Ready to leave. The 20 kilo backpack still feels comfortable!
6:30 A.M. - Fresno. Ivan smiles ... even without having coffee yet.
Ooo yeah it will fit in... we are only 5 people! (and 5 backpacks)
I told you. Now let see how we gonna get in.
Time to leave...And the coffee is waiting
Getting the permits at the Ranger Station. We got lucky - got the last 4!
Ivan with the coffee finally! Why he is not smiling?
Clover Meadows Ranger Station. 40 miles on a dirt road to get here. I want my house some day to be a little bigger!
We didn't have the sticker to put on the trunk door: "Don't open! Falling objects!"
The Trail-head. Everyone smiles. Not for a long.
Every rest was a pleasure. I enjoyed all of them!
This is not my backpack, this is my camera. 2 kilograms of photo stuff. Crazy guy.
I don't know if orange is my color.
Iva's backpack. I don't know how she put everything inside and it still weighted twice less than mine!
It was a nice day
The Minarets.
Cloudy but no rain. Very dry!
The hike was really nice
I enjoyed that position, specially with the backpack on.
Ceco posing for Sports Illustrated.
Here is the entire group
Little break at a lake
Ceco is looking at the map. Decisions decisions
Crucial moment. We decided to take short cut.
The spirit is still high!
If we only new what is in front of us.
Evey rock suitable for sitting was a great appreciation, but not the oleo resin on it.
The short cut wasn't that short. It added almost 2 hours to our trip.
The shortcut wasn't very short
It took us only 2 more hours than the regular trail
but the view worth it!
Down at the lake is the original trail. We were not there but we had the view
Somewhere behind these trees was the final destination. It looked so close...for 2 hours
We made it at dusk. The camp site was great. This is the view from our tent.
The rope and the chair
My lovely shoes! How many roads you guys have gone (and more to come)
The f... well the second fish. Ivan is the master, fishing cleaning and cooking.
She struggled a little bit.
I guess she wanted to say something.
Hi Iva!
These are not spices on the fish.
I'll say that in Bulgarian: " око за око, риба за чорба"
Is it going to turn into e Prince if I kiss it?
It was a good soup. Thank you Ivan!
Every meal needs some drinks. I wish the lake was a bit colder. From left to right: Coors Light (couldn't find better beer in the store in Oakhurst, Burgas 63 - Uau!)
When Ceco was a kid his dream was to become a dentist!
This is what they call "Impressionism" in the museums.
Onother test of my imperfect photo-editing skills.
Early morning fishing.
Here is our campsite. I wish we had a little more shadow from the East.
Chittenden Lake (you may check the Spelling)
The west end of the lake. Nice and green
O yeah! It's easy without the heavy backpacks. We are going to a neighbour lake nearby
Ivan survived, Iva didn't shoot. (It was a fish pole!)
Shirley Lake (might be wrong)
It was much greener than our lake but shallower and smaller
Just Relax....we were alone for almost 4 days.
Nice drmatic clouds. The rain never showed up!
I was so happy to have only my camera with me.
Green green grass. I guess the winter looks different.
Little frog. Almost unnoticeable
She liked for a while her new enviroment
There was this strange hair-thing in her mouth. She was may be fishing too!
I should've chosen a scarier rock. This one wasn't very impressive for picture.
Yeah Ceco it is easier from the back..Just kidding.
Magnifico!
It was hard to find a flat rock to put the camera on.
A little pond above the big lake.
I wonder if this picture would look better upside down?
It was like a volcano has just erupted
At some point we tought it would start raining....
Couple of Lakes together!
What is that?: 1. Ceco wakes up after his winter sleep. 2. Gold mine abandoned last century. 3. We dug a hole in the snow. Answer: None of the above!
It was a natural snow cave
Iva decided to leave a messege for the generations to come ( I doubt if it would stay)
Snow in September, little dirty...
Ivan tested the compression. Iva still working on her masterpiece
What are those dark spots on the snow?
How did you guys get there? Well, there is an Entrance in Africa.
The snow wasn't tasty. Still prefer the fish.
This is inside the "snow cave". Cool a?!
A really phenomenal creation of the nature.
Leaving the cave...not in Africa
The Entrance
We came back and found out the wind has done some damages
What is that (2): 1. Airplane view of the Painted Desert. 2. Salvador Dali's masterpiece. 3. Tree bark.(you got it right!)
Sunday was a really Sunny Day!
Today the goal was the nearby Sing Peak
Our lake. Hmm we noticed some people around our camp site.
Dark deep waters, perfect for fishing and swiming.
Our campsite was right in the middle at the little peninsula.
Here we found oregano. Great for Hot Tea
Getting higher we were rewarded with incredible views!
In the beginning the Hike was easy and green
Steep a little
.....but green
Chintenden Lake and the Minarets at the back
The grass is way behind, but the view opened.
Viva Flat Rocks. This one needed some leveling
Chittenden Lake.
So we made it to the ridge, but it didn't get easier
Marlies got a little scaried, but she didn't give up! Brave girl!
I called this the Little Sing Peak
Me and Ivan made it there.
Than I continued alone to the peak. It was really close
Right over there!
Finally on the top - Sing Peak 10520+ feet, 3206+ meters
The flat rock wasn't really flat....
Down there is Sherley Lake (from the day before)
Somewhere over there is the Yosemite Valley, we were so close to the Park boundary
I look like a wind direction and velocity indicator here.
Marlies was happy we are going (rolling) down!
So romantic....
Thanks for carrieng the backpack Ivan..and for the Soup too.
Here is the lettle beaver
I wonder how this trunk got there!?
Little creek going down to the lake
Back to the Lake. Some wild flowers made the landscape even nicer
Specially on this one!
One more try for a Self-photo..Almost good!
Ha gotcha!
The Minarets
Last night, last hopes for a good Fish Feast!
But the fish wasn't sharing our plans
So we waited, and waited....
Marlies waited too...
The fish pole, was lonely...
This one lonely and depressed.....(by the way some one has cut our hooks when we were away..what people!)
The last morning - Labor Day (I am glad we didn't work that day)
I wish I've taken more pictures of the lake in the morning, but it was hard to wake up early. It is vacation right!
A cup of coffee before we left.
