High Alpine Living

To spend time in the high alpine lakes in the Sierra, getting up there by walking many hard miles, is an all-immersive experience.

The beauty is overwhelming. The sun and shade are hyper strong, both baking and chilling you while they try to occupy the same space. The wind does as it pleases. As do the clouds and rain.

Life is good and days are spent by the graces of these. To enjoy it all is to bend their way, resistance gets you nothing. Sleeping well and eating your fill is more a matter of attitude than loft of a sleeping bag or the weight of your food canister.

But in doing so, life becomes basic, wonderful, and beautiful. Welcome to where the earth is the earth, humans be damned. As you embrace it, the magic of the experience begins.

The adjustment to address the high sierra does not reform easily. As I write this, the angle is still with me and I seem out of sorts back at home and long to fit back into the wilderness landscape.

In a few days I'll have forgotten the intensity as I readjust. But until then, I harbor it closely until it's just another memorable adventure.

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Moonlight Lake

Sometimes a glorious adventure begins in the un-glorious back of your SUV. When an early start is needed, a night at hiker parking area is usually a good idea. Every car here represents backpackers that are up in the high lakes area.

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Moonlight Lake

The trail climbs steeply out of Lake Sabrina. Get used to your heavy pack, you'll be panting and groaning for 10 miles. There are rewards along the way such as these peaks and streams.

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Moonlight Lake

Trail builders have mercy on the hikers with stepping stones across Bishop Creek. Russ (foreground) and Thomas.

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Moonlight Lake

The view from my campsite for the week. We'll stay here, then do day hikes to explore peaks and summits higher up.

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Moonlight Lake

Russ (background) and I slogging up a snow field from the Powell Glacier

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Moonlight Lake

"Turn off your mind, relax and float downstream . . . "  Lyrics from Tomorrow Never Knows by the Beatles.

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Moonlight Lake

Lupins.

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Moonlight Lake

I think these are a variety Desert Paintbrush.

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Moonlight Lake

My humble quarters. This new tent allows lots of air flow. Great for afternoon naps. Not so great for cold overnight winds.

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Moonlight Lake

Can you spot the water fall?  The Powell Glacier is shown on the upper right.

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Moonlight Lake

Same water fall up close.

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Moonlight Lake

Moonlight Lake. Our base camp is among the trees way in the back.

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Moonlight Lake

The trail along Moonlight Lake.

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Moonlight Lake

The moon sets at 6:15 AM while the sun takes it's time to warm the campers.  The full moon overnight was wicked bright.

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My video footage:

Streams and Flowers Video Here

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Have you returned from a place so amazing that it takes days to readjust to normal life? Send a comment, I'd love to hear.  The comment password is Life is Good.

I felt very fortunate to get out of modern life for a while, it's really getting ridiculous, as you know.

Comments (6) -

Elizabeth Gindroz
Elizabeth Gindroz 8/10/2020 6:34:28 PM

Really enjoyed that read, made me crave that ultimate escape of city life! Photos are really breathtaking. Camera or phone? I think you need to print a couple of those and hang in your living room.

Doug

Camera! (Ask Elder, he's checked it out . . . ) It's a replacement for the knapsack / train bumble from last year.  Frown

Elizabeth Gindroz
Elizabeth Gindroz 8/10/2020 7:46:45 PM

Oops, forgot to share returning from a trip-itis. Coming back from staying in rural towns in France with family. Everything moves slower. Every meal is long with lots of conversation...even breakfast. Phenomenal food/wine and down time were the primary focus. Was hard to come home and jump back into the rush of life. Took about a week to let harsh reality slap me in the face and get back on LA speed.

Doug Moore

The travelers perspective sometimes is most sharp when you're actually back home. I think the slow pace is what we crave, so it's part of the process to re-adjust, and can be so jarring!

Elizabeth O'Keefe
Elizabeth O'Keefe 8/10/2020 9:08:55 PM

Yes Doug, it's important for us all the enjoy nature and appreciate our surroundings.  Our life is now.  I have fond memories of Moonlight Lake and really enjoy seeing your breathtakingly beautiful photos of this pristine area of the Sierras.  Many mahalos.

Doug Moore

To know that such beauty is out there - and to go get some for yourself to flush out the city life - is deeply transformative.

We need to do it more often, and these days, it's more important than ever.  Thanks Lyz!

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