Cottonwood Pass
We get up to a beautiful sky with just the slightest threat of something more to come. We scramble around to actually get up early and manage to leave before the sun hits our campsite. The moist will just have to be carried today. We load up on water and finish packing and head out again. We climb to the stream running down from Army Pass, the last water we see before Chicken Spring Lake and make a brief attempt to go the wrong way after crossing it, but decide not to camp there after all as we are on our way out. We climb and drop slightly and climb some more for some great views. Finally, we hit a high point as we leave Sequoia by a sign that also isn't sure which park it boarders. We drop and climb our way, stopping for a while at one spot of view, complaining that there is far too much sand for this high up the Sierras, and then stopping again at Chicken Spring for lunch. Well, some of us.
We chatted for a while with a guy from Darwin while we were there, then made the last little climb to finally go over Cottonwood Pass. From here, the trail drops lazily with long switchbacks. Near the bottom, I hear a ruckus of mooing. The trail flattens out for traveling along the side of the meadow. I cross a stream just after finding little water in my pack, but the mooing and the look of it make me decide to just go along. The clouds are keeping the sun's heat down quite well by now (and threatening) although when the sun hits it is quite hot. An arrow sign marked "trail" alterts me to the other posibilities in the area and I trot down a short path to see an old cabin then come back to the designated trail to cross the stream again. The paths suddenly diverge with no signs, but I find a companion waiting to make sure I don't take off for another pass to the south. I figure I'd have chosen the path down the meadow that probably goes to horse corals according to my map as we head up to the trees. Quickly, there are cars visible and we have made it out hit only, perhaps, but two drops of rain today.
All that remains is chips and salsa (and beer) back at the cars and then to get rid of the rented bear canister and head home. It is raining in heavy drops by the time we reach Lone Pine.
We chatted for a while with a guy from Darwin while we were there, then made the last little climb to finally go over Cottonwood Pass. From here, the trail drops lazily with long switchbacks. Near the bottom, I hear a ruckus of mooing. The trail flattens out for traveling along the side of the meadow. I cross a stream just after finding little water in my pack, but the mooing and the look of it make me decide to just go along. The clouds are keeping the sun's heat down quite well by now (and threatening) although when the sun hits it is quite hot. An arrow sign marked "trail" alterts me to the other posibilities in the area and I trot down a short path to see an old cabin then come back to the designated trail to cross the stream again. The paths suddenly diverge with no signs, but I find a companion waiting to make sure I don't take off for another pass to the south. I figure I'd have chosen the path down the meadow that probably goes to horse corals according to my map as we head up to the trees. Quickly, there are cars visible and we have made it out hit only, perhaps, but two drops of rain today.
All that remains is chips and salsa (and beer) back at the cars and then to get rid of the rented bear canister and head home. It is raining in heavy drops by the time we reach Lone Pine.