Post date: May 12, 2014 4:25:27 AM
With the advent of warmer weather, we were itching to get out on the trail and see how our favorite mountains were doing this weekend. We had a nice simple trip lined up: hike up the Disaster Creek Trail in the Carson-Iceberg Wilderness. If we ran into too much snow, we would just stop and camp along the creek. If the snow allowed us to do it, we would climb all the way to Highland Lakes, above Highway 4, and camp there.
In the summer, there are lots of people camped at the lakes, because you can drive to them. But the road is still snowed in, so we thought we might have them to ourselves....
The first trip of the year is always a bit of a surprise. It's always a bit of challenge to make sure that you have all of your gear ready to go, and nothing extra. This time we didn't forget anything...but P did manage to carry his phone on the trail because it was in his shirt pocket and he forget to leave it in the car. And M forgot her water bottles, but we had an extra one at the cabin., but this was not an issue, since the trail went right along the creek. We were never more than fifty yards from water.
And it was a glorious hike. The sun was out, the trail climbed steeply and steadily, and the views began to appear as we passed the towering Iceberg and worked our way up into the canyon.
The first few patches of snow at about 7,200 feet were nothing to worry about, but of course they got bigger and deeper the more we climbed. By the time we made it up to 8,000, it was time for lunch, we had an awkward stream to cross, and the wind had picked up considerably.
We got across the stream, and found a nice spot to eat lunch out of the worst of the wind. And then the clouds started to arrive...and it got colder. And windier. And there was only snow ahead on the trail. And then the sun disappeared for good. And the wind was really howling.
We looked at each other and remembered that we had a nice cozy cabin just a few miles back down the trail, and an hour back down the road.
We made it in plenty of time for a hot shower and a nice dinner. And slept in warm comfort in our bed.
We'll post photos in the next day or two...and we'll tackle that hike another day. A warmer one.