2000 Outdoors

Two weeks later, Joel and I went back and took the correct route to Winemucca Lake. After lunch by the frozen over lake we headed up the side of Round Top Mountain. We only went part way up and sat and enjoyed the view of Lake Tahoe to the north. This was the Presidents Holiday weekend and it sure did not feel like a wilderness area. As we sat I counted no less than 25 people skiing or snowshoeing about. We saw several camp sites and talked to a group who had their snowboards and a shovel. They were all set to build their own Half Pipe. Joel and I decided we needed to get back here and do some snow camping.

April 15 and 16 was the Coe Backcountry Weekend. Once per year the back gate of Henry Coe State Park is opened to a select few visitors who were lucky enough to get their applications drawn. My brother-in-law, Dave, Joel, and I were one of the lucky ones. We decided to head to Jackrabbit Lake since all of us have been to Mississippi Lake. Jackrabbit is normally a 2 day hike from the visitors center, but only a couple of hours from where we parked at Orestimba Corral. We got our permit and were putting on our packs when we noticed a group of 20 or so youth and their few adult chaperones nearby. Dave decided to ask where they were headed, UGH, it was Jackrabbit Lake. Joel said this was a vacation from kids and we hastily changed our plans and permit for Mississippi Lake. The weather was perfect, mid 60's and nice puffy white clouds. The fishing was good for Dave but not what I usually do at this lake. Dave caught a total of 32 bass while I only managed to land 14. Most were caught on the ole reliable white spinner bait. I did manage to catch 4 on a red plastic worm. These were my first  ever bass on plastics. Sunday morning dawned gray and rainy looking. Dave and I caught a few more fish while Joel enjoyed the scenery. When the fish stopped biting, Dave and I wandered up the trail along Mississippi Creek looking for wild pigs. We didn't see any, but sure saw alot of signs of them. We headed back to the car around 10 a.m. It was a good thing as it started to rain lightly when we were about half way back. If the rain gets too heavy the road is closed and we, along with many others, would be stuck until the rain stopped and the road dried up.

Spring break was late this year, but there is still plenty of snow in the Sierras. Joel and I decided on an April 27-28 trip to snow camp for the first time and to climb Round Top mountain. The trip in had wonderful weather, sunny with some swirling cumulus clouds. Joel was in shorts and short sleeved shirt. As we neared Winnemucca Lake the breeze started to pick up and we both added a layer. This was very different from the last time we were here. There were only 3 cars in the parking area when we arrived and we only saw two other people the entire time out. After lunch, we continued on toward Round Top Lake. Near there we found what looked to be a good sheltered area to make camp. We excavated a bit of snow and had a great place to sleep, explore around, and enjoy the view of the peak as we ate. After going to bed, the wind continued to increase in intensity and roared all night long. When we arose Round Top was obscured in clouds and the wind was howling in gusts, I believe, up to 50 mph. We ate some breakfast and decided that discretion was the better part of valor and that our climb would have to wait for some other time. As we finished packing, the clouds lowered and the snowed picked up, WHITE OUT! Thankfully the clouds lifted after a short while and we were able to safely and easily walk out.

June 12-14 saw us go on our second (annual?) trip, with novice packers, to Sword Lake in the Carson-Iceberg Wilderness. We took three students along with a fellow teacher, Valerie Sutter, and her husband Rex. Once again we started at the Wheats Meadow trailhead. The weather was perfect and it made for a very quick trip. There were no patches of snow along the trail and the streams, although small, were lower than last year. There was already a group (from our school!) where we wanted to set up camp, so we used our second choice. It took very little time to set camp and for the students to get into the water for a refreashing swim. On Tuesday a couple of the guys and I went to Lost Lake in the morning try try the fishing. Saw a few but had no luck. Later the same day, Rex caught a couple of 10 inch Browns there. The late morning, early afternoon, was swimming and diving time. While Rex was at Lost Lake, all three of the students and I bushwhacked our way from the Sword Lake outlet down to Spicer Meadow Resevoir. There is no trail but someone has set up some rock monuments to help find your way. There is a stream that cascades into the lake and we could see quite a few fish and I managed to land 2 small Rainbows. We would liked to have stayed longer but it was time to head back for dinner. All of the students wanted to stay longer and have already requested to go next year. One even  bought some new equipment and is planning to go packing again this summer.

