R03 TR: Long Lake 2015/03/28-29
Posted: Mon Mar 30, 2015 8:24 pm
Blackfoot, Brad W, and I hiked up for a quick one night trip to Long Lake along the Bishop Pass trail. It has become a tradition for us to do some snow camping in early spring in this area. This year we were able to drive all the way to the South Lake trailhead.
We encountered very little snow on the trail for the first 1/2 mile. Since we had made a short hike up the trail on Friday at the 1/2 mile point we knew to put on microspikes to assist with the shady sections of the trail where the snow was still icy underneath. For the most part the snow was very consolidated, but when we got a couple of hundred yards past the trail to Chocolate Lakes we finally encountered enough deep snow that we put on our snowshoes. From there we hiked another 1/2 mile and decided to find a campsite on the bluff above the lake. There were some barren spots, but nothing large enough for the tent so we pitched it on the snow. Due to our normal late start it was about 2PM, so we got the chores done. Blackfoot and Brad were able to get water from the inlet creek on the south end of the lake. After the work was done we enjoyed the rest of the 60 degree afternoon with some fine bourbon.
Overnight temperatures dropped to 28, but there was no wind so it was a bearable night.
We encountered very little snow on the trail for the first 1/2 mile. Since we had made a short hike up the trail on Friday at the 1/2 mile point we knew to put on microspikes to assist with the shady sections of the trail where the snow was still icy underneath. For the most part the snow was very consolidated, but when we got a couple of hundred yards past the trail to Chocolate Lakes we finally encountered enough deep snow that we put on our snowshoes. From there we hiked another 1/2 mile and decided to find a campsite on the bluff above the lake. There were some barren spots, but nothing large enough for the tent so we pitched it on the snow. Due to our normal late start it was about 2PM, so we got the chores done. Blackfoot and Brad were able to get water from the inlet creek on the south end of the lake. After the work was done we enjoyed the rest of the 60 degree afternoon with some fine bourbon.
Overnight temperatures dropped to 28, but there was no wind so it was a bearable night.
- Long Lake near creek entering from Bull Lake.
- View from Long Lake in general direction of Bishop Pass.
- Picture Puzzle
- Campsite
- Morning view of Mt. Goode
- Ready to hit the trail
