Camping Near Lake Alpine
We went camping last weekend, up near Lake Alpine. We went up Saturday and got a campsite at Pacific Valley campground. I had wanted to drive out to Highland Lakes but the road was closed for the Death Ride. We set up camp, ate lunch, and then everyone laid around for an hour or two. Around 4 we decided to hike to Kinney lakes to go swimming. I think it is about 2 miles from Ebbetts Pass to the lakes, on a fairly level trail.
It was a little windy but the water wasn’t very cold (64° F). We hiked around the lake looking for the best possible swimming spot and right where we had started, on the southwest side. As we were getting ready to leave, we noticed some kind of large bird in a dead tree on the other side of the lake. It looks like a Bald Eagle to me, although perhaps it was just an Osprey. The lighting made it really hard to see (not having a zoom lens doesn’t help anything either).
On Sunday we broke camp and drove up to Mosquito Lake so that we could hike into Bull Run Lake. The sign said it was only 3.5 miles to the lake, but neglected to mention that there is a lot of gratuitous climbing. It was well worth it though, because the lake is gorgeous. The water is extremely clear and there is a small island in the middle of the lake. We swam out to the island and back, then ate lunch and hiked out.
December 12th, 2007 at 11:03 am
Isn’t that a great area to backpack? I love Bull Run Lake. I still do that trip from time to time since it is not a long hike and my kids can make it. Yes there is some climb but it really is nice setting.
We also like to do canoe camping nearby at Utica resevoir. A nice high mountain water storage that lovely little granite islands sprinkled around it. Fun rocxks to jump off of too when the water is high.
May 1st, 2008 at 1:15 pm
I wouldnt want to spend the summer indoors! Gotta get outside! Go Camping! Being outside, in natures raw beauty is what inspires me!
July 31st, 2008 at 12:31 pm
This looks like the dream camping trip. the hiking had to be great.
September 5th, 2008 at 11:59 am
It is always exciting to see these large birds of prey. It looks like a bald eagle to me too. We were hiking in the Shiloh National Military Park last spring and came upon a large pine with a nesting bald eagle. We watched for over an hour as the mom and dad both borught food to the babies (couldn’t see them but could hear them.
I would love to backpack the Lake Alpine area some day. It looks beautiful!
January 27th, 2009 at 8:19 pm
Looks like a Bald Eagle to me. Here in Nova Scotia we have an Eagle Watch festival in February. It starts this weekend. It is great fun to go and identify the different eagles, including the Bald Eagle, who come to dine on food that is put out for them each morning.
April 30th, 2009 at 9:33 am
I do a lot of hiking in the Carson -Iceberg Wilderness and the Mokolumne Wilderness. It is an absolutely beautiful area. It is often overlooked as a hiking backpacking destination so there are usually very few people. I rarely see anyone on my hikes. Once, my wife and I were sitting on the rocks at Lake Alpine and this Bald eagle came soaring in overhead, maybe three hundred feet above the lake. It circled and then divebombed down to the lake with talons extended. It nabbed a trout and with effort regained altitude with fish in talons. It was a National Geographic moment!!
Bob