Mono Creek to Mott Lake

No jolting alarm sounded with the sun on the first morning of our backpack trip - just a clear dawn and the faint sound of singing birds above the nearby rushing creek. We got up and going, enjoying the first of our many hot and slimy instant oatmeal breakfasts as we packed up our things and got ready to hike. On the positive side, the instant hot chocolate we had every morning never got old.

Wednesday was the longest of our hiking days. While we found a great campsite on Tuesday night, it wasn't as far as we had intended to have traveled. Nevertheless, we decided to stay on the trails and take the easy - though long - route to Mott Lake instead of a much steeper cross-country shortcut up to Grinnell via Laurel Lake. The developed trail took us down to nearly 8,000' before we gained back all of the elevation we'd lost in the day - and more - in climbing back up to Mott Lake.

A meadow along Mono Creek.
http://flickr.com/photos/rowleypics/2717842905/in/set-72157606467826844/

It was neat to hike down Mono Canyon, though. The trail descended through many different types of forest - depending not only on elevation, but on the amount of water available. We passed from Lodgepole forests, through sage brush covered hillsides, grassy meadows fading into tall and stately aspen groves, and we even saw some of the biggest Red Firs I've ever seen in my life - probably nearly 10' in diameter!

We finally had to climb up and over a hill to meet up with the Muir Trail where it comes down from Silver Pass. That's where we had lunch - far from where we had begun the day. By that time my feet, hips and back were all in agony (and I don't think I was the only one hurting), but it's a wonder what a little rest will do! After lunch, we felt refreshed, which was good since we had to go up another series of switchbacks before getting into the relatively flat bottom of the canyon holding Pocket Meadow.

Libby and Fireweed around Pocket Meadow.
http://flickr.com/photos/rowleypics/2718683216/in/set-72157606467826844/

The Mott Lake trail from Pocket Meadow turned out to be in poor repair. It's basically a steep, deep and rock-filled gully that goes straight up the side of a forested hill. There are a few switchbacks and then it topps out in the glacial valley containing Mott Lake. There it winds through meadows and willows (overgrowing the trail) as it goes up several hundred-foot granite steps to the lake. Half-an-hour or so into our hike we found a fun rock-slide where Mott's outlet stream ran over perfect glaciated granite. We took the opportunity to clean some clothes and take a bath - spending hours in the warm sun and warmer than average (for the Sierras) water. Dad took the opportunity to go water sliding; you can see the videos in the Flickr set for the day. Click here: http://flickr.com/photos/rowleypics/sets/72157606467826844/

Mott Lake in the late afternoon.
http://flickr.com/photos/rowleypics/2717875723/in/set-72157606467826844/

As the sun started to get a little lower, we thought maybe we should finish the hike. It turned out to be quite a long one still, at least two miles from where we had taken a bath (which we thought was maybe almost half-way of the projected two miles from Pocket Meadow to Mott Lake). As a result, we didn't arrive at camp until the dusk was lowering over the foothills in the distance. Such a short evening meant we didn't have time to do much between set up camp, make dinner, eat, clean and go to bed. But it was such a beautiful place that all the long effort of getting there was more than amply repaid, and Libby and my spirits were high as we climbed into our tent for the night. The next day would be our first day of off-trail hiking.