Peachy Hiker

February 24, 2011

Deer Attacks Child and Poodle!

I have no photos and I bet you're suspicious about the title. It really happened, to ME, in around 1965 or so! My profile mentions the amount of time I have spent alone in the woods. Something bad was bound to happen! We were on one of our regular trips but had stopped for a break. I took our poodle named "Jeep", ya, "Jeep". She was a well trained, adorable grey little poodle.

My pup, and I around 9 years old I think, took off into the woods, just like always. She was not on a leash, but she never had a problem staying close to me. We were wandering around and out of nowhere, here came flying hooves at us. A doe was striking us both, rearing like a wild horse in the movies! We dodged her and ran while I screamed!

Fortunately and unbelievably, here came a forest ranger, out of nowhere too! He and my stepfather both grabbed the doe around the neck and drug her away from me and my pooch. We were both shocked and scared...no, not crying! But really, the forester said she probably had a fawn nearby and was afraid of us, defending her baby.

The lessons are: deer are not necessarily Bambi, children in the woods are at risk, and a pretty doe does attack people!

Peachy Hiker's Table of Contents

Desolation Wilderness Grouse Lake

This is Grouse Lake in Desolation Wilderness, CA.

It is a 3.8 mi round trip hike round trip. Rewards can include swim, fishing, photography, wildflower viewing, or just a picnic and rest!

Difficulty: Moderate (due to some steepness and rocky areas, but you can take it slow, too.)

Trail tread: solid dirt, to rocky, to some giant flat boulder slabs to cross, even rocky "stairs" to climb.

Elevation change 1249 feet, per Garmin BaseCamp.

Map of hike below with link to download GPS tracks for the hike.

Driving Directions: Take Highway 50 to Wrights (Lake) Road north from the Kyburz area. The Wrights Lake Road will be between tract 36 and tract 39 along Highway 50. Follow the signs to Wrights Lake Recreational area. Follow the signs, passing Lyons Creek Parking, and Bloodsucker Lake parking, following signs to Twin Lakes Trailhead parking. When you get to the Wrights Lake Welcome Cabin and parking lot on your left, turn right.

To the Trailhead: From the north side of the parking lot you'll see a closed metal gate. Go around it and follow the pavement a short distance until you see a sign for the Twin Lakes Trail and Grouse-Hemlock Trail that points to your right. Follow that and there is a big sign at the trailhead where you need to fill out a day permit, no fees, for entering Desolation Wilderness.

It was my first "adopted trail" as a volunteer for Desolation Wilderness. The area is designated as a special area, and campers are limited. This shot if from a grassy shore but there is granite next to the lake's west shore that is great for picnics and swimming.

Wildflowers seem to bloom all season, and seeing all the colors and varieties feels like someone brought me a bouquet for some special occasion!

On the way up, you encounter various types of ground to cover. Everything from dirt, rocky, some giant boulder slabs to cross, even rocky "stairs" to climb. Oh, I look forward to those evil things, just to drive myself forward for the pleasure of making it to the top.

The hike is vigorous. On the granite sections of trail, there are some large rocks placed to show you the way.

When I get this far, I take awhile to just sit somewhere and absorb the peace. Watching fish swim and occasionally leap, then following the ripples is, according to studies, an excellent stress reliever. Healthier than medication!!! More fun too. I swim sometimes in the lake which is quite cold...also a great stress reliever! Honest. Try it. Let the fish nibble at your heels. Brave the cold water; just jump or dive in...forget the idea of easing in~ ~ ~

Above is Grouse Lake, in a giant granite bowl. Though mostly rocky, there is a shady meadow area on the far side of the lake, too, but sometimes plagued by mosquitoes.

To continue to Hemlock Lake, hike along the north side of the lake, and begin another climb, although it's easier than what you just passed. It will wind through vegetation, and I found wildflowers blooming en masse.

If you like to scramble, like me, this is a playground! My inner child just can hardly pass by and is compelled to climb! The rewards are sweat, a great view, and if you want to work on muscles and work off flab, here is your best gym!

And after I accomplish the work I came to do, or if I run out of sunlight, I return looking across these fantastic views! Few things are so satisfying after a day of hard work! (You can backpack with a permit obtained online or from the Pacific Ranger Station along Highway 50, and there are a few authorized campsites around the lakes.)

The trail runs beside the creek part of the way, so you can cool off on a hot day with a microfiber towel worth its weight in gold about that time! There are more lakes ahead. The link for Grouse, Hemlock and Smith Lakes in one hike is in the list below. That's a 7 mile round trip hike.

At dusk this is the final view. Serene even with fishermen and hikers and occasional mountain bikers cruising by outside of the Wilderness. People like to fish with their kids here from the bridge where you can look down and watch the fish. Okay, if you don't want to be mosquito food, take some spray.

Wikiloc GPS Tracks for this hike and more.

Maybe I will see you there taking a dive, this coming hiking season?

