Backpack Notes, Day 3

Overlooking Rock Island Lake on our day hike.

The third day of our backpack trip was a layover day at Arndt Lake. You can read about it at Bill's blog.

My observations:

1) Birding was pretty good that day. In the morning, there was a mixed flock of Orange-crowned Warblers, Yellow-rumped Warbles, nuthatches, and Chickadees feeding in the Hemlocks around our camp. In one small area during the hike, we saw Pine Grosbeaks, Pine Siskins, and a solo Black-backed Woodpecker. Ironic, as we'd made a special trip to find one earlier. We found another flock of Pine Grosbeaks, later, and a single Townsend's Solitaire in one of the meadows. Fun, especially the Grosbeaks, which are a very striking finch. We'd only seen one pair once before.

2) The hike to the top of the pass overlooking Rock Island Lake was great. When we reached the top, I felt like I was finally in the Sierras I knew and loved - tall toothy granite peaks emerged along the crest, and Rock Island Lake is cut out of the mold of Grinnell or Thousand Island. We never seem to manage to make it to any of this kind of large rock-studded lake, but it's fun to look at them.

3) When we got back, we followed Dad's lead by taking a bath in the lake and resting on the little rock island about 20 feet from the shore. There weren't many mosquitoes out that far into the lake, though one or two did find us, and the rock was pleasantly warm. Of course, the water was chillingly cold, but that's what you expect of a lake in the high Sierras.

You can find all the pictures from that day of hiking here: Backpack Day 3.