Silver Lake
This morning we started from our Friday Night Halfway point in Jackson, California- and yes, I slept well after the power came back on at the hotel-and headed up into the Sierra Nevada. Our ultimate destination for today is a hike to a mountain called The Nipple. It's high up above the Carson Pass. But first we stopped just below the Carson Pass at Silver Lake.
Last time we were up this way, just 5 weeks ago, we also stopped at Silver Lake. So often in the past we powered straight past this beautiful lake at 7,300' elevation. I think now we might make it a regular pit stop whenever we drive up Route 88 through the Sierras.
The difference between 5 weeks ago and today is subtle but noticeable. The water level is about 3 feet lower! That shows up in places like where I remember balancing on a log to cross an inlet of the lake and get out to a near island. Now that log is high and dry.
With the water level lower now we could explore further out into the lake, walking across to what were islands earlier in the season. If we come up here next year really early in the season- and "really early" might be July- it'll be interesting to see how much bigger the lake seems.
Last time we were up this way, just 5 weeks ago, we also stopped at Silver Lake. So often in the past we powered straight past this beautiful lake at 7,300' elevation. I think now we might make it a regular pit stop whenever we drive up Route 88 through the Sierras.
The difference between 5 weeks ago and today is subtle but noticeable. The water level is about 3 feet lower! That shows up in places like where I remember balancing on a log to cross an inlet of the lake and get out to a near island. Now that log is high and dry.
With the water level lower now we could explore further out into the lake, walking across to what were islands earlier in the season. If we come up here next year really early in the season- and "really early" might be July- it'll be interesting to see how much bigger the lake seems.