I have been named the official journal keeper for the 1994 50-Miler in John Muir Wilderness. By leaving this task solely up to me, I'm sure there will be some inaccuracies. But I will try to record this journey so it is a complete as possible.
Thank you,
Meghan

Friday, July 8, 1994

We were all packed and ready to go from Paul's house by 10:40 am. Having earlier gotten our backpacks compounded, most of us were ready to go--MOST of us. Getting 13 people to head in the same direction at the same time is a hardy task, but our leaders, Paul, Vern, and Kathryn were cut out for the job. Coming along on this adventure is three cadets--Ann, Sierra, and Harmony. Our seniors are Andrea, Karen, Jana, and I (Meghan). We have two troop graduates--Duckie and Sunshine. And lastly, we have Sierra's dad, Roy (who was kind of also like a leader). It is a wonderful group whom I, personally am enjoying very much.

After being on the road for only about and hour and a half, we stopped for lunch in a dreadfully hot place. But all ended up fine--we found a tree to sit under.

We were back on the road around 12:45 and kept trucking until we came upon a bathroom/gas stop. From then on we drove into this beautiful wilderness, only stopping for our camping permit before heading down that wonderful road consisting of gravel to our acclimation campsite.

The area is just beautiful--soaring trees up to the sky and granite made up most of the scenery.

During dinner we all ate our guts out--knowing this was our final taste of real, fresh, edible food for the next week. After burning our trash and bear bagging our food (which we will continue to do the entire week) we climbed into our snug sleeping bags to sleep under the stars.

Saturday, July 9, 1994

We got an extremely early start on our morning (well, extremely yearly for me!), around six am. After a leisurely morning, including a delicious breakfast, we were off on the trail by 9:20 am. We officially left civilization.

The trail to Devil's Bathtub was mild and beautiful for the first three and a half miles. We walked through the forest, by meadows, along a creek, and past many a glorious wildflowers. Some: tigerlily, columbine, pussy paw, queen ann's lace, and snow flower.

'94 50 Miler Hiking day 2 (102KB)

We had lunch on the trail. (Note: for veggie eaters we should prepare some special food when having and all meat item).

On the last part of the trail we climbed 800 vertical feet in one and a half miles. We almost died! But when we finally saw Devil's Bathtub, we realized it was worth it. Once at the lake we picked our campsite, then each person went about their own business. Some explored the beach on the far side of the lake, some went fishing, some swam in the cool water.

Dinner was pretty good (for fake food). I especially liked the apple sauce. At campfire we decided to tackle cross-country tomorrow. I hope it goes okay.

Notes: - With the binoculars, we think we spotted two of Jupiter's moons.

- Rocks make good weights.

Sunday, July 10, 1994

Some were up bright and early fishing (Paul and Andrea, who else do you think?) and some slept in a bit. Either way, I think most of us got a good night's sleep after exercising yesterday. We were on the trail by 9:30 am, an hour after our planned time of departure. Our hike today was only three miles, but three vertical (so it seemed) cross-country miles. Jana and I did the orientating. We learned how to use a compass and maps so as not to lead our troop off a cliff edge. And even though the last 500 vertical feet felt like a cliff, it wasn't. From the looks on our faces once we reached the top of the saddle, your would have thought we touched the sky. We had reached an elevation of 10100 feet. We had climbed 800 vertical feet, cross-country in two and a half hours.

We ate lunch at the top. I have never before been so interested in gorp, or any other food that presented itself after that hike.

Jana, who by the way does not like the cold, and misses her hot, Arizona sun, lead us to our campsite at Lower Graveyard Lake. After exploring the Middle Graveyard Lake, we decided it was the most perfect lake we had seen in out 16 or 17 years on this planet, but it was not fit to camp at (unless hopping over boulders with a forty pound pack fits your fancy). So we camped on the east side of the lower lake. After setting up camp most of us went up to the middle lake to fish, swim, or just hang out. The water is so clear you could see the bottom almost to the middle of the lake.

Dinner went okay. Beef Stroganoff is good if you don't add too much water. The butterscotch pudding went over pretty well. But the biggest surprise was the cream of chicken soup. It was really good!

The worst part about this camp is the mosquitoes. They are rampant! I tried fending them off by wearing my yellow rain suit, but even that didn't work! Luckily they backed off when it grew dark. We had a campfire and sang songs before retiring to bed.

Note: along the trail we came across a campsite that looked as though it was torn apart by a bear. Very interesting, very scary. The kind of thing that reminds you to bear bag your food.