For more hikes check Peachy's Trails by Location

with mileage and difficulty ratings, and

these Desolation Wilderness Trails:


· Umpa Lake and Enchanted Pools in Desolation	6.8+	Strenuous
· Tahoe Rim Trail	165
· Lyons Creek Trail to Lake Sylvia	9.2	Strenuous
· Lyons Lake in Desolation Wilderness	10+	Strenuous
· Twin Lakes Trail to Island Lake in Desolation Wilderness	7.95	Strenuous
· Lyon Creek Trail and Snow Hazards	9.2	Strenuous
· Grouse, Hemlock and Smith Lakes in Desolation Wilderness	6+	Strenuous
· Desolation Wilderness, Grouse Lake	3.8	Moderate
· Horsetail Falls & Pyramid Creek	3-11	Easy to Strenuous and Difficult
Rockbound Trail to Maud, Doris Lakes, and Lois Lake, 2014	10-18+ RT	Moderate- Strenuous
· Rockbound Trail to Maude Lake	10	Strenuous

Peachy Hiker's Table of Contents

updated 7-2014

with new map, GPS link, updated

Table of Contents

2018 updates Crooked Lakes Trail Survivor Night

*** My grandson and I just got back from Carr-Feeley Campground as our basecamp for the Crooked Lakes Trail, and what a shock! Unlike the solitude I am accustomed to in that area, the parking lot was FULL. There were two large groups of backpackers, fishermen, dayhikers, and outdoors enthusiasts! Along the lakes and trails were a practical stream of people and some well-behaved dogs.
The campground wasn't being used except for us and a family at the other end. They were expecting to use the road you see on maps that goes to the Feeley Lake Dam. They brought kayaks for fishing but had not planned on having to carry them and all of their car camping gear back in.

Weather Forecast
Distance and difficulty: Crooked Lakes Trail is about 7 1/2 miles, out and back but our experiences have been more of a freestyle hike so we could visit as many lakes as possible, and our miles hiked varies. Other websites rate it strenuous, but without a big elevation change and no bushwhacking necessary, it seems more of a moderate hike, and that being for distance. Nothing requires you to go too far though and lakes are close enough to adjust it to your own fitness level. Allow at least 6 hours if you use only Crooked Lakes Trail and make your final destination Rock Lake before you turn around.
Elevation: 6,285 ft-6,900 ft.
Driving Directions:

I-80 to Hwy 20 (Nevada City) Exit 161
Hwy 20 3.8 mi
Right on Bowman Rd 8.4 mi
Right on dirt road NF 17 (Called-Lindsey Rd) 2.9 mi or right on earlier dirt road following sign "Carr Feeley TH" for 4 miles.

Advisories: The gate is always locked and used only by personnel, so you pack your gear in to the "backpackers camp". No permits required, but using the backpackers camp near the trailhead has fees you pay there, otherwise there are no fees. There is a bathroom in the backpacker's camp. Parking is pretty large. There is fishing; your permit must be on hand. Fire permits are also required. On one fall trip we found very large cat footprints not at all far from our camp (in July 2012) so we advise take bear spray and keep food secure.
SURVIVOR NIGHT:
I had a knee injury and really was not supposed to be doing anything serious on my feet....Mistake 1.

We loaded the truck with food and gear for an over-niter, but planned about a 3 hour hike. Since we had a limit in mind, we opted to leave almost everything we packed in the back of the truck.
Mistake 2.

The day was brisk and at times, overcast.

I had layers with me and we had our bladders full. Ken brought some granola he snacked on. Our cameras were part of our gear for this day hike, too. Views were beckoning; I had cabin fever and there was more to see than would be possible in a week! We chose to drive above Emigrant Gap area (Bowman Lake, and many small lakes) which we had not hiked before, so we were on a discovery hike.
Oh surprise! It was deer hunting season! At least I had a bear bell and reflector on my pack. (Are you wondering if this was sane? We do too.) Mistake 3.
We viewed lake after lake and the trails were mostly easy for even me with the knee injury! Tantalizing!

Our schedule for what we endearingly refer to as our "3 Hour Tour" was being monitored by my dear Data Man, who tried to stop the soul of an explorer set free. In an hour and a half, he tried to turn us around but I had seen a sign for a glacier lake ahead....with a tall rock outcropping to the right.

I think I childishly begged, "Let's just go to the top and see if we can see the lake"....then, "Just around the bend." No view and no lake. P.S. I had no business climbing the outcropping and paid the price in pain. Mistake 4.

We agreed the sky was getting dark early and we were running late so we turned back toward the truck. So many photo ops there, we "had to stop" periodically and that set us back, too. Mistake 5....when running late...DON'T dawdle!

We trekked along while the sun was fading and the storm was brewing. Much of the trail had been easy to follow, but we had bushwhacked too, and now with little light, and my knee hurting, our hike was becoming more difficult.
Finally we saw snow flurries. We were hungry, tired, anxious, and unprepared for this. No headlamps or flashlights. (Well, they were back at the truck.) Mistake 6.
Finally we agreed we would have to stop for safety because though there was a full moon, a thick blanket of storm clouds had grown to cover it. I could not see DM's (Data Man's) boots, much less the trail. We thought we may even have lost our way. We looked for a safe place to ride out the stormy night. While trying to make a plan, we discovered we had no means to start a fire easily! Mistake 7.

