This year the Mountain Sabbatical went up early as the Sierra Spring was waning. Went over Piute Pass and remained in the Humphrys basin. Read on . . . .

THE BACKCOUNTRY THIS YEAR

Some thunderstorms for the Spring, so everything was verdant and streams were running. There were traces of snow on the peaks, but those looked sparse and not likely to last through until Fall.

THE TRIP

This time the plans remained unambitious largely due to the leg injury which cancelled last year's trip and truncated the trip of 2012. A reminder of that trip is the disabled placard you see reflected in the window as we drive through the Chocolate Hills to North Lake.

The route up from North Lake at 9800 feet elevation passes along the road for a quarter mile to the campground and through it until diverges within 100 yards from the trail to Lamarck Lakes among the tall pines and a sandy trail sprinkled with some rock. The view from the parkinglot entices with semi-occluded views of alpine delights to come.

After three miles of moderate uphill hiking, you ascend some stone steps to get to the outflow of the first lake.

2014 - PIUTE PASS, HUMPHRYS BASIN

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