Last month in California we "won a free stay" at Bearpaw Meadow. It's the high sierra camp 11 miles in from Crescent Meadow trailhead in Sequoia National Park.

 

http://outdoors.webshots.com/photo/1468778908058949933UJffUY         (Not my picture)

 

Trail hiking is one of the joys of life & the Sierras are one of th efinest places in the world to enjoy beautiful mountain scenery along with perfect weather. For people who do not want to backpack self-sufficiently but want to be in the mountains for more than a day hike, the high sierra camps are a good, but pricy, alternative to camping on your own.

 

Bearpaw has a series of tent cabins with real beds, a showerhouse, a cooking and dining tent and a few other facilities including the official Ranger station for the trail. It is a messy little compund nestled on a height with a beautiful vista facing with good sunsets. There is a porch and there is wine available. That pretty much sums it up.

 

The cooking is excellent, but "campy" with large portions of hearty food well-prepared. (Plus being hungry and being oudoors always increase enjoyment of al foods.)Dinner and breakfast are included in the nightly price. Sandwich lunches and wine are extra cost. Giant brownies are available for snacks at all hours of the day as well.

 

The hike up to Hamilton Lakes (it is an 8 mile up-and-back day hike from Bearpaw) is breathtaking and highly recommended! It took about 6 hours including about an hour messing around in the lake.

 

If you want to know how we were able to "win" a free stay at Bearpaw, just scroll down to the post below that says "Free trail ride."

 

Here is another link with a bit more info:  http://www.raysadventures.com/united-states/california/bearpaw-meadows-high-sierra-camp/

Tonight's moon (especially  huge and luminous) brings . . . Loba . . . en espanol:

 

 

(slightly different video)

"The moon's awake now

With eyes wide open."

 

Last night 's moon (nearly full) looked pretty impressive, and tonight's could be even more so. Wednesday night is the actual full moon, but it should look full tonight as well. It's the Sturgeon Moon.

 

Be careful with your coffee mug. She-wolf is out.

 

 

 

Let's say there is a certain someone who wants to go on a nice long trail ride, on a beautiful mountain path, and let's say that she doesn't want to pay any money but just go for free. I know a certain special someone who has figured out a way to do this. And it worked. But . . .  I'm not sure I recommend it. You decide.

 

First, you get a lot of backpack gear together. Make it enough stuff that you could camp out on the trail for about ten days. Plenty of food. Tent, sleeping bag, all the good stuff.

 

Invite some other people along who want to go backpacking in the mountains. Make sure they have their own stuff, because you are going to abandon them as soon as you can.

 

Start out on the trail, walking along just minding your own business waiting for a trail ride to come along. Horses and riders. Make sure they have mules too.

 

When the trail riders go by and the mules are just alongside, spook one of the mules so they all get scared and start sliding around in the general vicinity of your feet. Keep your boots on for this. Just when one of the mules picks up its hoof slide your own foot right underneath so it "accidentally" has to step on your own foot.

 

Act really surprised, pretending that you are now in quite a bit of pain. HINT: the harder you let the mule step down the easier this part will be.

 

As soon as the mule gets off of your foot, take off your boot to check your "injuries" and point out the black and blue sections to passersby. If you don't have any black and blue sections see if you can get another mule to come by.

 

Put your pack down so someone else can carry it for you all the way to the semi-luxurious High Sierra camp that is pretty pricy unless you can figure out some way to get a free stay for a night or two.

 

Check what they are serving for dinner that night.

 

And breakfast the next morning.

 

Hobble around camp while using the shower, tent cabin, and outhouse as needed.

 

When the pack company that is running the horse and mule train offers to let you ride out so that you don't have to hike anymore, act all hesitant and take a couple of days to "think it over" while sitting around on the scenic porch sipping tea, coffee, or lemonade. Make friends with the other people who are staying at the High Sierra camp but have to pay actual money for the privilege.

 

Finally, after thinking it over as long as possible, "decide" that you should go ahead and take their offer of letting you ride out on horseback. 

 

Act all concerned about whether you will be able to "make it" on the four-hour ride. Also tell them you want their nicest and cutest wrangler to lead the ride.

 

Tell your husband that he will have to hike out. But you're willing to carry all the heavy stuff so he can be there in time to get the van and drive it to the trail head so that your ride will be waiting. (Then just let the mules carry all of the heavy stuff.)

 

During the trail ride make sure that you don't smile too much so no one will think that you are enjoying it. Act all worried about how uncomfortable the ride might be.

 

When you get off of the horse four hours later walk around all stiff acting like your legs are really, really sore from the ride.

 

Especially your knees.

 

Vow to come back "someday" to actually go backpacking.

Lycanthropy = delusions of being a wild animal

 

"Nocturnal creatures are not so prudent,

The moon's my teacher and I'm her student."