Building our shelter:

We built away from the water and from a large boulder outcropping.
There were no "widow makers" near our chosen site.
Another concern was for no animal trail to the lake to come close to our shelter.
We sought a place we would not encounter water runoff, should that become a storm issue for us.
DM had a knife and he hacked out a shelter in a willow bush in our carefully chosen space.
I dug up arm loads of pine needles which DM used to arrange a nice thick layer in the shelter to keep us off the ground for warmth and dryness.
He used his backpack for a pillow and occasionally brought it out to shelter his freezing back. The temperatures dropped into the very low 30's. DM was wearing shorts, so I shared some of the layers I packed since (thank goodness) I am easily chilled and packed accordingly.
I had also carried a space blanket which we put over us and then piled pine boughs over that in an effort to insulate ourselves more.

Jokes among friends later flew though the truth was that we weren't a couple, but we were fantastic hiking companions. Frankly, our night was miserable. We were both in pain. To move or rearrange, we had to remove the boughs, rearrange, replace the boughs and try to be still again to avoid tearing the space blanket really sized for one person. We shivered and suffered. Spending the night in a willow shelter, perhaps lost, facing the possibility of sleeping in a snow storm without any gear, huddled together for warmth, and were uncomfortable, despite our experiences of sharing a tent on many occasions backpacking and camping. There is nothing like building trust that way!!! Laughable, but workable!
Imagine waking up covered in rotting pine needles and bugs...mm mm. No toothpaste or gum. No deodorant! Hungry, weak, sick, and in pain. Ha Ha. You must laugh like crazy to endure the humiliation of a short hike gone bad! I still laugh!

We were not carrying a map or compass. Mistake 8. For such a short hike, we just figured that was unnecessary.

Yes, we HAD to climb back down this to get back, and I was weak and in pain, dreading falling to another injury! It turned out to be a safe descent, but less than fun.

My water bladder was essentially empty in an area known for giardia. No water purifier of any kind. Mistake 10.

TO SUMMARIZE:
I am proud to say we were both level headed about our self-inflicted miserable challenge, and neither of us got emotional or irrational. We comforted ourselves and each other. In the morning, we hiked uphill on loose rock to a high point to orient ourselves...very hard on my knee. We found a large lake we had never seen before and we were more oriented directionally, but still unsure of the easiest way to the truck. Down the loose rock we scrambled, past our overnight camp, and hiked onward. We had missed a turn in the nighttime hiking, and at that place had only been a bushwhacking mile or so from the truck, food, safety, warmth!
I will humble myself and add we had no first aid kit either Mistake 11, which could have been an extreme issue, but fortunately wasn't.

A MUST DO list!

ü Follow your doctor's orders!

ü Carry items for "in the event of emergencies". You never know! Ken had a knife and I had a survival blanket for two which came in quite handy! My extra layers helped keep us both less cold.

üBe prepared for sudden weather changes. They are common in mountainous areas.

ü Watch for hunting seasons!

ü Stick to your plan! Watch the clock.

ü If you get held up somehow, make up for the lost time by moving on and avoiding unnecessary pauses.

ü Carry batteries, flashlights and preferably headlamps.

ü Waterproof fire starters are always necessary for safety.

ü Carry medication you take regularly just in case.

ü Carry a means to purify water.

ü First aid kits should never be left behind.

ü Tell someone where you are going and when you expect to be back. Not mentioned above, but we had not decided we were going to a specific area and who knows when someone would have noticed we were missing.

The end of the story was that we got to the truck exhausted, miserable and hungry. The drive home was quiet, not from hard feelings; we were just pain ridden, hungry, and sleep deprived! We drove all the way home instead of stopping to eat! We found it a challenge, a huge learning and humbling experience. It did validate our confidence in survival skills, but not without a price.

My comfort in the woods has come from a lifetime of being in the woods alone, but eventually resulted in laziness and over-confidence! Nature is bigger than me and I vow to love and respect it forever!

Peachy Hiker's Table of Contents

July 2018 update: added weather forecast link, modified "To Do" list for clarity,

notes inserted about wildlife, food storage, related permits and fees.

February 10, 2011

Dutch Creek, Coloma, Waterfalls September 2012

For Johntown and Dutch Creek Waterfalls GPS, maps, and more thorough information, click here.

Upper Dutch Falls on Sept 30, 2012.

The affectionately named "Ancient Lady" southwest of the Upper Dutch Falls 9-2012.

The top of Johntown Falls 9-2012

Take water with you as there is none very appealing to try to purify!

Dutch Creek Trail needs serious maintenance work to become safe, and beware of the poison oak. It is everywhere. It is no less toxic to the allergic.

In spring, here is what you may have to look forward to if we can get some volunteers to work on the trail:

The photo below is Johntown Falls at Coloma, CA. photographed by this blogger who lead this hiking day with a Meetup.com. hiking club. The falls were glorious and the hikers equally enjoyable! Weather was warm and mild, the water flow was gorgeous, and the company exquisite!

The next one is a shot of the trail as it enters the woods. Looks pretty docile, huh?

A walk in the park, so to speak.

This is one of our feisty hikers...none too intimidated as the trail

becomes more rugged and less park-like.

