Day 95: Mile 1092.3 - 1103.2
And today we got back on trail, and we hiked a bit of trail that I actually know! And where I actually understand the geography of the place!
So for the past few years, every summer I've been coming out to the south side of Lake Tahoe, in particular the Echo Lakes region, for a weekend. And do day hikes, usually out of the Echo Lakes parking lot. I've done the day hike from Echo Lakes along the PCT to Lake Aloha, then along the PCT to Heather Lake. I've gone from Echo Lakes over the ridge to the north to Triangle Lake, even to Fallen Leaf Lake (where Stanford has its Sierra Retreat); I've gone the other way, south, over the hill to Lake of the Woods. I've done Ralston Peak (albeit the easier way from Highway 50). So I actually know the geography of this place: I know where to stop to get good views of Echo Lakes Lower and Upper, I know where the Big Switchback is, I know the Plateau of Ponds, I know the Window to Aloha, and I know when the woods will end, the view open up, and Lake Aloha stretch before you.
I know these things.
So today when we hiked, I would point these things out. Unfortunately, in the beginning, a thunderstorm threatened from the south: we could hear the distant thunder, and as we came over the Big Switchback, it passed over Ralston Peak and into the canyon of the PCT, resounding overhead. Luckily, after laying down only a few heavy drops, it crossed over the canyon and headed north, so by the time we reached Lake Aloha it was clearing.
And what a treat that was: to see Lake Aloha as the sun came out. I had been hyping Lake Aloha for the past few days: oh Lake Aloha, now *that's* a pretty lake. And I was worried that perhaps I'd hyped it too much, that it wouldn't live up to my superlatives. But when we got there, with an open view of the lake, and you can see the blue blue water, with the rocks coming right up to the shore, and throughout the lake the rocks peeking up above the water, forming their own islands and atolls (and there were a *lot* more islands and atolls than I remember, likely because the water level was so low), some even occupied by solitary pines and firs, and behind it all, the tall granite slopes and ridges, with some persistent snow patches still lingering on (though without the glistening of snow melt actively draining into the lake), and the blue sky above with the clouds slowly dissipating, well, it was quite a sight. We took a late lunch on the shores of the lake, and as lunch came to an end the sun came out, and the stars came out upon the water, glittering and twinkling, and it was just amazing. And, happily for me, Dylan (who of course went for a swim in Lake Aloha), concluded that the lake was indeed very nice--and that's high praise, and I felt relieved that I hadn't overhyped it.
I will say that, walking through this section, a section that I know and know well, was quite happy, even with the rain. Here was a trail that I knew--I mean, I even recognized the fallen tree trunk that had been cut with a chainsaw but had some very interesting internal patterns (I'd photographed those patterns once), I knew that this corner had actually been covered in snow when I last traversed it, this tumble of dry rocks had actually been a waterfall. I *knew* this land. And that's a truly wonderful feeling, and truly warming to revisit.
Towards the end of the day, we finally passed by Heather Lake and I entered regions I haven't seen before. And I admit: they didn't seem as nice or as special. And I don't know if that's because they were once the mysterious points beyond the horizon--I remember when I had hiked up to Heather Lake last time, I had been leapfrogging with a couple of PCT hikers the whole time, and when I had stopped for lunch here, and they passed for the last time, I looked out over where the trail bended away and disappeared and thought: what's out there--maybe when the mystery is revealed, it loses its luster. I mean, the lakes continued, Heather then Susie (which was quite pretty in the setting light, just not as special) then Gilmore (although it was pretty late by the time we arrived here, so I didn't get a good look at this one).
So today was a good day, a day where I was glad that the scenery lived up to the hype that I'd been putting on it for days. And where I got to revisit and remember, even if only for a bit, one of the places that had inspired me to get out on a trail far from home in the first place. Desolation Wilderness is really a special place--and I know that might only be because I've been coming here one weekend each summer for the past few years--and a place I would like to explore more on my own, without the burden of the PCT and making miles. But that's why the PCT is the Grand Tour: its purpose is to but whet the appetite, not satisfy it!
-- South Lake Tahoe > Echo Lakes > Tamarack Lake Junction > Lake of the Woods Junction > Lake Aloha > Heather Lake > Susie Lake > Gilmore Lake
-- I, of course, being the paranoid type, put on my full rain gear as soon as the thunderstorm threatened to come over. The others, being the sensible types, did not. And of course, exactly since I put it on, it wasn't necessary.
-- Big Brother joined us for the hike today, although while we stopped at Gilmore Lake he would continue on over Dick's Pass to rejoin his group. And we talked about a lot of stuff, but one subject that came up was the math for getting to Canada on time. And he said it scared him and I agreed: whenever I look at the math it scares me too! But his math: if he hikes every day from now on, takes no zeros, then to get to Canada by 1 October he has to average 21.5 miles a day. Hiking every day and taking no zeros is unrealistic, though: you have to go into town to resupply and do chores, and even if you're tremendously efficient--you get into town, do chores, spend one night, and get back on trail the next day--effectively that nero-then-nero can be modeled as a full-day-then-zero. So if he adds in a zero every 7 days, say, then the average jumps up to 24 miles a day. Furthermore, it turns out his girlfriend is flying in from the UK in August and he would like hike some days with her, maybe 4-5 days, but since she hasn't been thru-hiking, she'll be slow, and he'll go to probably 8-9 miles a day for that stretch. In that case, to cover that, he needs to average 25.5 miles a day. That's a lot! Now to be fair, this doesn't include the contingency of fire closures, and we already know there are some which will cut off miles. But, 25.5 miles a day average from here on out? Yeah, that's scary. I haven't done the math to that detail yet, but when I will, I suspect I'll see similar results. And I suspect it will also scare the bejeesus out of me too!
-- Incidentally, I've met not only Big Brother but also his two brothers--Night Stalker and Lemming--and while he looks as young as, if not sometimes younger, than his brothers, he sounds older. His brother still have that clique-ish-ness of youth: when you talk to them, you feel like you're entering their existing conversation. But Big Brother has the engagement that comes with age: when you talk to him, you feel like he's entering yours. It's perhaps a subtle thing, and perhaps something I make too big a deal of--plus, introversion sometimes lends itself to sensitivities so heightened that they see things that aren't there. But it's something I've noticed, and I admit I tend to attribute maturity to the latter.
-- Oh, and we met Mark again! We first met him on the trail, around Tamarack Lake as the storm was passing over. How far are you going, he asked. Gilmore Lake, we said. Well, I'll see if I make it that far today, he replied. And he did!: after we had made camp and just as we were starting dinner, who should come walking up but Mark! So Dylan and I had dinner with him, and we jawed away about whatever--the type of conversation where it doesn't really matter what you're talking about, just that you are talking and enjoying it. That sort of easy, old-friend conversation, where I talk with someone for hours, and afterwards when I come home someone asks, well, what did you talk about?, and I don't really remember, but I do know that it was easy and comfortable and I had a good time!
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