The Company Campout
Post date: Jun 30, 2017 5:59:16 AM
Each year we take our company on a four-day camping expedition to the Sierra. It's a chance for us to have fun together, eat and drink really well (we take turns making memorable dinners) and also do some outdoor activities, although those are purely optional.
This year we camped at the Upper LIttle Truckee River campground, and loved it.
On the first day after we arrived we tried to hike the trail to the top of Mt, Lola, but had a heck of a time. First of all, we didn't have a topo map, and our guide book did not give great directions to the trailhead. Luckily, after we had given up, we ran into a USFS staff member in the campground who gave us great directions and a map to boot. Our tax dollars well spent!
We were sure that we would NOT make it to the top of Mt. Lola, given the heavy snowfall this year, and we were right. The snow was so deep that we only got about three miles in before we had to turn around and head back. It was either that, or cross a bit of a tricky bridge over Cold Stream Creek that had whitewater flowing over it. But the trail is delightful, following Cold Stream Creek up a canyon, and then eventually leading to a beautiful meadow at mile four or so. After that, the trail is supposed to take you all the way to the top of Mt. Lola, with views up and down the Sierra Crest. We'll have to tackle it again when there is less snow. There might have even been a few nice campsites for backpacking trip at some point.
The second day we hikes the Pacific Crest Trail from where it crosses Jackson Meadow Reservoir Road North for a few miles and found a scenic overlook that had a nice view of the Sierra Buttes. But since the trees had grown up since the viewpoint was created, we pressed on for another 1/2 mile or so and then climbed a ridge off trail to get a perfect view, like the one below.
Other members of our team visited Independence Lake, Donner Lake (kayaking and paddle boarding until sunburned!) drove around Lake Tahoe, and generally put in a full day of fun in the mountains.
But the real highlight of the trip each year is our fabulous dinners. We eat and drink like kings and queens, and everyone tries very hard to outdo the previous night for delicious treats. If you want to get an idea of both the activities and the amazing food, take a look at the facebook photo collection, which is here: