My brother John (JR) has an OUTFITTER! and wanted to get out of L.A. for a week, so we cobbled together a a pass-hoping, high altitude romp as an antidote to the long, hot summer. We chose the end of July as he and Krys had the time. Jeanie and I are not summer campers, but we relented when it was decided to peruse the higher reaches. Ours was a 4 hour trip south from Nevada City, and his was a 6 hour trip north to the meeting place at Conway Summit. We arrived a bit early, and relaxed just as a sphincter-tightening t-storm blasted overhead. We had not seen rain for 3 months. Bro and Krys arrived right on time and we hubbed-up to do the jeep trail F.R.180 and 181 up to the last stand of trees @ 9600 feet.
We were about a mile and a half due north of Lundi Lake, I'm sure crawling with campers. It was eerily quiet as the rain finally let up and we found a flat place to camp.
The next day we departed for Bodie:
Bodie in all its rusty glory: we took the very interesting mine tour.
It was now time to head for the next camp at Leavitt Lake, 9700 feet near Sonora Pass. Here is bro in his '99 F-250 diesel, 6 speed, on a trail not for the timid:
finally arriving at Leavitt Lake in a serene scene amongst the white bark pines. Someone carted a wooden table and benches up here. There is no formal campground.
An overview of Leavitt Lake:The Pacific Crest Trail runs along the ridgeline.
taken from above; the little white speck on the r side is our camp:
We did get the afternoon t-showers, this time turning to hail for a while: after this all-afternoon downpour, all of the campers in the area made a hasty retreat leaving us virtually alone again. There were about 25 jr. hi. age campers in tiny tents when the rain/hail started and when I looked up after it was all over, everyone was gone. Poof!
Here is the obbligatory "Cialis" tub pose, except we're in director's chairs: It's a TC thing, you would understand. Jeanie and jefe:
Bro John and Krys:
After spending two nights of XTC at Leavitt we made it down the trail to Hwy 108:
which way to go? It was all bad:
for the downhill descent, I way loosened the rr tie downs slack and loosened the frnt tie downs to loose. All the pressure going down hill was on the camper's front rubber snubbers and the frame could twist away without injurious result. Leavitt Falls off hwy. 108:
Our next camp was near the sagebrush of 8314 foot Monitor Pass. We turned right down toward Leviathan peak and found this lonely site:
Bro's awning came in handy almost every afternoon.
This feature was captured at sunset:
Sunset/twilight:
The next day we mushed on over Ebbetts Pass to find the jeep trail north to Hope Valley. We never made it. This is what i didn't remember about this trail (that I've been on before): In jeeper parlance this is called the gatekeeper. If you can't make this, figgeddaboudit.
Yes, that's the trail! There were a group of 4 wheelers ready to take the road when we arrived and Bro suggested to them that we go ahead to clear the road. Uproarious laughter at the sight of the two white elephants. Discretion being the better part of valor, we had lunch and watched them creep over the rocks. We then set our sights on boondocking along the Mokelomne river just below Ebbett's pass. It was unusually green as the Monsoons had done their work.
This was our location along the river for two more nights at about the 8300 foot level: a sublime location and no one else camped near us.
Our objective was to stay up high and stay away from the madding crowd. To that extent, we succeeded and had a very rewarding trip in XTC.
regards, as always, jefe
We were about a mile and a half due north of Lundi Lake, I'm sure crawling with campers. It was eerily quiet as the rain finally let up and we found a flat place to camp.
The next day we departed for Bodie:
Bodie in all its rusty glory: we took the very interesting mine tour.
It was now time to head for the next camp at Leavitt Lake, 9700 feet near Sonora Pass. Here is bro in his '99 F-250 diesel, 6 speed, on a trail not for the timid:
finally arriving at Leavitt Lake in a serene scene amongst the white bark pines. Someone carted a wooden table and benches up here. There is no formal campground.
An overview of Leavitt Lake:The Pacific Crest Trail runs along the ridgeline.
taken from above; the little white speck on the r side is our camp:
We did get the afternoon t-showers, this time turning to hail for a while: after this all-afternoon downpour, all of the campers in the area made a hasty retreat leaving us virtually alone again. There were about 25 jr. hi. age campers in tiny tents when the rain/hail started and when I looked up after it was all over, everyone was gone. Poof!
Here is the obbligatory "Cialis" tub pose, except we're in director's chairs: It's a TC thing, you would understand. Jeanie and jefe:
Bro John and Krys:
After spending two nights of XTC at Leavitt we made it down the trail to Hwy 108:
which way to go? It was all bad:
for the downhill descent, I way loosened the rr tie downs slack and loosened the frnt tie downs to loose. All the pressure going down hill was on the camper's front rubber snubbers and the frame could twist away without injurious result. Leavitt Falls off hwy. 108:
Our next camp was near the sagebrush of 8314 foot Monitor Pass. We turned right down toward Leviathan peak and found this lonely site:
Bro's awning came in handy almost every afternoon.
This feature was captured at sunset:
Sunset/twilight:
The next day we mushed on over Ebbetts Pass to find the jeep trail north to Hope Valley. We never made it. This is what i didn't remember about this trail (that I've been on before): In jeeper parlance this is called the gatekeeper. If you can't make this, figgeddaboudit.
Yes, that's the trail! There were a group of 4 wheelers ready to take the road when we arrived and Bro suggested to them that we go ahead to clear the road. Uproarious laughter at the sight of the two white elephants. Discretion being the better part of valor, we had lunch and watched them creep over the rocks. We then set our sights on boondocking along the Mokelomne river just below Ebbett's pass. It was unusually green as the Monsoons had done their work.
This was our location along the river for two more nights at about the 8300 foot level: a sublime location and no one else camped near us.
Our objective was to stay up high and stay away from the madding crowd. To that extent, we succeeded and had a very rewarding trip in XTC.
regards, as always, jefe
Great story, Jefe! I bet that hail storm was LOUD -- I hope no damage to the TC. Here is another idea for coffee -- even easier than a percolator. Take a basket from an old Mr. Coffee (if you are like me, you have an old one sitting in storage in the garage). The Mr. Coffee baskets take the "cupcake" filters -- cheaper and easier to find than the Mellitta conical filters. Then (and here is the trick) put a very small stainless steel bolt into the hole at the bottom of the filter, which reduces the rate of flow through the hole (that makes the coffee stronger since the grounds sit in the hot water a little longer). Secure the bolt with a stainless nut.
The basket then sits on top of a plastic coffee carafe --these are sold everywhere:
Boil the water, and voila, artisinal pour-over coffee! Absolutely delicious, and extremely simple to clean up.
The basket then sits on top of a plastic coffee carafe --these are sold everywhere:
Boil the water, and voila, artisinal pour-over coffee! Absolutely delicious, and extremely simple to clean up.
