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Re: Lake Elizabeth

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avatar Lake Elizabeth
May 28, 2013 08:33PM
Last Sunday my wife, brother-in-law and I headed up to Tuolumne Meadows for a short day hike and to do a bit of fishing. Granted, it's nothing like the 'epics' some of you post on here, but it was wonderful just the same. The only issue: not enough time in the day.

It was nice to be back on the trail in the High Country now that Winter is gone.




Approaching the lake.




One of the side benefits of our destination. The hike and scenery are their own rewards, but these little guys are pretty too.




A view from the lake shore. Disturbingly little snow.




Another look at the scenery and lack of snow.




My wife hanging out on shore sketching while my brother-in-law and I explored.




The northern shore and inlet area.




I loved how the shore and grass was growing over the old log.




A beautiful drop-off........ there are trout down there.




Amazing patterns in the sand under water.




It doesn't look that far up, but Summitpost tells me otherwise.




My wife awaiting our return.




Looking south after we've packed up and begin our hike back to the car.





The spine/ridge in the middle reminds me of a Stegosaurus or something.




Here's looking at you Mt. Conness! I'll get up there one of these days.




The deer seemed to be enjoying the conditions as well.



Get out there and have fun! I did!
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avatar Re: Lake Elizabeth
May 29, 2013 01:41AM
Nice shots. Pretty fish. Thanks, it's great to see what's going on up there, snow melts quick.

For the record, when I meet someone who does "epics" I walk the other way, fast. I hike easy and safe and would never recommend anything else. Most epics are just poor planning plus a knucklehead trying to brag his way out of it. No, thanks.
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Royalist
Re: Lake Elizabeth
May 29, 2013 11:05AM
QITNL, I have no idea what has put the burr under your saddle, but I think your tone is needlessly harsh (see also the Matterhorn Peak thread). Chill, man.
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JustKeepWalking
Re: Lake Elizabeth
May 30, 2013 04:35PM
I'm just interpreting here, but for some, the term "epic" carries baggage. Back when we got into this, our older, more "experienced" friends described their "epic" hikes... they were scary. Something (usually many tiny somethings) went wrong... planning/execution (and gear in the 60s & 70s) had issues. "Epics" had serious life-threatening situations. One friend has kicked-stepped herself into raw heels going up Muir Pass. By the end of her trip, she was flown to a hospital because of systemic infection from the raw wounds which weren't treated well enough. If QITNL shares this definition of "epic" hike, then I see the point... "easy and safe" sounds good and sane to me. But each person's "easy and safe" will vary with experience and temperament, I believe.

Basilbop and I do long hikes, we push our own limits to some degree, but I'm big on the incremental progress. You don't jump into a 30 mile day hike. You build up. I cried on my first 1 mile "hike" while in college. I bawled several times near the end of my first descent from Whitney a few years later. That 30-mile day hike up the GCT we did a couple of years ago didn't hurt me at all, I loved every minute of it. About 20 years of training (for me - hopefully others get in shape faster, with fewer injuries!) made the difference.

I'd say we've never had an "epic" backpacking trip. I'm not sure we've ever had an "epic" trip at all.. Pain yes, but nothing really went wrong. All our gear worked, we knew how to use it, we've never gotten lost, but it takes planning, preparation, training.

I also personally bristle when I hear the phrase "death march" applied to one of our hikes by our non-hiking friends. I've never thought of them as "death marches" and have always enjoyed myself on the trail. Yes, sometimes tired at the end of the day, but never any regret... other than maybe passing up great swimming holes!

Frankly, I don't recall reading many "epics" on this site... Maybe I'm tuning them out?

Short or long, I agree with the others, every trip is special, every perspective is different, and reading everyone's stories is the real treat to this site. So short or long, please post!

I think JasonS's trip to Elizabeth sounds fabulous! I didn't see a mention of bugs, and I've always found that area lovely. What a treat to spend the day exploring and enjoying the details! Makes me want to go back there...

Bet Chick-On might regret encouraging me to start posting.. I'm chatty...
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avatar Re: Lake Elizabeth
May 30, 2013 05:57PM
Chat away. I'm listening. smiling smiley

Epic. sigh. Most overused word lately.

Epic has become, I guess, the new "cool", "groovy", "far out", or the such.


Chick-on is looking at you!
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avatar Re: Lake Elizabeth
May 29, 2013 10:46AM
Thanks for posting. Great to see what conditions are like up there.
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Ohnivy-Drak
Re: Lake Elizabeth
May 29, 2013 01:44PM
Quote
JasonS
Last Sunday my wife, brother-in-law and I headed up to Tuolumne Meadows for a short day hike and to do a bit of fishing. Granted, it's nothing like the 'epics' some of you post on here, but it was wonderful just the same.

Get out there and have fun! I did!

