Winter 2006
We are looking for a place with snow, bereft of tourists where dogs are allowed to do anything they want to. The choice is the east Sierras, south-west of Bridgeport.
Into the great, white north!
We just want to get there! Driving with only a few stops, we arrive on location by late afternoon, in the dark.
The dirt road we are driving on is covered with snow. We follow it until we come to a closed gate. We are somewhere in the Toiyabe National Forest.
Getting out of the truck for a minute is enough to conclude, this is not the place to settle for the night. The wind is blowing so hard, even with the mild temperatures of about 34 °F we freeze in the matter of seconds. We seem to be on some sort of hilltop, because the truck is swaying in the wind.
Let’s get out of here!
We find a flat area next to the snowy road we are following. The Buckeye Hot Spring gaging station is very close to us.
It is still extremely windy but the idea of having a hot springs nearby comforts us and we pick this place as campground.
We quickly eat some dinner and climb into the camper.
Buck is outside guarding, while Spitz, Mark and I are spending the night inside.
The morning is still very windy. The temperature is not terrible low, but the wind sure makes us cold.
The tarp from outside blew away during the night, so Mark takes the dogs to find it.
They locate it in the nearby creek, Eagle Creek.
The creek is not what I will jump into for a quick bath tonight.
Eagle Creek
Mark is trying to fish out the tarp, but he falls through the ice bridge he is standing on and returns to camp with frozen pants and boots.
That was the only pair of warm boots he brought. He has to wear his ski boots or his tennis shoes for the rest of the trip.
We are trying to find a way to warm up. There is not enough snow to ski on and the wind is too uncomfortable to be exposed to.
We take a drive to Twin Lakes. They have a nice little community around the lakes.
People seem to be occupying their homes only in the warmer months, because there is no-one around. They have cabins to rent, but not this time of the year.
We are eager to try out the Buckeye Hot Springs.
The seeping water is very hot, trickling down the hillside next to our trail to the creek.
The little pool, built in the creek to capture the hot water, is pretty shallow.
We jump into it anyway. The extreme wind is cooling down the water to bellow body temperature. We are too cold to stay in but the thought of getting out is worse. Our clothes and towels are several steps away. Still, we cannot stay in a lukewarm pool until the wind stops….
We are almost brave enough to get out, when a family is climbing down the hillside.
Now, we are stuck. Both of us are trying to submerge our bathing suitless bodies into the 16 inches deep pool and trying to cover up somehow.
Getting up to reach our towels and clothes is now out of the question.
We are hoping that the family will not hangout too long in the cold hot spring.
They are enjoying it though. We suffer for what it seems hours before they finally decide to go.
To warm up, we take a long walk with the doggies. It is getting dark. The wind is blowing like crazy and it starting to snow. At last!
But if all the snow is being blown away, there will be nothing left to ski on.
In the morning, we have a nice layer of snow everywhere. The wind calmed down and the sun is trying to peak out. Buck is happy, playing in the snow and ready for some adventure.
After a quick breakfast, we pack our daypacks, put the skis on and hit the snowed in trail.
That was the only pair of warm boots he brought. He has to wear his ski boots or his tennis shoes for the rest of the trip.
We are trying to find a way to warm up. There is not enough snow to ski on and the wind is too uncomfortable to be exposed to.
We take a drive to Twin Lakes. They have a nice little community around the lakes.
People seem to be occupying their homes only in the warmer months, because there is no-one around. They have cabins to rent, but not this time of the year.
We are eager to try out the Buckeye Hot Springs.
The seeping water is very hot, trickling down the hillside next to our trail to the creek.
The little pool, built in the creek to capture the hot water, is pretty shallow.
We jump into it anyway. The extreme wind is cooling down the water to bellow body temperature. We are too cold to stay in but the thought of getting out is worse. Our clothes and towels are several steps away. Still, we cannot stay in a lukewarm pool until the wind stops….
We are almost brave enough to get out, when a family is climbing down the hillside.
Now, we are stuck. Both of us are trying to submerge our bathing suitless bodies into the 16 inches deep pool and trying to cover up somehow.
Getting up to reach our towels and clothes is now out of the question.
We are hoping that the family will not hangout too long in the cold hot spring.
They are enjoying it though. We suffer for what it seems hours before they finally decide to go.
To warm up, we take a long walk with the doggies. It is getting dark. The wind is blowing like crazy and it starting to snow. At last!
But if all the snow is being blown away, there will be nothing left to ski on.
In the morning, we have a nice layer of snow everywhere. The wind calmed down and the sun is trying to peak out. Buck is happy, playing in the snow and ready for some adventure.
After a quick breakfast, we pack our daypacks, put the skis on and hit the snowed in trail.