Monday, July 11, 1994

With mosquitoes after our blood, we ate and were packed by 8:50 am. I liked the oatmeal with hot milk, but it didn't seem like enough. The dried strawberries get the prize for being the best dried fruit.

Today was a partial cross-country. Andrea and Karen lead us out of the Graveyard Lakes, up, up, up, to a saddle. At the top you could see for miles and miles in both directions. Nature had a strong presence up on the top of that mountain. As Kathryn said, "This is the Earth!".

Upper Graveyard Lake (111KB)

The way down from the saddle was not so beautiful or enjoyable--at least not for me. We had to scramble down an eternity of rocks with heavy packs tipping you off balance this way and that. Now this is just fine if you are crazy and like this sort of thing as did Sunshine and Andrea, but for the rest of us it was unnerving to say the least. My heart jumped to my throat as I nearly toppled over a rock due to my off-balance pack.

Once to the bottom, I was never so happy to see dirt. We ate lunch and relaxed looking over a pond for an hour or so.

When back on our feet we followed a lovely, flat trail past lakes, trees, and wildflowers for a couple miles. It was all just grand until we hit the mosquitoes and the hill--I'm not sure which one was worse. We hiked up, and up and up some more. By this time we had gone five miles and were pooped out (remember the rocks?). But we had to keep trekking.

At one spot on the trail there was this fairy tail stream that twisted and turned down the hillside, a rainbow of wildflowers following on both sides. It was picture perfect.

And so we kept hiking. Alas, when we all were about to give up and set up camp on the trail, we reached the top and saw the Lake of the Lone Indian. Well, you'd never believe energy could jump back into your body after such a day, but when we saw the lake that exact thing happened.

When we finished scouting the area we picked the campsite near the water on a grassy meadow. Normally we would have preferred a site further from the water, but we didn't have a choice. I love this campsite--near the water, few mosquitoes, no dust!

After taking a quick dip to get off the sweat, mosquito repellent, sunscreen and cortisone, we fixed dinner. Santa Fe chicken was good--not the usual slurpyness. The tomato soup was not so hot, but the cheese cake was to die for. Surely the best dessert yet.

We have decided on a route change. Less miles, not as much backtracking. You never know what it's going to be like until you get out here. Tomorrow is going to be our layover day. I am so excited to wash my clothes--believe me, they are stinky!

One last thing--I would like to say that I have enjoyed nearly very moment of this trip so far. I love being in the wilderness. And the group I am with makes it even more wonderful.

Note: We totaled about seven miles today.

Tuesday, July 12, 1994

Today we hiked three miles to Squaw Lake this is considered out layover day. Although we didn't have to get there until noontime, it was nice to have a day to get things done.

Paul went on a hike to Chief Lake. Jana and I checked out the wildflowers and rivulets running along the far side of the lake. Most everyone washed their clothes and hair and never before enjoyed it quite so much. It feels nice to be clean.

My patrol, Mountain Pride (named by Kathryn after the fuchsia flower that grows in these parts), was reminded of pioneer days while hand washing our clothes. We also noticed that we do a lot more verbal entertainment--singing, story telling, or just talking. We realized how old fashioned we were being and liked it.

In the evening most of the troop sat around the campfire and sang songs while eating a bit of Paul's fishes. Yumm!

I'd have to say the sunset was gorgeous--with moon over the mountain tops and Venus to the side--the sky rust, yellow, blue.

Note: Always wear your shoes in camp.

Wednesday, July 13, 1994

we were to leave by 8:30 am, but it ended up 9:30 am. Not good enough. We started on the hike to Tully Lake going downhill for a couple of miles, then we went uphill the rest of the six miles. The altitude loss and gain was equivalent to a Prasek's Ridge in reverse. But the uphill was so gradually we hardly noticed it. We walked up a stream for a good part of the day and ended up eating lunch next to it.

To me it seemed that this trail was different than all the others we have been on. I think this is because we saw a lot of water and the hike wasn't extremely difficult. I was shocked at how fast we arrived at Tully Lake.

The lake is beautiful, with peaks surrounding it. The most prominent is Morrison Mountain. It has a red color and is shaped in a pyramid-like shape--real flat sides. We decided it was a prop that had been rolled onto the wrong set--it belonged in Arizona.

Red Slate Mountian & Tully Lake (94 KB)
We camped on a flat grassy area above the lake. There was a stream to easily get water from along the camp. Some scattered boulders provided shade and shelter.