I understand the sentiment. Not many of my trips seem worthy of a report. The epic stuff is just crazy - in comparison, mine are zzzzz. But I'd say anything in the TM/Backcountry area is fun to discuss. It's interesting to see how conditions change from week to week, month to month. Is it me, or is the Tuolumne River turning pink?
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avatar Re: Lake Elizabeth
May 29, 2013 02:53PM
Quote
Ohnivy-Drak
Not many of my trips seem worthy of a report. The epic stuff is just crazy - in comparison, mine are zzzzz.

Ha ha! That's how I feel, but only about my trips. I enjoy reading about peoples trips that are similar in scope to mine, but for some reason assume that my "Five Mile Roundtrip" isn't worthy. Not that anyone on the forum has ever made me feel unwelcome. I suppose I tend to de-value my contributions when there so many amazing explorers on here with a seemingly encyclopedic knowledge of Yosemite. I'll keep posting, you do the same!

Quote
Ohnivy-Drak
Is it me, or is the Tuolumne River turning pink?

Is this in reference to one of my photos? If so, I'm a bit confused.
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Ohnivy-Drak
Re: Lake Elizabeth
May 29, 2013 03:49PM
Quote
JasonS
Quote
Ohnivy-Drak
Is it me, or is the Tuolumne River turning pink?

Is this in reference to one of my photos? If so, I'm a bit confused.

Sorry, nothing to do with your photos. Just referring to one particularly fowl creature. He's doing his best to hide, but my utility belt tracks him down.
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avatar Re: Lake Elizabeth
May 29, 2013 04:29PM
Quote
Ohnivy-Drak
Quote
JasonS
Quote
Ohnivy-Drak
Is it me, or is the Tuolumne River turning pink?

Is this in reference to one of my photos? If so, I'm a bit confused.

Sorry, nothing to do with your photos. Just referring to one particularly fowl creature. He's doing his best to hide, but my utility belt tracks him down.

No worries! I thought 'pink' might have something to do the twinkie eater but thought I should be sure.
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avatar Re: Lake Elizabeth
May 29, 2013 09:38PM
NO NO NO!

If you go... post darnit!

A picture or two. There's not contest. Shouldn't be.
It doesn't matter if you dayhike the JMT in a day or take 100 days.
It's all good. Do what you wanna do an have fun doing it.

Share. It's what makes the forum fun imo.


Chick-on is looking at you!
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avatar Re: Lake Elizabeth
May 30, 2013 09:34AM
I agree. Post your day trips as well, especially if you have photos. Elizabeth lake is one of those that often get ignored in favor of other locations but there is nothing shabby about that destination. Still on my list of trails to do. Sigh! So many places to see. Thanks for posting.
Jim
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avatar Re: Lake Elizabeth
May 30, 2013 11:46AM
Quote
tomdisco
I agree. Post your day trips as well, especially if you have photos. Elizabeth lake is one of those that often get ignored in favor of other locations but there is nothing shabby about that destination. Still on my list of trails to do. Sigh! So many places to see. Thanks for posting.
Jim

10-4! Thanks for the encouragement.
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avatar Re: Lake Elizabeth
May 30, 2013 11:45AM
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chick-on

If you go... post darnit!

Aye! Aye! Captain!

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chick-on


Share. It's what makes the forum fun imo.

Agreed!
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avatar Re: Lake Elizabeth
May 30, 2013 12:47PM
Quote
chick-on

NO NO NO!

If you go... post darnit!

A picture or two. There's not contest. Shouldn't be.
It doesn't matter if you dayhike the JMT in a day or take 100 days.
It's all good.


If that's the case, shouldn't there be a few more photos of yours posted on this forum from your treks in and around Yosemite? wink

.
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avatar Re: Lake Elizabeth
May 30, 2013 03:58PM
One chick-on can only do so much. I think that he has to hunt and PECK on the keyboard.
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avatar Re: Lake Elizabeth
May 31, 2013 01:15AM
I've had many 'Epic' trips.

How else can you learn?

Push, find your limit, don't go over it!

( although maybe my definition of 'Epic' is a bit more conservative than others. A little bit wrong so that you survive and have learned something. I DON'T mean that you end up needing SAR! )
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avatar Re: Lake Elizabeth
May 30, 2013 06:07PM
Funny. (seriously though... good one)

It's nice when someone other than the frequent friers post a trip report.
There should be a lot more. A few pix. A few words. It takes little time.
Too many mention in passing they went on a trip ... and little else.

Have yet to see a Llama...

Sometimes you get what you give.

tongue sticking out smiley


Chick-on is looking at you!
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Ohnivy-Drak
Re: Lake Elizabeth
May 30, 2013 08:39PM
Quote
chick-on

Sometimes you get what you give.

