Northern CA Nov 5-6-7

“Happy birthday, MadeinTahoe! I hope it was a good birthday even without the snow shoeing. Thanks for the weather forecast.

I looked up Echo Lake weather on Yahoo just now and it said there might be rain on Sunday. Seems highly doubtful, but rain gear would be a good idea.”

“Hmmm... Is joining in for a day hike an option? I have a retirement party I have to attend in Sacramento.

Either way... Have fun!”

“Hello Again everyone

I thought I would report to you again...we got here at our house in Meyers about 6" of new snow during the night and early this morning. It is now pretty clear, sunny with a few white puffy clouds, but more sun then clouds. They say Sunday there is a chance of snow..but it looks like Friday & Saturday look pretty good. Thanks Karen for my wishing me happy birthday..the weather was just to bad yesterday for a snowshoe hike, but I still had a nice day :)”

“madeintahoe, Thanks for the snow & weather update! We should be coming out on Sunday, might fun to hike out in the snow!

Freedom, join in if you can. Friday we're headed to Tamarack Lake to set up a base camp, then Saturday day-hike from there either up to Ralston Peak, or, up the PCT towards Lake Aloha. Sunday we hike out from Tamarack.

This is all tentative, of course. We'll see how tough it is to plow through the snow, 3 or 4 miles with a backpack loaded down with winter gear wearing snowshoes can be a pretty brutal 3 or 4 miles, especialy at high elevation!”

“Hey Wanderer, give me a call if you guys decide to do dinner after the hike!”

“Phaeddy, will do. I have your cell programmed in mine, I'll use that #.

What if we decide to have a beer (or two!) instead of dinner, ya' still want a call?? ”

“I could be up for a beer with you stinky sweaty folkes!”

“Wanderer & Karen

Are you all parking at the snow park at Echo Summit? And about what time do you think you will be there tomorrow? I was planning on going there just to meet you all, but now I have to be home to wait for the building inspector to check our new hot water heater...he usually gets here early..so if that happens I can drive up there after he leaves. If I don't show up that means I won't because im still waiting for him. So you all be very safe and careful have a wonderful trip
Anita
Hi Pepperdog!”

“Hi Anita - are you trying to become the official Tahoe Welcoming Committee? One of these days you are going to have to hike with us!

I wish I could join y'all but it sounds darn cold and I am getting ready for a 10 day trip to Paris next week!!

Have a blast.”

“Hi y'all:

I'm guessing we should hit the Echo sno-park around 9 - 9:30.

madeintahoe, luv to meet you!

pepper, you're one tough lady, knowing what we'll smell like after this trip LOL, we'll call anyway!

Naked APE!! Long time no hear bud - I hope Mrs. Ape & Little Ape are all well, I'll raise a glass back at you whenever we return.

Why am I sitting hee typing on TT, I need to get my a$$ in gear to meet up with everyone.. Bye for now!”

““Phaeddy, will do. I have your cell programmed in mine, I'll use that #.

What if we decide to have a beer (or two!) instead of dinner, ya' still want a call?? ”
wanderer
4:54:30 PM
11/04/04

There has to be a trick to this question.

Of course! I owe you a pitcher any old way.”

“Pepperdog
I just wrote you a nice long email..and it came back that funny mailerdeamon.
Can you email me your email address.
The one I sent it too is the webmail one??
That one was the last email I got from you with that address
sorry

Anita”

“I came down with a crummy cold. Started Thursday night and went full blown yesterday. Unless it turns around as fast as it started... I don't think I will be up for a day snowshoe trip.

DEFINATELY NEXT TIME!”

“Anita - My email address is annieb@davis.com. It is the same one I had last summer so I don't know why your message came back to you.

happy trails!”

“Hi Everyone

Just checking to see how the trip was? is anyone back home yet.

I am so sorry I was not able to meet you all on Friday like I so much wanted to! The building inspector did not show up until 1:00 :(
Sure looks like you had wonderful weather for your adventure..still sunny and beautiful here.
Pepperdog, thanks for your email..I sent you an email this morning.”