These are more of our fantastic group with high spirits for the day, waiting to see what is in store.

Some took this side trail down to see the Lower Dutch Creek Falls that sometimes forms two separate falls, side by side, that are dropping around, guessing here, 10 feet. At about this time, one of our hikers got hurt, and that makes this a good time to advise good hiking shoes, and for hikers to beware of the short steeper sections of this trail. It is not maintained in any way, and you'll find yourself having to go over or around obstacles like rock outcroppings or tree falls. I might as well mention there is poison oak around here too. At some times of the year it is leafless, so be careful what you grab. Stay on "the trail" and I don't recommend shorts or short sleeves if you are allergic.

When we reached Dutch Creek Falls and Johntown Creek Falls some members took a nice break, while the group I affectionately call the "Bushwhacking Maniacs" climbed higher and closer to the falls and then on up to overlook both falls from as high as we could get.

The trail to the falls is narrow, occasionally steep, but good solid tread, and do-able. For people thrown off by viewing a steep hillside from a narrow path, this might just be too scary.

These are Bushwhackers getting closer to the falls.

Following a few minutes photographing and enjoying the falls' spray, we headed UP through loose rock, through dry weeds and stickers, over boulders, to the top!

Look, no hands! Another hint. Watch and listen for rattlesnakes.

This is the top of Johntown Creek Falls; the first photograph on this entry is the same falls.

From the top, we had excellent views of the entire Dutch Creek Falls.

It was worth every sticker I brought home!

Here is the view downstream of both falls. Can you find all the poison oak?

Again, take precautions because it IS there!

Here are your blog writer and photographer with a fellow bushwhacker who wore, note, motorcycle pants on this adventure!

Some photos included were courtesy of our hiking club members.

This was a most excellent day!

Directions:

Go to Coloma on CA 49 between I-80 and Highway 50; pay for parking at the parking lot kiosk.
Walk over the one lane bridge. (You can't miss it as the town is VERY small.)
Turn right on Bayne and follow the paved road to the locked green gate on the left across from the house downhill by the river. It is also identifiable by small signs like rattlesnake warnings, says "State Park", and is a regular locked forestry green gate you climb over or through.
The trail is single file, but usually visible. It is not suitable for beginners or less fit hikers.

It leads through the grassy meadow, into the trees, and then has some steep ups and downs, but they are short. There is some brush, a couple of tree falls you have to climb over, under, or around. The trail is hard wet soil mostly. Hiking pole(s) are handy balancing tools. If I can give any advice, it is wear GOOD hiking shoes. Follow the trail to the falls! Have an adventurous and happy day!

Latitude: 38-47'57'' N

Longitude: 120-52'54'' W

Thank you for checking in! There is another review of this hike on this blog dated April of 2010, and has some other information, and beautiful photos showing the differences you can come across.

Peachy Hiker's Table of Contents

updated 10-2012 with photos and cautions!
Updated with spelling correction, and poison oak information.

February 09, 2011

Codfish Creek Falls, Weimar area

* If you click on a photo, each of them can be viewed enlarged for detail.

A 60 foot? waterfall-reports vary.

Difficulty: Easy
Distance: 3.8 miles round trip
Driving Directions: Take I 80 to the Weimar exit. Turn right on Canyon Way, which becomes Ponderosa Way. Drive south for 5.8 miles (2 1/2 or so of dirt road) to the American River. The trail heads downstream on the north side of the river. There are vault toilets at the trailhead now. There is a $10 charge for parking now. You park by the bridge at the side of the road and follow the trail downstream.

Yes, the trail is narrow at times, basically single file; it is green and pleasant. Again, check for poison oak and ticks.

The falls were quite a surprise! No clue going in they would be so dramatic so late in the waterfall season! Crossing the creek and climbing beside the falls was invigorating!!!
We happened on a great water flow time and expected a much smaller waterfall.

This is the view from the bottom of the falls downstream, very cool and pretty.

There I go bushwhacking again! I like a person in a photo to show the magnitude of a waterfall. This is a gem, and not a difficult hike. Beware. I am not suggesting you should climb the waterfall. It is riddled with slippery rocks and thick berry vines full of thorns! Use caution, good gear, good judgment and technical hiking abilities. Climb at your own risk!

Tiny little me and bushwhacking delights!

Lat/Long:38.99712, -120.95527 I give this falls a great rating, even though from Sacramento area it is a bit of a drive for such a short hike. Arrive early and take a picnic to spend the day. There are slabs of rock beside the falls in the shade where you can rest and enjoy the view. A nice cool spray floats over you and on a hot day, a little shower is pleasant! You can also climb up the hill before the falls to the top where there is a boulder two people can comfortably sit on and look down on the falls, yet not be seen from the bottom! Very Cool!

Other options include fishing the river and swimming near the bridge.

Peachy Hiker's Table of Contents

updated 7-2012

September 20, 2010

Tahoe Rim Trail

The Tahoe Rim Trail (TRT) is 165 miles that can be hiked in dayhikes or all at once as a through hike. We backpacked the Tahoe Rim Trail in two trips.

