enlarge 42KB, 800x533 1 sierra04d1 001r Brian (Buckwheat), Eric, and Peter - Following a 10 year tradition we meet at Martha Lake Community Club before we leave on a backpacking trip. For this trip we met at 5 in the morning for a long drive to Susanville California.
enlarge 55KB, 800x533 2 sierra04d1 002r Fred's Truck - Moby Dik (II) ready to hit the road.
enlarge 53KB, 800x533 3 sierra04d1 003r Fred - Where's my Starbucks! - Stong.
enlarge 23KB, 800x533 4 sierra04d1 004r Cascade Bill ready to return to his backpacking roots - the Sierra Nevada.
enlarge 94KB, 800x533 5 sierra04d1 005r After a long 2 day drive, we finally arrived at Coldwater creek Campground - the trailhead for Duck Pass.
enlarge 89KB, 800x533 6 sierra04d1 006r Danny.
enlarge 88KB, 800x533 7 sierra04d1 007r Brian, Danny, and Peter getting their gear together.
enlarge 162KB, 625x800 8 sierra04d1 008ab Map for Day 1: Coldwater Creek Campground to Barney Lake. - a short but steep hike for the first day. (note: map is best viewed at original size).
enlarge 85KB, 800x533 9 sierra04d1 008r Bill & Shelby - getting the gear together. After we were all ready to go, I realized that we were at the Emerald Lake Traihead - so we put all the packs in Moby Dik and drove to the next parking lot which was the Duck Pass Trailhead. Because it was late afternoon on Sunday, we were able to score two parking spots closest to the trail.
enlarge 143KB, 568x800 10 sierra04d1 009b The trail begins it's climb right from the trailhead. Here the guys are heading up the well worn trail. There were a lot of day hikers and weekenders coming out as we were going in.
enlarge 90KB, 800x568 11 sierra04d1 010b This is Shelton Lake - a pretty little lake just off the trail. At this point we're about 1.7 miles from the trailhead and have climbed more than 800 feet.
enlarge 133KB, 800x533 12 sierra04d1 011r Buckwheat and Peter at Barney Lake - Due to our late start, the late afternoon shadows are stretching across the lake. Barney Lake is about 2.6 miles from the Trailhead with about a 1200' climb.
enlarge 88KB, 800x533 13 sierra04d1 012r Across Barney Lake lies Duck Pass - our destination for tomorrow.
enlarge 96KB, 800x533 14 sierra04d1 013r The late afternoon sun on the peaks to the east of Barney Lake.
enlarge 111KB, 800x533 15 sierra04d1 014r As soon as the sun went down, it got very cold and everyone put there chilly-willies on. Here Brian, Shelby, Peter and Danny. Brian and Peter were our first night cooks and are busy while Shelby and Danny are just relaxing.
enlarge 99KB, 800x533 16 sierra04d1 015r Fred and his new tent - a one man lightweight Sierra Lightyear
enlarge 59KB, 800x533 17 sierra04d1 016r Peter in a pensive moment.
enlarge 53KB, 800x533 18 sierra04d1 017r Danny
enlarge 63KB, 800x533 19 sierra04d1 018r Cascade Bill- It was a really cold night. We thought that we were going to be in for a long week, but the first night was the coldest by far. It was also the windiest, which may have been due to the fact that Duck Pass is on the Sierra Divide.
enlarge 118KB, 800x533 20 sierra04d1 019r "The Pillow Talkers" - Eric and Allison setting up their tent.
enlarge 65KB, 800x533 21 sierra04d1 020r Shelby.
enlarge 58KB, 800x533 22 sierra04d1 021r Brian - hooking up the Dragonfly for tonight's dinner.
enlarge 67KB, 800x533 23 sierra04d1 022r We waited till the sun came up before venturing out of our sleeping bags. Here Danny breaks out his harmonica.
enlarge 73KB, 800x533 24 sierra04d1 023r Shelby catching a few rays.
enlarge 88KB, 800x533 25 sierra04d1 024r Fred - ready to hit the trail.
