20 September 2017, Wednesday
It was not quite as cold last night as the wind had finally died down, but this morning is once again quite chilly and we eagerly wait for the sun to crest the ridge. Meanwhile we sip hot coffee and cook up our potato cake. As our hike today is shorter than yesterday’s, O gives me a lesson in taking bearings with his compass. By 11 am we are on the trail. Although it is sunny we both keep an extra layer on while hiking. It is definitely cooler today than yesterday.
We cross the boulder bridge at Dingleberry’s inlet and climb back to the junction for Hungry Packer and Midnight Lake. This time we take the right fork. In the thin air at our 10,000-11,000 foot elevation, the blue of the sky and the green of the trees is startlingly bright. We walk along an alpine stream and can see waterfalls where it tumbles down from the hidden lake above. The brisk winds seem to have cleared much of the smokey haze to our east and we have a much better view of the mountains across Bishop Valley.
O and I pause on yet another expanse of granite, our backs to a low rock wall, to rest and enjoy the sun. We both realize that we haven’t been eating enough in the cold mountain air so we have lunch a bit early and resolve to eat more dessert with our supper this evening. As we watch, billowy cumulus clouds rise over the arete behind us. We are chilled as they temporarily block the sun and subsequently enjoy our basking all the more as the clouds pass.
After lunch we resume our climb to Midnight Lake. It most likely takes its name from its midnight blue color. We photograph the gorgeous lake and head back down the trail. I am very happy to cross the boulder bridge back at Dingleberry for the final time. Balancing on rocks above water is not my favorite thing to do.
Back at camp we munch chocolate bars as an appetizer and wait for dinner to rehydrate. The wind is picking up again so we clean up quickly and dive into the tent by 6:30 in an effort to keep warm. The outside temperature is in the high 30’s F.