Out There In It! – Episode 18: Rae Lakes in the Sierra Nevadas

Out There In It! – Episode 18: Rae Lakes in the Sierra Nevadas

[Music] Okay, here’s the gear I’m bringing on this truck. And this is the meal plan for 10 days. And here’s the pack fully packed. I’ve got it filled with food and a liter of water. And it currently weighs 33 lbs. [Music] All right, boys and girls. Today is July 9, Wednesday, July 9, 2025, and it’s time for another adventure. Today I’m at Ker Surge Pass in the Sierra Neadas and uh the plan is to do 10day trip up to Ker Surge Pass around the Ray Lakes Loop. Part of that is on the Jan Mir Trail and then down into the Gardener Basin and then back out. So today’s day one, just getting started. It’s absolutely beautiful here. Gorgeous sunny day. Let’s get out there in it. [Music] Hey kids, we got the dreamers disease. The edge 14 that got you down on your knees. So alive. We’re busy still saying please. [Music] All right, there’s Heart Lake. That’s where I’m going to camp tonight. I was hoping it wasn’t so far down off the trail, but it’s my best option, so I’m done hiking for the day. So, I’m going to make my way down there and find a spot. This is not fun. I started at the top of that. I had to scramble down and still got a ways to go. Very slippery, but it’s the only water for a long ways, so has to be done. [Music] Woo! [Music] Chewing on a piece of grass, walking down the road. Tell me how long you going to stay here. Joe, some people say, “Okay, it’s day two and I’ve just finished the climb out of Hart Lake behind me there. It was gorgeous, man. But that climb was really, really hard and pretty sketchy. Um, it was a beautiful place to camp, but I would caution anyone against stewing it. It was really difficult getting down there and just as tough getting back up. Anyway, uh today the plan now is to climb to the top of Keridge Pass and then start making my way down the other side where it’s joining up with the official loop trail. [Music] Okay, up and over Kerarge Pass and now looking down into the valley. That is uh Kerasarge Lakes off to the left and Bullfrog Lake off to the right. How pretty is this? Wow. A beautiful basin. Get to heaven. You got to raise a little. [Music] There’s a beautiful bullfrog lake. Got a little closer. Greetings from Bubs Creek. This is my campsite here. This lovely little creek, Bub’s Creek. And um camped in this huge forest. It’s about 9,500 ft in elevation. It was a big day of hiking and I’m glad to just chill out for a few hours surrounded by huge mountains. Came from the top up there and uh found a nice little spot in the shade and I’m just going to relax here for the afternoon. Good morning. I’m just leaving my campsite at Bubs Creek and this morning is July 11, 2025. July 11th’s notable because that’s the date, my retirement date, a few years ago now. Uh, and also last night was significant because it was my 60th day on the John Mir Wilderness. 60th night spent out here. So, today it’s going to be a day of climbing. Um, I’m heading from the Rail Lakes Trail up back up the John Mir trail and my destination for today is Charlotte Lake. And it’s uh that’s pretty much climbing straight up the whole day. But we’re just going to take a little bit at a time. We got all day to get there. [Music] I want to go higher. I want to go higher. I want to go higher. I want to go higher. [Music] Unfortunately, this is standard equipment for the John Mir trail. the headnet. I don’t know. There’s a mosquito in my hand. Uh, when you get down near some of these creeks, they’re really everywhere. They’re even getting in my camera. Anyway, sucks, but I’ll be up out of here pretty soon. I’m descending down on a side trail now to Charlotte Lake, which is my destination for today. And this forest, it’s so quiet. Listen quiet. Wow. So nice. All right, I’ve got about a mile to go. All right, I found my campsite. It’s not a bad view from inside the tent. I’m going to have a little nap now. Be pretty here at night. [Applause] [Music] I’ve had nothing but bad luck since the day I saw the cat at my door. So I came into you, sweet lady, answering your mystical call. Crystal ball. [Music] Well, today’s day five and I’m making my way up the hill from Charlotte