enlarge 221KB, 753x800 26 sierra04d1 025ab Map for Day 2: Barney Lake to Purple Lake. It's a stiff climb from Barney Lake up over Duck Pass followed by a long scenic descending traverse to the outlet of Duck Lake. Beyond Duck Lake the trail continues to descend till it meets the Pacific Crest (John Muir) Trail. The route heads south along the PCT for a long ascending traverse around Peak 3464 with views out over Cascade Valley across to the Silver Divide. Note - Shelby and Brian's route to the top of Peak 3515 was on the 5th day. Note: Map is best viewed at Original Size.
enlarge 136KB, 800x533 27 sierra04d1 025r General mayhem of the first morning of a trip - Danny and Shelby lounging around while Peter and Brian are packing their gear.
enlarge 138KB, 568x800 28 sierra04d1 026b A view across Barney Lake to Duck Pass beyond.
enlarge 113KB, 800x533 29 sierra04d1 027r Another view of Barney Lake and Duck Pass. You can see from the chop on the water that the wind is still blowing pretty good.
enlarge 117KB, 800x533 30 sierra04d1 028r Barney Lake- the trail skirts around the left (east) side of the lake and then works its way up the talus via many switchbacks.
enlarge 142KB, 649x800 31 sierra04d1 029b Brian and Peter catching up to the Old Man - Barney Lake beyond.
enlarge 144KB, 601x800 32 sierra04d1 030b Eric and Allison pause for a photo at one of the switchbacks going up to Duck Pass.
enlarge 138KB, 800x533 33 sierra04d1 031r Can you find Shelby?
enlarge 133KB, 800x533 34 sierra04d1 032r There he is - on his (well Andrew's) lawn chair in the middle of the trail. He hooks the chair on such that it flips to the open position when he takes his pack off.
enlarge 152KB, 800x533 35 sierra04d1 033r Looking down the switchbacks back towards Barney Lake- Peter on the right, Eric and Allison far below followed by Bill.
enlarge 112KB, 800x533 36 sierra04d1 034r A good view looking back to Barney Lake.
enlarge 102KB, 800x533 37 sierra04d1 035r Roger got this shot from the ridge above Duck Pass. You can see Barney and Red Lakes at the bottom; Shelton Lake at the center; with Mary Lake and Mammoth Mountain (to the left) beyond. Arrowhead lake is hidden between Mary Lake and Shelton Lake.
enlarge 112KB, 800x533 38 sierra04d1 036r Looking down from the ridge above Duck Pass. You can see the trail between the trees just right of center. Duck Pass itself is rather anti-clmatic. There isn't much of a view either way. The climb to Duck Pass is about 600 feet and one mile from Barney Lake.
enlarge 93KB, 800x533 39 sierra04d1 037r Brian and Peter - just over the ridge from Duck Pass (10800').
enlarge 116KB, 800x533 40 sierra04d1 038r Beautiful Duck and Pika Lakes. Pika Lake is here seen just beyond the much large Duck Lake.
enlarge 143KB, 800x533 41 sierra04d1 039r We took a break here - just over the ridge from Duck Pass.
enlarge 119KB, 637x800 43 sierra04d1 041b Heading out after the break are Shelby and Danny - you can see the trail sign for the Pika Lake way trail just to the left of Shelby.
enlarge 124KB, 800x533 44 sierra04d1 042r Along the traverse down to the outlet of Duck Lake, Peter (here) and Brian decide to drop down to see if there is a spot to safely dive off the rocks - no go here, however.
enlarge 128KB, 800x568 45 sierra04d1 043b Duck Lake - Shelby and Brian climbed the peak to the right of center, going from our camp at Purple Lake on the other side of the ridge on our fifth night on the trail.
enlarge 89KB, 800x533 46 sierra04d1 044r View of Pika Lake across the wide expanse of Duck Lake.
enlarge 117KB, 630x800 47 sierra04d1 045b Another view of Pika Lake.
enlarge 146KB, 800x533 48 sierra04d1 046r Danny heading down the trail.