Our first 50 miles began August 18, 2010, and then we hiked the remainder in September. After completing the first 50 miles, it became apparent I needed to write a daily diary during the second part of our trek. We started out at Echo Lake Trail Head and did not use the water taxi, but hiked along the trail that leads beside the lake and the homes that are there.

Fun facts: Of the whole 167 miles we logged, we started at 8644 feet elevation, ended at 7385 feet; climbed a total of 35,446 feet; maxed at 10,334 feet and hiked only 68 hrs and 2 min. over 167 miles; our average moving speed was 2.5 mph.

Day 1 ~Echo Lake Trailhead to Susie Lake~

Above is Lake Aloha at an elevation of 8116'. The openness and the flat boulder islands scattered throughout the lake are surreal looking, and the trail is well maintained here. I had difficulty with footing on the irregular loose rock trail surface on the far side of the lake. You'll pass through Haypress Meadow, by Tamarack Lake, and also Heather Lake. Freel Peak comes into view standing at 10,881' elevation.

The path remained fairly rocky, and as we approached Lakes Gilmore and Susie, the wind revved up and we sought a sheltered place between two higher areas to plant our tent. Bugs came out for a feeding (us) and the wind was in its glory. DO NOT KEEP ANYTHING WHERE THE CRITTERS CAN GET INTO IT! The chipmunks were incredibly bold and persistent about digging into our gear even with us standing nearby to protect our packs. They ran around hunting for any little crumbs or bedding they could get their little furry paws on. Beware!

Day 2 ~ Susie Lake over Dick's Pass~

This was the view from Dick's Peak at 9380' elevation and shows the glacial snow still quite solid in late summer! The large lake in this photo is Dick's Lake with Fontanillas on the upper left and Middle Velma on the upper right. We also took in the views of Lake Susie and Gilmore in the distance on the other side of the pass, and closer, Half Moon Lake and Morris Lakes.

That's me taking it all in with great satisfaction!

This was the traversing climb at Dick's Peak, reaching an elevation of 9974', and from which we saw Fontanillas Lake and Middle Velma Lake, our next destination goals. It was a hearty climb and there were side trips available if one had the time, such as bagging Mount Tallac at 9735'. At the top of the moderately steep grade of the TRT, we took in views of Lake Aloha, Mount Price, Susie Lake, Half Moon Lake and Alta Morris Lake!

Taken August 19, 2010 Middle Velma Lake (Campsite 2 of our hike) breezy and cool.

Velma Lake near our campsite in the very early morning hours of stillness. The wind and breezes had died down and the lake was still, like glass. To the right it turned out there was a group of boy scouts earning a badge who had to hike 30 miles and do some trail work! May I complement the leaders and the boys. The group was quiet and barely noticeable!

Flowers were still blooming this late in the season, and were a nice pick-me-up as we trekked along in the dust and rocks!

August 20, 2010 ~Velma Lake to Tahoe City (something like 17 miles!) ~

The views were wonderful all the way through Desolation and on to Granite Chief Wilderness. The trail was easy footing for quite awhile.

We discovered frequent changes in the forests and meadows, the geology and views. It kept the hike from becoming monotonous and offered so many photo opportunities!

This sign felt like quite a landmark on our journey! We also stopped along the way at Richardson Lake, marshy, and populated with 4 wheel drivers and shooting enthusiasts. It seemed time for a short swim to relieve our sweaty dry skin and refresh ourselves for the continuing trek. The fish were nibbling at Ken's feet! As he kicked them away, it stirred the debris up, and well, this is no place for a bath! Good for cooling off.

We captured countless views of Lake Tahoe along the way!

Looking up after a recent descent into this "meadow" I realized we had just come from the peak in the distance! Rather gratifying accomplishment! But now we were out of water since our research suggested streams, springs and seeps, and it was a dry year. We needed a stream to refill our bladders and get us through the day and night with enough water for cooking and cleaning up.

What a relief to find this waterfall. Downhill the stream was right off the trail where we rested and refilled. It was cold as expected and more refreshing than one might imagine! We took a short rest but the mosquitoes were in full force by now so we got a move on! We were heading for Barker Pass to pick up supplies we stashed there and planned to camp a little ways from the parking. Ken was too tired to cook or eat so I made lasagna. I dubbed it "Agent Orange Lasagne" not like real cheesy food, but in an unnatural orange greasy sauce that stained my camping dishes. We set up our tent on the hillside, not picturesque, and slept! There were stickers everywhere, no water available nearby, and nowhere private or flat to set up camp. We were exhausted. We got up early for a long finishing hike!

The trail surface changed fairly frequently and this is the stuff I complain about being hard on my knees and ankles. The shade was nice and the bugs were hunting!

Finally level ground and even ground to hike on! The air was cooling and the shade was a relief but invited those pesky, biting bugs to join us! When we reached Tahoe City we still had to retrieve the other vehicle from the Echo Lakes Trailhead and make it all the way back to Sacramento. Our first 50 miles took us about 3 1/2 days, and we looked forward to finishing the entire loop around the Tahoe Rim.

Starting out Phase Two of the TRT in September, 2010! 115+ miles to go!

