- Joined
- May 24, 2015
- Messages
- 169
Just to the east of Yosemite lies the Hoover Wilderness. When they made Yosemite they probably grabbed as much land as they could without upsetting local landowners. Hoover Wilderness lies just outside Yosemite but it doesn't know it is not a national park. It has some national park worthy scenery and great campsites. When the pandemic lockdowns hit California there was a partial closure of the ranger stations in the state and national parks. If you already had a reservation for a hike you were allowed to show up and backpack in as usual but they were giving out no new permits. Not even walkups. Some of the wilderness areas however, were still providing walk up permits so we took advantage of this to explore a new area for us. We were surprised how easy it was to get a permit when we arrived at Bridgeport. The trails were also not very crowded as we hiked in to do the Crown Lake loop/lollipop hike. My daughter Holly was about to start a great new career job so she joined me for what was possibly the last of our daddy daughter trips for a while.
This deer was waiting outside the cabin to startle some folks at the Twin lakes campground.
![IMG_5590.jpg IMG_5590.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94564-672f789d7fc9719ff5b78c6b0f946e39.jpg)
We were a couple of miles in and I got out my full size DSLR camera to take a picture and found out I did not have a memory card, rendering the camera useless for the entire trip. Oh well, time to practice what I preach. I always tell myself these trips are not about photography or fishing or logging a bunch of miles.....its just about being out there in the wilderness, everything else is just a bonus. So I wrapped up the camera and tripod in a dry bag and hid it in the forest so I would not be reminded of my ineptitude by lugging around its dead weight. We would pick it up on the way out. The benefit was a lot less weight to carry and more time for fishing.
The approach to the Crown lake loop was scenic and there was a little haze in the air from the many fires. Our timing was good though since the big Sierra fires had not yet fully exploded.![IMG_5596.jpg IMG_5596.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94565-7316f651655de33a5d13c0a3e8d5fa94.jpg)
The trail took us past Barney Lake and then we got into a pattern of hike, swim, fish, camp at new lake, sleep, repeat. I was impressed as our campsites got more and more scenic along the way.
Peeler Lake swim.
![IMG_5605.jpg IMG_5605.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94566-f06ab827642b39b7eb6b0e0ed7b33057.jpg)
A great meadow on the border of Hoover/Yosemite.
![IMG_0082.jpg IMG_0082.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94555-c3d4edb09fb254b096811875f0a6dcad.jpg)
The pass to Snow Lake.![IMG_5613.jpg IMG_5613.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94567-ee7958b97e9ee63a63a3d6bfb39146f7.jpg)
Snow Lake lunch stop.![IMG_5617.jpg IMG_5617.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94568-ea8dc05fe53a8d8b29c01a60258915ae.jpg)
Swimmin and fishin.![IMG_5619.jpg IMG_5619.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94569-65eb43453878f885b3c9ecd30907d77b.jpg)
![IMG_0174.jpg IMG_0174.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94561-311cf22485b3e2d60da0feb900a9debf.jpg)
We chose an unnamed lake for one of our nights. It had great views.![IMG_0209.jpg IMG_0209.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94562-24ea995dbba7611244859b3feb050e04.jpg)
View down to Crown Lake
![IMG_0162.jpg IMG_0162.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94560-27bfde20af5267b86633e3fce21f4cd3.jpg)
The evening fishing session was memorable. On one cast as I pulled my lure out of the water near the bank, a fish jumped a foot out of the water to hit it in mid air! Not only did he hit the lure, he hooked himself and I flung him on the grass! This happened twice in a row! I had never seen that!![IMG_0137.jpg IMG_0137.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94558-ca546d516740483db8b1f443fafab740.jpg)
We safely released everything we caught.
![IMG_5637.jpg IMG_5637.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94570-ec1c9429eff0e6f8373859359032d4d6.jpg)
The next morning Slide Mountain looked great in the early light.
![IMG_5640.jpg IMG_5640.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94571-6736e2d9fc58f2d636c70faaf17480e1.jpg)
That morning we moved camp a short ways down to Crown Lake.
