[at-l] TRT Journal Part 2

[Mark Hudson]

9/9: Diamond Peak – usual morning routine already, out on the trail at 7 am,
the sisters not stirring yet. Hat and jacket to start with for warmth, the
climb back to the TRT warmed me enough to ditch the jacket. Fierce cold
wind, but the sun helped. Hadn't gone too far when I ran into a guy out on a
40 mile training run for the day. He actually stopped and talked a bit –
told me there was a water cache at Marlett Peak Campground, good news
indeed. Just after passing him the trail ran around to the west and
northwest sides of Relay Peak – the shaded sides. With that cold wind
blowing I was making really good time up the peak trying to stay warm.
Finally broke out into the sun near the top, nice to warm up again. Couple
of pictures at the summit, but no reason to linger long. Took a break out of
the wind down by the lift building. Met lots of people on my way to the
trailhead, mostly walkers – it surprises me how many don't even have a
bottle of water. Just before the trailhead I met one young backpacker
heading from Tahoe Meadows to Tahoe City. Then I ran into a young woman
wearing a TRT t-shirt, she works for the office. She did confirm no water at
Twin Lakes and that the Tramway Market is only a convenience store – so I'll
be hitching into South Tahoe. Worked my way down through Tahoe Meadows to
cook lunch at Orphir Creek. The angel hair pasta I had required ten minutes
to cook and two Esbit tabs. First I'm going to have to pay more attention to
cooking times when I resupply, and I need to get more fuel (good thing I
left my little alcohol stove in my cook kit). Threw a package of salmon in
the pasta, quite good. Also chugged about a quart of Gatorade, despite all
the water I've been drinking I've been dehydrated since I started. Of course
I had to take about six pee breaks this afternoon. Also tanked up all my
water (something over a gallon) to dry camp here and make it to the next
water tomorrow. Wobbling up the trail under the extra water weight, meeting
lots of people, on wonderfully easy trail to here. I almost wanted to go on,
but this campsite is slopped enough, and I was afraid the sites would only
get worse if I went on. Met one old gent near the last overlook who said
he'd come from the lift, I thought it was odd to be running on a weekday,
but he must have walked up the service road. Hit "camp" here about 2:30, I
think there were flatter places on the north side of the lift but I wasn't
going back. Two Tylenol PM and I'll sleep anyway. Tomorrow I'm shooting for
Spooner Lake for dinner and then up the hill to camp. Only been doing this
for three days? Already I mentally have to count on my fingers from the day
I started to figure out the day and date <G>.

Grouse, chipmunks, and ground squirrels, and a few deer tracks. And for some
reason the coyotes like to take a dump in the trail....

Great, digging in my pack pocket I found my "expletive deleted" garbage bag
has leaked, and my pack now smells of garlic salmon. If anyone sees any
bears on the trail, they're following me... Two backpackers just passed by,
doing from Tahoe Meadow to Spooner Summit. Don't know if I'll see them
tomorrow...

My feet are starting to look like hell, add a blister kit to my shopping
list. Really thinking about popping a motel or hostel in South Tahoe,
especially if I end up at Kingsbury a day ahead of schedule. Even so I think
a stay would only set me back a few miles. Even if I could have resupplied
in Kingsbury I wasn't going to hike out far...

6:45 pm: only 6:45? Just plodded back up to the lift, hoping there might be
a sunset shot over the lake, but the angels all work out wrong. On my way
back down two mountain bikers passed in opposite directions, hope they don't
have really far to go.

And another note from this morning, coming down the service road from Relay
Peak, I stepped aside for a service truck going up, and caught the really
sweet scent of some kind of mint I was standing in.

Not tired yet, really shouldn't be asleep this early anyway. Really feel
like I should have kept going, but my feet are really happy I stopped. I
think today came in around 13 miles, tomorrow will be 16 or 17. Hope it's
nice again!


 9/10: Somewhere on White Hill (on an overlook near an ATV road) – Remember
what I said about looking like Pigpen by the end of the trip? Forget it! If
I can score a motel room tomorrow night I bet most of my "tan" washes off.
Good old Sierra dust...

Didn't sleep all that well last night, not sure why. Part of it may have
been the wind/breeze blowing most of the night, part due to the site itself
being uncomfortable.

Rolled out just before 7, wearing my jacket for the downhill start. About a
mile out I passed the two guys I saw yesterday, still asleep in camp. Easy
run over to Twin Lakes, which they should call Twin Meadows, not even a
muddy spot. Some views to start the morning, but the best was yet to come.
At the Marlett Peak CG junction I met two guys (father/son?) just starting
out – they confirmed the water cache but I hauled so much water out of Tahoe
Meadows that I didn't need it. So – I took the scenic bypass with views over
Lake Tahoe and Marlett Lake. Beautiful! I *so* wanted to go down and explore
Marlett Lake, but too much time and elevation to surrender. Onward, with
more great views, to lunch just below Snowy Peak. I should have taken my
shoes off so my feet could air, but I was afraid to look...

Then the long run/drop to Spooner Summit. Started hitting dayhikers and
walkers (about nine), and lots of nice trail. Just hitting the Spooner
Summit Trailhead and I found a TRT hiker just back up from his water run (to
the lake). Yes, it was Steve, didn't really think I'd run into him. We
talked a little, especially about how bad Spooner Lake was for a water
supply (think big duck pond). He headed up the hill while I went for water.
I was hoping to catch him up here so we could compare notes, but it reached
the point where I couldn't face anymore climbing so I pitched here. Not a
bad little spot, more or less shaded from the hot sun, and a breeze keeps
coming through. 3:30 or so when I arrived – what a long day! Have to watch
the water supply too, don't have so far to go tomorrow, but running out
would really suck...

