Rachel Lake

Rachel Lake, south end.

Friday, 1:30 PM
July 1, 1983 – Day Six
Rachel Lake

Here we are at scenic, trashy Rachel Lake. You could fill a dumpster with the garbage people have left here. I'll see if I can get our group to carry some of it out. Cans, foil, plastic, even a jar half full of peanut butter … what the hell do people think when they leave this shit? That the animals are going to eat it? Makes me angry that people are so damned stupid!

There were two parties camped here at the lake last night – the boys in the Timberline tent and two more guys in a little North Face tent. This last pair had a smoky fire going as we trotted past.

We didn't get started very early. I lay in the tent until 10 AM, savoring my last morning in the high country.   I finally got up and fed the dogs a half a pouch of dog food each and then packed everything up.  It seemed to take forever to get ready to go, but we were finally on our way by 11:30 AM and reached our preselected campsite at about noon.

I had no problem in finding and sticking to the trail this time. As expected, Micki led me right to the trail.  My preferred camping spot on top of the rocks was free, so I immediately set up my little tent in the primo spot. I'll fight it out with the rest of the party later, assuming they do show up.

It rained during this set-the–tent-up operation and has continued to do so all day.

The dogs and I went to the outlet stream and filled both water bottles and my blue water bag. The stream is only about 100 yards away, so this is really a great campsite. Having seen the trashy habits of the lake's previous tenants, I'm filtering all water for cooking and drinking.

We have one of the most isolated camps possible at this poor peopled-out lake. Our spot sits on a little rise some 50-60’ above the lake and back from it, and overlooks Box Canyon. There is a fair view of Hi Box Mountain and Rampart Ridge. I don't know if you can see Alta Peak or not, because it has been socked in pretty much the last fifteen hours. Visibility is limited.

We have the penthouse, so to speak. I hope the others will appreciate the efforts I made to procure this this primo site. I can just hear them saying, “But we want to be the water!”

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