My backpacking trip up Big Pine Creek (p hotos)

“

Here's some photos from my backpacking trip a couple weekends ago in the John Muir Wilderness, up Big Pine Creek. Okay, that's not really the truth because if you are reading this a week from now, it would actually be three weekends ago. I'm setting myself up for a future lie. I've trapped myself into deception. But that's okay, I'll just make sure I never run for President. For now, it's accurate, these are from two weekends ago. This is a photo of Temple Crag catching the first sunlight of the morning, which lit it like a candle. I had to hike up there and stomp it out.






The sun rose and then it set back down again. It was weird. I took this shot before the sun rose again. No, I wasn't abducted by a UFO on this particular trip, although I was solicited to be abducted by a tiny green guy with surprisingly huge eyes and virtually no mouth as he buzzed me in a sacuer shaped craft. Well, he didn't really ask me because he didn't even have a traditional mouth, but it was like I knew what he was saying, as if we could read each other's minds. I denied his request and I felt bad but I already had dinner plans with Bigfoot later that night.





Here's Heidi and Sierra enjoying the views of First Lake soon after they had attacked 4 hikers on the trail. It's a good thing the hikers weren't armed. Well, I guess in a way they were armed, but not no more. Heidi ripped them off. It's hard to play fetch with an arm because when you go to toss it, it bends at the elbow and you lose momentum.






Heidi and Sierra weren't always impressed with the scenery. Here they prepare for a little nap in between breathtaking vistas.”

“AAAAAAAAARRRRGGGG!!

Whooah.....For a second I thought your dog was gonna bite me.

Awesome scienic shots Bro!!”

“

Here's a trailside shot of Second Lake. It was harsh mid-day light. It looks like I merely pointed my camera at the lake and took the photo, but it was much more complex than that. I used a high-powered zoom lens and pointed it at a large mirror in space which reflected into the Hubble Space Telescope which was pointed at Second Lake. And I released the shutter and took the shot. To have everything aligned perfectly like this only happens every 42,000 years, not counting leap years. My timing was good.





Here's some star trails over Temple Crag. I slept on a bench over looking the lake (no, I didn't hike in my own bench, stoopid), and pointing my camera at Temple Crag and left the shutter open for a few long minutes. I didn't enhance or change the colors, this is what my Fuji Velvia 50 slide film captured. It's not what my eyes saw, the colors are steeerange. I'm not that great at star trails, I'm just experimenting with them now. Well not RIGHT now, but you know what I mean.”

“groovy.”

“I only see the one photo of Heidi and Sierra. Are the others missing?”

“

Being there and seeing the contrast in colors of the greenish water and the orange sunrise was really suh-weet. I wasn't really prepared to take this shot but a large rainbow trout jumped up and slapped the shutter release with its tail. It was an accident, but I still ate it.







This is a little later in the morning. These lakes aren't hungry because they are always fed by glaciers, which is why they are so milky-greenish in color. Yes, I'm a scientist. Even with all the glacier silt, the place has more nice-sized trout than you can shake a stick of dynamite at.





I was feeling a little artsy fartsy here. More fartsy than artsy. I took this shot with my camera braced on my knees as I squatted with a roll of toilet paper in one hand. A poo with a view.




Here's another star trail shot from the previous night. I was actually hiking towards Bishop Pass the day before and I camped at Long Lake. I knew when the moon rose over the ridge it would be nearly full, so I wanted to start and finish my star trail pic before the moonrise lest it washed out my star trails. Well, all went as planned until I fell asleep with the shutter still open and didn't wake up until after the moon had long risen above the ridge. I still got some star detail and it lit up Hurd Peak and Mt. Goode pretty nice in the process. Sometimes your best choice is to just go to bed.”

“pixie, I dunno, the Heidi and Sierra pic is linked to Photo.net, the rest are Photobucket.com. Maybe Photobucket is down, or you can't view their site or something? Not sure. This wouldn't be happening if Ralph Nader were President.”

“

Mid-morning shot of Temple Crag over Second Lake. Second Lake is the lake past First Lake. Third Lake is a little further up. In the upper basin are Fouth Lake, Fifth Lake, Sixth Lake, etc. Talk about intense creativity in naming lakes. Pure brilliance.