Oh yeah, did get the mountain lion story from Steve... (he stopped for
something, and when he looked up it was 70 feet away under a tree!). Almost
dinner time...

Later – grouse clucking nearby, funny that I saw two and this is the first
I've heard them.

That last climb, at the end of a long day, with sore feet, and an extra six
pounds of water, almost did me in. Campsite showed up just when I needed it,
too bad it didn't show up sooner. Pack weight is down with most of the food
eaten, tomorrow should be a fast cruise. Hiking metabolism hasn't fired up
yet, too much stuff in my munchy bag even, other than resupply mostly what I
need in town is a hot shower to clean up, and a gallon of Gatorade to
rehydrate... and a couple of cold beers would be nice. Hoping I have some
good luck with the hitch... yeah, right?

Just after 7, too early to sleep. Crawled out to water the bushes, alpenglow
on the nearby hillside and a half moon overhead. Also need to remember that
if Mother Nature calls in the middle of the night not to wander too far or
I'll fall off my perch...

Still noticing the ribs a little from crashing my mountain bike. Doesn't
effect my hiking, but it's there. My feet will make it, they always have –
the question is in how many pieces? I'm hoping today will turn out to be the
longest, but it looks like a couple of others will be close...

Well, another day tomorrow <g>


 9/10: Horizon Hotel and Casino, Stateline Nevada – Well, after wandering
trail and a stiff climb to start the day, I found Steve on top of South Camp
Peak, just about ready to hit the trail. We hiked together to the Kingsbury
Trailhead and down to Rt 207. Beautiful morning, beautiful trail... I put
together that Steve is a Triple Crowner (and an early one at that), has also
done the Canol Heritage Trail (in Canada – another serious piece of work),
sure made my resume look short. While we were moving along comparing notes I
almost stepped in a bear track in the trail, not quite sure how I picked it
out of the dust, must have caught my eye just right – hope my picture comes
out.

Ran into more mountain bikers, and a few dayhikers. Along close to what
should have been lunchtime (according to my stomach) we spotted houses
through the trees and soon hit the Kingsbury North trailhead and the two
mile road walk down to Rt 207. Steve finished his hike there, sorry to leave
a trailmate behind, but he headed east, and I started hitching west. Broke
my string of lousy hitches when the 10th or 12th car stopped. Gent on
vacation who told me the Horizon Hotel and Casino had good rates ($75 total)
and that there's a market just up the road. Dropped me right at the door too
<g>.

First things first, long hot shower – plenty of sand and dust down the
drain. Downstairs for a gardenburger lunch. Off to the grocery to fill out
my pack – have to go back because I forgot cereal. Somewhere in there I
washed all my hiking stuff out in the sink – not enough to make a laundry
run. Man, if you could see the Sierra dust going down the drain! And I'm
sure I didn't get all of it. Oh, and my room has a balcony, so my stuff may
even dry on the railing.

Passed a Mexican Grill on my way to the grocery, so I think I'll make that
my dinner when I go back to finish my shopping....


 9/11: Star Lake – Hit the casino buffet last night, but since my hiking
metabolism hasn't fired up yet I can't claim I did it justice. Some Italian
pesto pasta, salad, garlic bread. Scored some fruit, carrot cake, and some
kind of dark chocolate with cherries in it for dessert. Then had a Sam Adams
before crashing for the night. Hit the restaurant for breakfast – French
toast and hash browns, held me pretty good on the trail. Taxi to the
trailhead – hey – here is what vacation will do for you – I thought today
was Sunday and it's Friday <g>. Totally lost the trail in the ski base area,
a maintenance guy pointed me behind Building 10, no signs, followed built
trail and soon met a woman out stretching her legs before flying out, and
she confirmed I was going the right way. The water was funny this morning –
South Dagget Creek was dry and usually runs. Molas Creek was running and
should have been dry. Also hit another little (seasonal) stream about a mile
before here. Beautiful views to the east most of the way, until Monument
Pass where I moved back into California and started catching western views.
The last climb seemed endless, but I did meet two young backpackers that I
assume came from here. Star Lake is dammed, but it's beautiful. Arrived in
time for lunch, found a campsite, watched a couple of mountain bikers make
their way around the end of the lake, and braced myself for a chilly
clean-up swim – the water is cold but the sun is hot – I may even jump in
again.

Feels funny only going nine miles, but going on would have meant another dry
camp on a hot day, so even with the short day I'm about a ½ day ahead of
schedule, and I think I can make up the other half if I want. Going to shoot
for Round Lake (just the other side of Rt 89) tomorrow, then I'll be in the
section with water. Just after 3pm, no company, or traffic even.

So, how did I spend my "vacation" afternoon? Reading, sitting in the sun,
listening to the Sierra wind blow through the trees, and taking the
occasional (VERY fast) dip in the lake. I can tell you there won't be a
morning wake up swim, between the water and the air temp I wouldn't be able
to move...
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://patsy.hack.net/pipermail/at-l/attachments/20080922/baa46a4e/attachment.html