Off the Trail

1-4 Oct 2006 - by Peter Carnahan

Leaving in October for an eight day off trail can be wishfull thinking. All the benefits of the season are surely present such as cool temps, no bugs, lack of bears and people, however, the precip is.

The first day I walked over Bishop Pass to the base of Knapsack Pass. Beautiful weather indeed. The second day over Knapsack and down to Deer Meadow. Not so beautiful weather. Around nine thousand feet it rained all night.

The third day, up to Ampetheatre Lake and look at Ampetheatre Pass, corniced from the previous year and covered with six or more fresh inches of snow over bare rock elsewhere. My trip off trail over eight passes to Kings Canyon Road was changeing.

I dryed my bad as I surveyed my surroundings. "Hope I'm not disturbing you," a voice from over my shoulder. I almost toppled into the lake. "Been up here for three days. Going down today." he said. "So am I. Would you like some company?" I asked "No. I prefer to hike alone." "OK." and we were both off. Hiking alone of course. One problem with that. You tend to bump into each other. Well after a while, I had hiked to Grouse Meadow and pitched camp. The weather was fantastic again and the meadow my own.

The fourth and final day I walked to the trail head at Bishop Pass and back into civil-ization. This is the second time not completeing this particular journey. So September 2007 I'll try it again, ya, not in October.


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