot from McGee Pass of Cotton Lake.
And now, down the east side of McGee Pass.
My last night a Big McGee Lake. Woke up to frost on the ol' bear canister!
Firing up Bubble Butt.
Last light.
Early Morning.
Yes! Survived another one!!
28 degrees.
Thaw out. Dry out. Pack up!
More water.
There was a oblong mark in a large granite rock beside the trail that someone enhanced into a fish. Nicely done!
Been there. Done that! the Aspen have changed quite a bit in seven days.
A warmer, gentler clime.
Almost to the trailhead.
Done.
Now what? How about Telescope Peak?
Always wanted to hike to the top of Telescope Peak.
I stop at the Panamint Springs Resort for ice tea. They really know how to do ice tea!!
Heading for Mahogany Flats, the trailhead for Telescope Peak.
Up into the Panamint Mountains.
And up!
A perfect little dry campground in the divide between Death Valley and Panamint Valley. I spend the night.
In the morning I am packed and ready to go.
I hope to find a place to spend the night. I'm not really ready to do a round trip of 14 miles.
It is 110 degrees in Death Valley, probably 106 in Panamint Valley but here, at high noon, it is only 80 degrees!
Telescope Peak comes into view.
Different companions then I had in the High Sierra!
Telescope Peak, getting closer!
This is where the trail crosses over from the Death Valley side to the Panamint Valley side. Folks celebrate by adding rocks to a cairn.
The little hills where I have previously camped. North end of Panamint Valley.
Getting closer on the Panamint side of the range.
And then back over to the Death Valley side.
Amazing Bristlecone pine along the way.
Looking at Death Valley "Badwater".
Very few places to spend the night.
5:00 PM and I am wanting to get to the top before sunset.
Almost there.
And bingo! The top! The ammo can register.
Whoot! Whoot!
The shadow of the Panamints crawls across Death Valley.
Goodies in the register.
I'm a happy guy!
Of course this bird wonders what all the fuss is about!
My "head" is the shadow of Telescope Peak projected onto the Funeral Range of Death Valley.
Where to spend the night? There is a wee spot on top I find scary or this little scrap beside a tree. Good enough!
That could be Mt. Whitney beside the setting sun. Lots of smoke from the forest fires.
Home Sweet Home.
Whitney to the right of the sun?
A bit of a breeze. 54 degrees. Time for dinner.
Day break!
Oatmeal! Ummm!
I feel giddy! This 68 year old fart actually did it!!
Nothing left to do but head down. You can see the faint diagonal line of the trail in the distance.
The trees that survived the wood collecting day of the charcoal kilns are amazing.
Almost to Mahogany Flats.
Bye bye Telescope Peak!
Home again!
I kicked back and spent the night.
Perfect weather.
Early morning. Heading down out of the Panamints. I have a new goal in mind.
Past the charcoal kilns.
Past the Skidoo pipe line.
Quick stop to call my Lolli.
And bingo! Eggs Benedict at Panamint Springs Resort! Ahhh!!
