Leavitt Meadows - September 2020

Loved this installment! A few questions if you don't mind?
1) Your camp chairs look great... low slung and stable. How do you like them? What brand/model are they?
2) Your "shower" tent looks like it is just mesh... nice air flow, but... uh, any privacy?
3) The blue water container under the truck.... Is that gray water or fresh?
4) Looks like you have a trailer hitch style of step/platform on the back of the truck, right? Any details on how you made that? What do you like about that solution? We have a similar thing, but it is just a 2x4 bolted to the hitch
5) You mention that "We left the trail and wandered the expanse of the meadows" I'm sure that fits in with the local trail etiquette, and I am surprised to hear it anyway. Leaving trails in the Canadian Rockies leads to permanent "braiding" of the trails or plant/flower damage. What is the thinking/situation where you are?
6) Finally, I had to laugh when I read "Breakfast was simple back at the camper - goatmeal, fresh peaches from our trees, and granola." Seriously, is goatmeal a custom version of oatmeal that you make, or a term of affection, or???? :D :rolleyes:

By the way, how are the eyes?
 
Vic, thanks and these are great questions that I'm happy to answer. But it will be in a couple days. Our power was just shut down due to fire danger. Internet, cable, and land lines will soon follow. One of the big hiccups in these outages is lost of communication. If you don't have cell service where you live in the mountains, no way can you call for help or get safety updates. And that's if they keep the cell system energized and running. See you all when power is back.....
 
Nice day trip. One spot everyone drives by is the Leavitt Falls Overlook. Once you stop you will always stop for the view, it is not well marked but worth the time to find it.

https://www.world-of-waterfalls.com/waterfalls/california-leavitt-falls/

attachment.php
 
Thanks Ski.Kennedy Meadows is a great place to walk through to get to Relief Reservoir.
Our first time there was back in 1977 I carried our daughter in a backpack frame form our
campsite at Deadman along the river up into Relief Res area.
Great memories.Seema that this year is mostly filled with memories.

Also the TV show Little House on the Prairie used that area for some scenes.
There used to be a 3/4 cabin that was out in the meadow need the river.

Sonora pass is a great drive.Have enjoyed it many times over the years.

Frank
 
Vic, a start with the answers
1) Your camp chairs look great... low slung and stable. How do you like them? What brand/model are they?
We love these. They are simple, sturdy, comfortable, light weight, easy to set up.REI sold them and occasionally they show up again. We have bought six over many years and use the old one for parts. We like being close to the ground. No need for a table.
2) Your "shower" tent looks like it is just mesh... nice air flow, but... uh, any privacy?
It is just an inexpensive shower privacy tent bought on amazon. Leapair, I believe. It is camo print so it may look like mesh in the photo.
3) The blue water container under the truck.... Is that gray water or fresh?
This one is set up for gray water. Somewhere on WTW I have the pipe/hose thread fittings I used for the drain hose so it is pretty enclosed. It allows us to stuff it in a bear box or in the driver's feet area of the cab when in bear country when we're away or asleep.
4) Looks like you have a trailer hitch style of step/platform on the back of the truck, right? Any details on how you made that? What do you like about that solution? We have a similar thing, but it is just a 2x4 bolted to the hitch
Vic, it is an Otto Step that slips into the receiver hitch. Simple and light weight. It does have a bit of "give" to it so it is not completely rigid. The little blue stool is just one of those cheap folding stools.

I've finish up tomorrow now that power is back on along with internet.
 
5) You mention that "We left the trail and wandered the expanse of the meadows" I'm sure that fits in with the local trail etiquette, and I am surprised to hear it anyway. Leaving trails in the Canadian Rockies leads to permanent "braiding" of the trails or plant/flower damage. What is the thinking/situation where you are?
Vic, this is a great question. If there is a trail to where you are going - and most times there are - stay on the trail. Do not widen it by walking side by side. Do not cut switch backs. Do not create short cuts. In pristine areas and we're going cross country - we spread out so not to beat in a new user trail and we stay on hard surfaces as much as possible. We do our best to leave no trace. The Leavitt Meadows area is heavily used. There are several user created trails dropping down to the West Walker River. We do our best not to create new impacts. Much of our wandering was along the gravel bars on the river's edge. We pay attention to vegetation and also wildlife's needs, so as to impact as little as possible with our travels. Great question that brings to the fore the ethical side of our travels.
6) Finally, I had to laugh when I read "Breakfast was simple back at the camper - goatmeal, fresh peaches from our trees, and granola." Seriously, is goatmeal a custom version of oatmeal that you make, or a term of affection, or???? :D :rolleyes:
goatmeal is oatmeal. We love the stuff with fresh fruit and granola. It gives Julie the energy to climb like a mountain goat so it became goatmeal. Just like liquor is called "loudmouth", and budweiser is called "buttwiper," and binoculars are "see mores," pronghorn are "speed goats" (William Clark came up with that one), coyotes are "song dogs," rattlers are "buzz worms." And so it goes.