enlarge 87KB, 800x533 49 sierra04d1 047r Getting close to the outlet. There is no camping allowed within 300' of the outlet which covers just about every possible camping spot. I guess one would have to go to Pika Lake or drop below the outlet to camp.
enlarge 100KB, 800x533 50 sierra04d1 048r Looking back up to the end of the lake.
enlarge 143KB, 800x533 51 sierra04d1 049r Fred coming down the trail.
enlarge 90KB, 800x533 52 sierra04d1 050r After reaching the outlet, we hiked a ways up the southern (right) side to take a lunch break. This view is from our break spot looking up lake.
enlarge 81KB, 800x533 53 sierra04d1 051r Brian and Peter headed for the cliffs just to the left of center to find a spot to jump off the rocks.
enlarge 99KB, 800x533 54 sierra04d1 052r This is a view looking down canyon from the outlet of Duck Lake.
enlarge 89KB, 800x533 55 sierra04d1 053r I tried a little fishing but had no strikes and saw no fish.
enlarge 133KB, 800x533 56 sierra04d1 054r Roger got this shot through his telephoto lens showing Brian (bottom to left of center) and Peter (center) looking for a spot to jump off the rocks.
enlarge 105KB, 597x800 57 sierra04d1 055r Brian makes his leap.
enlarge 110KB, 603x800 58 sierra04d1 056r Brian about halfway down.
enlarge 101KB, 627x800 59 sierra04d1 057r Splooosh! - Brian made it.
enlarge 121KB, 614x800 60 sierra04d1 058r Peter makes his leap.
enlarge 114KB, 593x800 61 sierra04d1 059r Peter halfway down.
enlarge 116KB, 608x800 62 sierra04d1 060r Another Sploosh - about a 9.5!
enlarge 116KB, 600x800 63 sierra04d1 061b Looking back towards the cliffs that Brian and Peter made their leap from.
enlarge 56KB, 800x533 64 sierra04d1 062r Eric at Duck Lake.
enlarge 131KB, 800x533 65 sierra04d1 063r Shelby looking for fish in the outlet stream from Duck Lake - He got a small one using his hands.
enlarge 122KB, 533x800 70 sierra04d1 068r Roger - below the outlet to Duck Lake.
enlarge 109KB, 800x568 71 sierra04d1 069b Brian - Ready to head out from Duck Lake.
enlarge 98KB, 800x533 72 sierra04d1 070r Fred setting up his tent at Purple Lake.
enlarge 116KB, 800x533 73 sierra04d1 071r Fred.
enlarge 150KB, 533x800 74 sierra04d1 072r An old snag near our camp at Purple Lake.
enlarge 127KB, 533x800 75 sierra04d1 073r This tree shows how tough it is surviving at the 10000 ft elevation.
enlarge 125KB, 800x533 76 sierra04d1 074r Shelby drains his Camelback as the last rays of the afternoon sun warm the camp at Purple Lake. The camp is a couple of hundred yards from the lake. Water is available from a stream near the camp. As the lake ( 9935') is below the 10000 ft limit fires are allowed.
enlarge 133KB, 800x533 77 sierra04d1 075r Danny finds a spot to roll out his Thermarest and read his book.
enlarge 126KB, 800x533 78 sierra04d1 076r Roger strikes a pose (See 1998 Bridger Wilderness Hike).
enlarge 150KB, 800x533 79 sierra04d1 077r Meadow near our camp at Purple Lake.
enlarge 133KB, 800x533 80 sierra04d1 078r Shelby looking for firewood.
enlarge 145KB, 800x533 81 sierra04d1 079r if you go out into the meadow just west of our camp you get a peekaboo view of the lake. The PCT (JMT) goes up the slope beyond the lake and crosses the pass to Virginia Lake.
enlarge 105KB, 800x533 82 sierra04d1 080r Bill just can't finish the last of his Stroganoff. Although it wasn't a long day (5.6 miles and 1050' elevation gain) the altitude took its toll, and I was pretty worn out.
enlarge 68KB, 800x533 83 sierra04d1 081r The last rays of the sun give this alpenglow and provide an exclamation point for another good day on the trail.
