July 24: Hike into Lost Valley

July 24: Hike into Lost Valley

We got up at 4 am although I was already semi awake at 3:23 am.  The four of us were on the road at 4:55 am for our three hour drive to Florence Lake.  The last hour was a twisty, narrow one lane road with two way traffic.  Fortunately, we only met three other vehicles. 

After unloading our car, we took a small eight passenger boat across the lake.  The guys loaded up a small Wrangler jeep with our 28 boxes of wine as well as produce, eggs and our belongings which included pillows, sleeping bags, towels, and clothes for a week in the high Sierra mountains.  Our hike was four miles with the first ½ mile up about 500 feet up out of the bowl of the lake.  Then over hill and dale and meadows (we saw one buck, three small black lizards of which one was tailless, a two foot brown snake, five kinds of purple wildflowers, four yellow, two orange and three white wildflowers) as well as wild roses and Manzanita.  It was a beautiful walk with bright sunshine and blue skies with white fluffy clouds.

Upon arrival, we went straight to the lunch table which was simple grapes, cold cuts and Oreo cookies but it all tasted so good!  All the items had to be unloaded and put in the cold storage room and the refrigerators.  We were able to select a tent down by the river where we could hear the water rushing by. 

The tent is about 10x10 with two 2” mats to put our sleeping bags on.  The outhouse is about 100 yards away but the wood stoked shower is just the other side of the river.  After settling in, it was time to join the other staff members unloading the next truck with the rest of the food for the week.  Then a delicious dinner of marinated chicken or tri-tip, salad, roasted potatoes, yellow squash and fresh sour dough bread.  Dessert was homemade apple cheesecake and fresh cherries.  We ate around a nice fire as the temperature was already dropping and our light jackets were insufficient to keep us warm. 

We drop off to sleep with the sound of great horned owls hooting to each other across the camp.