After a couple year hiatus, we were both looking forward to getting back up to Spectacle Lake. From Pete Lake, we didn't have far to travel. In fact, our total distance for the day was almost laughable, so much so, I'd almost consider this a rest day. With camp set up by 1pm, we were left with plenty of time to relax in the sun along the rocky lake shore.

While it is a short hike to get from Pete to Spectacle, it's certainly not a section lacking in its own unique beauty. Just beyond Pete Lake, you come to the Lemah Creek crossing. Hit this too early in the year, like we did on our prior trip up to Spectacle, and you'll be greeted with bone chilling, fast moving water. We were late in the season this time around, so much to our relief, the water level topped out around mid-shin and made for an easy crossing.

About a half mile or so past the creek crossing, the trail re-connects with the PCT and enters the scarred landscape of a decade old burn. On our prior trip to the area a couple years back, we were met with hundreds...yes hundreds, of downed trees as we passed through this area. Not the case this time around. Despite it being a hot and dusty push through the burn, the trail was in great shape.

Overall, this was a fairly uneventful (in a good way) day as we both sat back and enjoyed the midweek solitude of one of the gems of the Alpine Lakes Wilderness.

August 18th, 2018

A kickoff to the summer backpacking season

Winter backpacking

August 18^th, 2018