Krier Annual Camping Trip – Lillian Lake – Day Four

Gallery | Posted on September 15, 2013 by Sean M. Brown

: Leaving Lillian Lake on Day 4

: Hiking towards Lady Lake with plan to have lunch and relax at Vandenburgh Lake

: 1st part of the hike was same as day 2 hike.

: Junction

: Vandenburgh Lake

: Vandenburgh Lake

: Vandenburgh Lake – after lunch I napped here for 40 minutes

: Crazy mushrooms

: Backpacking out with a much lighter load

: Coming down

: into the forrest

: on our way to clover meadow, wondering when the mules will pass us

: Mules!

: They zoomed right by, but they had a longer trip to make

: Leaving the wilderness

: On the way in a ranger was working on this, finished now

: At the trailhead and into the car for a very bumpy ride back to the pack station.

Krier Annual Camping Trip – Lillian Lake – Day Three

Gallery | Posted on September 14, 2013 by Sean M. Brown

: Lillian Lake 2nd morning

: It was easy getting up early knowing what the lake would like like at dawn

: The symmetry was everywhere

: Realizing we’ve been standing next to frequent lightning strikes

: Lillian Lake

: Which way is up

: having fun with the inverted skyline

: The reflection was so clear it was a bit disorienting

: She’s a good ‘ol stump

: Heading out from our campsite off trail

: The Minaretts

: Climing

: Glad I bought those trekking poles

: looking for the trail to that darn lake

: and up

: Kevin says this is more fun than sticking to the trail. We’ll come back to that theme later

: Looking south-ish

: David as we re-enter the forrest

: Not quite scree

: but not the easiest hiking either

: Ritter Range in the distance

: 20 miles visibility?

: Tom looking at the view

: A trusty stick wielding David

: Its somewhere around this point in the day that Kevin goes missing

: Which is not good. Three walkie talkies, 5 hikers, Kevin doesn’t have one

: We found a trail and hiked up to get our bearings

: Looking down at Lillian lake. There was some debate about what lake this was, but it’s Lillian

: Some rocks are cooler than others

: Minarets in the distance

: Minarets zoomed in

: Me considering my lightening escape route

: Better not be standing next this one

: We found Kevin headed to Rainbow lake

: Luch at rainbow lake

: Hiking up to Ruth Lake

: Kevin took this picture of me with the Minarets in the background

: Ruth Lake

: Let the fishing begin!

: “Hey, what the…!”

: Minarets from Ruth Lake

: Bill bringing home dinner tonight (Kevin did too)

: Slopes on the other side of the lake

: looking back towards Minarets. Like an infinity pool lake.

: Ruth Lake flows down to Rainbow Lake over that edge

: Gone fishin’

: Walk around the lake

: Marshes

: Rock-atop

: “Yes, young man?!”

: David

: Selfie!

: Hiking out and down

: “I don’t know about this plan”

: We *were* on a trail, but ‘trails are boring’

: “If we head straight over this ridge we’ll save ….”

: And let the the groupthink sink in

: and we’re off

: Over the edge and inching our way down a very steep slope. I lost footing once and thought I was going to take Bill out; caught myself at the last minute

: That’s the little “ridge” we shimmied down. ~800-900 vertical feet in ~1/8th a mile

: At least they brought the fish.

: “Guys, this is the BEST cloud. Sean, grab your camera come quick. Aw, you missed it.”

: Tree high above our campsite

: Dudes telling stories.

Krier Annual Camping Trip – Lillian Lake – Day Two

Image | Posted on September 13, 2013 by Sean M. Brown

: Lillian Lake in the morning

: Lillian Lake in the morning

: I’m not the only one up early to catch the early glow

: Lillian Lake in the morning

: Lillian Lake in the morning

: Lillian Lake in the morning

: Lillian Lake in the morning

: Setting out on a our hike to Vandeburg Lake with Tom

: South west

: Western Sierras and Ritter range to the west

: Madera Peak to the south

: Weathered and stout

: Selfie! (about the halfway point and the highest point of the hike)

: Madera Peak

: Path through a meadow

: A surprising amount of color for the time of year

: Vandeburg Lake

: Vandeburg Lake

: Vandeburg Lake

: Vandeburg Lake & Madera Peak

: Clouds rolling by midday

: The water was cool and refreshing

: Stopped for some lunch on the slopes

: and watched (carefully) as the clouds grew

: bigger

: Vandeburg Lake

: Heading back, hoping the clouds don’t bring thunder

: almost there

: As we approach Lillian Lake

: Beer? Sure.

Krier Annual Camping Trip – Lillian Lake – Day One

Image | Posted on September 12, 2013 by Sean M. Brown

Minarets pack station at about 8am Thursday AM

Minarets pack station at about 8am Thursday AM