Day 14: from Wooley Creek to Abbott Lake

Good morning hill!

This was the start of our morning: lost the trail, then realized the trail was up the hill. The steep, dusty hill composed of mine tailings and poison oak. We hiked along Wooley Creek, then crossed it. The water was deep, and so very cold. We dropped to the ground on the opposite side, warming our feet and gasping and celebrating another successful crossing.

Found the trail!

Gorgeous, cold Wooley Creek.

A bit early in the season for swimming - we decided we'd return to Wooley Creek later.

Then we hiked uphill to a ridgeline for about 5 miles, a long slog. Emily and I told each other stories. I felt like we each knew members of the other's families and friends - people we had never met, but told through the other's eyes. We were also silent for long stretches, each in her own head. We got down to the Bug Gulch trail, which would take us out of the wilderness. We had hiked here two years before, but hadn't gotten to Abbott Lake. We decided to head up to the lake because we still had some energy, and because "Bug Gulch" isn't much for atmosphere.

Abbott Lake, in its steep-walled cirque.

I sat in the sun, sending our "OK" message on the satellite transmitter. I reclined on a rock and considered my happiness, and the wonder that I could just go hiking for a month.

I finished Angle of Repose and opened my next novel, East of Eden, which mirrored Angle of Repose in many of its themes ("taming" the west, particularly), but was very different in style. Where Wallace Stegner wrote beautifully and with incredible empathy, I found Steinbeck to be somewhat flat and cold. But I read it voraciously, without distraction. 

Total miles: 11.5 including to Abbott Lake; about 4000 ft. elevation gain total