UPPER ROCK LAKE
June 21 - 23, 2016
Camp Fires and Roasted Hotdogs
GOING PLACES WITH SMILES ON OUR FACES
After several date changes Coral and Stacie were finally going to Rock Lake. 4 years ago we had camped at Culbertson Lake and day hiked to upper Rock Lake and found what we thought would be a great lakeside camp. We vowed to come back. During our last pack trip to Point Reyes, we planned Rock lake. Hot dog roasts, smores, float tubes, wine, vodka, appetizers, all the luxuries since it was such a short hike of 3 1/2 miles. Coral picked Stacie up from a turn out on hwy 20, in the freshly washed Range Rover. However, the Rover didn't stay clean long. After some debate, we once again took the long way in, and not only got the car dirty, but got it scratched. If only we had decided to go up the steep muddy hill. After parking at Lyndsey Lake, we put on our fully loaded 40lb packs and headed out for a short, flat, 3 1/2 mile hike. Well it was 3 1/2 miles, but it wasn't flat. Mostly uphill the whole way. Coral said she didn't remember it being so much uphill. Stacie said she remembered saying she wouldn't want to hike to Rock lake with backpacks. Oh well, we were rewarded with the same beautiful lakeside camp we remembered. The hot dogs were so delicious and we had smores for desert. It's never a dull trip, and this one did not fail to elicit laughter. Stacie somehow managed to get her bear bag hung up on a branch when the excess rope that was looped onto the bag got tangled up on not one but two small twigs on the limb. With Herculean efforts by Coral, we were able to get it untangled just before it got too dark to see. Couldn't have been the two buzz balls Stacie drank...The ever present Rummy game began with Coral off to a quick lead. Coral kept a great fire going with her "white wood" so we played until after 10. We watched an amazing full moon come up with it's reflection in the lake. The end to a great day. The next day was spent gathering wood, sunning, swimming and taking turns laying in the hammock. Of course the rummy game continued and we ate more. Another great fire was built and tended by Coral and the last of the hot dogs and marshmallows were eaten. Played rummy well into the night as Stacie had taken the lead, and Coral was not ready to concede. Watched the moon rise again, a lot later than the previous night. Alas, Stacie won the rummy game... that's two trips in a row that Stacie was the winner. Thursday morning we packed up and hit a down hill trail, thankfully. We were out in no time and topped off our trip with a cheeseburger from the Donner Lake Kitchen, where Coral and Stacie parted ways. Another successful trip! And thankfully the Rover's scratches were buffed out after a hefty price. Miles: approximately 6.2