Outdoor Adventures with Ancient Brit
PCT 2002 - June 17th
Day 62: Monday 17th June Cold Creek – Badger Lake
In the morning, it was only 5 miles to Red’s Meadow, which I approached through an
area badly damaged by a major fire, started by lightning, in 1992. I didn’t visit Rainbow
falls on this trip as this early in the day it would have been in the shade and photographs
wouldn’t be much good. In the afternoon sun falling on the spray from the waterfall
produces a bright rainbow.
Red’s Meadow was a trail ranch with a small store and café at the end of a road from
the Mammoth Lakes Ski Resort. In the 1870’s the French trail, a toll trail, passed
through Red’s Meadow, allowing gold miners to pass through the Sierras. A paved road
was planned crossing the Sierras through Red’s Meadow, but fortunately was turned
down after President Reagan visited the ranch in 1977. I had a big breakfast here and
bought enough food here to get me to my next food supply at Tuolumne Meadows.
Leaving Red’s Meadow I deviated via the Devil’s Postpile. This rock formation consisting
of polygonal basaltic columns was created 900,000 years ago by the cooling and cracking
of hot lava.
I caught up with Scott and Rachel at the Minaret Falls and walked with them for
much of the afternoon. While resting at Agnews Meadow Trailhead we were surprised by
the appearance of “Purboy” and “ Billy Goat”. “Purboy had been off the trail, ill, for a
few days, but was going well now. “Billy Goat” was “flip-flopping” and had already hiked
much of the trail in Northern California. Now he was hiking the section to Donner Pass
before returning to Kennedy Meadows for the traverse of the High Sierra. He reported
that “Kiwi” was also flip-flopping, having missed out the High Sierra, intending to walk
it with his New Zealand girlfriend in July. He had lost touch with “Cloudwalker” but
“Purboy” had met him at Trail Pass still suffering from his knee problems. I camped
with “Purboy and “Billy Goat” at one of the small Badger Lakes. “Purboy” was now
carrying a fishing rod and unsuccessfully tried to catch fish to supplement his dinner.
Day 62: 19.9 miles 8.57 hours Camp: Badger Lake
In the morning, it was only 5 miles to Red’s Meadow, which I approached through an
area badly damaged by a major fire, started by lightning, in 1992. I didn’t visit Rainbow
falls on this trip as this early in the day it would have been in the shade and photographs
wouldn’t be much good. In the afternoon sun falling on the spray from the waterfall
produces a bright rainbow.
Red’s Meadow was a trail ranch with a small store and café at the end of a road from
the Mammoth Lakes Ski Resort. In the 1870’s the French trail, a toll trail, passed
through Red’s Meadow, allowing gold miners to pass through the Sierras. A paved road
was planned crossing the Sierras through Red’s Meadow, but fortunately was turned
down after President Reagan visited the ranch in 1977. I had a big breakfast here and
bought enough food here to get me to my next food supply at Tuolumne Meadows.
Leaving Red’s Meadow I deviated via the Devil’s Postpile. This rock formation consisting
of polygonal basaltic columns was created 900,000 years ago by the cooling and cracking
of hot lava.
I caught up with Scott and Rachel at the Minaret Falls and walked with them for
much of the afternoon. While resting at Agnews Meadow Trailhead we were surprised by
the appearance of “Purboy” and “ Billy Goat”. “Purboy had been off the trail, ill, for a
few days, but was going well now. “Billy Goat” was “flip-flopping” and had already hiked
much of the trail in Northern California. Now he was hiking the section to Donner Pass
before returning to Kennedy Meadows for the traverse of the High Sierra. He reported
that “Kiwi” was also flip-flopping, having missed out the High Sierra, intending to walk
it with his New Zealand girlfriend in July. He had lost touch with “Cloudwalker” but
“Purboy” had met him at Trail Pass still suffering from his knee problems. I camped
with “Purboy and “Billy Goat” at one of the small Badger Lakes. “Purboy” was now
carrying a fishing rod and unsuccessfully tried to catch fish to supplement his dinner.
Day 62: 19.9 miles 8.57 hours Camp: Badger Lake
Tarn in fire-damaged
woodland
woodland
Rainbow Falls, 2000
Devil's Postpile
San Joaquin River
Minaret Falls
Rachel and Scott
Ancient Brit at camp
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