Twin Lake Off-trail Backpacking Day3

Beautiful Valley

The next morning we started our hike by crossing the creek, then started hiking on the snow. Snow-covered mountains were very beautiful. A blue sky, gray granites, white snow with red dyes, orange rocks, purple flowers, and brown dirt. All the colors had a perfect chemistry. They also fit with the smell of nature. I was happy being in the deep wilderness.

During our backpacking, we needed to sterilize water from the creek. We used Mr.N's UV light. Actually the situation was a little risky: 1 Steripen for 3 days, for 4 people including 1 crazy water consuming person Ms.J (1 liter/mile). Although I had iodine tablets for backup, I doubt she would accept it with weird taste. On the second day, the batteries for the UV light died. We needed to change the dead batteries for the new ones, but the batteries were mixed up. So we did experiments which battery was good. We made a note for the experiment. Being silly (and/or a scientist) in the pretty wilderness is always fun.

On the way to the unnamed pass, we saw a park ranger coming down the steep snow slope. He was really fast even though he wore normal hiking shoes. We asked about the snow/trail's condition. He said the meadow beyond the slope was really beautiful and a good place to camp. It was my first time seeing a park ranger backpacking by himself off trail. He was very calm but knowledgable and cool. I thought that backpacking and wandering in the deep wilderness as a job was great, but at the same time doing it as a hobby was better.

We had planned to climb the pass on that day, but we couldn't because it was too rocky and technical to hike with a huge backpack (at least for me). Only Mr.N went to the top without a backpack to check out the view. The rest of us were waiting for him from the bottom. Mr.S2 got really sleepy at the bottom of final stretch of the unnamed peak. Mr.N waved us from the summit, and Mr.S2 and I waved back. His silhouette at the top over a blue sky was quite a view and imprinted on my mind.

While I was waiting, I was looking at the beautiful meadow. That was one of the most stunning sceneries in my backpacking experience. We wanted to spend more time there, but we needed to go back to a campsite. 

So pretty

When we were trying to find a way to the campground in the evening of the second day, we saw a trail below and two persons. We were a little hesitant because the trail was far below and needed to walk on the steep side of snow. I noticed that they were looking at us from below, but I expected they would leave soon. However, surprisingly, the guy at the bottom started climbing the snow toward us and made a way for us. He was super nice. Not only that, he offered to carry one of our backpacks on the way to go down. I love this kind of great meetings. The two persons were a couple who lives in Michigan but originally from Russia, then now visiting California to climb the mountains. They were climbers. I thought that it was miracle to meet international people off-trail in the deep wilderness and talking friendly and helping each other.

The last day we started heading back to the trailhead. We started talking about "Nature Photo Challenge", then somehow kept talking about "peanut gallery", then knee bands. After one stop by a lake (a swimming spot for Mr.N), we came back to the area that had a proper trail. Hiking on-trail after off-trail is always easier. I felt weird when I saw many normal people around the trailhead.

On the way back to the Bay Area, we had to keep driving as slow as 50 mph because one of the tires was a donut. We had to let tail gaters pass at every turnout. One car honk a horn when it passed us. Probably a lot of drivers were mad at us. One point we were driving toward north on 680, which was opposite direction. So we took off the highway and checked the spare tire. It seemed to be okay. We talked a lot about mountaineering and dream mountains (Denali, Kilimanjaro). We also saw fireworks because it was 4th of July. People were crazy. They parked on the should of freeway and taking pictures. It was quite dangerous. In the U.S., only 4th of July is the day we are able to see fireworks. I miss fireworks festivals held everywhere, every weekend in the summer in my home country. Also I miss small fireworks that can be done in the backyard or by rice field.

Overall, this trip was really adventurous. I enjoyed beautiful sceneries, appreciated the beauty of nature, and nice conversations.