Lower Alpine meadow and a group of small ponds teaming with trout. Pinnacles Lakes Basin, John Muir Wilderness, Sierra Nevada Mountains, California, USA  Photo by Van Miller

Sierra Nevada views from Mammoth Lakes, California

Sierra Nevada mountains, CA

Lake Dorothy

Our annual hiking trip found us in the Inyo National Forest again.  This year we are hiking behind Convict Lake and backpacking to Lake Dorothy.  We headed out Wednesday night following along the very familiar 395 highway.  We got to Bishop early enough to check in to the Bishop 395 Inn and make a quick stop at Schat’s Bakkery.  After a great nights sleep we woke up early and headed to Convict…

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We started out on the Chocolate Lakes Loop trail out of Bishop, CA, on Friday, July 22. The skies were clear, it was a very toasty 100 degrees in Bishop and by the time we got to the trailhead at 2pm, the overnight parking area was packed. Something to keep in mind is that dayhikers likely use the overnight parking area because it is the closest parking area to the trail. Boooo! There are plenty of other parking areas just a bit farther away for dayhikers. Don't be lazy, people. 🙄 Once we got on the trail, it was a constant uphill charge along South Lake to the junction of Bishop Pass and Chovolate Lakes. We opted to hike this loop CW and were glad we did. We first stopped at Bull Lake for a swim and boy was this Lake warm! 👌 Thwn we hiked up to the first Chocolate Lake but it was too small for camping/fishing/swimming/etc. But it was very pretty, especially from the trail at the top, looking down. After another climb we arrived at middle Chocolate Lake and boy oh boy, this was the place. Scenic and big enough for all the things. We found a great campsite which was up the hill about 150 feet from the lake's edge. We walked down to the water after setting up camp and dipped our feet in the chilly water - dang, that felt good! We ended up having the lake to ourselves that evening and the next morning saw a few day hikers. On Saturday, we swam, fished, and explored Chovolate Peak and then packed up camp. We headed over to Ruwau Lake and despite the big climb out of upper Chocolate Lake, we enjoyed the challenge and the views of all the surrounding lakes. Ruwau Lake was one of the most amazing lakes I've ever been to and I've been to a lot. I could have sat at the lakes edge all day staring up at the surrounding mountains. They looks so foreboding and I can't even imagine climbing any of them for fun. There are plenty of tall, lean, folk that do it everyday; we passed several of them on the trail. My son fished Ruwau and was very successful catching the Brook trout that were popping up all over the lake. He convinced me to pull out my Tenkura Teton rod and I'm so glad I did. First cast and I caught a fingerling. Second and third fish were 9-10 inch Brookies! Yes! That night we camped just up off the lake in a nice spot for one tent. Lots of boulders were around for a "nature kitchen" and "nature table" as my kids like to call them. 😜 The hike out on Sunday, the 24th, was hot but mostly downhill. We passed Long Lake which was absolutely gorgeous and then began the slow, steady trek down to South Lake and our vehicles. The biggest thing to know about hiking the Chocolate Lakes Loop trail is that the trail is very primitive in some places, mainly around the lakes. You will lose it and scratch your head wondering where it went. Using a trail app with a built in map or following someone else's track will help immensely. And please, if you go, hike to Chocolate Peak. It's so worth the extra bit of effort!

Inyo National Forest, California.

The second day backpacking was the big push to the top of Red Slate Mountain. It's not much to look at, but who is looking at the mountain they're standing on? Everything else is amazing. After the grand twirl around and around to try to see it all (and failing), we had to head back down, gather our gear, and hike back to the car. The weekend was over already. From October 2014.

“Thousands of tired, nerve-shaken, over-civilized people are beginning to find out that going to the mountains is going home; that wildness is a necessity” ― John Muir

original auntieblues

Mount Ritter, just south of Yosemite National Park on July 1, 2022

Council Lake, East Pinnacles Lakes Basin, John Muir Wilderness, Sierra Nevada Mountains, California, USA. Photo by Van Miller

Enjoying the view at 12k ft before the summit push!

Aleksander Reznichenko - Evening Melody.

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"The clearest way into the Universe is through a forest wilderness.” John Muir

[Ravenous Butterflies]

The clearest way into the Universe is through a forest wilderness.  - John Muir

Thousand Island Lake (9,864’)

Ansel Adams Wilderness just outside Yosemite over Donohue Pass, California

July 1 2022, 4:52 PM

Inyo National Forest, California.

A mildly ambitious weekend backpacking trip, so we were sure to be on the trail nice and early for this first day. The fall color was maybe a little past prime, but there were still some bright yellows to be found. We headed up to see a large mine that once worked this area, then retreated to camp near the lake for the night. The next day would be higher still. From October 2014.