I just returned from camping, with my sister, for three nights in the High Sierra. We are both in our later 60s.
It was just car camping, tents, cooking over a fire, a little propane stove, and so on. No real backpacking. But the High Sierra is high; at 7500 feet oxygen is a tiniest bit harder to come by, the sun, intense. Never mind the possibility of bears. Gotta put all the food and any scented toiletries in the special bear locker any time you leave the campsite or go to sleep. That’s a lot of carrying bins from here to there.
The High Sierra is also extraordinarily, or maybe ordinarily if we weren’t so civilized, beautiful. And thus, inspiring? Is that the right word?
Specifics include silver tip firs, fallen and standing, wildflowers, granite, and clear, clear water.
There are teeny white and pink flowers hidden in this greenery, and often small orange butterflies flit about. I think Western Meadow Fritillaries but they rarely stayed still enough to identify.
We thought better of hiking to the very top of Inspiration Point. I was testing my limits, and the risks of over-extending here seemed high.
Lake Alpine, in the Stanislaus National Forest. We swam directly from the granite. Pretty (read: wildly) awesome.
Don’t forget your chairs. To rest, to gaze out across trees and mountains, and talk about how this time we are going to remember to buy a tablecloth that isn’t too small for the park picnic tables.
The trip was hard work. And also fantastic. It’s good to bump up against your limits, and then maybe find a way to push them just a little further out. Have a wonderful weekend everyone.
21 Responses
May I ask: were you able to skinny-dip in that gorgeous Lake Alpine? Or is that too testing of other limits (one’s own and others’)?
We did not. There were a few people in kayaks about;). Although it’s pretty much pristine, it’s not a very remote lake. It’s just off route 4, 3.5 hours from my house. Midweek, however, you can definitely find that sense of solitude and the vast sky. Early morning midweek, which we didn’t manage, skinny dipping might work. We did however change into our suits discreetly, right there on the rocks. Nobody noticed, and we felt noticeably free.
We used to call it Perspiration Point! Although sweat sort of evaporates that high. Great pictures
Hah! Much sweating involved. To the point where it turns out I had the slight fever and aches of heat exhaustion yesterday! Good lesson learned! Buying two matching water bottles to replace my one for the next limit-testing hike. Thank you!
We did a lot of camping when I was a kid. Unlike your tent, ours always collapsed. Bears ate most everything. And the freezing cold lakes kept us all at bay! I can smell the fresh firs from your photos. Idyllic!
Ha! I can imagine. You are an excellent storyteller:).
Congratulations! Not many people in their late 60’s can do that – inspirational!
Thank you! As it turned out, I did really test my limits. Mild heat exhaustion, from which I am recovering just fine, but, hey, good to know. I admit we were kind of proud of ourselves. Hard work, but worth it.
How wonderful! And what an inspiring balance between testing limits and accurately gauging the line-too-far. Husband hiked part of the Pacific Crest Trail and spoke yearningly of comfortable seating — he would weep at the sight of your chairs! Thank you for sharing this glimpse of paradise.
You are so welcome. I am laughing, with complete understanding, at your husband weeping at chairs. We also have smaller ones that collapse like a tent and fit in a little bag, but no way in the world am I hiking the Pacific Crest LOL. Congrats to your husband on his enterprise!
Bears are my worst fear when hiking/camping! Otherwise I always truly love being out in nature and find it so deeply healing in ways beyond my understanding. Even looking at beautiful photos like you’ve shared here makes me relax and breathe a little deeper. I only wish I lived near such awe-inspiring hikes and views as you do in California. These are such gorgeous photos, Lisa — thank you so much for sharing and brightening my weekend. I especially love the second one looking across the water of Lake Alpine. You could have that one framed.
I’m so glad you and your sister got to enjoy a restful retreat into nature after all of your hard work canvassing. Peaceful forests, clear water and birdsong help refill one’s tank, for sure. :) Have a beautiful weekend!
You are very welcome. It is my sincere pleasure to share these experiences. The first night, as we retired to our tents, I said to my sister, “If I hear a bear I’m texting you.” As it turned out, not a single one in sight. The bear lockers, and an attention to cleanliness, seem to work. It was deeply healing, and I don’t know how that works either. Even waking in the night to walk to the bathrooms I would look up astonished at all the stars in the sky.
Looks wonderful! A fitting reward for your intrepidity!
Thank you! You have inspired me with your marathon hikes!
Good on you TWO!!
Aw thanks. We definitely couldn’t have done it without each other.
Being one with nature and camping in a beautiful woodland is restorative. Testing the limits is always good.
Your swim sounds amazing. The lawn chairs make everything just right.
You can take royalty into the woods on a camping trip, but you can’t take the royalty out of the campers, or: “…we are going to remember to buy a tablecloth that isn’t too small for the park picnic tables.”
Is the sister of which you speak the rallying/marching/canvassing sister? You two have been pushing limits together for a long time! Cheering on both of you from the air conditioned comfort of my house. Onward, as Max would say.
Forgot to mention: come late November, I’ll be a full decade older than you are!
Wonderful. Great to both know your limits and to test them.
Nice, honest account — I could almost smell the pine and campfire. Did you notice any difference in how your sister paced herself on trails at that altitude, or any tricks you used to avoid overexerting? I check https://weather.world-prices.com/usa/weather/ for 14-day forecasts when planning lake trips, not sure if it’s the best but it helps.