Lake. I guess you can’t really see it. And uh the plan today is kind of an exciting one. Heading up over Glen Pass, which is just under 12,000 ft, and then descending down to Ray Lakes, which I’ve been there before. It’s really beautiful, but uh it’s going to be a little bit of a challenging day because uh well, it’s a lot of climbing and um I’m starting at 10,300 and going up from there. So, a lot of elevation, a lot of climbing, but uh it looks like gorgeous day and the bugs aren’t biting right now. Feeling pretty good. My muscles are sore but uh overall doing good. So [Music] chewing on a piece of grass, walking down the road. [Music] All right, getting into some gnarly stuff now. Making my way up to Glen Pass. Up and over. You don’t care. I know [Music] you’re a higher. [Music] Okay, this is an unusual find. It’s some white spongy stuff. It’s really cold. I’m not sure. You have to look this up like at home. Just a little bit further and I’ll be at the at the pass. All right. Coming up on Glen Pass. Yay. Welcome to Glen. Can I get a fist bump? Thank you. I always think it’s like a present when you get to these passes and see the other side. Oh my god. Woo. Yeah, that little narrow area right there is so cool. Oh my god. That’s So that’s Ray Lakes right down there. Whoa. Snow’s really deep. Oh Okay, let’s put the phone away. This is slippery. Making my way down the marmet. What’s up, dude? Okay, here’s my first good view of um the Ray Lakes, upper Ray Lake. So, I’m almost done for the day. Just got to walk down there and find a good campsite. Okay, I finally made it to Ray Lakes and found a beautiful little campsite, perched up about the lake. Um, I’ve already filled my water and then I jumped in the water and washed all my clothes and had a swim and they’re all drying right now. our little campsite. Even there’s a little bench seating and my solar charger is charging up the uh satcom. So, now it’s time for a little nap. There’s the famous spin dome. Have a good look at it. [Music] [Music] Saturday night I was All right, good morning. Today is day seven and I’m making my way up the back of Glen Pass, uh, which is right there. The rest of the day really it’s it’s downhill to Curge Lakes. So, let’s keep pushing. [Music] [Music] I saw a head [Music] was walking big boy. All right, here we are at Glenn’s Pass. And there’s some other people up here with us. Yes. Look at this view. All right. So, next step is head straight down that way and toward Kar Lakes. [Music] This is a really nice section of trail. That’s Curs Pass right up there. Look at Look at how nice this is. Look at the work that’s been put into the trail construction here. This is sweet. Got to hope I find water soon. Yoohoo. Water. My gamble paid off. This saves me couple hours of hiking and climbing. I was starting to get worried, but this will be great. Gonna fill up everything now and find a campsite up in the hill up there. All right, I’m in good shape now. So, I found this flat spot in the rocks just a short distance from that stream where I pulled the water. Look at that view, man. Might be the best view of the whole trip. It’s pretty sweet. It’s pretty exposed and we’re getting some clouds, but I think we’re going to be okay. So, this is home for tonight. It’s even a great little table here at this campsite. That rock’s perfectly flat. It’s great little campsite. Love it. I want to come back. Okay, the sun’s up and it’s time to get moving. So long, Sierras. [Music] [Applause] And now I am at Kursarge Pass. It’s hazy down there, but that’s Onion Valley. Destination for today. I think that’s Big Pole Lake. [Music] Some kind of mustard maybe. Okay, I’m getting close to Trails End here, so I thought I’d put a bow on this track. The uh Sierras are always fantastic. This was a really great great backpacking excursion. Highly recommend. The weather was great. The scenery just jaw-droppingly beautiful. Uh met some really nice people along the way and saw some good wildlife and tons of lakes. Lost track of how many lakes. And um so yeah, it was a fantastic experience. Thanks very much for watching another one of my videos. And uh if you’re out on the trails yourself, be safe and have fun. See you. Something on my hand.