R02 TR: Edith Lake 5/24-27 2013
Posted: Wed May 30, 2012 7:33 pm
I wanted to "improve" on an Edith Lake trip I did with a buddy in July 2005 by 1) going earlier (this is the year) to avoid record heat waves, and 2) making Edith in 2 days with a layover to fish and dayhike the falls. I overcompensated on the weather and was forced to substitute layover [in]activities.
(See http://www.highsierratopix.com/communit ... 838&p=5870" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;.)
I drove up Wednesday evening getting to the gate before 9 p.m. and stayed at the Hetch Hetchy backpackers campground, a really nice spot in a Day-Use Only area -- very quiet with only one other party as far as I could tell. Maybe others were paying attention to unfavorable forecasts.
Thursday was fine and clear and I started up the trail before 8 a.m. accompanied at one point by the cascading notes of a Canyon Wren (http://birdweb.org/birdweb/bird/canyon_wren" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;), one my favorite bird songs. Though you rarely see them, higher up you hear Mountain Quail (http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Moun ... ail/sounds" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;).
Snags all the way from Beehive to Laurel Lake where I turned off the trail to the rim of Kendrick Creek canyon. Great views from the top with the large tarn we camped at in '05 immediately below. I don't remember spotting the falls previously so we must've been lower ... or too baked to notice.
The hiking is mostly over exposed granite with stretches of thick brush. A similar scratchy experience is the Cherry Creek "Niche" route several miles to the NW. I wanted to make Lake 5728' but stopped a little short at a campsite we previously spotted on the creek at about 5 p.m. That evening a large blond bear wander down the brush to within 50' of my camp before we were aware of each other.
I must've been tired because I didn't notice it cloud up that night and woke Friday to complete overcast racing overhead and clouds rolling up the canyon behind me. Oh yeah, the forecast. Back to Laurel Lake which would probably mean hiking all the way out, or continue and hope that the ones that had it blowing through by Saturday were right? I packed up by 7 a.m. and continued on knowing there sheltered spots along the way should it come to that. It was cold with occasional drops but held off as I headed up the canyon.
Lake 5728' and campsite.
Water over the rocks on right makes a nice shower in warmer weather.
Steaming tarn with lone Bufflehead.
I made Edith by 11 a.m. and camped at the one good campsite on the southeast. I battened down and lit a fire. It started snowing by one o'clock but wasn't sticking much. It broke for a few hours starting at five then continued steady through the night. Luckily there as another short break for breakfast on Saturday but started even heavier through the day till 4 p.m. So much for the most favorable forecasts. It's amazing how much you can nap when there's nothing else to do except re-read Chekhov plays (that's not a literary opinion). Saturday evening turned out to be the end of the storm, but a fire was impossible that night.
This is getting boring so I take pictures of dinner:
One-Pot Dal-Bhat -- my lightest and most compact recipe makes a surprisingly big slug o' food
1/2 c Rice
1/2 c Red Lentils
~ 1/2 tsp each Turmeric, Ground Cumin, Coriander, Ginger; Red Pepper flakes or Cayenne to taste
large Garlic clove
Olive Oil
Knorr Bouillon
4 c H2O
Sauté minced garlic in oil, add H2O, rice, lentils, spices and bouillon, bring to boil, reduce to simmer, cover and cook ~25 mins (30 at 10K').
Macaroni w/home-made Pesto with lots of Parmesan
Sunday was clear so I fished for an hour with no results; the trout were drying out gear too.
I needed to make back by early Monday afternoon so I started out at 11 a.m. I had dinner and breakfast to camp near Beehive but figured I could make all 15 mi. in 9 hours. I was certainly rested enough. The first off-trail miles at least are interesting.
Looking up towards saddle to Frog Creek. Not too steep but to stay off wet spots.
Maybe some other day.
Edith and Nance
Top of saddle with foot of Jack Main peeking over.
We passed to the S of the large tarns in '05. I circled to the north on exposed granite.
It's a level 3/4 mi. traverse SE from broad saddle E of biggest tarn to the trail. I followed this guy's tracks for a way and had a late lunch at the top of Moraine Ridge where a Bald Eagle made a few passes.
I don't remember Moraine Ridge being so burnt. Was there a fire since 2005?
