Emigrant Wilderness

Our annual weeklong backpacking trip brought us this year along the Emigrant Wilderness trails in the California Sierras.

This trip was much different from last year trip along the Lost Coast. First of all, it was much more challenging, as we descended into valleys and climbed mountains, all while at 8000ft elevation. I enjoyed the scenery very much: from the steep switch backs, built by the California Conservation Corps, to the lily pad covered mountain lakes, to the small and crystal clear rivers. 

After a long day of huffing and puffing along the trail, there was nothing better than a bath in the mountain lakes, and then a hearty backpacker dinner. 

We hiked the trail starting at Crabtree, and set up camp at Camp Lake, Gem Lake, Emigrant Lake, Piute Lake, Bear Lake and back home. We passed many more meadows and lakes. Jewelry Lake was especially beautiful.

Next year, perhaps Desolation Wilderness?

Food prep

For the past week, I have been cutting, cooking, and dehydrating a variety of foods for the upcoming backpacking trip to the Emigrant Wilderness. My bear can is filled to the brim with the following meals for four adults:

1. Dehydrated vegetable soup
2. Coffee and tea
3. Daily snack packs with almonds, 2 energy bars and a few jelly beans
4. Chicken curry (recipe)

5. Vegetarian Indian dal (recipe). It took me quite a while to dehydrate the dal into bark.
6. Pineapple upside down cake (recipe)
7. Oatmeal and dried fruits and nuts breakfast (see theYummyLife)

On Monday, we're heading out to Emigrant Wilderness, starting at Crabtree trailhead for an entire week. 

An artist rendering from our trip to Kennedy Meadows
in the Emigrant Wilderness a few weeks ago.