Backpacking trip - part 1, Tuesday

The plan:

Tuesday (June 26)
~Start at the Marble Creek Trail Head
~Pack in four miles to Twin Lakes trail head
~Drop packs
~Hike an additional mile
~Climb to top of Rock Creek Butte
~Enjoy a late lunch on top of Butte
~Return to Twin Lakes trail head
~Descend one mile to Twin Lakes
~Set up camp for the night
~Enjoy a hot dinner
~Head to bed early

Wednesday
~Get up early
~Pack out of Twin Lakes
~Proceed NW along Elkhorn Ridge
~Pack 10.5 miles to Summit Lake Trail Head
~Descend 1.5 miles to Summit Lake

Thursday
~Pack up 1.5 miles to Crest Trail
~6 miles along trail
~Descend into Dutch Flat Lake for the night

Friday
~Dutch Flat Lake to Crest Trail
~4 miles on Crest Trail to Anthony Lakes
~Enjoy lunch with our family at Anthony Lakes picnic area
~Go home for a long deserved shower

So that was our optimistic plan. No problems, strait through the trail, lots to see, and lots of tired feet.

Our first snag hit us first thing. Our ride could only take us within 3.5 miles of the trail head. So at 9am on Tuesday morning, we headed up the road to the trail head. It was a steep road. We ate our lunch somewhere on that road. We were exhausted by the time we reached the trail head at 2pm. At that point another 4 miles seemed daunting. Especially when we realized that it too would be another gradual uphill climb.

After a nice long rest and applying a fresh patch to my blister, we were on the Elkhorn Crest Trail at last. Four hours later we finally made it to the Twin Lakes Trail Head. We were ready for dinner and a much deserved night of sleep. The thought of a mile down hill switchback trail was more than our shaky legs could bear.

Plan B:
We made the decision to camp on the trail for the night. Wes made a fire and we made dinner and set up camp. The only problem with sleeping on the ridge was that our best water source was at the lake. So we decided that we would just melt and filter snow. Lovely idea. It took forever. It tasted nasty too. Were we really going to drink that nasty for 12 miles? YUCK!

The cool things about the day included amazing views, our first of many mountain goat sightings, more amazing views, meadows of wildflowers, more amazing views, and a beautiful pink cloud sunset.