Backpacking trips have become my bread and butter in the shoulder seasons. When things get volatile on the higher peaks, and there's not yet enough snow for sliding, those mid-elevations have some seriously beautiful, serene, and colorful treats for any lover of the out-of-doors.
Katrina and David, a couple from back east, joined us the last week of September for a 6-day backpacking trip. After discussing their background and goals, we settled on a loop out of Twin Lakes, near Bridgeport, CA. Six days and a total of 54 miles.
For all the time I have spent mountaineering in this corner of the world, and the miles I've covered on trails in the Sierra Nevada, I had never been on this exact loop. And for all the places I've seen, why did I forget my camera this time?
Katrina and David were a lovely pair to backpack with -- their kids are around my age, and pursuing similar interests in the out-of-doors and even guiding. The trip was full of insights, appreciations, and wonderful conversation.
The biggest take-home point I got from this trip: love and appreciation for the natural wonders of the world, from those too big to grasp to those too small to see, is unavoidable when you spend time outside, in the elements, away from society's consumer- and status-driven society. And it is this perspective that we all need to really excel in our personal and professional lives. In that order.
Mind you, that was greatly paraphrased from 6 days of conversation.
I learned a whole lot from these two, things concrete and otherwise, including what golf and rock climbing have in common. I look forward to seeing a few of the spectacular photos they snapped along the way.
No words can describe this area better than simply to say: of all the trips I have taken in the Sierra Nevada, this one has become an instant favorite. From the views to the lakes to the incredible fishing and beautiful Golden Trout... If Dave doesn't book another trip here within the next year, I may have to take it on my own.
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