At the trail head...
All set for the “Emergency Survival” demo trip :-)
Dorie walking into the welcome arch tree and Sushi trying to bypass it ?
Budding Snow Plant - (Sarcodes sanguinea)
More fallen trees...
Lesson #1: Rain and Thunder. decided to take shelter (the challenging crouch position with pad under foot). Carlos demostrating how not to sit during lighting ? :-)
Decided to continue hiking once there were no thunders for 20 mts
Sushi - does some signs - being excited about the first lesson!
Up, Up and Up to the Potter Pass...
at Potter Pass - windy!
Carlos, Venkat and Dave - seem to be thinking hard abt something :-)
Can't resist from not taking a pic around any such signs on the trail :-)
Sandy treating the Jack Russel with some snacks
Hiking down on a bit of snow... Kick the toe into the snow while going up, the heel in while going down!
a mini waterfall
Counting to see if everyone is there ?
a rocky patch!
Learnt from Dorie that this is Corn Lily (Veratrum californicum). We saw a lot of it on the trail to Mt. Dana as well but never knew the name. we thought it was some relative to the Hostas.
Baby leaves tucked inside cozily, safe from the stormy weather outside :-)
Our group waiting for us near a small stream crossing!
Elizabeth standing on...
a top of a rock to tie a rope around it for the tarp shelter that Carlos and Dave were engineering :-)
Sue, Sandy and Juliet demonstrating the first step of bear bagging :-) and don't miss the background audio for some cool tips :-)
Dorie and Jo Ann teaching the second step of bear bagging.
Sushi - focusing on the task at hand - Nurungji :-)
Jonathan, Joan and Elizabeth in the back - all cooking dinner!
Dorie and Jo Ann - talking abt stoves and abt keeping the fuel warm inside the sleeping bag at night...
practising bear bagging!
Venkat tying his food bag to balance ours!
Bon fire! thanks to Jonathan for starting it and Carlos for donating his Purell!
thanks to Venkat for clearing up the surrounding area of all the twigs and branches for the fire ;-)
Trying to take pictures with different exposure time - this one was 1/20 second.
1 sec exposure
a 15 second exposure shot! used Jonathan's tent as the tripod. interesting to see that the sky appeared blue in the pic, though to our eyes, it was dark at that time! Carlos's ghost images on the right. the people sitting seemed to have moved the least in 15 secs!
my favorite pic - when we came to bed around 9pm after the bonfire.. with 10 sec exposure and Sushi lighted the tent with head lamp. I liked the dull background of the trees in the dark!
2nd day! contrary to what it appears with all the backpacks, it IS a day hike to George lake :-)
Stopping by Upper Twin Lake
zoomed picture of the moutains near the George lake.
Met Steve & Steve's group on the way to George lake. Bill trying to get a group pic.
Exchanging the trip demo lesson notes ? :-)
Jo Ann and PJ
Snack break near the creek
At George lake!
decided to head down after putting rain gear for the second demo / lesson on the trip! :-)
Lesson #2: Hailstorm safety. as planned :-) we had the hailstorm come in while hiking down from George lake. and Sushi in the Crouching position for safety from lightning strike.
watch it with audio to hear the thunder! Dave crouching under the tree at a distance.
Still sitting in the hail!
Lesson number #3: Forest Fire Evacuation Drill! we came back from George lake -a bit went and cold! Thanks to Dorie, Sue and Sandy for the warm chocolate drink with marshmallows,(hmmm...) and was lying cozily in the tent when it was drizzling outside and then...
we heard that a tree was struck by lightning. and was on fire, near our campground.
the tip of the tree.
smokin' hot :-)
Jonathan, Venkat and Carlos' discussing the fire :-) and Jo Ann telling abt the decision to hike back. hmmm, this fire demo feels so real :-)
Smouldering tree top... and Jonathan, Jo Ann and Dorie discussing if we should leave earlier than 4.30 pm
Lower Twin Lake on the way back.
Back at the trailhead around 8.20 pm.. Elizabeth, Tiffany, Dave,Steve and Sushi discussing about all the emergency situation procedures we learned in this trip :-) oh by the way, did i mention, i also participated in Lesson #4: Getting stomach upset during backpacking, especially in a emergency “evacuation” situation and how to hike extremely slow so that your team members will carry your tent and other heavy things for you on the way out :-)
