Rock Creek-Mosquito Flats backpacking and snowshoeing trip
Posted: Wed Mar 01, 2006 2:44 am
Rock Creek - Mosquito Flats Backpack/Snowshoe weekend
Photos: http://community.webshots.com/album/548085523kwwvpt
My original plan (Topix forum gathering) wasn’t going to happen (two people couldn’t find lodging). Mammoth was booked (= crowds). SnowDude was sick, and crowded slopes just didn't sound like fun. I knew Trekker was going backpacking and asked if I could join him. With last minute change of plans, I was up late Thursday looking for gear that I hadn't used since last September. Got it all together and headed for Mammoth Friday night. When I drove thru Red Rock Canyon, I saw some hands waving cars down. I normally wouldn’t stop in the dark, but I thought I saw two kids and an adult. I pulled over and backed up. It was 3 young adults and their car overheated. They couldn’t get phone reception so I got them to a gas station where their friend picked them up.
Trekker was planning to backpack in Friday afternoon, and I would catch up to him Saturday. About 3 hours out from San Diego, he realized he forgot his jacket, and drove back. When I got to the Ranger Station, I didn't see a permit for him, so I called. That's when I found out about his delay. With my detour, permit and phone calls, finding a place to sleep/meet, I finally got to bed ~4am.
I heard him pull up at 6:10am, so I got a few hours of sleep. We got breakfast, a Sno-Park permit, repacked the vehicles so we could carpool and got a pretty late start. I had not carried this much weight (33 lb) since September, Trekker had 50 lbs so we both had sore hips. It was a slow hike up, but since we were meeting for the first time, we talked all the way so it didn’t seem that long. We got in after dark, set up camp and melted snow. Mountain House dinner was awesome! 15 deg out, clear skies and no wind. A beautiful evening to be out!
Sunday I was up at 7am, and out by 8am. I took photos and found the water hole and started the hot water. Breakfast was good! We kicked back, then went for a short walk to Mack Lake. I was feeling the altitude and a storm was coming in so we didn't go far. Got back to camp and my tent was down. My pigtail stakes didn't hold in the soft snow (forgot to pack the snow after staking it). Just as we got my tent back up, a guy on AT skis stopped by our camp. It was sdtrackrunner! I had seen his trip photos, and then remembered he e-mailed about my Warmlite tent a year or so ago (he ended up getting one). It was nice to finally meet him!
As we started packing up, the guy staying at the tent cabin asked if we could stop at Rock Creek Lodge and ask them to send a snowmobile up to get his wife. She had altitude sickness pretty bad and was vomiting. Packing up took longer than usual, so we got another late start. A couple of skiers passed us, so I asked them to stop by Rock Creek and pass the message on since they were moving faster than us. We were almost there when the snowmobile started up. After making sure they were going to get her, we took a break at Rock Creek Lodge. Trekker had a blister on his foot, and I was getting the toe cramp (Morton's Neuroma). We made it back to the start in under 2.5 hrs. We had light flurries the whole way, but it looked like rain down there.
We transferred gear to Trekkers car and went our separate ways. The drive home had its moments. I was on Hwy 14 when a semi came over a hill and blinded me with his brights. The next thing I saw was big pickup/SUV headlights coming at me in my lane trying to pass the semi. I hit the brakes to take it out of cruise (going 79) which caused the 4Runner to fishtail 4 times before I got it straightened out. I didn’t have anywhere to go (a hillside, no shoulder) so I thought that was the end for me. The pickup went back behind the semi. WTF was he/she thinking! Then, by the time I got to the 405, I was tired, and missed my turn. I ended up in Burbank before I realized it. I backtracked, adding 20 miles to my trip.
I think sleep-wise, I got about as little as last weekend. :retard: But, it was a great weekend and I got to meet two new internet friends!
Photos: http://community.webshots.com/album/548085523kwwvpt
My original plan (Topix forum gathering) wasn’t going to happen (two people couldn’t find lodging). Mammoth was booked (= crowds). SnowDude was sick, and crowded slopes just didn't sound like fun. I knew Trekker was going backpacking and asked if I could join him. With last minute change of plans, I was up late Thursday looking for gear that I hadn't used since last September. Got it all together and headed for Mammoth Friday night. When I drove thru Red Rock Canyon, I saw some hands waving cars down. I normally wouldn’t stop in the dark, but I thought I saw two kids and an adult. I pulled over and backed up. It was 3 young adults and their car overheated. They couldn’t get phone reception so I got them to a gas station where their friend picked them up.
Trekker was planning to backpack in Friday afternoon, and I would catch up to him Saturday. About 3 hours out from San Diego, he realized he forgot his jacket, and drove back. When I got to the Ranger Station, I didn't see a permit for him, so I called. That's when I found out about his delay. With my detour, permit and phone calls, finding a place to sleep/meet, I finally got to bed ~4am.
I heard him pull up at 6:10am, so I got a few hours of sleep. We got breakfast, a Sno-Park permit, repacked the vehicles so we could carpool and got a pretty late start. I had not carried this much weight (33 lb) since September, Trekker had 50 lbs so we both had sore hips. It was a slow hike up, but since we were meeting for the first time, we talked all the way so it didn’t seem that long. We got in after dark, set up camp and melted snow. Mountain House dinner was awesome! 15 deg out, clear skies and no wind. A beautiful evening to be out!
Sunday I was up at 7am, and out by 8am. I took photos and found the water hole and started the hot water. Breakfast was good! We kicked back, then went for a short walk to Mack Lake. I was feeling the altitude and a storm was coming in so we didn't go far. Got back to camp and my tent was down. My pigtail stakes didn't hold in the soft snow (forgot to pack the snow after staking it). Just as we got my tent back up, a guy on AT skis stopped by our camp. It was sdtrackrunner! I had seen his trip photos, and then remembered he e-mailed about my Warmlite tent a year or so ago (he ended up getting one). It was nice to finally meet him!
As we started packing up, the guy staying at the tent cabin asked if we could stop at Rock Creek Lodge and ask them to send a snowmobile up to get his wife. She had altitude sickness pretty bad and was vomiting. Packing up took longer than usual, so we got another late start. A couple of skiers passed us, so I asked them to stop by Rock Creek and pass the message on since they were moving faster than us. We were almost there when the snowmobile started up. After making sure they were going to get her, we took a break at Rock Creek Lodge. Trekker had a blister on his foot, and I was getting the toe cramp (Morton's Neuroma). We made it back to the start in under 2.5 hrs. We had light flurries the whole way, but it looked like rain down there.
We transferred gear to Trekkers car and went our separate ways. The drive home had its moments. I was on Hwy 14 when a semi came over a hill and blinded me with his brights. The next thing I saw was big pickup/SUV headlights coming at me in my lane trying to pass the semi. I hit the brakes to take it out of cruise (going 79) which caused the 4Runner to fishtail 4 times before I got it straightened out. I didn’t have anywhere to go (a hillside, no shoulder) so I thought that was the end for me. The pickup went back behind the semi. WTF was he/she thinking! Then, by the time I got to the 405, I was tired, and missed my turn. I ended up in Burbank before I realized it. I backtracked, adding 20 miles to my trip.
I think sleep-wise, I got about as little as last weekend. :retard: But, it was a great weekend and I got to meet two new internet friends!