Desolation Wilderness, Phipps Pass, August 2 - 6, 2015

A John Muir Trail Training Hike.

The purpose of this hike was to debug my gear and help me get into shape for my North Bound (NOBO) JMT hike.  The JMT hike was scheduled for August 6, 2015.  My training route was from Meeks Bay to Middle Velma Lake and back over Phipps Pass.  I consider Phipps Pass the most difficult pass in Desolation Wilderness because of the roughness of the trail and high altitude.

I started from Meeks Bay in Lake Tahoe, CA.  I had a 53lb pack including 2 L of water and DSLR camera gear.  Given my commitments to the Assistance League of Sacramento and their construction project, I had to cancel other training hikes.  I thought one training hike would be enough.  Round trip was about 25 miles with about 3,100 elevation gain.  Not much compared to the JMT.

For a larger image simply click on the image and the system will show the pics full screen but without my commentary.

Climbing out of Meeks Bay

Bridge is out at Meeks Creek crossing.

First night at Crag Lake

Crag Lake

The first night I was exhausted.  The pack weight impacted my hiking more than I thought it would.  I felt pretty stupid.  I had gone this far I might was well keep going.  So the next day I kept hiking with the intent to go over Phipps Pass to Middle Velma Lake.

Stoney Ridge Lake -- A view on the way to Phipps Pass.

My over loaded pack on Phipps Pass.

Dick's Peak and Upper Velma Lake from Phipps Pass.

My poor body relaxing on a most wonderful foam pad.

Camp at Middle Velma Lake

I was physically hurting so much at this point I decided to spend 2 nights at Middle Velma Lake to recover.  The 50 lb pack was too much for a long haul like the JMT.  I was deeply concerned my plantar fasciitis was kicking up.  My heels were very painful.  I was stretching and hitting the ibuprofen to keep it at bay.

The next day I decided to goof off and circumnavigate around Middle Velma Lake.

A tarn off Middle Velma Lake

I didn't know there was a small dam around Middle Velma Lake

Looks like fighting dinosaurs to me

I can stare at these views all day.

That evening a bear made the rounds to the campsites along Middle Velma Lake.  A guy with a boat horn (not me!) chased an adult bear out of his camp at around 5 pm.  I heard yelling and banging at other camps on the west shore throughout the night.  I was also camped on the west shore but was not bothered.  I cook away from my camp site and keep the bear can 50 yards from the tent at night.  Maybe my clean camp did not interest the bear.

I did kept some pebbles and hiking poles near me as I slept just in case I had to chase off a bear.

Ready for bear.  The big rock is for securing my rain fly lines, if needed.

The next day is was back up over Phipps Pass to Meeks Bay where my car was parked.

View of Dick's Peak from the Phipps Pass trail.

Phipps Pass is a tough climb

Note the clouds south towards Yosemite.

At Stony Ridge Lake for final night.  Very tired from the heavy pack.

I was at a decision point on whether I would start the JMT the next week.  I had been planning the JMT trip since last fall.  I was out of shape, I did not like the weather down south, my pack needed to lose a lot of weight.  This year's el nino was most likely going to cause a lot of rain and lightning in the southern sierras. I needed to reduce my pack weight and eliminate many of the little things I was carrying.  The DSLR gear was too heavy for a long trek.  Would I be satisfied with a point and shoot or simply my smartphone camera?

I was in tears over this.  I was also angry with myself because I thought about the people who cannot even imagine doing a hike I had done the last few days.  I kept thinking about this man about my age (pushing 60) who was driving a walker back home near REI.  He looked hot, dirty and miserable, but I had just spent $100 on camping gear.  I also started thinking about how miserable things are in the middle east.  God has a way of teaching things and it is not always pleasant.  I am just skin and bones and am really quite stupid relative to how complicated life is.

Next year we are planning a trip to Europe so the JMT will have to wait until 2017.

I plan on some hikes for the remainder of the summer.  Just not the JMT.  Ouch.

Here are the pics of the remainder of the hike...  It is truly beautiful up there.

Within 2 miles of Meeks Bay and Highway 89.