Day Four ~13 miles~
Our trip started on Memorial Day. I got up at 6:15 A.M. ~ ouch ~ I knew if I stalled I would wake up to Ken knocking persistently at my door. I did the stereotypical stagger to the coffee pot and waited for fresh brew since we were leaving for up to twelve days of backpacking around one of the seven wonders of the world, Lake Tahoe.
I got ready, but couldn't find my knee support (many backpackers have them and it is practically a dress code item!). I got busy and distracted watering plants, doing dishes, finishing laundry, then taking a shower! Ken arrived and the knee support flew out of my mind, but the plants were watered, the car fully loaded and full of gasoline, and I had had my coffee, and breakfast.
Logisitics: We drove both vehicles to Tahoe and stashed water at Brockway, then parked one car near Ponderosa Ranch Road and returned to Tahoe City in the other car.

What can be said about a hike that is new? Up, down, rocky, hilly, mountains, valleys, meadows and forests, used by hikers, bicyclists, and equestrians. Ken typically announced switch backs, we called out "Uphill!" and "Downhill!" alerts, paused for short breaks and photos.
We took a few more pictures and ended the day at the shallow and mossy Lake Watson (13 miles in). I limped in at 7:25 P.M. We hiked carrying 31-36 pounds each just to end the day near a lake with road access, with campers whose fire smoke blew our way, a chainsaw for background music, and despite all that, we set up our own camp (with no water left). I had a blister under my left big toe again...WHY!?! and my knee needed more support. We climbed into the tent, tired, cold, and not motivated to cook (again) or even hang our bear bag.
On the other hand, I was happy and optimistic that we could finish the 165 miles on this trip; I didn't miss the city.

Day Five
We ate Thai (dehydrated food) for breakfast. I froze! We had coffee with Ken's powdered whole milk concoction that was creamy like the coffee my dad and I used to drink. Mostly milk. My nose ran like it was in a marathon.
The lake was pretty in the morning light, and the setting felt remote with no more chainsaws gnawing away at the woods, as they had last night. We cleaned and packed. It was chilly for me but I knew once we were moving I would feel better. We left camp and my knee felt okay. I resolved to baby it.
Our hike it felt like it was all uphill as we "meandered" up and around and then "descended gently", but oh my knee hated it. We had reached about 8000 feet elevation though! If I had a penny for every rock or boulder I kicked, I would be rich!

Ken, trustworthy data keeper, kept us on schedule with certain time allotments at set intervals for potty breaks, rests, book and map consultations, and the occasional breathtaking panoramic views that we photographed. Almost all seemed to require a little side trip and boulder scramble. At times we could see all of Lake Tahoe and its surrounding mountain ranges with our only regrets being that our cameras could not capture the view as we saw it. You have to be there.
We finally arrived at our water stash at Brockway where dropped our bags, collapsed to the ground, and refilled our bladders. With the leftover water we mixed a batch Emerald Balance Supplement with electrolyte tablets (lemon lime) and drank a toast to finishing that section. During the hike I threw off Ken's military time keeping with some of my antics like potty stops or freezing and needing to add layers. My knee intermittently gave me grief, but overall it was okay.

We caught glimpses of the Lake Tahoe through the trees but that were not so photo friendly, so instead we caught a few candid shots of each other. We met a young couple at the double vista we camped at ~ ranges after ranges of mountains on one side, two lakes, and Lake Tahoe on the other side, to the south.

The wind became loud and threatening------I almost wrote "fierce", but not yet. We set camp on this ridge under the trees in the only flat space visible for a tent, and thank goodness, because it became so cold. We tucked in bed tired and sore. Laugh if you will but I tucked into my 20 degree rated Cats Meow mummy bag wearing 2 layers of long sleeved shirts, my thin windbreaker type jacket, 2 layers of pant liners and a thin pair of light weight fleece pants and thin leg warmers. I had on 2 pairs of hiking socks (wool) and ear muffs and beanie in place. I put on mittens following writing in our journal!

Day Six ~ Snow Coming In ~ to Mt. Rose

We both woke up about hourly, hearing drops hit the tent which we thought could be rain or snow. In the morning, Ken began counting drops of water on the tent! (I told you, DataMan). The morning sun we were accustomed to waking up to wasn't there though. Ken's watch alarm (you know, Ken and timing on these trips) went off as set and we, as usual, procrastinated getting out of our warm sleeping bags and tent. I finally did it and wandered into the woods on a mission. The sky was thickly covered in clouds and I couldn't see much of the vistas we had marveled at the night before. I came back with a weather report and snacked on a protein bar and GORP while Ken ventured out into the cold. Clouds were breaking up so we "snacked" and made plans regarding our hike for the day, with a water source expected at least 7 miles away, if we were fortunate.

