Backpacking in the Sierra Nevada Mountains Part 2

08/26/09

California Part 2

Day 3 (Relaxation) – Today was a day to simply relax. Since I start my backpacking excursion tomorrow and I did a big hike yesterday, I just wanted to rest today. I woke up at 7 and was on the road by 8. My destination was Mammoth Lakes, CA on the other side of Yosemite, about 130 miles away.

The first two and a half hours were pretty boring. There was a lot of traffic, roadwork, and a top speed of about 35 mph. When I say lots of traffic, I mean 6 or 7 cars were in front of me. I know that doesn’t sound bad, but when it is a two-lane road that you can’t pass on it might as well be rush hour. About halfway across the park you finally start to come out of the dense forests, giving you some nice views. The first standout view is Olmstead Point. It looks down into Yosemite Valley from the opposite side of Glacier Point (where I was yesterday). About a mile past there, you come to Tenya Lake. It is a fairly large lake surrounded by mountains and it is beautiful. The water was pretty cold, as one would expect. I would say it was too cold for what I saw on the east side of the lake, a long sandy beach with people sunbathing. Sunbathing on the beach by the Pacific, of course. Sunbathing at 9,000 feet in 65-degree weather, I guess.

The next big point is Tuolumne Meadows. This is where we start our backpacking trip, and if the views from the road are any indication, then it is going to be an awesome trip. The road peaks out at 10,000 ft at the east exit of the park, and then it quickly descends past numerous mountain lakes and a huge valley down to Hwy 395. From there it is only 25 miles to Mammoth.

I pulled into Mammoth Lakes at about 1:15. Yes, it took over 5 hours. However, with an hour of the drive spent walking around taking pictures and given that the only way was through a crowded national park over a lot of mountains, it was kind of expected.

I drove around the town and then checked into my hotel. Since it was early, I decided to kill some time at the movies. I saw Inglorious Bastards and I do recommend it. Dinner was at Roberto’s Cantina, recommended by Lonely Planet’s California Guide Book in the bookstore next to the movie theater. They were correct, as the Mahi-Mahi tacos were delicious.

So tomorrow it begins. Granted it is an easy day. We are just meeting, eating, and setting up camp. We don’t actually start hiking until Thursday. Still, this is what I’ve been building towards for four months and I'm very excited to get going. Am I apprehensive? I would say yes given the condition of my back and knees, but that is what they invented positive thinking for, right? It will also be fun to finally meet the 13 people I will be hanging out with for the next week and a half. People have asked me if I’m nervous about doing this trip with all of these people I don’t know. No, as far as I’m concerned the more people I meet the better. Life is all about the people you meet and the experiences you take from them. Therefore, tomorrow begins an opportunity for 13 great experiences.