Just back from a three-day trip along the PCT to Meiss Meadows and beyond. This section of the El Dorado National Forest is not a designated wilderness yet, but there are plans to make it one.

We left Thursday about noon from Carson Pass. FOr the first time in my life, we didn't have a permit. We planned to get one at the NF office at Carson Pass, but last week they didn't tell me they were only open FRI/SAT/SUN. So we arrived at noon, only to find the only permits available were back down the mountain more than an hour's drive away.

We hit the trail.

Great hike into Showers Lake, where we saw only one other pair of backpackers. It's a great time of the year to do this trip--weather ranged from the mid-40s at night to about 75 during the day, and we didn't see a single skeeter on the whole trip. Fishing, on the other hand, was dismal. Very low water and very small fish. sigh.

The second day we backtracked to Meiss Meadow, and then cross-countried into Meiss Lake..which was lovely, if shallow. And then decided to x-country down to Round Lake as well. A tough bushwhack down the canyon...wedged between alders and cliffs. Not one that I would recommend. Once at Round Lake we followed the trail to Dardanelles Lake, which was also lovely. And in eight hours of watching, I saw only two fish rise. sigh.

But the moon was new, and the skies were dark, so we did enjoy using some binoculars to pick out some cool stuff in the sky.

This morning we got up early and hiked to Round Lake again, where the overcast skies and 20mph winds suggested that maybe it was time to just hike out--which we did.

Great trip, and wonderful way to forget the usual work worries!

Photos are here: http://picasaweb.google.com/balzaccom/MeissMeadowsAndCarsonPass#