Ken announced his infamous, "Chop-chop" so we took photos of the rapidly changing views, then bundled and packed up. Our hike did offer glimpses of Tahoe through the trees.
On occasion we got views of the entire Tahoe Basin. We worked harder than usual and only seemed to be hiking uphill. A few trail segments were composed of the loose rocks we've complained about before. My knee began having those spasms but stretching helped, so they (my knees!) took me reluctantly up Relay Peak registering at 10,388 feet elevation, the highest we have climbed. I got waves of nausea and had to slow down, but we reached the treeless top just in time for the snow to begin falling on us as we hiked along the saddle!!! We discovered the TRT turned right onto a long rough dirt road, all downhill. It continued to snow, the flakes stung as they pelted my face. The temperatures dropped. At a rusty old building we agreed to pause and layer up. Onward we hiked downhill until the trail took off of the road with a sign pointing .6 miles to Mount Rose Trail Head. The snow continued to fall.
The campground designated for through hikers was CLOSED! We went to the parking lot for the Mount Rose Trail Head and restroom (shelter) to regroup. Also stranded in the weather was a through-cyclist named Jason who was wearing shorts!!! Some time passed and Jason tried to venture out but returned to the shelter; it was too cold to cycle down to town.

Laura, Ken, the driver, "Care Bear", and Jason as we parted ways.

As we weighed our options, a hippy-type mini motor home pulled in and as it turned out, the couple was returning from Burning Man. Trail Angels. They brought all 3 of us back to Incline to the truck. We gave Jason and his bike a ride to a motel, then we took the time to move my car to a new site, ate dinner, then enjoyed hot showers! A wonderful laugh ended a bizarre but memorable day!

DAY 7 ~ a 14 mile day~ Tahoe Meadows to Marlett Backpackers Campground

We have hiked over a hundred miles total this trip!
We started at Tahoe Meadows and camped at Marlette Campground for backpackers. The trail was easy but we encountered lots of bicycle traffic. We took photos of Tahoe, each other, and met a few really nice people. The trail was more level with a nice sandy, gravely surface, but solid and easier on our knees and legs. The lake was gorgeous and we marveled at the peaks and ridges we could see on the other side that we had already "bagged". Grasshoppers would jump/ fly across my path, defying gravity and mocking my extraordinary labor toward achieving the next summit!
Marlett had a great bear container, table, campfire ring, at each site, and an abundant wood supply and water pump nearby! Quite novel! It also had a vault toilet and a surround shelter (to use as a changing room we guessed)! We built a small fire (yes, we had our permit on hand), unpacked, ate our dehydrated beef stew and M & Ms, then set up our tent.
My camera batteries were all fading despite my efforts to bring a collection of freshly charged camera batteries and to keep them warm and dry.
Our hearts were full of fun and victory over the successes we have achieved so far!

Day 8 ~also 14+ miles~Marlett to The Bench

Ken got us up early, trying to be a good role-model, calling out "Chop-chop" in a sing-song voice. A large bowl of oatmeal and nuts with Ken's creamy whole dried milk concoction and of course, Ken's famous cowboy coffee awaited me. We got around after a little campfire time and began the day's challenges.
Ken trekked along reviewing all of our mileage, what we have done, can do, might do, could do, and all the numbers related to that (provided by our GPS). Really, we do like to review.
Bicycles were our only grief, especially the one who almost hit Ken head-on because he was traveling at dangerous speeds downhill, around a curve, and did not even offer a small apology! Most cyclists were cordial, a few friendly. We walked and walked and complained about seeing only the Carson side. We missed the pines Tahoe is so well known for.
We had water stashed at Spooner Trail Head and found an odd selection of vault toilets, beautiful picnic table areas, friendly chipmunks, and NO garbage cans or water sources. Weather had befriended us today and on that section we nicknamed some rock outcroppings "Flintstones" or "Dinosaur Poop". Next we passed the already dry Twin Lake after a short picnic of our green powdered concoction meant to provide us with all the things our diet was missing.

Ken mentioned his thighs were sore after this upward 9 mile hike that night. He took Motrin and we ate and hung our bear bags. It was a pleasure to take in all the evening views of Lake Tahoe at sunset, and we kept reviewing how little was left of our 165 mile journey. The hike was long, not so eventful. We were actually a little disappointed at the top of this section after all of the glowing reviews we read describing it as the most "popular" and "spectacular". It was pleasant, but we enjoyed other sections more. We had to camp too far away to take in the sunset from camp and the wind was awfully cold.

That area was more rocky and scrub-brushy than we expected, but off the rim and into the trees our camp was cozy. We looked forward to a hot bath, a massage, regular fresh foods, and "The 165 mile Patch". The day's section of trail was pretty easy for us even though we read it was rated as moderately difficult.

This was the well known "Bench" reputed to have the most amazing views of the entire Lake Basin. It is a work of art and and excellent place to rest once you have climbed so far.

Day 9 ~7 miles ~ The Bench to Heavenly

Against all of the rules, we ate in the tent. Outside was bitter cold and gloomy! Yes, we had bagged and hung all of our bear-inviting stuff, but once retrieved, the tent made a nice bistro! We went back to the "bench" so I could send a photo to the kids. I also had some blister first aid to take care of, then we packed and set out on our way. I suddenly had an epiphany! I was intensely aware of how empty my hands were and looked ahead to see Ken's were empty too! We had left the trekking poles at camp propped against a tree. We returned and were only thankful we hadn't gone far.

