Chocolate Lakes Backpack · Day 3
October 26–27, 2013
46 Photographs
1
The sun finally hits our tent around mid-morning on Day 3. Mt. Goode provides a stunning backdrop to our 5-star campsite.
2
We set out for a day hike on the Bishop Pass trail towards, you guessed it… Bishop Pass!
3
I never get tired of scenery like this, so it’s worth a close-up! Mt. Goode’s shadowed North side has a semi-permanent snow field at its base.
4
Mindy counts the numerous ducks at the south end of Long Lake.
5
The poodles take advantage of opportunities for a refreshing drink during the many times we cross Bishop Creek.
6
“Ahhhh, nice and cool. I’d like one of these water bowls in my back yard!”
7
We pass the small Timberline Tarns lakes and the majestic Mt. Agassi (13,893’) comes into view. Yes, I’ve climbed it on a previous trip (in 2000).
8
“Look at me… I’m just as majestic as the mountains!” Yes, Taylor Moose Bear, you’re majestic, if a bit goofy!!
9
Saddlerock Lake (11,128’) is just another big water bowl for a poodle!
10
We reach the nice open expanse around Bishop Lake (11,240’). This is as far south as we’ll go for this dayhike.
11
Just south of Bishop Lake is the trail’s namesake, Bishop Pass (12,000’) which provides the best access to climb Mt. Agassi.
12
Mt. Goode doesn’t look quite so imposing from this angle. It’s still a good climb, but not for today.
13
We have other goals for this trip… fishing! Bill wastes no time and catches one quickly.
14
Catching the brook trout was the easy part. Now the challenge is keeping the fish (and hook) away from a very excited Taylor!
15
Bill manages to get the fish in hand before Taylor gets it. He’s had lots of practice with this game!
16
Taylor concedes the catch to Bill...
17
… and Bill delicately removes the barbless hook and releases the fish into its home again.
18
Taylor watches wistfully as the fish revives and swims away.
19
Little Princess Bear Mindy, meanwhile, has managed to find a soft perch on a grassy tuft among the nearby rocks.
20
“That fishing business is for Moose Bears! Wait, I think I feel a pea under my nest…!!” Yes, Little Princess Bear, I’ll take care of it for you!
21
Taylor has the perfect perch for fish spotting — a slightly submerged flat rock...
22
… well, almost perfect! She tries to sit a few times, but finds the icy cold water a bit too nippy to sit in and immediately stands back up.
23
Sitting or standing, Taylor never loses focus on the fish that magically appear at the end of Bill’s line.
24
Once again, the race to the fish between poodle and human is on!
25
And the winner is… Bill, again! Taylor remains fixated on the fish. “Don’t worry, I’ll be there to retrieve it for you in case you lose your grip!!”
26
I take my turn at some fishing (and actually catching… my first time fly fishing!), and then we head back down to another spot where we spotted some fish earlier.
27
At the south end of the Timberline Tarns lakes, we have more success with the fly fishing. Actually Bill has success. I don’t do too well here.
28
Taylor fearlessly steps out as far as she can into the lake in her efforts to be the first to the fish. Her fish-chasing antics provide many giggles!
29
Bill shows off the beautiful color patterns on his latest catch.
30
We continue heading back towards Long Lake, easily visible in the center.
31
Our camp is still a couple of miles away, on the eastern (right) shore of Long Lake, in one of the coves on the right side.
32
Mindy pauses to figure out these switchbacks. “Wait, he’s going in the opposite direction… which one of us is going the right way?!”
33
We stop at the northern end of Spearhead lake, where we spot fish spawning in the warm shallows.
34
There are pockets with dozens of fish in these shallows, the most we’ve seen all day.
35
“Enough already… I’ve counted the fish for practice, but that’s about all they do for me!” thinks Mindy.
36
“Here’s what I do best… find the softest possible spot and make it my nest!”
37
Well, we’ve got something for everyone… a soft nest for Mindy, a fish-spotting perch for Taylor, fish for the fisherman, and of course beautiful scenery for the photographer!
38
We finish the fishing for the day and arrive back at camp. The two hungry poodles get their meals first, then we take care of our dinners and turn in for the night.
39
I wake up first the next morning, to an adorable sight of still-sleeping poodles.
40
Temps dropped below freezing in the tent during the night, so I had wrapped Mindy in my parka. She wakes and looks at me with one eye, but she’s too cozy to want to move!
41
Aaawww! Too cute!!!
42
After the breakfast routine, it’s time to break camp and hit the trail and head home. Taylor takes one look at her pack and decides it’s playtime, keeping her distance and making a game of it!
43
Bill tries to approach Taylor with her pack, but she skulks away. “No fair, my pack hasn’t gotten any lighter after 3 days. What’s up with that?!” She started carrying her own food… now she’s carrying most of the trash. That’s what’s up with that!!
44
We arrive back at South Lake...
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… and it’s still as low as when we left it!
46
We had perfect, dead-calm weather our entire trip. The afternoon we leave, the winds pick up as a storm hits the Sierras. The temps drop by 20° and 10 inches of snow fall on this area. Talk about timing!