The second day I climbed out of Jack Main Canyon and into Tilden Canyon. The memory of the lost hiker Micheal Ficery wasimpossible to ignore. It was in this canyon that he went missing and I kept thinking I would find some evidence as to his disapearance. (I know hundreds of people already searched) So I left the trail and followed the route I had mistakenly taken the previous may in the snow.. alas nothing.
I climbed up Macomb ridge and dropped into Stubblefield canyon.. spirits improved. Stubblefields creek was also flowing about two feet deep and everything was green and vibrant. In the air hung the musky smell of bear. though I could not find any about.. just a lot of tracks.
I climbed out and dropped into Kerrick canyon and pitched camp near the Bear valley trail junction. Kerrick canyon was rich with plant life and it smelled glorious. The creek was running and tiny trout darted out from under rocks as I bathed my feet(also glorious!)
The third day I followed Kerrick up to Seavey pass and dropped down to Benson lake. Benson and it's beach sparkled in the sun and for once there was no wind. The fourth day I basically vegetated by the lake and got the obligatory High Sierra sunburn and loved it. Day five found me climbing to Smedberg lake. Everyone I had passed warned me that this climb was a bad one.. yet I found it to be enjoyable. Views were much better than at Seavey pass and that bear smell was thick in the air... perfect.
Smedberg lake had a rather loud horse packer group camped near the outlet so I camped way back on the cliff next to Sister lake. Sister lake is absolutely mind blowing. It appears fishless and definitley not often visited judging by the undisturbed shorline and delicate colonies of grasses growing along it. It feels and looks as though it just emerged from the ice age.. and even better, I could not hear the horse party hooping and hollering from there.(Not complaining.. I expected that at Smedberg)
The next day I summited Volunteer peak where I had a 360 degree view of the Sierra crest. Read the trail register and then just sat for the rest of the day in stunned amazement at it all. I descended to Rodgers lake for the night. Rodgers is such a beautiful lake. The grantie around it looks like oatmeal and raisin cookie dough!
Late that evening as I was casting a bat took my lure out of midair! After about a minute of me wondering what to do with this bat flitting about on my line it finally tired and landed on the rock. I carefully pinned it with my fleece and managed to unhook the poor sucker. That was the only thing I caught with my fishing pole the whole trip! Oh well, I would rather hike than fish anyways! After a layover day I hiked down Rodgers canyon at dawn and watched the frost retreat from the sun as it cleared the canyon. Made Pleasant valley by noon and camped up on Rancheria Mountain. Strangley there was a trout in one of the springs.. near as I can tell it must have come up from Hetch Hetchy.. like that is a tough trout. I could have scooped it out with my hands cause it had nowhere to go.. but decided the Karma god would get me if I did and let it be. The trail down to Rancheria falls is overgrown with manzanita 5 feet high but still somewhat recognizable. Rancheria Falls was running well and I made my last camp in the burned out area above them. Made my way back along the resevoir and at last to my crusty old jeep.. key was still in the ignition!! Hikers are such honest folk! No bears and no trout, yet an absolutley flawless trip...
I love the way the wilderness has of humbling me when I least expect it! Just when I think I am am super Joe Hiker.. a huge flash flood wipes out my tent.. with me in it.. as if to say "I would'nt camp THERE if I were you little man." 
