R03/R04 TR: Lake Mary over Duck Pass to Pika base camp 8/2-8/5 2024

[kpeter]

It was his fav lake used to have a 12 ft. Aluminum up there

Did you know him, Miked?

[kpeter]

Where did you find the use trail to Deer Lakes? Near the top of Duck Pass? It looks like the land slopes upward there more gently to the south than in other places farther down the trail, but I didn't look around for the use trail while I was on that trip. It was on another nine-day trip that we went from Lake Mary to Deer Lakes and then to Duck Lake. After topping the ridge on the use trail above Deer Lakes and crossing the flat, grassy/sandy area to the ridge above Duck Lake, we went right following ducks down an obvious route to the right (west) through a gently sloping chute and then make our way down to a place where the terrain was not too steep just above the Duck Pass trail (well before the outlet). We didn't see a use trail, but we were headed toward Purple Lake. At the top of that ridge above Deer Lakes, I did see a use trail going off toward Duck Pass.

Sweetsierra, I think you figured it out. The use trail bears more toward Duck pass and comes in close to the Pika spur trail. It does fan out and vanish in places, but it follows fairly closely to the route that is marked on the topos as "approximate."

[SweetSierra]

Thanks for the information!

[miked.]

Yes I did he was a great man and a part of him probably is still at the lake

[kpeter]

Yes I did he was a great man and a part of him probably is still at the lake

It is wonderful to find someone who knew him. Would you be willing to share with us anything about him? A number of people on this board have seen the marker and wondered about him. Anyone who loved that spot has to be someone we would all have loved to know.

[miked.]

Yeah I can tell you about him anything specific you want to know just let me know

[kpeter]

I'm just full of questions. I love history and he seemed to have a presence there.

When did he visit the lake? I am guessing 1950s and 1960s? Was he a WWII veteran? Did he go back every year? Did he like that specific camp? How did he get the nickname "Troutslayer"? Is there a story about him that you know that would capture his personality? Did he take family and friends to the lake? Are they continuuing in his tradition? What was the little card with the toy ladybug on it that was affixed to a nearby tree?

Whatever you would like to share...I just get the feeling that he would have been a friend and I'm sorry we were in different generations.

[miked.]

Your right 50's or early 60's that's around the time he and some of his sons built the cache to store camping equipment Which was built right next to creek b between the two lakes. Also around that same time they carried up a 12 ft aluminum they had that on a trailer type thing they built to help lighten the load but broke at the pass they had to carry it the rest of the way.we used to make trips up there every year it's some of my best memories in life and I got him to thank for it. Around the mid 80s the forest service removed all our equipment and boat but for years duck lake seemed like our lake. I haven't been up there since 2005 but plan to make my way up this year or next. Not sure where trout slayer nickname came from but he was a great fisherman and spread his passion for throughout the whole family.

[kpeter]

Thank you Miked, for sharing those stories. It is nice to know a little about the man whose spirit inhabited our camp. And please give the regards of everyone here to his family.

[miked.]

Np and thanks it's nice to know someone wants to hear about my grandpa. I've been planning on heading up there just been checking out other parts of the sierra lately.