Wild Plum Campout

Last Supper

Five of us decided to camp at Wild Plum Campground which is a place Ellen noticed on a hike she and Frank took a while ago.  We arrived at our 3 campsites Tuesday afternoon and into the evening.  The campground was practically empty and lovely in its setting next to Haypress Creek.

Wednesday hiking day, we drove up to Packer Pass to hike the PCT back to the campground.  We had reckoned the hike would be about 11 miles with a large elevation drop.  But it was 12.5 miles in searing heat on a sun-exposed steep and sliding slope down to switch backs in a shaded forest.  We crossed highway 49, went on to see Love Falls, and headed back to camp.  That part of the hike should have been lopped off by parking a car at 49 where the PCT crosses it.  By the time we arrived back at camp and gone back to fetch the car on Packer Pass,  we were so bushed that one of us looked at her avocado, thought it too hard to cut up, and fell asleep for the night.  The rest of us quickly showered, ate a little something, and sacked out.  That trail was beautiful when we could look up from the treacherous footing.  Even the shale we had to walk on was beautiful in its color and its musical notes -  orangey browns, green brush, an occasional tree, and black Sierra Buttes rising above us at all times.



Lunch Day one

The next day we decided to take it easier.  When we discovered we could still walk, we climbed up a beautiful access trail to the PCT from the campground, and headed south.  The hike was through beautiful wooded areas with occasional views to the Buttes.  At one bridge over Haypress Creek were purple CA Milkweed, Pussy Paws, and a yellow flower on which butterflies were feasting.  A lovely sight.  We hiked to Milton Creek and had lunch on rocks in the stream by the bridge.  Later that day we drove up to Big Spring Garden and were the only ones there besides a bevy of gardeners putting out flats of Cosmos.  We walked around and took in the Giverny feel.  If you have $3,500,000, you can buy it.



Lunch Day 2

We encountered 6 PCT hikers over the two days.  Sierra City is an important stop for them as the general store caters to their needs.  They receive boxes there, can use the internet, charge their phones, and eat the enormous burgers and burritos that they crave.  The hikers we met were two solo men and two pairs of women hikers.  They were all in perfect shape and blew us away with how little they carried.  Sometimes I felt like my pack was heavier than theirs.  The second group of women were traveling especially light as they had just been with one set of parents who were carrying their stuff to Sierra City.  It seemed early to encounter thru hikers but they said there were about a dozen in front of them.  All of them had encountered quite a bit of snow in the mid-Sierra where the passes are quite high. 

As luck would have it, I forgot my camera so all my pictures are on my iphone.  Except for the group picture, lunch pictures, and butterfly,  all pictures and maps are from Frank. 

Butterfly feast