Echo Lake (Lake Tahoe Area!)
There is always so much to say about our travels in between towns. I never know where to begin! Make sure to scroll down to our previous blog to see additional videos added (since we have much better internet now)!
Camp Jack Hazard back to the trail at Sonora Pass
Swift’s cousin Micah, and her boyfriend Joe, picked us up in Bridgeport on Saturday afternoon of July 3rd. We enjoyed some food from the town fair and ice cream/root beer floats before traveling to the other side of Sonora pass to the YMCA Camp Jack Hazard, a camp close to Joe and Micah’s hearts where they have worked with kids in the summer. We enjoyed a delicious lasagna dinner with new friends and a terrific campfire with families at the camp. The entire evening made me miss work tremendously. I love singing and skits around a campfire with fascinated children.
In the early morning, Joe and Micah drove us back to the trail at Sonora pass where we set off for Lake Tahoe. Within an hour, we stood in silence at the last point above 10,000ft elevation for the trip, thinking of all our memories spent at and above this elevation. And then down we went into our next valley. It did not take long to realize we were f-l-y-ing! The amount of snow on the trail has decreased tremendously and we find ourselves simply hiking versus reading our topographic maps every minute or so and looking for signs of trail like cut down trees.
From Carved Granite to Volcanic Plugs
The landscape dramatically shifted when we exited Yosemite National Park and came over Sonora Pass. Instead of smooth granite rock that had been carved by big gigantic glaciers, we found ourselves in the land of volcanic plugs and sharp jagged rocks. Neon green and orange lichen grows across purple rocks. Lichen is a fungus and algae that live in a symbiotic relationship – the algae are producers and make their own food through photosynthesis and they live in the shelter of the fungus (the part you can actually see) while the fungus eats some of the food the algae produces. Pretty neat!
We have met some great people during this stretch of trail. A boy scout troop made their way up the trail at Ebbetts pass (Hwy 4) and their leaders where section hikers El Cabomb and Sinch who we may see up ahead in Washington. We also met a beautiful family at Carson pass, who were fascinated by our travels as well and so generous. They gathered up some food they had left from their day hike to give to our always hungry stomachs. Shari, the mom, was quite curious by our talk of trail magic by food drops at the side of the road, and wants to partake in helping out with trail magic as well! So sweet!
Catching up with Friends and Racing the storm
In addition to meeting Shari and Family at Carson pass, we caught up with thruhikers Sticks and Transient as well as Zelda and Tarzan, and enjoyed some cherries and oranges while sharing stories and watching dark, ominous clouds gather over head with loud rumbles of thunder. Zelda said the news warned of 20% chance of rain but looking up at those clouds, it was looking more like 99%. We had already traveled 19 miles for the day but decided to put in a little more before hunkering down for the night. Check out the videos below to see footage from the storm. We were lucky to set up camp around 4:30pm right before the marble sized hail started pelting us!
On Wednesday morning, we packed up as usual around 6am and hiked the last 13 miles to Echo Lake by 11am! Surprised by our speed (As we expected to arrive in Echo late Thursday night) we decided to head down to Jackson, where Swift is from, and spend Thursday planning future resupplies and hanging out with Swift’s dad for the day before going back to the trail friday. We are excited to have Swift’s dad and sister join us for a day or two of backpacking in Desolation Wilderness and then we will be moving full throttle ahead to our next resupply in Sierra City.
Surprise in Jackson!
So…. remember back when our resupply did not show up to Kennedy Meadows? Surprise Surprise! Today, July 8, it decides to be returned to Swift’s dad’s house in Jackson! It took over six weeks to make it to KM only to be rejected and turned around. No less than 5 days later it arrives here in Jackson. Fancy that! We sifted through all our gear and supplies and repacked them for future resupplies in Oregon and Washington. I guess everything is always meant to be. We would of had way too much food to carry into the high Sierra if that box had shown up.
We will end the day now BBQ’ing with friends in Jackson, enjoying a sweet summer night.
~ Buckeye
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