TR: Plumas 2010

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Stevendanger75
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TR: Plumas 2010

Post by Stevendanger75 »

In August of 2010 my younger brother and I did another short three day trip in the Plumas National Forest. Our Plan was to hike up and spend a night at rock lake then make a big loop and meet up with the PCT, summit mount Elwell and eventually spend the night at Smith lake.

My younger brother and I at the TH. It took us a few hours to reach our first desination.
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Soon after we arrived we rigged up our rods and circumnavigated the lake fishing, however after an hour or so we didn't even manage a bite, so we gave up that pursuit.
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My brother found a really neat "seat" hanging about 30 ft over the water so we spent the rest of our night admiring the surrounding wilderness from there.
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The wind that night was appauling. There were times that I was almost certain our tent was going to blow away with us inside. Due to this, I only got a few hours of patchy sleep. We awoke the next morning relieved the night was over and broke camp around 8:30. Our destination today was to head up onto a ridge and join the PCT for a little ways eventually reaching the top of Mt. Elwell. From there we would drop down to Smith Lake and spend the night.
You can see the Lake where we stayed the previous night in the distance (not the closest one)
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The ridge and PCT were subject to (what I thought were) gale force winds as well.
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We came across and abandoned mine that seemed to be endless. We didnt go too deep for fear of it collapsing.
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Before the climb up Mt Elwell we came across a nice vernal pool and an old camp with a bar of soap left behind with the word "present" scratched into it.
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Pretty soon we got to the top of Elwell and it too, yes you guessed it, was subject to intense winds. Though in addition offered spectacular views of the surrounding mountains and lakes.
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Eventually we dropped down to smith lake and after a swim to clean up, we were too tired to bother fishing. We went to bed early and had a MUCH better night than that previous; there was little to no wind. After an early start in the morning we returned to the trail head at about 10:00
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Jason
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Re: TR: Plumas 2010

Post by Jason »

Thanks for the nice trip report. Looks like a fun time. With 2011 seeing so little action so far, I'm enjoying the reports from previous years.
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maverick
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Re: TR: Plumas 2010

Post by maverick »

Thanks for the TR, haven't done any hiking up there, looks pretty.
Really liked the shot from the top of Elwell.
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Stevendanger75
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Re: TR: Plumas 2010

Post by Stevendanger75 »

Jason wrote:Thanks for the nice trip report. Looks like a fun time. With 2011 seeing so little action so far, I'm enjoying the reports from previous years
Thanks Jason, in 9 days I am heading out for 7 days in the Golden Trout Wilderness and soon after I will have a new TR for 2011!
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Troutdog 59
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Re: TR: Plumas 2010

Post by Troutdog 59 »

Nice TR and somewhere in the cob webs of my memory I recall some of those views!! Those 1st lakes you went by were the location of my first pack trip some 36 years ago. Kind of opposite your trek, as we started at the Lakes basin to the east, climbed the ridge leading to Mt Elwell, and then dropped xcountry down to Jamison and Rock lakes. We laid over a day, then headed over to Wades Lake before hiking out to the TH below Grass Lake. We fished all of those lakes on that side and Rock was the slowest even back then. Best fishing was in Wades for total numbers, but Jamison had the best size, but then again, that was 36 years ago so fishing may have changed ;) . Again, thanks for the TR and the memories.
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