Mott Lake Backpack – Part 2

The next morning after breakfast, we packed our day packs with lunch and fishing gear for the hike to Mott Lake. We proceeded north on the JMT up thru Pocket Mdws. with many campers to the signed trail that climbs to Mott Lake. We left the JMT [8,900'] and started the 2.3 miles to Mott Lk. [10,048,] The trail follows to the south side of the stream coming down from the cirque holding Mott Lk. We climbed up past many meadows filled with wildflowers and evidence of glacial activity, in many places the trail was overgrown by thickets of willows. After passing a sign attached to a tree announcing that fires were not allowed above this point. We were at 10,000′ and soon we were looking down into the cirque containing the beautiful Mott Lake. We dropped our packets and rigged up to fish. Bryan, the fisherman of the group, soon landed a beautiful rainbow. Howie and Hal both landed some beautiful fish, both rainbow and a rainbow/golden hybrid. We kept three for dinner and released the others. Later in the afternoon several other hikers arrived that we had seen on the trail yesterday. After lunch we packed up and retraced our tracks back to camp. We picked some wild onions which were to be used in the preparation of the trout tonight.
Back at camp we washed off some of the trail dust and Howie provided Meyers rum and Tang cocktails to take the edge off the aches and pains of todays labors. Bryan only had straight Tang for his drink! Hal prepared dinner w/ Diane’s sweet and sour hamburger over rice recipe. We cooked the fish wrapped in foil garnished with pepper, lime juice and the sierra onion we had picked. The fish wraps were buried in the coals and were delicious. Star gazing was great again before bedtime and another mild night.
Up this am and Howie proposed that he pack up and charge down the trail in order to meet the 9:30 boat at Edison Lake to request that the boat return later to pick up the three of us. The next boat, if he missed the 9:30, one the next one would be at 4:30 pm. Unless some arrangement was made. Howie and Bryan packed and left first and Hal followed. Hal caught up with Bryan at the bottom of the first switchbacks and we pushed on. Bryan stated that Howie was long gone trying to meet the boat. Hal and Bryan pushed on as fast as they could and amazingly they made it to the Edison Lake boat dock at exactly 9:30 as the ferry boats were arriving. Hamburgers and fries were enjoyed at the Resort. Howie and Bryan left for their long drive to San Diego and Hal back to Coarsegold. Great trip and hope we can do it again next year. Berg Heil!!!
(8/21/08 to 8/23/08)

Doug Buckmaster
special to Outside All Day