TR: North Lake Loop 9/5-12

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Wandering Daisy
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Re: TR: North Lake Loop 9/5-12

Post by Wandering Daisy »

I have done a quick tour into East and West Pinnacle Creeks via Three Island Lake,Sharp Note Lake, head of Senger Creek, Upper Turret Lakes, then down to Big Chief and Spearpoint. I cannot remember the name of the pass just east of Upper Turret Lakes; it was class 2. Then I traversed to Negit Lake, hiked around the upper lakes and camped at Big Moccasin. Next day dropped down to Piute Creek. All that was 3 days of a fast-paced 11-day trip. The route is not that hard, but while sitting at Merriam Lake in the rain, I realized that the time frame was tight and I really needed more time to fish all the lakes in the Pinnacle Creek drainages, so better to simply focus on these lakes in a future trip, and better done from Florence Lake.
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Re: TR: North Lake Loop 9/5-12

Post by Bishop_Bob »

"Not one of your best trips" seems to beat almost all of my trips. I wish I had your fortitude.
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Re: TR: North Lake Loop 9/5-12

Post by Harlen »

WD, too bad you couldn't pull off what would have been an epic: Merriam Lake; Feather Pass; 7 Gables Lakes; both East and West Pinnacle Creeks (?), (how were you going to go from 7 G.Lks. to Pinnacle Creek?) and on! By the photos and giant (to me) fish, it looked to be a very fine trip after all.
Once the sun went down it got very cold so into the tent I went.
Do you think that the cold you experience comes from too much bathing and washing of clothes? Why don't you take your dog along, and hover over smokey fires? I'd far rather mask odors than splash freezing water all over myself! Old Sourdough loggers in AK never washed in winter, and talked about the essential body oils that kept them warm at night??? *Could have been a lame excuse for laziness, but have you ever tried going weeks without washing Nancy? :nod: .... you might find it liberating.
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Re: TR: North Lake Loop 9/5-12

Post by TahoeJeff »

Harlen wrote: Wed Sep 18, 2019 11:59 am have you ever tried going weeks without washing
Really???
This isn't France after all :D
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Wandering Daisy
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Re: TR: North Lake Loop 9/5-12

Post by Wandering Daisy »

Harlen- My poor dog is very much a "princess", unlike your "go-get-em" Bear. I too am basically a warm weather "princess", LOL, and all my winter climbing simply was a result of being in a cold place (Wyoming), where the climbing scene was very cold hardy. I never fully loved it like the locals, but did not want to be left behind. Later in life I happily moved to sunny California, and never shoveled snow again!

Had you read the thread about staying clean, you would have picked up on the fact that it was precisely having been out for 28 days WITHOUT a bath in the late 1960's, that made me vow never to do that again. And you know those Viking polar bear swims are supposed to make you tough! I do have maternal Viking ancestors, who would roll in their graves knowing what a cold weather wimp I am! Even though 23-and-Me says I have one of their highest percentages of Neanderthal, the Viking genes must have gone missing. Probably would help if I had a bit more fat and was hairy. Alas, we women do not get that human "fur" like you guys. But you are right, I should have brought along either my dog or husband. :nod:
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Re: TR: North Lake Loop 9/5-12

Post by SSSdave »

Harlen wrote: Wed Sep 18, 2019 11:59 am Do you think that the cold you experience comes from too much bathing and washing of clothes? Why don't you take your dog along, and hover over smokey fires? I'd far rather mask odors than splash freezing water all over myself! Old Sourdough loggers in AK never washed in winter, and talked about the essential body oils that kept them warm at night??? *Could have been a lame excuse for laziness, but have you ever tried going weeks without washing Nancy? :nod: .... you might find it liberating.

:eek:
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Harlen
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Re: TR: North Lake Loop 9/5-12

Post by Harlen »

Okay, I looked up the former Post on Backcountry Cleanliness habits and found WD's below:

(among other things) WD wrote:
... I like to be clean, and really care about being clean. I even wash my shirt about every day, wash socks, and wash hiking pants at least every 5 days too. The bear can also makes a great washing machine.
I also found quentic's comment:
.... God, one of the many great things about backpacking is not having to shower, shave or look in a mirror! My theory is that I build a protective layer of filth after 2 days, and that trying to bathe at that point actually makes things worse.

I reckon (Alaskan Sourdough?) quentic and I would get along just fine in the backcountry, while WD would turn up her nose at us ... however, her practice of washing socks and underwear in the same bearcan where the food lives would put me right off my dinner!

Sorry to wander off-topic. :smirk:
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Re: TR: North Lake Loop 9/5-12

Post by Wandering Daisy »

I've been out of town, thus the late reply. Oh, I would never turn up my nose at you guys; just set my tent upwind. :D

To further gross you out, our dog eats out of and licks our cooking pot. But maybe Bearzy does the same? No better pot cleaner than a dog.

After reading some more recent trip reports, it seems like my concern over Feather Pass was unfounded. Sort of wish I would have gone that way. Bear Basin seems to be quite popular among HST members this year.
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Re: TR: North Lake Loop 9/5-12

Post by ChuckSten »

Outstanding TR! It is fun to experience vicariously such an adventure.
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