Mountain Pride Patrol was slightly bummed out. We realized that this was because we were not getting in 50 miles in out "fifty miler". We are only getting 37 miles. This does not fulfill the goal we have inside of us, so we got bummed out. We confronted Paul with our problem and then poured over the map, mileage, and altitude charts. We couldn't find 13 extra miles that we could complete in the following three days. But at least we got it off our chests.

I learned tonight that bear bagging is much harder than it looks and your best bet is to get a really strong person to help you.

At campfire we recalled dreams, guessed at geology and astronomy, and sang songs. What a day!

Note: the wildflowers on the trail were unbelievable!

Thursday, July 14, 1994

We left Tully Lake at 8:30 am--the first time we were actually on time! It was cross-country over the rocks to the pass. Sunshine gracefully led us over the top. It was hardly bad climbing at all.

Shot Lakes (77 KB)
At the top we ate lunch. The view was beautiful, of course. We took a picture for the Girl Scout Calendar of us in our Troop 253 T-shirts on top of a rock overlooking the view. We also got a group picture.

Going down the pass took much shorter (two hours, fifteen minutes) than going down. We followed the stream. At a couple of points there were some nasty snowball fights including a draw between Paul and Kathryn! Part-way down we had to belay packs and people, another time people with packs on. But alas, we got down to the slight slope that leads to Mott Lake. It was beautiful. This little valley was filled with wildflowers and a stream through the middle.

Once at lake level we camped on a grassy meadow. We decided to stay at Mott Lake for another day instead of at a mosquito-bitten meadow by a stream. It will be a real lay over day!

With the least mosquitoes so far this trip, we cooked dinner and ate in peace. After was the campfire. We sang countless songs while burning our trash.

Note: There is a spotted sparrow's nest in the middle of our camp and she has eggs!

Friday, July 15, 1994

I think some of us tried to sleep in our official layover day, but it wasn't to be. Mountain Pride along with Kathryn and Paul went on a day hike to Rosy Finch Lake. A short but steep ascent to the lake made us happy not to have packs on. You don't realize until they are off how inhibiting they are.

The lake looked completely sterile--that is, it was surrounded by talice on all sides. The water was a deep, clear blue--the whole place beautiful in a harsh sort of manner. We crossed the rocks along the side of the lake, up to the top of the pass. It was here that we ate lunch and had our map reading lesson my Paul.

Along the way back to camp Mountain Pride collected flowers for the Scout's Own. We got armfuls, and when we were back at camp, we strung them onto fishing wire. While we were gone I think everyone relaxed and enjoyed their day off, whether swimming, fishing, or just hanging out. I think the Braid Brigade (Ann, Sierra, and Harmony) is into a certain book that they are reading to each other.

After dinner Andrea and Karen led the troop to the little peninsula where we were holding the Scout's Own. Karen led the ceremony with the help of her fellow scouts. We sang songs, recalled what we enjoyed of what we will remember the most about this journey. Andrea read a poem and explained to us the tradition of the anklets. Each person got a section of the ring of flowers to represent how we are all connected by this unique experience. The ceremony ended and the troop was led back to camp by lantern light. I think this ceremony was quite meaningful to everyone. It made me glad that I was a part of this journey, and sad that it has to come to an end.

Saturday, July 16, 1994

Today was the longest day of my life. We packed up camp for the last time and said good-bye to Mott Lake. Then we mad our way down the trail, collecting wildflowers as we went. The path led us downhill for quite a long time. When we passed the meadow where we would have spent the night, had we not stayed at Mott two nights, we found it to be infested with mosquitoes.

Lunch was spent along the trail. Our final trail meal! A bit after lunch we came to huge Lake Edison. Boy, we were wrong when we thought we were almost to the cars! Miles of ups and downs still awaited us. Near the end of the ten miles we had covered today we were dragging ourselves along the trail, too exhausted to even complain. My feet were truly in pain for the first time this trip. But alas, we saw the cars! Cars! Civilization! Pizza! We were all in shock.

We drove down the rocky road to a spa and all took showers. Now, you don't know what a good shower is until you take on for the first time in a week. Once sparking clean, we drove to the nearest pizza parlor and pigged out. Nearly everyone had a gigantic salad along with lots of hot, thick pizza. Vern and I treated ourselves to and extra large glass of milk. No wonder I got sick.

We didn't get home until 2:00 am. I'm sure each one of us slept soundly.