Day 76 Smedberg Lake Area

21.2 miles
By Glen Aulin (Milla 949, student 7947)
To follow the camp before Smedberg Lake (Mile 969.7, a height 9486)
Climbing 4854
Descend 3323

Today was an easy, relatively soft and level morning.

It became more difficult when rises and water crosses began with Virginia Canyon and then Matterhorn Canyon. I found that the 1100 feet climb outside Matterhorn Canyon along Wilson CreEk as hard. He was discussing before the climb on Benson Pass. But after a break and a snack, I continued almost to Lake Smedberg.

Virginia cannon

My store site is on a flat terrace with a view to volunteers. The sand is not deep enough to get the tent, so I put great rocks. There are many big rocks around.

There are almost as many large rocks as mosquitoes, which are relentless. This is the first time on the walk that I have used a great repellent. I put some in the only places not covered with clothing treated with permetrin: my face, neck and hands. But that does not seem to prevent them from trying. My clothes now have many little black polka dots with broken mosquitoes. Finally I gave myself with the mosquitoes and escaped them in my store. Many have found their way inside the rainfly, but none has discovered the zipper in the inner mesh yet.

Six years ago, I directed a group of explorers on a 50 -mile backpacking trip that was just where I am camped tonight. We camped at Lake Smedberg, we walk/twisting volunteers, then we camped just on the other side of Benson Pass. I look volunteer Peak, and it is not obvious from here that it really does not require equipment to climb.

Volunteer peak

When I made that trip with Scouts six years ago, my foot slipped on a wet rock in Matterhorn Creek. I was only in the knee deeply for a second, but that was more than my camera could take. But that promoted me, after replacing the camera, to turn a dry bag into something in the chamber of my camera that could easily close around my camera. This time I did not fall in the water, but I think that my camera would have been better if I had done it. In any case, my camera survived this time.

Matterhorn Creek Crossing where my camera died six years ago

I washed a little on Lake Miller. I put socks and underwear in a ziploc gallon with a little water. After soaking it, I repeated it, then I did it again with a small camp. Then I finally repeated a couple of times without soap to rinse them. I put the clothes in my outer mesh pocket of my package to dry, but they did not dry during the afternoon walk. I hope they are dry in the morning (and I will not leave them in a bush as I did outside Idyllwild; in reality, I moved them to the tendard.

Wasing something

When I first arrived at Lake Miller, there was another small group there. A person was stopped on the edge of the lake taking a photo (it is a beautiful lake). I also wanted a photo, but I started more to get more perspective. As the other hiker was there, I walked a little through the lake so that it was not in the frame, especially when he kept his phone and began to collect water. Then, while I am ready to take photos, he decides that he does not like that place to collect water and walks right in front of me. I hope until it ends. But while he is moving away, another hiker from his group asks him it is better to get water where he did. Then, the second hiker, right in front of me. I wonder what kind of things I do where I am not aware of the effect on others.

Miller Lake

I met Willie’s ranger at Matterhorn Canyon. He verified my permission and Bear Can. But we also had a good conversation about some different areas for walking (such as Slide Canyon), my bag to hold my bear can, rubber straps to prevent bear cans from sliding and my guitar.

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