On June 23-24 Joel and I made a quick trip to Nevada to climb Boundry Peak. At 13,140 ft., it is the highest point in the state. The trip starts with a 14.7 mile trip over a rugged dirt road to the trail head. We headed up the trail which follows a small stream. Someone has painted blue arrows on rocks to help point the way. There are many cow paths, along with the cows that created them, through the willows. The main trail was pretty well traveled and well marked until a boggy spring area. From this point it is pretty easy to find your way. We spent the night among some limber pines near the head of Trail Canyon. Saturday morning had cows watching us. We watched the wild horses on the ridge to our north as we ate breakfast. There was a pretty well traveled trail up the side of a large bowl. Actually it looks a though there are several trails. Follow the most well traveled trail just to the right of a false summit to a saddle. The trip to this point is through scree and makes for some tough travel. Once up to the saddle the summit is in view and the trip is scrambling over larger and much more stable rock. It took us 4.5 hours from our camp site to the summit, 3.5 of it getting to the saddle. Be careful as you come down from the saddle as the footing is trecherous in the loose rock. There were thunderstorms all around but we only had a little small hail just as we started down. Our drive back toward Lee Vining, CA we saw an amazing lightning show.

On August 2, I met Joel, his brother Dan, and his nephew Zach in Sisters, Oregon for a trip to the top of Middle Sister. We were given a ride to the Pole Creek Trail Head by my friend Mike Partridge. The weather was quite warm for the 4.5 mile hike into the camp site. We spent a pleasant evening watching the stars before hitting the sack. We were in no hurry and set off for the summit at 9 a.m. on the 3rd. We had some walking over and around a couple of ridges before hitting the snow. Shorts and short sleeve shirts were the attire as the weather was quite comfortable. Once upon Hayden Glacier, we had an easy time of it. There were a couple of small crevasses that were easily passable. We headed up a ridge to Prouty Point where he stopped to enjoy the view and have a bite to eat. We then proceded across the glacier and up a short steep ridge where it was time to remove the crampons and continue up through a mixture of scree, dirt, some scrambling, and one snow field. Near the summit Dan made an interesting find, a dead opossum. What was it doing at 10,000 ft up on a mountain? From the summit we could easily see Mount Adams to the north and Mount McLoughlin to the south. We also were able get a good look at the Prouty Glacier on South Sister. This was the route we wanted to climb the next day. It turned out to be quite crevassed and since we did not have harnesses or ropes we decided to save it for another time. On Friday we broke camp and headed for Demaris Lake for a refreshing swim. The walk out was quite leisurely and are looking forward to a return trip to climb South Sister.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

On Friday August 14, Tony Iafrate and I went fishing at New Melones Lake. We trolled with down riggers between the dam and Rose Island. We landed one nice Rainbow and one Kokanee each. The 'bows were caught at about 50 ft. down on a blue and silver Excel. The Kokes were caught at 80 ft. down on a pink Apex with crawdad scented corn. We had one down rigger set for the trout and one for the Kokanee. Twice, we caught a 'bow and a koke within 10 minutes of each other. The picture is courtesy of Glory Hole Sports.

After two and a half months Joel and I were itching to get out and at least do an overnighter. The Veterans Day weekend provided that opportunity. It turned out to be a very cold one night stay. We got a late start hiking due to slow traffic on U.S. 50 to Lake Tahoe. There were snow fluries and holiday traffic. After a late brunch in Meyers we found the U.S. Forest Service office to get a wilderness permit for the Desolation Wilderness. Everything was closed up, so we headed on to the Meeks Creek trailhead on the west shore of Lake Tahoe. We readied ourselves and headed out on the trail. From the parking area the trail is a wide open and flat (an old road). It had been well used by skiers and snowshoers. We met three others out for a day hike in the snow. The weather was cold and there were small flurries around. Between flurries the clouds would break and offer views of the mountains and of the beautiful blue of Lake Tahoe. After a while we came to a trail junction. The fork to the right angles uphill toward the Wilderness area. Nobody had travelled this way as the snow was without any human footprints. We did see quite a few animal tracks. When we reached the sign marking the edge of the widerness border, we realized we did not have enough time to reach the lake we were headed for before it became too dark to set up camp and cook dinner. Besides we did not have a widerness permit and all of the sign we saw emphasized the consequences of not bing in possesion of one while in the wilderness area. So we set up our tents in the flat by the wilderness area sign. Joel cooked a pot of spaghetti and we enjoyed the quiet of the snow covered hills. Upon rising Saturday morning there was very dark cloud headed our way so we had a hot cup of tea, packed up and headed back to the car. As we drove back to Meyers for a hot meal we drove through a very heavy snow shower that we would have had to walk through had we waited much longer at our camp site.

This brings to an end another great year!!!!