“We had a great time. We had to change our original itinerary because CalTrans had not plowed the Echo Lake Sno-Park yet. We called the Sno-Park line for CA State Parks before 11AM, but everyone was away for lunch until 2PM. I thought we should name this trip "Our tax dollars at work."

So we went to Loon Lake rather than risk being towed--something the CHP assured us might happen if we left our cars off the road in the area where the roads are not plowed and someone called to comoplain.

Loon Lake is beautiful in the winter. It's probably crawling with people in the summer, but not this time of year.

We snowshoed in along the lake for a mile and a half or so, sometimes on what we thought must be the trail (cut logs lining the way) and sometimes just going along any which way. We stopped at a level area in the trees above the lake around 3PM so we could get set up and have dinner before dark. We got an early start, but spent time picking up our permits and driving to Echo Lake, then back to the permit office to get our money back since we didn't need permits at Loon Lake and the office was quite close to the Loon Lake turn-off.

We had great weather. Saturday, we snowshoed along the lake and then south and up to a ridge overlooking the lake. We had lunch there, then continued down and discovered a beaver pond with a busy beaver at work in it. I hope the photos come out. We went on a ways and up to another almost-ridge before turning back to be in camp before dark.

We got some clouds Saturday evening, making for a pink sunset and some concern about the weather. By full dark, the sky was cloudless and the stars were incredible. I tried to convince Landscaper that we should put on our headlamps and walk down to the lake and lay on rocks and look at the stars. He wasn't going for it. It was weird--we were in the tent ready for bed by 6:45. I couldn't sleep at first.

We left Sunday after breakfast and snowshoed out in record time. We noticed that the snow was melting pretty fast, compared to when we entered. We drove by the Loon Lake Chalet (a future TT trip, for sure), and then into Sacramento, where we tried to rally a group for lunch at Chevy's, but didn't have that many phone numbers with us. Songbyrd did join us.

I'm getting used to this snow thing and can't wait for next time.”

“EVERY trip is a good trip! Having said that, this was a GREAT trip because (a) I got to go! (b) I got to meet some folks I communicated with in the past but never met (Wannabp) (c) they were geat folks to hike with (d) I got to drink some beer (e) I made it home!!

All jokes aside, as usual it is GREAT to get out. Winter is awesome because, in part, the weenies (read: tourons) stay home & you have the place to yourself. Even though Loon Lake is a pretty place with guaranteed access, we saw no one else the entire weekend except at the parking spot upon our return... a couple X-country ski bums were just checking in.

AND...speaking of ski-bums, check out Skibum's thread "Loon Lake fiasco" & sign up for the Chalet trip!

I posted one of my favorite pics from this trip on my newly-formed TT album... follow the link, you can see what it looks like up there!
last edited: 11/08/04 1:15:38 PM”

“Catch-up time...

Freedom - sorry about the cold, but since you said "Definitely Next Time", we'll see ya' at Trailbum's Loon Lake Fiasco!!!

Madeintahoe - sorry we missed, with this much advance notice you have NO EXCUSE not to join us at the Loon Lake Fiasco! Looking forward to meeting you!

Pepper - sorry we missed you for beers / lunch, we tried to call you on the way down the mountain. OK, so now that you can sleep in a warnm chalet next to a fireplace, then go snowshoeing, you have NO excuse not to join in on the Loon Lake Fiasco! See ya' there, if not sooner!

Phaeddy - Hope you had fun walking your doggy, sorry we missed you. I thought that the next beer was on me??? Oh well, I guess we should meet over beers to "discuss" who pays, and who owes who beers.

I'm willing to place another bet... neither of us owes anyone any beers, so we should get together & drink to that! First one's on me!
last edited: 11/08/04 3:12:58 PM”

“I just finished my photos for this trip. Here's the link:

http://community.webshots.com/album/214151579IXcvoz?694

Thanks for the great idea, Wanderer. I really enjoyed myself.”