This is the land of monstrous 14,000' peaks. I still think they should've named this the Dolly Parton Wilderness. Here Heidi and Sierra pretend to be weary so they can fool some squirrels. No, wait, here they are pretending to be tree stumps. They're masters of disguise.




Last shot for now, I got lots more to scan. This one looks like all the others, sorry, I suck, I take too many photos, I wish I was more into badmitten. Keep on hikin'.”

“I hate you Buck.



But I love your pics.”

“thanks for the pics and 'tongue in cheek' trip report.”

“Very Very Nice Mr Buck Forester!
So you were "up the creek" eh?”

“Very very talented Buck. I'm very impressed.


And the pictures are pretty good too.”

“Ahhh, you guys are just saying that. Thanks. If you'd like a fine art print of any of the above pics, they are available for $1.2 meeeeellion dollars. If you have any daughters, I'll take them for payment as well. Please, no sheep, goats, or pigs. Thanks again.”

“Hey Buck,

Which lake did you camp at? That looks like the first lake.

Did you take the camp spot right off of the trail with the over look of the waterfall and the lake?

I love that place. Camp and pack up there much, every year. You can hook a weeks worth of fish in a day and see sights that you'll never see anyplace else.

Good on you!

I love the creative names of all of the lakes. Seven lakes.

Have they rebuilt the lodge down below or is it still just pay showers in the back of the camp store?”

“ROFLMAO!!!!

Thanks!

Heidi (or Sierra) has the same look as you that one photo of you (the unshaven, mouth wide open one!).”

“Hi ww®! I camped on Second Lake. Well I didn't camp ON the lake. I would have, but legally I had to camp 100' from the shore. Plus I would've sunk. I camped on a shelf above the lake next to a big box of Wheaties® and some canned corn. SHUDDUP BUCK! I gotta lay off the beer. It was a shelf/bench/spur/ledge/perch (you get the idear) above the lake. The only shot in this series of First Lake is the one with my doggies overlooking it. All the rest are of Second Lake. I took a lot more shots of First Lake but I haven't gotten to those slides yet with my scanner. I think I got some decent ones in the evening of First Lake with some serious red alpenglow in the background, we'll see.

I parked at the lodge ($3.00 parking, sure beats hiking that extra mile or so along the road from the trailhead parking lot!). I grabbed a fatty cheeseburger at the store/lodge on my way out and talked with the owner. They are in the process of rebuilding the lodge. As for showers, despite pleas from other people in the store, even offering to pay for my shower along with a $500 bonus for doing so, I refused. I like the way I stink. The Big Pine Creek drainage sure is gorgeous! Life is good®.”

“You've brought a tear to my eye.

I truly love that place. I used to, in my youth, camp at the old ruins of the burned down lodge and fish the creek on any given Friday. I'd catch enough fish to eat and drink enough beer to drink and then start the pack the next day.

I'd head up to the lakes with white rice, soy and vodka and spend the week, fishing, hiking and camping.

I know the shelf you speak of, I've slept there many times.

I know we all feel that we find God in the back country, but God appears most frequently to me there and you captured it amazingly.

Thank you.

I've slept in Lon's cabin, I've hiked that trail to those lakes, I've scaled over that pass to join the Muir and I've loved every minute of it.

Yes, thanks again. That is where I've spend tons of my youth.”

“Buck let me add those star trails are wicked nice!”

“Buck you MUSY be one of those damn trolls I keep hearing about. YOU MUST DIE! I HATE YOU!

Oh yeah, nice photos...but you still got to be boiled!”

“Great pics, Buck. I found the star trails very interesting.”

“Buck is OK, but the photos sure do suck.

Keep tryin' brother and you'll get it some day!!

Your girl friends could use a shave.”

“Sweet.”

“The captions/descriptions to the pictures always crack me up. Thanks, Buck.”

“LOL at Mark-O!

Buck: That shot of one of your dogs yawning looks like the self-portriat you took of yourself some time back. Ha!”

“"Heidi (or Sierra) has the same look as you that one photo of you (the unshaven, mouth wide open one!)."
Snow Nymph
01:11:08 AM


Ha ha ha ha ! ! ! !”

“Heidi (or Sierra) has the same look as you that one photo of you (the unshaven, mouth wide open one!).

Come on people, please. Can we show a little sensitivity here once in a while? Think about how you might make someone feel with your words. That's all I'm asking. Heidi would be very offended by your comments.”

“Wow, great pics as always! Keep'em coming.”