With six women backpacking together for six days, there should be a common bond that we all look forward to everyday. Having ice cream together is not going to happen as we did not bring along a YETI cooler. So we decided after seeing Claudia's bedhead that our group should have a morning "Best Hair doo award." Claudia taking first place today! We were able to sleep in today because we have decided to hike up to Blue Lake and leave our campsite as a base camp. This will lighten our load and allow us to move a bit freer today. We were also concerned that there might not be many camping spots up at the lake.
Our hike to Blue Lake is a double back, of about a half of a mile, to the Blue Lake spur trail. As we leave our base camp we have to step across one of the two water sources we are camped by. Five of us are across the 8-foot wide creek when we hear a SPLASH. The five of us turn quickly around to see Bec make a very quick self-arrest from the creek and scamper up the bank. After further questioning Bec (Safety Girl), she has convinced us that the little SPLASH was really one very graceful slip into some gently rolling water. Perhaps, one of her best landings ever. Hmmm, we need an instant replay on this as well as a review of creek crossings. Wet rocks are indeed wet and often slippery. One must be mindful when stepping. Bec said she was alright, not too wet and ready to just keep going as she would dry off as we hiked.
Along the way to the Blue Lake spur there is suppose to be another spur trail up to an abandoned mine. We watch for signs of this trail. It is on the 1957 TOPO map we have, but we are unable to spot the trail with our eyes. We hike on and it takes us about an hour to hike from base camp to the lake. There was a very established camp area by the lake. The camp area by the lake also had very smart, quick and witty local chipmunks who had a good command of the area.
Blue Lake is tucked into the base of Bowen Mountain and Mineral Point. The lake was calm and inviting. We sat at the lake side and worked on finding the leak in my air mattress pad. We first dipped the valves into a pan of water and found no bubbles. Then we dunked the pad into the lake to look for any air bubbles. Still nothing...
While our side show was working on locating the air leak, the crafty little chipmunk was working on stealing cheese sticks from Marybeth's 2 pounds of cheese. Two sticks of cheese at the same time! Marybeth had pulled out her camp stove for lunch and had her pots, stove and lids all spread out amongst the rocks.
Before I get to far into this story, I will take the time to explain that Marybeth is the most calm, well traveled, peaceful hiker I have ever met. She has hiked and backpacked a huge bucket list of trails, mountains and places that have made the front of many magazines. She is an author, physical therapist, well spoken and tells great stories. The fact that she often leaves a "trail of forgotten things" is just part of the whole package. The perfect absent minded professor.
Here at the lake, Pat spent time reminding me how to take bearing readings with the TOPO and compass. While we were doing this, a group of 6 people arrived at the lake. They were looking like they were going to be camping at the spot we were hanging out. We packed up and left the newbies to the crafty little chipmunk thieves. Before leaving we help Marybeth find all of her items that she had taken out of her pack. We find her stove, pot, and lid. We have all learned to give a good look around to make sure Marybeth has all of her items.
We have a nice hike back down to our base camp. There was a nice display of flowers. We do some looking for the miner trail but are once again unsuccessful. When we get back to camp we drop our packs and four of us do some trail scouting for tomorrow's hike up towards Bowen Lake. We are trying to decide if we should keep our base camp or of we should move up to Bowen Lake and set up a camp there. We don't really find anything that looks like a better place to move to. We decide no to hike all of the way to the lake. We head back to camp and take a vote of either staying or rolling the dice. We decided to keep our base camp and day hike up to Bowen Lake tomorrow.
Rain moved in. It rained from 3:30- 3:40 It provided me a good opportunity to do some writing.
Kathi has volunteered to sleep on the leaky pad tonight. Sharing the leaker will be a better way to make it through these nights.
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