First, a question: is it called Sabrina Basin or Moonlight Basin?
Having canceled several permits throughout July out of concern for high snow and high creek crossings, I finally ventured out last weekend to see what the winter had wrought and to do a little scouting for an upcoming early August trip. I drove up to Bishop from LA on Thursday afternoon and camped in one of the campgrounds on the way up to South Lake.
I set out from Sabrina Lake at around 8:30 Friday, hoping to beat the heat, but it was a little late for that. The first big stream crossing (George Creek?) looked sketchy--white water over submerged rocks--so I scrambled and bush-whacked up the hill to two big boulders where the crossing was easy and safe, then slip-slided back down to the trail.
The trail to Blue Lake was snow-free, and the outlet crossing was easy. I took a little break, then set off for Dingleberry Lake and above. The Dingleberry ford crossing was about thigh-high (on the ground, not on rocks) and feet-achingly cold. After the crossing, the snowfields started in earnest, and I spent a lot of time relocating the trail. I had micro spikes, but they were useless in the soft snow. When I was on the trail, it was sloppy--underwater or muddy--and the crossings all required boots off. I crossed a couple snow bridges (probably unwisely, as I would learn) rather than doff and don my boots repeatedly.
It was sort of slow going (and warm), and by the time I got to Topsy Turvy Lake I was pretty tired. But then it was an easy descent into the basin. I found a place to hang my hammock near Sailor Lake, and I rested and ate my favorite first-night meal: Trader Joe's ramen with a slice of American cheese melted in. When I'm tired, heat exhausted, and slightly altitude sick, the salt and noodles are simple and restorative.
It cooled off quickly as the sun went down, and I took a few pictures before turning into my hammock to read and stargaze myself to sleep.
There was a convenient boulder next to my hammock that worked as a nightstand--I put my book and glasses on it. I drifted off to sleep, but was soon awakened by the sound of chewing. Rodent chewing. I swung my headlamp around and found a pika gnawing on my hiking boots. He was very cute, but I needed those boots! I shooed him away, but he was undaunted. He climbed up onto my nightstand and chewed my glasses case. Then he jumped into my hammock! We both squeaked as I sent him sailing. I got up to hang my boots and backpack from tree branches and hoped he was gone.
Since I was already out of my sleeping bag, I took some pictures of the Milky Way over Picture Peak:
In the morning, I woke up to find that the aggressive pika had also shredded my favorite hiking shirt.
At least he didn't get my boot laces. I set out to see the lakes in the basin. First, I made my way over to Moonlight Falls:
Then Moonlight Lake:
I was hoping to make it up to Echo Lake, but it was solid snow, and I wasn't inclined.
Hungry Packer Lake:
After that I headed back down to Blue Lake. As I left Sailor Lake, a snow bridge gave way under me. I was able to hop back to the shore and cross at a thicker place, but after that I avoided snow bridges. With all the heat, they were too unstable.
The hike back to Blue Lake was easier, since I had a better sense of where the trail lay. I found a nice camp spot near the Donkey Lake-Dingleberry Lake trail junction and enjoyed some reading in my hammock and a relaxing dinner with a cheeky chipmunk companion.
At dusk, the mosquitos came out in force--they weren't so bad at Sailor Lake, but they were thick at Blue. I got into my sleeping bag and head net. They died down with nightfall, but not enough. I slept in my head net, but during the night it must have fallen onto my face: I woke up with bites all over my face. Should have set up my tent!
I had to meet my family in Bishop by noon, so I didn't linger the next morning. The hike down was warm but uneventful.
It's spectacular up there right now! Copious wildflowers lined the trail at lower elevations, but up high the plants were only starting to emerge. The snow is beautiful, and there's water everywhere. Can't wait to get out there again!