I got tired of eating Ken's dust so I asked to lead for awhile. We picked up the pace and Ken's strategy for avoiding dust was to stay on my heels. We met some day-hikers and cyclists along the way but spared conversation and made GREAT time! We averaged 3 miles an hour all the way! At the end, the glory was seeing the truck (now affectionately known as "The Holy Grail")!

Day 10~ about 9 miles~ Heavenly to Star Lake

We started this hike at Heavenly Ski Resort after we moved our cars and resupplied our backpacks. It began as a fairly steep, sandy, unpleasant, overly civilized trail. Our elevation there was between 7200 and 7300 feet. The day's destination was Star Lake near Freel and Job's Sister peaks. I had an unusually hard time getting a comfortable pace and catching my breath. Ken took some excellent photos including some panoramic collections. The miles were mostly all uphill and included some of those rock or boulder stairs which contributed to my difficulty setting a rhythm; my feet felt as if they were in cement! The trail itself became a nice track with firm forest soil. I could see a "bowl" at the top of the ridges far ahead, and held the secret dread that they surrounded our destination lake...and well, they did. But once we arrived, it was amazing~! This is my favorite place of all now. It was so far removed from any easy way to get there that no persons were there, but us, when we arrived. Eventually two more backpackers with dogs showed up but were friendly and set camp far enough away for everyone's privacy. (There weren't good "restroom" sites ladies).
We had a campfire ring, and a great flat area for the tent. Fish began jumping early and I am not sure they ever stopped. The view of this lake was serene and yet a windy, stormy atmosphere was moving in. All night the winds buffeted our tent. The water lapped noisily nearby and sometimes I couldn't tell if I heard animals puddling about in the water, or just wind, or what. The temperature quickly and definitely dropped. Our bear bag was carefully hung away from camp, and yes, we followed all of the good sense rules! This was a most memorable and perfect wilderness experience. Only about 35 more miles to go to finish the whole hike! Unbelievable! We had both gotten blisters. By this time, we were anticipating the finish!

Star Lake in the early morning hours

Star Lake before I was even awake!

Day 11 ~14 miles ~ Star Lake to car camp

At times we had far reaching views of summits and ranges on the Nevada side and found much prettier views of the Carson Valley. We climbed into the 9700 foot elevation levels. As we crossed Armstrong we met a friendly group of day hikers, one of whom had completed the TRT, but in day hike sections. Personally I am glad we did the backpacking and camping part of the experience. Again, we got more photos of Lake Tahoe and "meandered" while Ken sang things like the theme from Twilight Zone, and I kept being reminded of the movie "the Groundhog Day" where a reporter got stuck reliving the same day over and over again, though only he was aware of it. The trail turned downhill eventually and my knees were not happy with that change! I had to go slower and we took small breaks too. We crossed 4 or 5 small creeks and a large one. Some came from around rocks and others disappeared into the ground. The day was nice, and perfect for going from sun to shade throughout the day. We passed numerous and interesting changes in terrain and views. There were many large meadows with different vegetation and flowers even in September! One stretch was composed of mainly quartz and we could easily see interesting bits of clear quartz as we walked.
My knees were complaining bitterly but we went off on a side trail to the "backpackers' camp". Unfortunately, unexpectedly, it was open to cars and was quite full. We found ourselves a campsite, and we had vault toilets, but not water, as was written on the literature about the camp. It may have changed our decision to hike the extra mileage off the TRT to stop there.
There was an icy creek nearby where we purified our water and froze Ken's hands. After all those miles and my knees causing me to limp, we were exhausted. The benefits were that we had a campfire ring and wood. Our next decision was whether to hike 8+ miles the next day and 8+ miles again the following day or just complete the last 17 in one day. Even with the blisters, and boy I had plenty, this trip has made fond memories and reinforced my love for the back country.

Last Day! Day 12 ~over 17 miles~ to Echo Lake

This hike was rewarding as we encountered many new kinds of environments, including these rock formations I called the "castle rocks". A giant meadow before that was to be enjoyed as it was fairly level and sunny. There were two old buildings off trail, postcard picturesque. Along the way we met several more hikers, and one solo backpacker. There were still glaciers a bit higher than we were and were too far off to visit. One of the meadows was full of wildflowers. Then we hiked around giant outcroppings of boulders, into the trees and got lots of shade. Ken's singing kept me going despite my grumbling knees. We began to have a sense of accomplishment but too, at every downhill, we expected to see the parking lot at the Echo Lake Summit Trail Head, and all we got was more descending or climbing those wonderful carved rock stairs! The guide book was unclear, and every turn was a disappointment since no sign of civilization hinted at completion. Our "Holy Grail", my little car this time, called out to our tired, dirty backpackers' souls to find it! To sit in a cushioned seat! To head home for showers and hot meals and to review our photos and to rest in our own beds. And yes, the moment we saw the parking lot after numerous false alarms, we sang "Looks like we made it" at the tops of our lungs, and took a few photos, including one of us together to compare to our first day (and yes, what a distinct difference).

We are proud to be members of the Tahoe Rim Association and to be members of the 165 Miler Club! It's officially completed and was one of the best hikes I have ever done!
My advice, start reading up, planning and packing and get to it!