High Sierra Topix

Long time lurker first time poster. Appreciate all the info and things I learn from HST. Not much for words but here is a TR from a short trip I took in August last year.

Went on a short backpacking trip with the gf to Pine Lake last August. Drove up from LA and spent the night at the pine creek trailhead to acclimate and started hiking the next morning around 7am.



Starting the hike up.


View down Pine Creek Canyon.

Smoke started to move in quick mid-morning.


Stopping for water.

We got to the lake in the afternoon and set up camp.


View from camp.

I woke up early the next morning and it was surprisingly cold but I prepared breakfast and we got ready for the day. Part of the reason for taking this trip was to fish and check out the lake high above Birchim Lake that was rumored to have some fish so the next morning we woke up and headed up to the mysterious lake.


Low levels at Birchim.



View above Birchim. As soon as we started hiking up to lake 11,500 smoke from the Rough fire started to come in.


The hike up to the lake was pretty steep. I could see the final hill we had to climb to get to the mysterious lake but the gf started to feel uncomfortable. We eventually turned around .2 miles away from the southend of the lake and headed back down. Better safe than sorry.
We caught a couple fish and explored around Birchim for awhile then headed back down to camp.


The next morning we woke up at 6am and headed back down to the trailhead.



Overall it was a very fun and quick trip we couldn't wait to grab a burger and fries in Bishop.
Looking forward to getting back out next summer and taking a fishing focused trip to East Lake out of Onion Valley and fishing the lakes near Harrison Pass and the lake under West Vidette in September.

Thanks for reading!

Nick

0.2 miles. ouch. nice TR though.

Hi Nick,

Thank you for posting your first of many TR.

I could see the final hill we had to climb to get to the mysterious lake but the gf started to feel uncomfortable. We eventually turned around .2 miles away from the southend of the lake and headed back down. Better safe than sorry.

Was it the altitude? Whatever it was, you made the right decision to turn around, last thing you want to do is push, which could end with her never wanting to go again.

rlown wrote:0.2 miles. ouch. nice TR though.

Thx rlown!

maverick wrote:Hi Nick,

Thank you for posting your first of many TR.

I could see the final hill we had to climb to get to the mysterious lake but the gf started to feel uncomfortable. We eventually turned around .2 miles away from the southend of the lake and headed back down. Better safe than sorry.

Was it the altitude? Whatever it was, you made the right decision to turn around, last thing you want to do is push, which could end with her never wanting to go again.

Hey Maverick,

It wasn't the altitude she was uncomfortable with the terrain plus there was a lot of loose rock and steep on the right side going up. I think the final hill did her in and you're right I want her to keep going!

Nick

Thanks nnmarsh88

This time of year, every trip report is a welcome vicarious trip into the mountains.

What I used to do with my girlfriend a few years ago helped make things more fun and encouraged her to sort of enjoy the hard work of backpacking in the high country. Since she was being a good sport to spend three or four days of hiking, we would take a recovery day at a casual resort or bed and breakfast on the way home. It was something to look forward to while we clomped along a dusty trail.

The trips to the mountains were great times. We should have just stayed up there, because when we got back to the city, that's where things would get complicated.

peace