By the way, how are the eyes?
Remarkably well. I am very lucky, thankful, and pleased. The eyesight will be forever different, but the brain adapts and adjusts. I'm learning to live with what I have and getting along fine. Julie has noticed I'm spotting birds in flight and identifying them. One early morning on our Oregon backcountry trip in June, we were walking. I stopped the Lady and said, "Use your see mores. About 250 yards out in the brush against the cliff, I believe there is a large animal just inside the brush. It just turned its head." Julie confirmed it was a coyote. That was the moment I realized I'm doing pretty darn well.
 
Thanks Bill for the reminder. Leavitt Falls is a nice stop along the way. Sardine Falls, just below the pass is also quite nice. There's no developed stop or sign, check your topo map. :)

billharr said:
Nice day trip. One spot everyone drives by is the Leavitt Falls Overlook. Once you stop you will always stop for the view, it is not well marked but worth the time to find it.

https://www.world-of-waterfalls.com/waterfalls/california-leavitt-falls/

attachment.php
Click to expand...
 
Thanks Frank for the nice comment. We have a friend who guides and has led many trips out of Kennedy Meadows into the Emigrant Wilderness. I didn't know about Little House on the Prairie. We do know that the 1943 film, For Whom the Bell Tolls with Gary Cooper and Ingrid Bergman was filmed near the top of Sonora Pass. Wow, you get Hemingway, classic film actors, and the High Sierra! :)


Casa Escarlata Robles Too said:
Thanks Ski.Kennedy Meadows is a great place to walk through to get to Relief Reservoir.
Our first time there was back in 1977 I carried our daughter in a backpack frame form our
campsite at Deadman along the river up into Relief Res area.
Great memories.Seema that this year is mostly filled with memories.

Also the TV show Little House on the Prairie used that area for some scenes.
There used to be a 3/4 cabin that was out in the meadow need the river.

Sonora pass is a great drive.Have enjoyed it many times over the years.

Frank
Click to expand...
 
I very much enjoy your trip reports. you two are very lucky to live so close, to so much fantastic country ! you may have stated previously, but what camera do you use?. i just got back from a 'hunting' trip in cental/eastern oregon, and that was a 4-5 hr drive. nice drive though. my hunting now is 99% hiking about in the woods.

fyi - buying/ordering gear for my ocelot build. everything is wks out, but camper is not scheduled until late feb.
 
Great report. Smoke was bad in Colorado from 4 fires and smoke from California, Oregon, and Washington. Thanks for another interesting report.
 
[emoji106][emoji106]
ski3pin said:
5) You mention that "We left the trail and wandered the expanse of the meadows" I'm sure that fits in with the local trail etiquette, and I am surprised to hear it anyway. Leaving trails in the Canadian Rockies leads to permanent "braiding" of the trails or plant/flower damage. What is the thinking/situation where you are?
Vic, this is a great question. If there is a trail to where you are going - and most times there are - stay on the trail. Do not widen it by walking side by side. Do not cut switch backs. Do not create short cuts. In pristine areas and we're going cross country - we spread out so not to beat in a new user trail and we stay on hard surfaces as much as possible. We do our best to leave no trace. The Leavitt Meadows area is heavily used. There are several user created trails dropping down to the West Walker River. We do our best not to create new impacts. Much of our wandering was along the gravel bars on the river's edge. We pay attention to vegetation and also wildlife's needs, so as to impact as little as possible with our travels. Great question that brings to the fore the ethical side of our travels.
6) Finally, I had to laugh when I read "Breakfast was simple back at the camper - goatmeal, fresh peaches from our trees, and granola." Seriously, is goatmeal a custom version of oatmeal that you make, or a term of affection, or???? :D :rolleyes:
goatmeal is oatmeal. We love the stuff with fresh fruit and granola. It gives Julie the energy to climb like a mountain goat so it became goatmeal. Just like liquor is called "loudmouth", and budweiser is called "buttwiper," and binoculars are "see mores," pronghorn are "speed goats" (William Clark came up with that one), coyotes are "song dogs," rattlers are "buzz worms." And so it goes.

By the way, how are the eyes?
Remarkably well. I am very lucky, thankful, and pleased. The eyesight will be forever different, but the brain adapts and adjusts. I'm learning to live with what I have and getting along fine. Julie has noticed I'm spotting birds in flight and identifying them. One early morning on our Oregon backcountry trip in June, we were walking. I stopped the Lady and said, "Use your see mores. About 250 yards out in the brush against the cliff, I believe there is a large animal just inside the brush. It just turned its head." Julie confirmed it was a coyote. That was the moment I realized I'm doing pretty darn well.
Click to expand...
 
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