I wanted to catch the sunrise and did not think to set an alarm on my phone. I have learned to put my phone in airplane mode and the battery will last a couple of days taking pictures, using a GPS application as well as checking my sunrise and sunset application. It was nice to not have email, texting or phone service. However, there are just some applications that it is difficult to live without.
So I look at my phone, the time was 6:14 am and the sunrise was 6:24. I hurried out into the cool morning air to find the morning sky painted with the soon to be rising sun. Casa Vieja Meadow is a nice place. The hike there is 2 miles with an elevation drop of 650 feet.
Sunrise over Casa Vieja Meadows
Sunrise over Casa Vieja Meadows and Nine Mile Creek
While out wandering around I met up with a group that came in after us. They were camped a couple hundred yards to the south and were headed down to Jordan Hot Springs. Upon my arrival back to camp I dropped the bear bag and proceeded to begin to cook breakfast. Soon enough we had finished breakfast and began to strike camp. Jacob and I traveled with A couple friends, Bret, Eric and Eric’s 7 year old son. I used the trail sign as a place to prop the camera up to take a picture.
It was just after 10:00 AM and we were on our way. We were headed towards Long Canyon or Redrock Meadows if you look at a map. The trail has a few ups and downs with 170 foot elevation gain over the two miles that we were going to travel. We took a couple of pictures on the way. One that indicates what type of weather we were going to have later in the day.
Of course, if you are Jacob, who can take more pictures than me on any trip, you will find interesting things to take pictures of. Jacob pointed towards the east and said, “Look a snake.” I said, “Where.” He replied, “Right there.”
Snake Head Rock
Before noon we arrived at camp. Jacob immediately started taking pictures waiting for the others to arrive. We then set up camp and prepared our lunches. The sky was growing a little darker. As we were finishing eating our lunch it began to rain. It was nice to have the tents up, everything in its place and the packs covered. As for the scenery, it was beautiful.
Long Canyon Creek at split of Red Rock Trail and Long Canyon Trail
Within a couple of hours the rain slowed up. Jacob and I went for a short hike put to Beer Keg Meadow. It was about a mile up and back.
Beer Keg Meadow
Upon our arrival back to camp I did some fishing and Jacob climbed around on the rocks and carved some sticks. I had several nibbles, a couple of good bites, lost one on its way out of the water and caught one trout. It was fun trying to get a fly to move where I wanted it to. At least I can now say that I have caught a fish on a fly with my fly rod. It has only taken several years. Then again, it has been three or four years from the last time I went fishing.
Jacob hiking behind camp
Later in the afternoon Jacob wanted to visit a rock outcropping. He said that it was important. We went up and he said, “Can you smell the smoke?” I said yes and it was probably from the fire up north. While we were up there, I thought, why not get a couple of pictures.
We traveled back down to camp where we prepared dinner. After dinner played a couple of games. I introduced Bret and Eric to Left, Center Right (LCR) and they introduced Jacob and I to Flux. LCR is a game of chance rolling dice and does not take a lot of thought. However, Flux is a game where the rules and the conditions for winning are altered throughout the game, via cards played by the players. Hence, the game is in a state of “Flux”. It was fun, until was getting late and we were all to cold to remain up.
Beautiful views!!