I sure hope so - I'm in terrible shape and am dealing with a calf injury (also - I'm old), but I *should* be ready to go in July when things start melting.
When did this trip take place? I was with a buddy at Grouse the weekend of Oct 15 and it was gorgeous. I love music and the backcountry, though I don't like to bring the former into the latter. Nonetheless, the Neil Young clip really hit the spot in your video. I thought the album was Hitchiker but now I'm thinking it was Homegrown? If you don't already know it, check out the song "Houses" by Elyse Weinberg with guitar accompaniment by Neil. (Bonus: Dinosaur Jr does a great cover.) "I've got my ticket in my hand/And I'm bound for the Promised Land!" Happy trails!
You probably realize that there's an inherent conflict in your campsite goals. You favor the most popular lakeside sites but are dismayed when other people show up. If you really want solitude, you'll have to camp away from obvious travel routes along lake and stream sides. That northeastern peninsula of Desolation Lake is small enough that it's probably not legal due to water proximity. As you've noticed, people regularly break the rules regarding sites and fires. Everyone thinks they should be the exception and the result is a lot of really ugly damage like we had during the backpacking boom of the eighties. The official response was smaller group size limits, a total fire ban and eventually a really onerous zone system. I've been out of the area for more than ten years now but before I left, I'd gotten to the point where I mostly stuck to day and night hiking without camping to avoid the worst restrictions. Wilderness area designation can have an unintended counterproductive effect by attracting large numbers of users to relatively small areas. For those who place high value on campfires, campsites on lake and stream shores and solitude, national forest outside of wilderness areas can be a better choice. I'm happy to see you're getting good value from that old guide book I recommended. The story about how the Echo Lakes Fishing and Hiking Club or whatever they called themselves named the Desolation Valley lakes after themselves has always been a great source of amusement for me to share with my hiking companions. Did your Magellan gadget turn itself on in your pack or what?
![Дон ДОН, Алаудинов и СБЕЖАВШИЕ из под Курска ахматовцы 😁 [Пародия]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/dEfCf5IK26Q/mqdefault.jpg)
Wonderful weather this time of year for backpacking in DW. Thanks for the new content!
Any plans for this season? Your videos from D.W. are probably some of the best on youtube.
I sure hope so - I'm in terrible shape and am dealing with a calf injury (also - I'm old), but I *should* be ready to go in July when things start melting.
When did this trip take place? I was with a buddy at Grouse the weekend of Oct 15 and it was gorgeous. I love music and the backcountry, though I don't like to bring the former into the latter. Nonetheless, the Neil Young clip really hit the spot in your video. I thought the album was Hitchiker but now I'm thinking it was Homegrown? If you don't already know it, check out the song "Houses" by Elyse Weinberg with guitar accompaniment by Neil. (Bonus: Dinosaur Jr does a great cover.) "I've got my ticket in my hand/And I'm bound for the Promised Land!" Happy trails!
You probably realize that there's an inherent conflict in your campsite goals. You favor the most popular lakeside sites but are dismayed when other people show up. If you really want solitude, you'll have to camp away from obvious travel routes along lake and stream sides. That northeastern peninsula of Desolation Lake is small enough that it's probably not legal due to water proximity. As you've noticed, people regularly break the rules regarding sites and fires. Everyone thinks they should be the exception and the result is a lot of really ugly damage like we had during the backpacking boom of the eighties. The official response was smaller group size limits, a total fire ban and eventually a really onerous zone system. I've been out of the area for more than ten years now but before I left, I'd gotten to the point where I mostly stuck to day and night hiking without camping to avoid the worst restrictions. Wilderness area designation can have an unintended counterproductive effect by attracting large numbers of users to relatively small areas. For those who place high value on campfires, campsites on lake and stream shores and solitude, national forest outside of wilderness areas can be a better choice.
I'm happy to see you're getting good value from that old guide book I recommended. The story about how the Echo Lakes Fishing and Hiking Club or whatever they called themselves named the Desolation Valley lakes after themselves has always been a great source of amusement for me to share with my hiking companions.
Did your Magellan gadget turn itself on in your pack or what?