Echo lake to Soda Spring

We arrive to Echo lake about 11 am. Echo lake is quite a tourist place. You can walk around the lake where you can see little wood small houses , Swiss style. If you keep walking you will reach Alloha Lake. This is one of my favourites lakes , perfect spot for lunch and for a swim , warm water, love California!

During the evening was the climb to Dick pass, nothing serious, and I believe it is the last pass over 9000 ft. I keep walking and I have to camp alone in a not campsite, no idea where Adam, Ali or Duct camped. It was late and I have to cook in the dark by the tent. This is what sometimes scare  me, specially if you in the middle of the valley surrounded of trees and vegetation, alone. I know there is a possibility of a bear show up in the middle of the night checking for the smell of macaroni. If you are in group is not a problem but sometimes alone..........

Dick pass

Next morning I discover Duct 300 meters from my camp. I have breakfast with him. The day was quite easy, 14 miles going down....I had a nap at lunch , Adam woke me up. I hiked with them in the evening for a while and when they camped I keep hiking a few miles to camp in top of the ridge. I love those places, dry camping in the ridges.....and the best sunsets. I met a guy that i saw during the day. He is doing the Tahoe lake rim trail, and he is the only guy that I saw with a hammock tent. I asked him about rain protection for the night. - No today. - I just come from the other side of the mountain and looks like a big one is coming in....

We have dinner and after the lighting storm starts. The tent I believe it is not the best place to stay during lighting with a metallic pole pointing the skies , but if it is raining outside.....storm got closer , very close. I shout that is close, the guy answer - It is fucking here! At some point I fall asleep.

The last day before Soda spring had quite a lot of climbing. We are close to Tahoe so we go from sky lift to ski lift. I met a couple  that were on the way to yoga festival . They saw me sleeping at lunch the day before, they call me the Napper... I reached the American Creek. It suppose to have water but it was completely dry. I was in trouble, 10 miles until the next one....It could be a long evening....with all the climbing . - Let's check it properly, I used all my dessert skills , I went up , do some holes, move some rocks, nothing I went down and bingo some pools. The water had a weird taste to an aromatic plant that was in contact with. Thanks God!

The trail continue over a ridge, I love those ridges. It is the essence of the trail, The Crest!.  I could see from here a huge storm over the right , very ugly one and clear skies on the left . over the crest.....I saw some info about Donner pass and how difficult was the emigration in the 1800.

I reached a sky lift and I decide to camp there. Nice view , no mosquitos and mile and half from the road. Tomorrow up early for resupply.

room with views