Indian Creek
I went backpacking for 3 days, basically. I left after dinner on Sunday and drove down to the closed road (there be frogs breeding in the ford) and then hiked into P-Bar Flats. I had wanted to get to Mono, but it was really very late already, so I decided the smart human stops here. The next day, I hiked all the way up from there to Indian Creek Camp. The trail was not quite so easy to follow as I'd hoped and the afternoon got quite hot. I drew a bit to get myself to rest longer than a few minutes because I seemed to be wanting to either be doing something or moving.
I decided to leave a bit out, the bit being background greenery, and it just looks like clouds. I even made it a bit uppy-downy, which clouds don't do so much, except thunderheads, but they look like clouds. Even to me and I know they're not. After drawing, I hiked up to meadow where I yielded to hunger and actually cooked up dinner a little early. Squishy starch, just what I need to keep me going. Then I hiked the last part and got in with plenty of light to set up camp at an easy pace. The next morning, I drew some of the rocks by the creek.
I decided not to go up to the waterfalls the next day. The water was a dribble, so they were undoubtedly disappointing, and for some reason I was viewing the canyon with dread. I don't know why as it wasn't that bad. It was a little annoying that although someone had put ribbons up to mark the route, which was a bit iffy sometimes, they seemed to have done it for people coming down only, so they usually confirmed I was on the right track instead of helping me get to the next spot. Anyway, there was a trail toward the bottom of the meadows by the camp that I wondered where went. I didn't end up following it, but I did end up climbing to the top of the ridge and following the fuel break back to a point on the trail between Meadow and Lower Buckhorn. I'd decided to stay and Lower Buckhorn because I frankly thought it was prettier as I came up. It's funkier too.
I had thought about not moving that day, but it made the next day not so long and I could add in something like going to Little Caliente. Sure it was a bit hot, but hot spring! And I would cool off quickly upon getting out of the water. I hiked back down from the camp to the road, about 4.5 miles, much more easily than going up had been. No mistaken route through waist high roses, for instance. Just a proper route through chest high ones, but at least there was a route through them. I got over to the hot spring and played there for a bit.
Unfortunately, there's no actual trees by the spring. I took off for Mono for a bit of lunch and arrived just before noon. I found myself some more water there since even on the hottest day, I should be able to go the last 5 miles on a big bag of water and it wasn't very obvious anywhere further up. Then I hiked out. Luckily, there are a lot of spots with shade oaks along the way. They are more evenly distributed than one would expect, too. I must admit that as the day got to its hottest, I hopped from shade to shade. Then getting to the car, I packed everything up and took off.
I decided to leave a bit out, the bit being background greenery, and it just looks like clouds. I even made it a bit uppy-downy, which clouds don't do so much, except thunderheads, but they look like clouds. Even to me and I know they're not. After drawing, I hiked up to meadow where I yielded to hunger and actually cooked up dinner a little early. Squishy starch, just what I need to keep me going. Then I hiked the last part and got in with plenty of light to set up camp at an easy pace. The next morning, I drew some of the rocks by the creek.
I decided not to go up to the waterfalls the next day. The water was a dribble, so they were undoubtedly disappointing, and for some reason I was viewing the canyon with dread. I don't know why as it wasn't that bad. It was a little annoying that although someone had put ribbons up to mark the route, which was a bit iffy sometimes, they seemed to have done it for people coming down only, so they usually confirmed I was on the right track instead of helping me get to the next spot. Anyway, there was a trail toward the bottom of the meadows by the camp that I wondered where went. I didn't end up following it, but I did end up climbing to the top of the ridge and following the fuel break back to a point on the trail between Meadow and Lower Buckhorn. I'd decided to stay and Lower Buckhorn because I frankly thought it was prettier as I came up. It's funkier too.
I had thought about not moving that day, but it made the next day not so long and I could add in something like going to Little Caliente. Sure it was a bit hot, but hot spring! And I would cool off quickly upon getting out of the water. I hiked back down from the camp to the road, about 4.5 miles, much more easily than going up had been. No mistaken route through waist high roses, for instance. Just a proper route through chest high ones, but at least there was a route through them. I got over to the hot spring and played there for a bit.
Unfortunately, there's no actual trees by the spring. I took off for Mono for a bit of lunch and arrived just before noon. I found myself some more water there since even on the hottest day, I should be able to go the last 5 miles on a big bag of water and it wasn't very obvious anywhere further up. Then I hiked out. Luckily, there are a lot of spots with shade oaks along the way. They are more evenly distributed than one would expect, too. I must admit that as the day got to its hottest, I hopped from shade to shade. Then getting to the car, I packed everything up and took off.