High Sierra Topix

I am so very sorry that I missed all of you. However, considering both the heat and the Storms, I made the right choice. I had my fair share of very gnarly storms and life sucking heat during the trip with my daughter and needed a true vacation before heading back to war…I mean work.
Emigrant provided the needed perfect trip and I saw, drum roll, a BALD EAGLE, GOLDEN EAGLE AND PRAIRIE FALCON'!!!!
Really good long views of the two eagles!!!!
I will write TR for both trips this weekend.

We missed you two too Aura. It was really a fine time, and we also saw a Bald Eagle on 3 occasions- the last time over in Lake Italy's Basin, and really low overhead. Before that it followed Mike and Michael-- ie. Grampy and Rockyroad-- who saw it no less than 4 times! It circled the Meetup site of Vee Lake. Hope to see you next year, Ian and Lizzie.

I had a great time, it was really rewarding to do a trip which I have dreamed of doing for at least three or four years. And SO great to meet all of you and be able to put a face to your Topix handles, as well as just learning a lot from you all.

Most of all, I liked taking part in the conversations about different attitudes on what is (and is not) important in doing a trip like this, as well as just life in general.

Hoping to take part in a meetup again sometime in the future !
Mike (grampy)

Sounds like all had a great time, I wish I could have made it over to Bear Lakes Basin from Granite Park. My concern heading in was that my post-Covid symptoms would keep me from being able to handle the elevation gain from the Pine Creek trailhead. While I did feel the effects I was able to grind it out and it took me about as long to get to Granite Park as it did back in 2021 so it wasn't as bad as I feared it might be.

However, I had injured my right calf three months ago during a run where I felt a tightness/pain about a mile before the end and decided to just finish the run, which was a mistake as within a half mile I could no longer put weight on it and it took a good couple of months before it felt mostly normal again. I started to feel that same pain as I was finishing my climb to Granite Park and was concerned that if it worsened again I might be stuck in BLB. I was fine on flats and downhills, but anything uphill was painful. I hiked in on Sunday and decided to give it a few days but by Thursday it wasn't feeling any better so decided I didn't want to risk it and decided to head out.

I still had a great time in Granite Park and that crazy storm on Wednesday did start out with an amazing sunrise.

Sorry we missed you too. That's a very nice image you captured. Cheers, Ian.

Here's my favorite from Wednesday:

Nice one, love the moody atmosphere.

Ian and Lizzie, so glad that you got to see a bald eagle too!! They are so magnificent!
I am still glad for the trip I did, however. After the week of storms with my daughter in the Mammoth high country, I was ready for some nicer weather. TR on that trip to follow this weekend too!

Here are some from our first day (getting to Vee):

Second day:

Day 3: