Fun Anniversary Trip, or FAT, follows the Annual Camping Trip, or ACT.
Last year MM and I celebrated our 25th Wedding Anniversary by visiting the Virginia Lakes without the Miracle Squad. The location was beautiful and we wanted to share this blessing with others. Thus, this year, we revisited the area with the kids, the Cracker, and da Wiz.
The goal for this year was to catch a Golden Trout!
Monday - July 27th
It was a long drive from SacTown to the campsite. We leisurely took breaks along the way. We drove through Hwy 88, up to Hwy 395, and arrived at our destination around 5 PM, just in time for dinner.
View from campsite.
Unloading and setting up.
Before she goes in the water.
Kids on the 5-foot boulder in the middle of our campsite.
Getting ready for dinner.
With assist from Ms. Mystic.
After dinner, we strolled around the lake to see if we could catch breakfast for the next day. A few casts with the Z, and lo and behold, we got a volunteer :-)
We camped by Trumbull Lake - 9,688 feet elevation.
Volunteer for breakfast
We gonna need more volunteers.
We ain't in SacTown anymore. It's starting to get cold.
Lines tangled?!? Fisherman's worst nightmare :-)
No Golden Trout in Trumbull Lake @ 9,688 feet in elevation :-(
Tuesday - July 28th
By 6:30 AM, da Wiz and I got a couple more fish for breakfast.
Visitor, nicknamed "Pucci," came for breakfast. Sorry, no food for wild animals.
Did I say it was cold at night and in the early morning?
From left to right, Master Fisherman, Cracker and Monk.
I'm fine as long as we don't hike :-)
We took our sweet time at breakfast and decided to hike up to higher country around noon. But first, we stopped by Big Virginia Lake to have a picnic (~0.1 mile into our hike). At this location, little j complained of the strenuous task of... walking?!? So we decided that MM and little j would remain at camp while the rest of us would hike 1.5 miles to Moat Lake.
I like picnics.
I'm tired of walking, mommy.
Come on, let's go get Golden Trout!
We walked a two hundred feet increase in elevation in 0.2 mile to get to Blue Lake (El. 9,886 ft.). At this point, we veered left and passed the Miners Cabin. We continued on for 1 mile and arrived at Cooney Lake (El. 10,246 ft.). It was around 1:30 PM when we wet the lines. A few casts and we saw little 3- to 4-inch trout chasing our lures in. We decided this would not be a good time to fish and headed back down the mountain.
Ready to hike!
Blue Lake (El. 9,886 ft.)
Arrived at Cooney Lake (El. 10,246 ft.)
We learned along the way that we took the wrong turn and would not be able to reach Moat Lake. We were informed by a Good Samaritan to go back the way we came, past the Miners Cabin, and look for a trail veering left to Moat Lake. She warned us that the trail was faint and would be hard to find. We were told that the trail would be very steep in some locations going from 9,800 feet to 10,600 feet within a mile. At the report, Master Fisherman and Monk opted not to continue on with the hike and went back to camp.
So the remaining gamers were da Wiz, Ms. Mystic, Ms. MC, and I. So back we went; past the Miners Cabin we went. Around 2 PM we veered off to what we thought was a trail. We climbed a steep slope to get to a clearing where we could see Blue Lake down below. We were very excited. Then we realized there was no trail! The group decided that I, JU, should climb over the peak to see if there was such a thing as Moat Lake full of Golden Trout! Da Wiz thought that maybe Moat Lake dried out due to the drought. Thus, for the following half an hour, I climbed what seemed to be an impossible climb. The peak was only 11,100 feet, but at some locations, I had to do vertical rock climbing to prop myself up. Finally, at 3:10 PM, when the peak was within reach, I received a revelation: "You are searching for a trail for your group to climb. They will not be able to take this path!" Thus, I reported back to the group that we would have to try again another time because I could not find the trail. It was a very disheartening report :-(
That was a difficult climb.
I'm ready.
I think we made it: "The lake dried up."
I can't see daddy anymore.
No Golden Trout for the day.
Wednesday - July 29th
While the Golden Trout proved to be difficult, we had no problem with Rainbow Trout because, once again, we caught enough by breakfast time.
Fresh trout.
Another visitor at breakfast time.
Where did Bambi go?
Trolling around.
After breakfast we attempted to find Moat Lake again. This time, however, only da Wiz, Ms. Mystic, and I would pave the way, while the rest of the group would stay at camp. We did find the trail head that leads to Moat Lake. It was faint and hard to see; but once we found it, there were a lot of markers to keep us on track. Some parts of the hike were at 25% to 30% slope and were difficult to climb. It took us one hour just to hike 1.5 miles to the lake. What a great blessing to be there. The lake was beautiful.
Second time around.
I guess the lake is not dried up after all.
Moat Lake (El. 10,573 ft.)
Where is JU? Can you find him?
We arrived at 1 PM, not the best time to fish, but we had to try. I hiked and fished the entire lake in 2 hours! I saw a lot of 14-inchers swimming around. I managed 3 hookups with the Z! One fell off the hook just inches away from shore :-( Thus, I couldn't tell if these were Brookies or Goldens that I hooked up. I was just so dumbfounded that these natives would hit the Z in broad daylight! What a tremendous blessing! Needless to say, no Goldies for us again. Until next time, if God's willing....
The trek back down to camp was easy. We got back in 45 minutes and took off for Bishop and treated ourselves to a delicious dinner at Denny's:-)
What's up with Denny's?
Thank YOU, Lord Jesus, for a blessed 26th year wedding anniversary. We thank YOU for family and friends that you continue to bless us with along the way....
Thursday - July 30th
This was a touring day. After our usual morning fishing trip and breakfast, we visited the Mono Lake Education Center and the Mammoth Lakes Basin area.
With the best man at our side for all those years.
Caught a trout by the tail.
Looking up from Lower Twin Lake.
Picnic at Lake Mary.
Lake George through the trees.
Lake George by the shore.
Lake George.
Lake Mamie.
Looking down from the top of Twin Falls.
Top of Twin Falls.
A sad look at Horseshoe Lake, down by more than 30 feet? It was full last year.
Busted. Actually, the entire Mammoth Lakes area has cell reception.
Can we go back to camp yet?
Upper Twin Lake. Nailed more rainbows with the Z at this lake :-)
We got back to camp around 8 PM, just enough time for a romantic boat ride around the lake. MM had a couple of take downs, but none boated. It was fun just paddling around....
Serious fishermen.
None boated, but it was fun.
Let's burn all the wood tonight!
Gotta a fishing pole for me?
Can't see you with all the camo.
Friday - July 31st
On the way back home, we managed to stop by the Walker River and the Carson River for a few casts. There were "too many rocks!"
I see you.
Dancing at the Walker.
A park in the wilderness.
Too many rocks and not enough water.
Way too many rocks!
Oh, by the way, although we did not catch a Golden trout this time, we were blessed with a native 11-inch Brookie from Trumbull Lake on Thursday night :-)