Beatrix on the Trail
The sun is no longer out, but the temperature is perfect. Buck and Spitz are loving the not too deep snow.
This trail is going on forever. We discovered that there are a couple of campgrounds at the beginning of it and in the summer, they have horse riding tours along here.
How did we find that out? From the signs. Luckily, there is no sign of horses walking through here at this time.
We are thinking about sledding back here tomorrow, with all our gear, to camp in the wilderness.
Sledding our gear does not mean we hook up a loaded sled behind Buck and Spitz and let them pull it. Fat chance! My doggies would end up sitting on the sled and letting us pull them along. That’s the kind of sled dog team we have.
Buck Needs a Break
This trail is going on forever. We discovered that there are a couple of campgrounds at the beginning of it and in the summer, they have horse riding tours along here.
How did we find that out? From the signs. Luckily, there is no sign of horses walking through here at this time.
We are thinking about sledding back here tomorrow, with all our gear, to camp in the wilderness.
Sledding our gear does not mean we hook up a loaded sled behind Buck and Spitz and let them pull it. Fat chance! My doggies would end up sitting on the sled and letting us pull them along. That’s the kind of sled dog team we have.
Buck Needs a Break
This beautiful forest trail is opening into meadows near the creek. It is probably still the Eagle Creek, but there are many forks of it.
This is so far the perfect day!
We keep going and wondering where the trail leads to. There is an ideal place for our planned, sled-back camping trip. It is near the immaculately clean water source; it is protected from the wind and hidden away from human activities. Only the bears will find us.
This is so far the perfect day!
We keep going and wondering where the trail leads to. There is an ideal place for our planned, sled-back camping trip. It is near the immaculately clean water source; it is protected from the wind and hidden away from human activities. Only the bears will find us.
The Boys in the Great White North
Spitz is not tied to anyone this time like he normally must be if we want him to stick around. He is surprisingly following along instead of running back to the truck.
We love this place! No “No Pets Allowed” signs anywhere so far. I didn’t know places like that existed in this country any more.
The trail is going further than we have the time for to explore. We need to leave enough daylight to make the trip back to camp.
We chose the place for the following night camping and turn around.
We love this place! No “No Pets Allowed” signs anywhere so far. I didn’t know places like that existed in this country any more.
The trail is going further than we have the time for to explore. We need to leave enough daylight to make the trip back to camp.
We chose the place for the following night camping and turn around.
Mark Found a Place to Camp
Skiing back always takes longer. We went a long way out there.
We need more resting on the way back because my foot starts hurting.
Spitz the Snow Dog
We need more resting on the way back because my foot starts hurting.
Spitz the Snow Dog
The babies still have a lot of energy left. Especially Spitz. He takes off sprinting in the meadow and having a good ol’ time.
Buck is a little slower, but he is enjoying this winter environment. It reminds him of Siberia. I’m not sure how he would have a recollection of that, but why not!
Buck is a little slower, but he is enjoying this winter environment. It reminds him of Siberia. I’m not sure how he would have a recollection of that, but why not!
Cool Runnings
I am starting to do more limping than skiing if that’s possible to do on skis.
I somehow injured my right Achilles tendon and it hurts like the Dickens.
No time to rest it now, we have to keep going. I might be the one that needs to be sledded around for the rest of the trip.
Back in camp, we sit around with my feet up and chilling. Literally! The temperature is dropping rapidly since the wind stopped. The sky is getting clear, but now we wish back the wind and the heat of the 35 ºF. The map shows the trail we followed. We could have traveled for five days to find the end of it. It goes back to the Emigrant Wilderness, west of here, and it eventually ends up in Pinecrest.
We all crawl into the sleeping bags leaving Buck outside. It’s too early to sleep, so we watch poor little Buck shivering out in the snow.
He does not like Siberia that much!
We feel sorry for him and put him inside the camper with us. Normally, he would not tolerate this confinement, but this time he is happily cuddling up with the rest of us.
We are having a two dog night.
If we had more dogs to keep me warm, I might have had some sleep.
I was too cold to sleep all night. My foot hurting did not help either. I wanted to cuddle next to Mark to stay warm, but the dogs took that place. Spitz was in his sleeping bag and Buck was halfway in there himself to stay warm.
The windows of the camper had to stay slightly open to let the moisture out and to circulate the air. We had icicles hanging from the inside near the window screen.
Against our will, we had to get out of the warm sleeping bags. The water in our containers was frozen of course, so Mark sent me to fetch some of it in liquid form from the creek, to make oatmeal for breakfast.
I somehow injured my right Achilles tendon and it hurts like the Dickens.
No time to rest it now, we have to keep going. I might be the one that needs to be sledded around for the rest of the trip.
