Little Lakes Valley

It was time we took a backpacking trip. And with M still concerned a bit about her health, we wanted something easy, but amazing. Little Lakes Valley hit the mark.

Day One, from our cabin we drove to Toms Place, stopping for lunch at the Whoa Nellie to share an Ortega Chicken sandwich. We had a reservation to camp at Rock Creek Lake, which was fine, but we learned that these are really walk-in sites. We just ate at our table and slept in the van. On the other hand, it is luxury to camp with flush toilets and piped water!

We drove up to check out the trailhead (absolutely packed with cars) and took a short walk down the trail in the canyon after dinner. Nice.

Little Lakes Valley

Day Two. We were at the trailhead by 8:45, and passed what we thought were lots of hikers going both directions. We knew we wanted to camp on the less crowded north shore of Chickenfoot Lake, and we were there by 10:45. Found a nice and legal site up on a ridge above the lake. This was a Thursday, and we saw only two other groups at the lake--a horse-packed group farther east on the North shore, and one across the lake near the inlet. We were delighted.

(The camps were clearly brought in by horse packers, with tables, chairs, big tents...Impressive!)

Chickenfoot Lake from our campsite

I fished for small brook and one larger rainbow, then "restored" a campsite right on the lake-once a volunteer, always a volunteer--while M read.

Dinner was delicious Beef Stroganoff from Peak Refuel.  Yummy! Our favorite freeze dried meal ever. After dinner, I learned that I had lugged my new battery pack up to the lake without the connecting cable, which I had left in the van, where we used it on the way up. Ugh. It's always nice to have an extra ten ounces of dead weight in the pack.

Sunset, Chickenfoot Lake

The evening ended with spectacular High Sierra scenery. A great evening show.

Day Three: We were up before 7, and it was 40 degrees F. The sun didn't hit our campsite until 8, as we were tucked in down in the valley behind steep canyon walls. Our water filter was slow, and I was relieved to see that when I backflushed it we got immediately better results.

We packed our lunch, water, and my fishing gear for a day hike to explore, starting with Gem Lakes. Beautiful spot, but we preferred the camping at Chickenfoot-- there were lots of people at Upper Gem, and not many campsites. A few brave souls jumped in the icy water--and screamed! We did neither.

Upper Gem Lake

I fished a bit for small, brilliantly colored brook trout, but we decided to move on and hike up to Morgan Pass, still on the trail that follows the old road to the Tungsten mine. What brutal work it must have been to carve out this road.

After the pass, we pushed on to Upper Morgan Lake, with its fabulous blue color...and some nice fish completely inaccessible thanks to a steep wall of talus. It's an austere place. There is no real camping at all, unless you were to try high above in the trees before you reach the lake. But beautiful.

Upper Morgan Lake

Lunch by the lake was peaceful amid clumps of white columbine, and we were vastly entertained by a pika who paid us almost no attention, running along the trail for at least 100 feet with a clump of flowers in his mouth..

On the way back to camp we took a use trail along the inlet stream to Chickenfoot which had lovely green meadows with tiny bursts of paintbrush. 

After naps and camp chores, I took a stroll through the tiny tarns just north of Chickenfoot and got some nice views down Little Lakes Valley. There were no other people, and that's hard to achieve in this area.

White Columbine at Upper Morgan Lake

Dinner featured Knorr soups we bought in Hungary, with directions in Hungarian. That caused some amusement. They were good, great first courses, as was the Pasta Alfredo with Chicken from Backpackers Pantry. The evening was windier, which felt a.lot colder than the previous night, and we were bed by 8. M's stomach was bothering her, so as we went to bed our plans were up in the air.

End of another perfect day

Day Four: We got up later today to enjoy sun while eating breakfast. I led M on  a short day hike around those same tarns north of Chickenfoot, and we found some even better views of Little Lakes Valley. We got back to camp and decided to pack up and hike out to relieve the stress on M's tummy. That went well, and we were on the trail before noon. It was a Saturday, and now we saw what a lot of people really is. Wow! I lost count of how many people were on the trail.

(A particular nasty note to the young couple camped at the outlet of Long Lake, who had packed in floatie rafts and beach chairs, and were blasting music out to the whole lake. Ah, wilderness.)

We ate lunch at Box Lake and made it to the car by 1:30, where cars were waiting, engines running, for a parking space at the trailhead. We made someone happy by leaving promptly.

Rock Creek Lake Campground was full, but we filled up with that delicious Sierra water and drove down the hill. 

Little Lakes Valley

Since our Yosemite access pass wasn't valid until Sunday, we couldn't decide what to do. We could go back over Sonora Pass and just sleep in our cabin, but instead, we found the last campsite at Big Meadow Campground...also with flush toilets and piped water. This on a Saturday night! There are only 12 sites in all, and it was a peaceful spot to rest, despite one guy who ran TWO generators, happily only for about an hour. 

Le Vin Blanc in Big Meadow

Our cooler still held a few treats-- salsa and cheddar cheese--and we combined that with some tortilla chips and a Chilaquiles dinner with pork from Alpine Aire. Tasty. It is not our imagination. Backpacking food is getting better. 

Day Five: Up early, with our standard trail breakfast of oatmeal and cocoa, we were on the road by 8, and we were able to use our pass to drive through Yosemite. The scenery is already changing, colors drifting from green to yellow and brown. Really lovely--but you knew that.

We were so early that we were in Sonora by noon, and were able to eat at Willow Wisp Cafe. This time I tried the Greek Plate. Amazing. Hummus, dolmas, spanakopita, pita, tzatziki, tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, olives, and lamb. Every item delicious. And the portion so large it served for dinner as well. We have a new favorite restaurant near our cabin. Now if they would only open for dinner, too!

Hot showers, naps, leftover Greek food for dinner...it's good to be back at the cabin.

And the link to the rest of the photos: https://photos.app.goo.gl/13KyepaPymokM7oP8