CrownPoint2021

BDML backpacking trip August 1-4, 2021

A few photos here. Many more at Hojung's BDML Hoover Trip Gallery on Google Photos

Amazing trip overall. A few notes:

Mark finds snow at Mule Pass

• Approximate trip map is here: https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/california/crown-poin-loop
• The ranger station was closed so TonyChen made an online reservation and we downloaded that to our phones (great signal in Bridgeport!). Good thing too as we met a ranger on our way in. She admonished us to make a printout next time.
• Departed from the busy RV site at Twin Lakes. Despite it being a record drought year, it was cool and the plants were all surprisingly lush and green because it had rained hard the previous two days.
• But there was hardly any snow, although MarkCutkosky found a wee patch near Mule Pass.
• As on previous trip (2007 ) we camped the first night near Barney Lake (camping not allowed very close to lake), which required an awkward stream crossing (see MichaelLin's photo above)
• Crown Lake is a stiff climb up from Barney Lake and as beautiful as ever.
• Some folks needed to return early, but the remainder did a loop up to Crown Point (11350 feet) and then down to Peeler Lake -- sort of a peak-climbing variation on CrownPoint Loop. The last part was rough and ended in needing to wade deeply through lake waters to get to a place where we could get to a return trail. If doing this again, it would be better to go back down to Snow Lake.
  • Then again, what we did was nothing compared to this: https://thebackcountry.com/crown-point/

Intrepid SURIS BeckyMiller and AllisonJia at Barney Lake:

SupraPed works for humans too:

Mark says: I feel very stable now!