Sunday September 4, 2016
I woke up at 7am to what must have been the hundredth gust of wind that whipped our tent last night. The last hour before dawn was brutally cold, my thermometer indicating 36 degrees or so. Not abysmal by any stretch, but not what either of us expected, per se.
I let my fiancé (!!!!!!!!!!) sleep in, while I mustered the courage to confront the cold and mobilize. After doing so, I planted myself in one of the few sunny spots and ate a frigid breakfast while the sun slowly began to thaw my joints. Soon enough, sometime between 8 and 9, Maddie was up and about, preparing the day ahead of us.
I have read countless blogs about Lake Aloha, glowing trip reports marveling at the beauty of this wild place. As if Doris lake weren't pretty enough, we were both excited to get moving. The wind continued and neither of us stripped off our warm layers until we'd reached China Flat in the valley 900 feet down and 1.5 miles later. From there it was a gentle grade toward the climb to Mosquito pass 3 miles away. With wide open sky and a romantic buzz in the fresh mountain air, we moved briskly.
Today, Maddie was living the dream by hiking ten miles through the Sierra without a pack. I was happy bear burden, as she couldn't have looked happier. We passed some gorgeous meadows and enticing lakes before the pass, but once up and over it became immediately obvious what made this place so incredibly popular. The expanse of little islands over the massive body of water was impressive, calling to mind Thousand Island Lakes over in the Ansel Adams Wilderness.
Following our intuition, we ditched the trail that flanked the eastern side and headed west along its northern bank, scrambling down rock faces and stopping to enjoy the views along the way. It truly is an enchanting place. We were able to get just enough service to cal our parents to share the good news before hopping down the last few rocks to the shore.
There we settled on a nice little patch of sand, where I set up my hammock and prepared our lunch. We had gone a little extravagant on this trip, bringing a fresh apple and two avocados! I proceeded to whip up som Michelin caliber avocado-pesto spread-tortilla chip burritos, and we both agreed it was one of the most satisfying trail meals we've had. After gorging ourselves, Maddie lounged in her camp chair while I hopped in my hammock and dozed. The wind was just a little too much for comfortable swimming, so we opted to enjoy the views from a distance today, promising to return to this precious lake.
Time flew and before I knew it, Maddie was prodding me to pack up our things and hit the trail again. Interspersed throughout the day was talk of marriage, a topic that has been kept at arm's length despite our mutual acknowledgement of its inevitability. And the flood gates are open! This is just the tip of the iceberg so don't go asking us for details about anything yet, but it felt good to talk about marriage in such concrete terms. Like everything with Maddie, it just feels right.
The walk down and back to China Flat was faster, as we stopped only a couple times for a photo or two. But once we got there, we were both fairly tuckered out, with a steep climb up to Doris Lake ahead of us. Determined we hit the switchbacks with gusto, slowing down to a trudge as we created the last remaining slope. I made straight for camp, hustling to get into my warm clothes. Although the wind has almost completely disappeared tonight, the temperature was dropping rapidly. We both agreed to bypass dinner in favor of a more convenient solution of bars, chips, crackers, jerky and candy. We eat like royalty out here, folks.
Replenished and ready for bed, I convinced Maddie to take a few more photos by the lake with me before retiring. After tucking her in, I went down to the lake with the chair and sat, basking in silence. That silence is nothing and everything to me, all at once. It's calming, yet thrilling. Quiet but deafening. This is where I feel at home. And at peace. And tonight, fingers numb with cold and heart glowing with warmth, I go to bed once again the happiest man on the planet.
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