8/1to8/3 Meeks Creek area; father-daughter trip

[giantbrookie]

This has been a great season for High Sierra trips with kids on Topix. Whatever the expectations, degree of difficulty of the trip, etc., you figure it's a successful backpacking trip if the kid wants to go on another one. It is an exceptionally successful trip if the kid doesn’t want the trip to end and, during the last moments of the trip (final parts of hike and drive home), asks to start planning future trips. This trip fits into the latter category. This was not my daughter Dawn’s (11yrs) first backpacking trip because the entire family, including her older brother Lee (15 yrs), have gone on a number of backpacking trips dating back 9 years or so. This summer, the family had gone on two “motel camping” trips in which we stayed in rooms, then did some dayhikes that included some very successful fishing (July 7-9 http://www.highsierratopix.com/communit ... =6&t=16194 and July 22-23 http://www.highsierratopix.com/communit ... =6&t=16373). With no other trips scheduled for the summer, Dawn requested a backpacking trip, saying that motel camping didn’t really whet her appetite for the full outdoor experience. Judy could not spare extra days off and Lee, although a very strong hiker and superb fisherman, doesn’t like the hiking and camping components as much as Dawn. Not only did Dawn request a backpacking trip but she wanted more than one night so that we could have at least one layover day. Accordingly I hatched the plan for a 3-day midweek (avoid crowds and obtain wilderness permit easily) Desolation Wilderness trip to the Meeks Creek drainage with an additional exploration of the Grouse Lakes.

Going in, the weather report looked grim: highs forecast in the low to mid 80s at 8000’ elevation and lows of about 60. 80° at 8000’ is like 100+ at sea level and the warm nights and low wind (in forecast) usually predict unusually bad mosquitoes. As it turned out the weather was pretty much as forecast, but the mosquitoes were only moderate. In addition, the hot weather meant that Dawn could actually enjoy the thundershowers that dumped hail on us during our layover day hike. Although we took the trip in the middle of the week to avoid crowds, we encountered a moderate number of other backpackers, including multiple groups with children. The kids ranged in age from "portable" (ie being carried in) to teens. I can't recall seeing such a high proportion of backpacking groups with children. This was quite an encouraging sight. Also of note, and nothing new in Desolation Wilderness, is the near absence of stock travel on the major trails. For those familiar with trails in John Muir, Ansel Adams and other wilderness areas of the high central and southern Sierra, the trailbed is composed of a blend of sand and horse poop and smells accordingly. I did not see a single mound of horse poop on the Meeks Creek trail, fairly typical of Desolation Wilderness trails. We did see one large group with stock roll in to Hidden Lake; the stock were llamas.

We (me and Judy) had not backpacked to the Meeks Creek area since October 1992 and our last visit there was a dayhike in July 2000. Going in I worried a bit about the high heat and the fact that Dawn had run out of steam rather early on the most recent dayhike. We began hiking at about noon from the trailhead and were drenched in sweat within less than 5 minutes. Nonetheless, Dawn hiked stronger than she ever has. This was her first time hiking with a genuine “full pack” which included her sleeping bag, her fishing gear, various snack food, etc. In the past she had a habit of requesting too frequent and much too long rest stops. We adhered to a more regimented schedule of a short (5-7 min) rest stop every 40 min and Dawn powered into Crag Lake, our camping destination, in about 2 hr 30 min, with the hike covering about 5 miles and 1200' of elevation gain.

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In the past, Dawn has been so tired on arrival that she wanted the tent pitched so she could nap in the tent. This time, although she wanted the tent pitched, she wanted to get out and explore. In this case it meant investigating much of the perimeter of Crag Lake, then going up to Hidden Lake, then returning to Crag Lake before finally returning to camp a bit before 8 pm for a massive dinner. This consisted of Trader Joe’s tortellini for one course and a really big brookie with teriyaki sauce for the main course, with fresh plums (from yard ) and Raspberry chocolate Milano cookies for dessert. We camped in a luxurious campsite off the beaten track that Judy and I had enjoyed on our 1991 and 1992 trips. Although midweek, there were three or four other groups camped along the trail. It always pays to find campsites that are well off the trail if you want to enjoy the wilderness solitude. Whereas the other groups were relatively close to one another, at our own site it felt as if we were the only ones at the lake. I took my lightweight tent I use for the more difficult backpacking trips (REI Quarterdome 3) which is extremely spacious (is capable of fitting 3 adults). Dawn slept well except for the first part of the night 1 when I forgot to give her the usual ibuprofen to mitigate against the hiking soreness that often comes on day 1. I realized this when she apologetically woke me up saying she couldn’t sleep because of her aches especially her calves. I forgot about this because I myself seldom have this issue anymore and certainly didn’t on this trip. After the “vitamin I” she slept fine. In fact because things have been hectic at home, Dawn and I ended up getting more sleep on this trip than we had been getting back home.

