Aug 9 3.5 miles from Showers Lake

9:10am Holy cow! It sure was windy last night. I had to add extra line to my back pole and attach to a tree. Rocks on all anchors and everything held well. I did have to wear earplugs due to my tent flopping-very noisy! It was still windy when I got up around 6am so I was also quite cold. Scurrying around helped and I took off at 7ish with my wind gear on. It only took ten minutes till I had to stop and remove everything extra. Such is the effect of exercise. I saw my first marmots this morning. I heard their warning cry before I saw them. They are such cute, furry critters. I’ll be seeing them a lot now as I am moving onto their habitat-alpine rocks.

12:38 Echo Summit Trailhead 7,380’

Well I’ve sorted out what food I have and what I need to pick up @ Berkeley camp. I’ve got 2.2 miles to walk to the next and final trailhead then four more miles to go before I am done for the day. Stay tuned for the next installment as this will be mailed today.

Aug. 9 Tamarack Lake 8000’

7:25- I pulled a 10 hr. day today. Of course that included many breaks and my resupply stop at Berkley camp. They are very kind to let me leave my stuff there and come back for it when I’m done. Nice people.

I am camped at a lovely little lake, for the first time with other people. I met a man named Scott who is out here with a small part of his Boy Scout troop. I count three adults and three kids. I guess that’s enough supervision. Anyway, I got to talk light weight gear with him which was fun. Later I was walking by with my H2O bottles trying to find the lake inlet and he offered me some filtered water. In return I gave him some plastic repair tape; I’ve been carrying in my repair kit, so he can fix a leak in his water bladder. A fair trade. It is a relief to be around other backpackers. I haven’t had to watch my back to keep from being run over by bicyclists since yesterday at 3:30pm. I didn’t realize how much of my attention was put towards that awareness of danger. Not that they are bad people or anything it’s just the speed at which they can come upon you. It can be unnerving.

I met a young woman on the trail this afternoon. She’s a back country ranger and had spent the week working with a youth group building trails. She was looking forward to an ice cream at the store on Echo Lake. She did ask where I was planning to stay, but I said I wasn’t sure and that I was doing the Tahoe Rim Trail. She said, “Oh, so you’re just moving on through.” Yes, I guess she’s right about that. I was surprised she did not ask me for a permit. I probably reminded her of her grandmother. J

The wind is blustery again tonight. I hope it calms down so it won’t knock my tent about all night.

Tomorrow my quest will be for safe drinking water and Middle Velma Lake-14 miles. Today’s total miles-14.5. Trip’s total miles 120.