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When we reach the level area I saw on the map and Highland Creek, the two hundred foot wide creek was dry. The water has gone underground. Ultra dry year, late season trip, and I already knew that any "perennial" creek on the map might be dry before we left home. So we now have a series of problems. Remember, backpacking is about problem solving, so try not to get your panties in a bunch as I go on. First, we do not have a lot of water left and I know I'll need to drink for hours to rehydrate properly. Second, although we could eat non-dehydrated food for dinner and save our supplies, it is shower night. We try to clean up everyday, but we take full showers every other day. I was looking forward to that shower, and third, Dawg likely needs more water this evening than we have to split. The solution is simple. Keep hiking. We will likely 1) reach trapped pools somewhere along our path, 2) reach an elevation where the water reemerges above ground, or 3) end up at Spicer Meadow Reservoir where we are going tomorrow. We soldier on and after more than 12 miles of rough trail conditions and over 8 hours of hiking, I spot pools of water in the creek bed where the water has reemerged. Exhausted, I dump my pack and immediately start gathering wood. I want a hot shower damn it, and we have just enough time to pull it off. The picture above was taken after the showers just before sunset. Clean, fed and sitting in our backpacking chairs, we all try to let our sore muscles have a break while staring into the fire. We have a premium campsite, but our energy levels fade quickly and it isn't long before we are all snoozing in the tent. |
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The next morning we discuss how short a hike it will be to reach Spicer Meadow reservoir as we are way past where we should be camped. |
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I get breakfast started as Andra hangs our equipment to dry. No it is not raining. Condensation forms on the tent overnight and we sweat into our sleeping bags. Wet bags do not keep you warm, so every morning we put our bags in the sun while we eat. On this particular morning our tent was still in the shade, so we relocated it to speed up the drying process. After breakfast, Kelly came down the trail and into our camp. He again asked if we had seen any cows. Unfortunately the answer was still no. We spent some time visiting as he told us how the forest service no longer maintain the trails, making it a nightmare to navigate the trails on a horse. I told him he was preaching to the choir as I told him we have more than 10,000 hiking miles in the sierras and there is literally no evidence of trail work in the vast majority of it. Kelly pressed on down stream as we packed our gear. |
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