I got a leisurely start from the Alabama Hills first thing in the morning and drove to Bishop where I went to Eastside Sports for a can of stove fuel, from there I went up to Lake Sabrina. Overnight vehicles must stay about a half mile below the trailhead, so I dropped off my pack and smellable items in the bear box and drove back down to park. Still in post-covid shape, I took my time going up and stopped to talk to a few hikers before a lunch break at Blue Lake. Everyone mentioned the mosquitos and another group told me they had a hard time following any route to Baboon. I followed the trail, which of course is only marked for Donkey Lake and that should have been an indicator for me... Turned out I lost my way too, I followed three different use trails that were marked with cairns but all of them petered out of I ran into cliffs. I walked around for close to two hours chasing this stuff down, although I was pretty happy with myself for watching the route behind me and never panicking. Finally I gave up and walked over to Donkey Lake, where I found a nice spot and also managed to get a picture for International Hike Naked Day (a few days late for that little holiday). The bugs really enjoyed more exposed skin so I didn't swim around very much, just scampered back up to my location where I could avoid them in the afternoon breeze. That wind grew a lot, with strong gusts blowing for extended periods every 30 minutes or so, that pattern would keep up most of the night. Despite all that I managed to get the tent set up, this time using extra tie-outs from the two peaks. I had a great trail dinner of rehydrated black beans and mashed potatoes with cheese on tortillas and snuck into the shelter before dark. Even then I had a couple bugs follow me in.
The next day I got up and out before the bugs returned, stopping for breakfast on some huge granite slabs overlooking Blue Lake. I took the other fork in the trail, first visiting the Emerald Lakes. They were still and marshy, which of course meant more bugs so I didn't hang around too long - besides, there were other things to see. I made a long hot walk up to Midnight Lake, when I got there I realized that it didn't have the notable falls that I had seen pictures of before going. Backtracking a bit, I left my pack at a junction and walked over to Moonlight Lake. The afternoon wind at +11k was cool, and it took some wandering around on more granite just to find the lake. I decided I had spent all the time I could, so I headed back down to get an earlier start for the walk out and drive home the next day. I found a couple really nice tent spaces at Blue Lake, a little secluded albeit less than 100 feet from the trail. From there it was a relatively short walk out to the trailhead and then down to the car the next day.
I did not get to see the two lakes with the best names, Hungry Packer and Drunken Sailor so I'll have to go up there once again for at least a dayhike to see them. I have noticed that I can spend a really long time just sitting on or near a lakeshore looking at the water, somehow time passes without me noticing.
Total according to AllTrails 22 miles, 3500 feet elevation gain.
The Alabama Hills are marked like this - everything on the east side of Movie Road is day use only although there were vehicles there all night.
Lunch spot at Blue Lake.
Searching for Baboon Lake, one of the trails ran out here. I couldn't see any trail or cairns on the other side and I think it was headed the wrong way.
Another trail ended at this rockfall/waterfall, it would have been hard to go up and down with a full backpack.
Tent in the breeze, billowing out from the inside. I even lowered the windward side a couple inches to cut down on the gale.
Breakfast spot, maybe a hundred yards off trail.
One of the Emerald Lakes.
Dingleberry Lake. I thought about spending the night here but pushed on a little farther.
Midnight Lake.
Moonlight Lake.
