8/5/14 Tuesday. Walking Into Echo Lake and a Ride To S Lake Tahoe

8/5/14. 15.5 miles 

I warmed up nicely last night despite the rain and slept really well.  It rained most of the night and was raining at 5am so we reset the alarm for 6.  We managed to get most of our packing done before the rain started, my breakfast was power bars. The hike to Dick's Pass was steadily uphill and we got good back views of the rock bound lakes as we climbed higher.

We walked over passes and down into other basins holding multiple lakes strung out like gems on cloth.  Each one I wanted to explore but the trail is our goal right now & I'd love to come back in better weather.

Low hanging cloud spilled over the peaks and hung in wisps over the valleys.  Rain kept spitting off and on and the granite strewn trail got slippery, each step was a chore.  Sharp rocks hurt my feet after hours of balancing and carefully stepping up or down.  We ended up taking short breaks because we  got cold when we stopped for too long and our muscles got stiff.  

Boardwalks in the wilderness!

A brief breakthrough of sun on the distant mountainside got my hopes up.

Then the clouds closed up and rain started again.

A look up the mountain side from the trail.

We took a break beside the trail here then ducked under the split branch of this Sequoia tree.

Despite the weather we met 30 or more people coming into the wilderness to backpack or day hike.  Although we aren't used to seeing this many people it's nice to know folks are enjoying and using the trail. There are even some people out running the trail from Echo Lake 7 miles away.

We had hoped to stop and swim at Aloha Lake because it's said to be so beautiful.  With rain, that won't happen but we do plan on a lunch break there.

Aloha Lake and following photos.

Many rocky islands dot this big lake.  Granite benches stretch beside it and high granite cliffs surround it.  Trees grow in tiny pockets of soil. 

Sequoias blown by wind all point one way like flags.

Hawthorne berries add color to the grey day.

A last look at Aloha Lake.

Lily pads grow on a pond near Aloha Lake.

The trail grew steep and incredibly rocky as we hiked the last 6 miles down hill to Upper and Lower Echo Lakes, the Post Office at Echo Lake Resort was our destination to pick up our resupply boxes.  We skirted the lakes looking down on tiny vacation homes dotting the lake shore and some even built on the rocks. These are old family owned homes, small and quaint, each unique in architecture like fairy tale houses.  Boats, canoes, kayaks and all sorts of water toys are pulled up to the small docks.  Meanwhile above the rooftops Peggy and I made our way down to the end of the lakes to the Chalet, Store and Post. 

This is a view of cloud covered Upper & Lower Echo Lakes.

A look up the trail I just came down.

We are above the lake looking back at the mountains where we came from. 

Arriving at the resort we were able to pick up our boxes, we walked outside to decide what our next step would be when I saw a gentleman in the tiny parking lot eating a sandwich.  I ambled over and asked if he might be going to South Lake Tahoe and if so would he consider giving a lift to two hikers just off the PCT?  He looked at me and asked how much gear we had. "Just my pack, a box and my friend has the same." He said to give him a minute to organize the van and he'd drive over to us and load us up!!!  

They had been staying at their families cabin for a vacation but they could get this rain in Washington where they lived.  They were leaving to drive back through Medford, small world!  They gave us a ride right to the door of Motel 6 where we got a room.

A neat family, we exchanged names at the last minute and I can only remember Tiffany, the mom's name. Nice boys and 2 sweet dogs in the back of the van.  We are blessed to get rides from really nice people!  We'll stay 2 nights in Tahoe and do chores before we take off Thursday for Kennedy Meadows Pack Station at Sonora Pass 5 days away.  There may not be Internet at the next few stops so I'll finish posting this journal when I get home in a little over 2 weeks. In the meantime, keep us in your thoughts and prayers!