As tempting as other trailheads were, I left a strict itinerary back home and had to report in, so I took the drive to cell phone service land and suddenly found myself hiking up towards Little Lakes Valley. For some reason I packed for winter-like conditions, but I enjoyed it: the weight of my backpack pressing down reminded me how long its been and how much I missed the beautiful, mind-numbing, and exhaustive tempo of hiking through the wilderness. After a bit of searching, I found a nice snow free camp above Box Lake just as the sun vanished over the mountains. No mosquitos, and lots of birds who didn't miss a chance to let me know they're there, be it by song or by swinging past my ears at frightening speeds. It was a short trip, and like always too short. A soak in long valley, a visit to Whoa Nellie, and a quick visit to Yosemite Valley ended the trip: the raging falls and mother bear teaching its cubs to forage in the forest topped it all off.
Sunrise at the outlet of Box Lake
![Image](http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4032/4679012320_59ea41f6c0_b.jpg)
Ice patterns along the lakes edge, with the alpenglow lighting up the surface
![Image](http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4060/4682312992_ffde9a3bd6.jpg)
I never tire of this view
![Image](http://www.naturefocused.com/archives/high-sierra/dawn-box-lake.jpg)