Outdoor Adventures with Ancient Brit
PCT 2002 - June 29th
Day 74: Saturday 29th June Gilmore Lake – above Barker Creek
I had another 1,000ft to climb to reach Dick’s Pass early in the morning, followed by
a steep descent down snow-covered slopes to the rockbound Fontanillis Lake. From here
the trail drops down further to Middle Velma Lake. This lake gets crowded in the season,
with fairly easy access and plenty of rock-slabs for sunbathing and for diving off into the
clear water. The water was the warmest so far and I took advantage of this to take a
swim. On leaving the lake I met a Park Ranger, who was clearing up campsites around
the lake. She was the only Ranger on the entire hike who wanted to see my permit for
hiking the PCT. Fortunately PCT thru-hikers don’t require a separate permit for each
area passed through.
The trail now went through thick forest over undulating terrain. There were a lot of
large dead trees with their tops broken off by gale-force winds. This is another region
where the PCT avoids the most best, overused areas. The Tahoe–Yosemite trail follows a
better line passing through basins dotted with many beautiful rockbound tarns and
lakes. Mark and Rachel caught up with me when I stopped for lunch. Like most thru-
hikers they had spent a day off in the fleshpots of South Lake Tahoe. I was intending to
stop for dinner at Richardson Lake, but like many lakes with car access the lakeshores
weren’t all that attractive, so I stopped in a clearing above Miller Creek with enough
breeze to keep away the Mosquitoes. Lee and Ann passed as I was having dinner. They
were looking for somewhere to camp, but didn’t fancy the mosquitoes around the camp
so they ended up going on.
After dinner I was continuing along the trail when I was overtaken by three men and
their dogs, carrying rakes and long-handled secateurs and I walked with them up to Bear
Lake Road where their car, an SUV (Sports Utility Vehicle) was parked. John, Jason and
Eric had a big supply of beer in a cooler in the car and I was plied with more than was
good for me. They had been developing a climbing crag over the past 4 years and since
this was their first visit of the year they had taken along their gardening implements to
improve the trail up to the crag. When I left them, I also took a beer with me to have as
a nightcap. I camped above Barker Creek as it was getting dark, having walked 20 miles
in the day.
Day 74: 20.1 miles 8.48 miles Camp: above Barker Creek
I had another 1,000ft to climb to reach Dick’s Pass early in the morning, followed by
a steep descent down snow-covered slopes to the rockbound Fontanillis Lake. From here
the trail drops down further to Middle Velma Lake. This lake gets crowded in the season,
with fairly easy access and plenty of rock-slabs for sunbathing and for diving off into the
clear water. The water was the warmest so far and I took advantage of this to take a
swim. On leaving the lake I met a Park Ranger, who was clearing up campsites around
the lake. She was the only Ranger on the entire hike who wanted to see my permit for
hiking the PCT. Fortunately PCT thru-hikers don’t require a separate permit for each
area passed through.
The trail now went through thick forest over undulating terrain. There were a lot of
large dead trees with their tops broken off by gale-force winds. This is another region
where the PCT avoids the most best, overused areas. The Tahoe–Yosemite trail follows a
better line passing through basins dotted with many beautiful rockbound tarns and
lakes. Mark and Rachel caught up with me when I stopped for lunch. Like most thru-
hikers they had spent a day off in the fleshpots of South Lake Tahoe. I was intending to
stop for dinner at Richardson Lake, but like many lakes with car access the lakeshores
weren’t all that attractive, so I stopped in a clearing above Miller Creek with enough
breeze to keep away the Mosquitoes. Lee and Ann passed as I was having dinner. They
were looking for somewhere to camp, but didn’t fancy the mosquitoes around the camp
so they ended up going on.
After dinner I was continuing along the trail when I was overtaken by three men and
their dogs, carrying rakes and long-handled secateurs and I walked with them up to Bear
Lake Road where their car, an SUV (Sports Utility Vehicle) was parked. John, Jason and
Eric had a big supply of beer in a cooler in the car and I was plied with more than was
good for me. They had been developing a climbing crag over the past 4 years and since
this was their first visit of the year they had taken along their gardening implements to
improve the trail up to the crag. When I left them, I also took a beer with me to have as
a nightcap. I camped above Barker Creek as it was getting dark, having walked 20 miles
in the day.
Day 74: 20.1 miles 8.48 miles Camp: above Barker Creek
Dick's Peak from
Dick's Pass
Dick's Pass
Ancient Brit at Middle
Velma Lake
Velma Lake
John, Jason and Eric
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