Ranger Tran checked my permit at Beehive. She said I could camp at the HH BP campground but by this time I was sure I'd make the trailhead by 8 p.m.
Good hiking all. Early looks good this year.
(See http://www.highsierratopix.com/communit ... 838&p=5870" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;.)
I drove up Wednesday evening getting to the gate before 9 p.m. and stayed at the Hetch Hetchy backpackers campground, a really nice spot in a Day-Use Only area -- very quiet with only one other party as far as I could tell. Maybe others were paying attention to unfavorable forecasts.
Thursday was fine and clear and I started up the trail before 8 a.m. accompanied at one point by the cascading notes of a Canyon Wren (http://birdweb.org/birdweb/bird/canyon_wren" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;), one my favorite bird songs. Though you rarely see them, higher up you hear Mountain Quail (http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Moun ... ail/sounds" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;).
Snags all the way from Beehive to Laurel Lake where I turned off the trail to the rim of Kendrick Creek canyon. Great views from the top with the large tarn we camped at in '05 immediately below. I don't remember spotting the falls previously so we must've been lower ... or too baked to notice.
The hiking is mostly over exposed granite with stretches of thick brush. A similar scratchy experience is the Cherry Creek "Niche" route several miles to the NW. I wanted to make Lake 5728' but stopped a little short at a campsite we previously spotted on the creek at about 5 p.m. That evening a large blond bear wander down the brush to within 50' of my camp before we were aware of each other.
I must've been tired because I didn't notice it cloud up that night and woke Friday to complete overcast racing overhead and clouds rolling up the canyon behind me. Oh yeah, the forecast. Back to Laurel Lake which would probably mean hiking all the way out, or continue and hope that the ones that had it blowing through by Saturday were right? I packed up by 7 a.m. and continued on knowing there sheltered spots along the way should it come to that. It was cold with occasional drops but held off as I headed up the canyon.
Lake 5728' and campsite.
Water over the rocks on right makes a nice shower in warmer weather.
Steaming tarn with lone Bufflehead.
I made Edith by 11 a.m. and camped at the one good campsite on the southeast. I battened down and lit a fire. It started snowing by one o'clock but wasn't sticking much. It broke for a few hours starting at five then continued steady through the night. Luckily there as another short break for breakfast on Saturday but started even heavier through the day till 4 p.m. So much for the most favorable forecasts. It's amazing how much you can nap when there's nothing else to do except re-read Chekhov plays (that's not a literary opinion). Saturday evening turned out to be the end of the storm, but a fire was impossible that night.
This is getting boring so I take pictures of dinner:
One-Pot Dal-Bhat -- my lightest and most compact recipe makes a surprisingly big slug o' food
1/2 c Rice
1/2 c Red Lentils
~ 1/2 tsp each Turmeric, Ground Cumin, Coriander, Ginger; Red Pepper flakes or Cayenne to taste
large Garlic clove
Olive Oil
Knorr Bouillon
4 c H2O
Sauté minced garlic in oil, add H2O, rice, lentils, spices and bouillon, bring to boil, reduce to simmer, cover and cook ~25 mins (30 at 10K').
Macaroni w/home-made Pesto with lots of Parmesan
Sunday was clear so I fished for an hour with no results; the trout were drying out gear too.
I needed to make back by early Monday afternoon so I started out at 11 a.m. I had dinner and breakfast to camp near Beehive but figured I could make all 15 mi. in 9 hours. I was certainly rested enough. The first off-trail miles at least are interesting.
Looking up towards saddle to Frog Creek. Not too steep but to stay off wet spots.
Maybe some other day.
Edith and Nance
Top of saddle with foot of Jack Main peeking over.
We passed to the S of the large tarns in '05. I circled to the north on exposed granite.
It's a level 3/4 mi. traverse SE from broad saddle E of biggest tarn to the trail. I followed this guy's tracks for a way and had a late lunch at the top of Moraine Ridge where a Bald Eagle made a few passes.
I don't remember Moraine Ridge being so burnt. Was there a fire since 2005?
Ranger Tran checked my permit at Beehive. She said I could camp at the HH BP campground but by this time I was sure I'd make the trailhead by 8 p.m.
Good hiking all. Early looks good this year.