6/10/14 Tuesday Arrival at Horseshoe Meadow.

Last night I'm certain we heard the sound of Night Hawks, they make an unusual sound with their wings. 

It was cool at night sleeping at this elevation but we both snuggled into our bags and warm clothes and were fine. 

We had 3.5 more uphill miles this morning and could not believe how beautiful it was, we took many photos and took time to explore to the edges of some overlooks. 

The Owens Valley is laid out far below.

The morning light fades out the photo but the rocks were amazing as the trail wound through them.

Peggy on her own overlook. 

We came upon a lovely sky and couldn't get enough photos of it. 

Old Bristle Cone Pines among the rocks. 

More lovely clouds.

We took many photos as we traveled up these mountains and contoured around them down to the next valleys.  We were slowly coming down from 10,000 ft to 8,000 where we got water and chatted with other hikers resting by the trail.

We are headed for Mulkey Pass and out a side trail to meet Robin at Horseshoe Meadow. He is going to take us down to Lone Pine and then drive us up to Sierra City.  

A hiker named Birdfood passed us going a good fast pace up the mountains.  I'm still laboring up the slopes having to stop often for breath. We came to Mulkey Pass Trail where we saw this sign in the dirt made with rocks.

It says P. O. Rock (post office rock) 

This is how the hikers communicate with each other!  Notes in plastic bags anchored with a rock are sitting in the trail on top of the flat  Post Office Rock!

We scrambled down Mulkey Pass, not a clear trail and rock strewn but we exited in a big sandy meadow and followed foot prints to the other side. By now clouds were dark and gathering, looks like rain. 

Horseshoe Meadow. 

The Meadow with a tiny stream through it. 

We walked to a paved road and found a walk-in camp with bear boxes for all our food and anything with a scent to it.  This is active bear country. 

It began to rain as we finished putting up the tents and had heated water for dinner.  We climbed into our tents to eat and get out of the rain.  We met Birdfood there, he was trying to get to Lone Pine to rest his terribly blistered feet. When he couldn't hitch a ride he decided to camp near us.  We tucked in for the night as the rain fell.  It didn't last long and wasn't a hard rain but darkness fell and we slept. 

There had been a hiker earlier in the day named Bam Bam who needed to get to Lone Pine to fix his pack.  I'd given him Robin's phone number in case he got to Lone Pine and needed help.  I didn't see him at Horseshoe Meadow so I figured he'd gotten a ride to town.