Lyrics
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avatar Re: Lake Elizabeth
May 31, 2013 12:42PM
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chick-on
Sometimes you get what you give.

tongue sticking out smiley


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avatar Re: Lake Elizabeth
May 31, 2013 02:44PM
I'll file this under: be careful what you ask for.


Chick-on is looking at you!
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avatar Re: Lake Elizabeth
May 31, 2013 08:53AM
Quote
JustKeepWalking

I think JasonS's trip to Elizabeth sounds fabulous! I didn't see a mention of bugs, and I've always found that area lovely. What a treat to spend the day exploring and enjoying the details! Makes me want to go back there...

It was fabulous! smiling smiley Regarding bugs, I didn't think to mention it because I didn't see any. Not a single one as far as I rememeber. I think eeek mentioned in another thread that it's still been getting below freezing so that may be it. It was also a little breezy, but there still weren't any bugs in the forested campground area.

Regarding my use of the word 'epic', I know intellectually that 99% of the people that regularly post on this forum enjoy seeing posts about simple trips..... I know I do. Heck, we even enjoy photos from the valley floor and a small report of what was seen as someone passed over Tioga/120 on their way to somewhere else. I just think that some of us might believe (however wrongly) that our little excursions are not as cool or worthy.........



............as some of the longer, more ambitious trips we see.

I, for one, will try to be better about sharing. I only make it to Yosemite around 3-4 times per year, but that means that posting about it shouldn't be that tough right?

As Chick-On says:

Quote
chick-on

Sometimes you get what you give.
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Ohnivy-Drak
Re: Lake Elizabeth
May 31, 2013 10:10AM
Quote
JasonS

Regarding my use of the word 'epic', I know intellectually that 99% of the people that regularly post on this forum enjoy seeing posts about simple trips..... I know I do. Heck, we even enjoy photos from the valley floor and a small report of what was seen as someone passed over Tioga/120 on their way to somewhere else. I just think that some of us might believe (however wrongly) that our little excursions are not as cool or worthy.........

Probing people's interest. Where would something like this rank on the boring scale? :-) Grinning Devil

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avatar Re: Lake Elizabeth
May 31, 2013 02:48PM
Quote
Ohnivy-Drak
Probing people's interest. Where would something like this rank on the boring scale? :-) Grinning Devil

Dragon Boy, so close to the benchmark... so close... just a wee bit more to the N/W and you'll have it. Grinning Devil


Chick-on is looking at you!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/31/2013 02:48PM by chick-on.
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atomicmonkey
Re: Lake Elizabeth
May 31, 2013 05:29PM
That picture does not belong to any category with the word boring in it!
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avatar Re: Lake Elizabeth
May 31, 2013 10:59AM
Since I've resolved not to say 'epic' anymore........... Sa-weeet!
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avatar Re: Lake Elizabeth
May 31, 2013 11:40AM
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JasonS
Since I've resolved not to say 'epic' anymore........... Sa-weeet!


epic: adjective
of, relating to, or characteristic of an epic or epics : England's national epic poem Beowulf.
• heroic or grand in scale or character : his epic journey around the world | a tragedy of epic proportions.

My first real backpacking trip was 3.8 miles into Kibbie Lake. On the way we passed the trail sign to Lords Meadow; 9 miles. We were about one mile into the trip at that junction and I distinctly remember thinking as I watched two guys head that way, "I'll never be able to do that. Nine miles, no way." We reached Kibbie and were nearly dead. These days when Chick-on drags me sometimes fifteen miles or so over hill and dale I feel the same as I did at the 3.8 into Kibbie. I was 35 then and am now 70. It's all relative. If there is anything "epic" about it it's the getting out there in the first place.


Old Dude
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avatar Re: Lake Elizabeth
May 31, 2013 12:29PM
Quote
mrcondron
My first real backpacking trip was 3.8 miles into Kibbie Lake. On the way we passed the trail sign to Lords Meadow; 9 miles. We were about one mile into the trip at that junction and I distinctly remember thinking as I watched two guys head that way, "I'll never be able to do that. Nine miles, no way." We reached Kibbie and were nearly dead. These days when Chick-on drags me sometimes fifteen miles or so over hill and dale I feel the same as I did at the 3.8 into Kibbie. I was 35 then and am now 70. It's all relative. If there is anything "epic" about it it's the getting out there in the first place.

My first backpack was in Boy Sprouts and I felt like I was going to die. It was 5 miles to the south fork on the Kern River with an official scout pack (i.e. no belt, all the weight on my 11 year old shoulders), metal canteen and a sleeping bag just about good enough for a slumber party. Good thing I discovered John Muir later to change the attitude that trip created.
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avatar Re: Lake Elizabeth
May 31, 2013 05:21PM
Oh I remember those metal canteens, and external aluminum frame back packs. I didn't enjoy backpacking with the boy scouts very much either. It was so much more fun later in life.
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