Back in camp, we sit around with my feet up and chilling. Literally! The temperature is dropping rapidly since the wind stopped. The sky is getting clear, but now we wish back the wind and the heat of the 35 ºF. The map shows the trail we followed. We could have traveled for five days to find the end of it. It goes back to the Emigrant Wilderness, west of here, and it eventually ends up in Pinecrest.
We all crawl into the sleeping bags leaving Buck outside. It’s too early to sleep, so we watch poor little Buck shivering out in the snow.
He does not like Siberia that much!
We feel sorry for him and put him inside the camper with us. Normally, he would not tolerate this confinement, but this time he is happily cuddling up with the rest of us.
We are having a two dog night.
If we had more dogs to keep me warm, I might have had some sleep.
I was too cold to sleep all night. My foot hurting did not help either. I wanted to cuddle next to Mark to stay warm, but the dogs took that place. Spitz was in his sleeping bag and Buck was halfway in there himself to stay warm.
The windows of the camper had to stay slightly open to let the moisture out and to circulate the air. We had icicles hanging from the inside near the window screen.
Against our will, we had to get out of the warm sleeping bags. The water in our containers was frozen of course, so Mark sent me to fetch some of it in liquid form from the creek, to make oatmeal for breakfast.
Don’t Stick Your Finger in There!
I am not walking too happily this morning, but nevertheless, I am limping down to the creek to see if there is any of it left flowing or is it only good for skating.
To keep the bottle in the creek in order to let it fill up, my finger has to be in there also. I cannot find another way to do it. I wish I had a pair of pliers but no tools with me.
By the time the bottle fills up, I cannot feel my fingers.
Sticking the blue fingers into my gloves does not help too much.
I limp back to camp crying from pain. If I put lotion on my hand, the rubbing will help to warm it up…I’m thinking…
My hand lotion is also frozen. I cannot believe this! It is very cold indeed, but I did not think it cooled down to absolute zero. I think absolute zero was established based on the freezing point of Jergens body lotion. Or was it another cosmetic product? Mark says I need to take a closer look at the chemistry text book when we get home.
Mark cannot stand my whining any longer, so he puts his skis on and leaves me behind after breakfast. The dogs go with him.
I am collecting myself from the trauma. The ski/sled back camping is not going to happen with my foot injury. I rapidly start packing up everything for a journey back home before other decisions can be made.
The pants, Mark wore on the day of dipping into the creek in attempt to fish out the tarp, is solid as if it were made of iron. It is probably bullet proof at this point.
By the time the boys get back to camp, we are ready to go.
The truck is not starting! Battery is too cold. Great! Now we are dead!
Next time, we need to rent a cozy little cabin with a hottub and a fireplace.
I would not be such a whimp if my feet would not hurt…and my fingers would not have frost bite….
We finally manage to crank up the truck and pointed it toward Pine Cove.
Made it home eight hours later and we have more snow on our yard than we had up in the Sierras. Too bad I cannot ski for awhile.
Foot pain does not limit one from shoveling, so Mark goes to ski while I clean the driveway, the decks and the walkways.
To keep the bottle in the creek in order to let it fill up, my finger has to be in there also. I cannot find another way to do it. I wish I had a pair of pliers but no tools with me.
By the time the bottle fills up, I cannot feel my fingers.
Sticking the blue fingers into my gloves does not help too much.
I limp back to camp crying from pain. If I put lotion on my hand, the rubbing will help to warm it up…I’m thinking…
My hand lotion is also frozen. I cannot believe this! It is very cold indeed, but I did not think it cooled down to absolute zero. I think absolute zero was established based on the freezing point of Jergens body lotion. Or was it another cosmetic product? Mark says I need to take a closer look at the chemistry text book when we get home.
Mark cannot stand my whining any longer, so he puts his skis on and leaves me behind after breakfast. The dogs go with him.
I am collecting myself from the trauma. The ski/sled back camping is not going to happen with my foot injury. I rapidly start packing up everything for a journey back home before other decisions can be made.
The pants, Mark wore on the day of dipping into the creek in attempt to fish out the tarp, is solid as if it were made of iron. It is probably bullet proof at this point.
By the time the boys get back to camp, we are ready to go.
The truck is not starting! Battery is too cold. Great! Now we are dead!
Next time, we need to rent a cozy little cabin with a hottub and a fireplace.
I would not be such a whimp if my feet would not hurt…and my fingers would not have frost bite….
We finally manage to crank up the truck and pointed it toward Pine Cove.
Made it home eight hours later and we have more snow on our yard than we had up in the Sierras. Too bad I cannot ski for awhile.
Foot pain does not limit one from shoveling, so Mark goes to ski while I clean the driveway, the decks and the walkways.
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