Backpacking In California's Golden Trout Wilderness
&
Sequoia National Park
There is an effort on the horizon to kill these fine trout in
the High Sierra lakes.
Read about it here: When
the Trout Arrive, the Amphibian Exodus Begins.
Here is a link to what the good people at FreeRepublic.com think about these
Scientists wanting go Kill Trout to save frogs.
'Scientists?'
Want to Play God on OUR Land and Kill Our Trout!
.
On top of the world!
At the Trail head, my pack is
65 pounds and Mary Ann carries 35 pounds. After 21 days on the trail, we eat
away half of that weight. This is Boreal Plateau and Mt.
Whitney is behind Funston Peak, just right of center. More links to Mt.
Whitney here.
Tired Boots.
It feels good to take our boots
off! Looking west past Middle Crabtree Lake and its lunker Golden Trout and past
the 4,000 ft. deep Kern River Canyon you see the 13,000 ft. Kaweah Mts. about 30
miles away.
Varmint Al and a beaver pond full of Golden Trout.
With Kern Peak watching, I am
catching Golden Trout in a pond that an industrious beaver constructed on the
South Fork of the Kern River. This is at the upper end of Ramshaw Meadow where
the rare and tiny Abronia Alpina flowering plant is found.
Even a flower or two at Middle Crabtree Lake.
Shooting stars in August where
it is still like spring at the 12,000 ft. Middle Crabtree
Lake. We camped on the far side of the lake. It took us about 15 days to get
this far. The trout are still good, but we are beginning to talk of ice cream,
tomatoes, and draught beer.
Mary Ann gaining strength to climb McAidie pass.
Just another 500 ft. to climb
and practically straight up! Upper Crabtree Lake is barren, but crystal clear
and beautiful. It is frozen too much of the year to support even the hearty
Golden Trout.
The crystal clear blue waters of Funston Lake!
Right at timberline, there is no inlet or outlet to this beautiful lake.
The air is as clear as the water.
In the high lakes, a spinning rig works better for me than a fly rod.
Long casts with light line are needed to reach the fish.
These tiny flowers grow in the bare sand of Ramshaw and Tempelton Meadews.
The trails have been moved and fences put up to protect them from backpackers
and cattle.
A hot bath sure feels good.
A concrete tub has been built at Kern Hot Springs on the Kern River. Here
we relax in the very hot water and rest our weary bodies. You sure feel weak
after 20 minutes in the tub.
A marmot watches.
For more backpacking pictures click on Winnemucca
Lake
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