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On Wednesday, Aug. 2, we had a layover day which we used to dayhike over to Grouse Lake. We found those lakes brush infested, shallow, and otherwise uninteresting. The views south to Tallac were nice but diminished somewhat by the forest fire smoke. We spent time at Rubicon and Stony Ridge Lakes on our return. Thunderstorms arrived while we were leaving Rubicon Lake but they only spat a few drops. A bit later, while at Stony Ridge, things really cut loose, with pea sized hail and very heavy rain. With normal Sierra temperatures, even in midsummer, I’d be concerned about staying dry and avoiding hypothermia and we would have put on waterproof stuff right away. However, with the hot weather, getting a bit wet was in fact refreshing. Nonetheless, during the peak of the deluge we found a comfortable place to shelter from the rain. Dawn very much enjoyed the whole experience and happily munched on some of the snack food. After the rain let up we scrambled back to the trail and then strolled back to Crag Lake where Dawn, for the 2nd consecutive day, did some wading to refresh herself. That evening we had another big meal with this ready-to-eat Madras-style lentil thingie as our appetizer and two nice-sized mackinaw in teriyaki sauce to completely stuff us. Although we thought the orange-meated brookie the night before was delicious, we both felt the macks were even tastier. It was a fine birthday dinner for me (58th) and the latest of some memorable ones spent in the High Sierra in recent years (2008 Tunechuck and 2015 Gold at the end of the Rainbow). This one, though, ‘inverted’ my 10th birthday (1969) party spent at Monarch Lakes following a climb of Sawtooth Peak. That trip was the first time I had in fact carried a full pack on a backpacking trip.

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On Thursday we began the day with Dawn saying she wished we were staying for at least one additional night. After some hiking around the basin, we left our campsite at about 2 pm with Dawn wistfully waving goodbye, saying that we should make sure to come back soon. Dawn began the hike out walking much more slowly than usual because she was absorbed in conversation mostly focused on future potential trips. Once she set her mind to hiking, though, she took off like a rocket; her descent speed was such that I had to work fairly hard to keep up. We made the car in something like 1 hr 50 min and whizzed home to the Bay Area after a short stop at Subway in at the Y in South Lake Tahoe. I had never driven 50 midweek, and the traffic was lighter than any I had experienced. I also had timed things so that I passed through Sacramento after rush hour, too. Much of the drive back, Dawn got me to brainstorm some possible destinations for the next backpacking trips, including longer ones. We may have not suffered too many mosquito bites on the trip, but the backpacking bug has surely bitten Dawn.

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Fishing notes. Given the heavy winter and late thaw, I hadn’t really been thinking about the dreaded “doldrums” or “midsummer slump”. I guess I should have. Most lakes we looked at were pretty lifeless and had that still tea-tinged water one encounters in midsummer at lakes below timberline. Only one lake, Rubicon Lake, had regular rises and we saw rises (rare ones) in but one other lake. This is excluding the rises of those innumerable small forage fish so typical of these lakes as well as others in Deso. Much of our three days was in fact spent fishing, during which time we snagged and lost vastly more lures than the number of fish we caught. Grand totals for the three days: Dawn: One 8” brookie. Me: Three brookies of 10, 11, and 16.5”. Three mackinaw of 15, 16, and 17”. If Dawn and I squeeze in another trip before school starts we will aim for much higher elevations.

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[Fly Guy Dave]

Looks like a great trip. Bonding time with your daughter, roaming around the Sierra and some decent fishing to top it off. My daughter "kind of" took to fishing, but she never cared for the backpacking aspect. You're doing it right. Congrats!

[TahoeJeff]

Awesome report as usual! Way to keep your daughter in the game.
PM sent

[Wandering Daisy]

My daughter had her kids up at Squaw Valley during that time. She called me and said the hail storm was pretty amazing!

What backpack is your daughter now using?

[giantbrookie]

What backpack is your daughter now using?

Her pack is an REI Flash 45. I bought this pack about 2 years ago intending it to be Lee's first backpack and also for it to double for an extra large capacity daypack, which is how I used it during the layover day on this past trip. The pack is very comfortable for Dawn and light and I also found it to be very nice when I used it as a large daypack.

[rlown]

Hey GB,

What lures were you using and how deep? Just wondering. Nice TR! Kids grow so fast.

[cgundersen]

GB,
It's inspiring to see kids who got the "bug" (or, genes?) for heading into the wilderness. Of course, it helps having a dad who has been at this since the days of the first moon shots! I chaperoned my 12 year old brother on a Sierra backpacking trip back in 1978 and he will be bringing his 13 year old son out for an "anniversary" trip next summer, so it will be fun to compare/contrast photos of trips separated by 4 decades. Looking forward to reports of more such sojourns! Cameron

[ericZ]

Like.... no LOVE!!!!

eric
fresno, ca.

[giantbrookie]

Hey GB,
What lures were you using and how deep? Just wondering. Nice TR! Kids grow so fast.

Nothing hit anywhere other than dead bottom retrieves, which meant max distance cast (w 3/8 Kastmasters), sink to bottom, and several re-sinks (bottom bumping) during the retrieve. The lure casualty rate was unprecedented. You could stock a normal lure box with all the hardware I left on the bottom. Some lakes didn't require that I airmail the cast and I tried my usual 3/8 oz Z Ray assortment and I did in fact get a big hit at the "normally a brown trout lake" spot where I caught the big brookie.

Now the trick is to try to negotiate one more trip. Dawn will take the lead in negotiations and it is likely to be me and her again if we get the go-ahead for the trip---we will head to much higher altitude if we get the green light. This balances the multiple trips to the coast to fish with Lee. A week ago he waxed me again, this time on the Marin Coast (12" brown rockfish keeper plus 3 subsize throw-em-back cabezon, largest was 12", versus one 10" striped surf perch for me).

[rlown]

Maybe when it warms up, you'll want to borrow my fins, snorkel and mask for the lure retrieve. I like the bottom bounce idea, but I throw the cheaper h/w at it beforehand so I know what is down there.