![IMG_0125 (1).jpg IMG_0125 (1).jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94557-7733e0602ec79e8b58125aa35f8e8cd7.jpg)
Very scenic views from above our tent site.![IMG_0096.jpg IMG_0096.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94556-8095f9747dba19eb8176214770b9f62e.jpg)
More good fishing. This lake had a shallow shelf encircling much of it that allowed you to wade comfortably into knee deep water.
![IMG_0006.jpg IMG_0006.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94549-034a61ada241599991618720d4db2aae.jpg)
Robinson Lake was a good lunch stop the next day.![IMG_5645.jpg IMG_5645.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94573-647cb7ff96dea0f5c502d0ed29ab4e7d.jpg)
Holly spotted a garter snake swimming over to us.![IMG_0031.jpg IMG_0031.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94552-e11ef0c6c65294a788ed0fe310df0bc8.jpg)
It was very predictable and swam right between my legs after I took this picture.
![IMG_5650.jpg IMG_5650.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94574-7b9c4c2fa24491450918a00570649678.jpg)
A cool colored pond above Robinson lake.![IMG_5654.jpg IMG_5654.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94575-a2ea1cd5ccdc03d5ae7d110edb9ecc90.jpg)
We had been sleeping without needing the tent fly but on our last night back at Barney lake we could see a thunderstorm developing. We hustled to put up the fly and were treated to a loud, wet, and vibrant storm for an hour as the sunlight faded. It helped to clear out some of the haze but then the next day was when a lot of the Sierra fires intensified.
Barney lake valley arrival.
![IMG_5655.jpg IMG_5655.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94576-1ada497118d8b3505042219571842585.jpg)
Barney swim
![IMG_0155.jpg IMG_0155.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94559-eb381dff469111f6c876301097400a11.jpg)
Our final morning we checked out the numerous beaver dams above Barney lake before hiking out.![IMG_5660.jpg IMG_5660.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94577-a69b9ca656d7d886b23f9715d509c74b.jpg)
It was a great short trip. We were so glad to be able to do it. We thought for sure we were going to get shut out of a backcountry trip as the covid shut downs increased.
This deer was waiting outside the cabin to startle some folks at the Twin lakes campground.
![IMG_5590.jpg IMG_5590.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94564-672f789d7fc9719ff5b78c6b0f946e39.jpg)
We were a couple of miles in and I got out my full size DSLR camera to take a picture and found out I did not have a memory card, rendering the camera useless for the entire trip. Oh well, time to practice what I preach. I always tell myself these trips are not about photography or fishing or logging a bunch of miles.....its just about being out there in the wilderness, everything else is just a bonus. So I wrapped up the camera and tripod in a dry bag and hid it in the forest so I would not be reminded of my ineptitude by lugging around its dead weight. We would pick it up on the way out. The benefit was a lot less weight to carry and more time for fishing.
The approach to the Crown lake loop was scenic and there was a little haze in the air from the many fires. Our timing was good though since the big Sierra fires had not yet fully exploded.
![IMG_5596.jpg IMG_5596.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94565-7316f651655de33a5d13c0a3e8d5fa94.jpg)
The trail took us past Barney Lake and then we got into a pattern of hike, swim, fish, camp at new lake, sleep, repeat. I was impressed as our campsites got more and more scenic along the way.
Peeler Lake swim.
![IMG_5605.jpg IMG_5605.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94566-f06ab827642b39b7eb6b0e0ed7b33057.jpg)
A great meadow on the border of Hoover/Yosemite.
![IMG_0082.jpg IMG_0082.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94555-c3d4edb09fb254b096811875f0a6dcad.jpg)
The pass to Snow Lake.
![IMG_5613.jpg IMG_5613.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94567-ee7958b97e9ee63a63a3d6bfb39146f7.jpg)
Snow Lake lunch stop.
![IMG_5617.jpg IMG_5617.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94568-ea8dc05fe53a8d8b29c01a60258915ae.jpg)
Swimmin and fishin.
![IMG_5619.jpg IMG_5619.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94569-65eb43453878f885b3c9ecd30907d77b.jpg)
![IMG_0174.jpg IMG_0174.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94561-311cf22485b3e2d60da0feb900a9debf.jpg)
We chose an unnamed lake for one of our nights. It had great views.
![IMG_0209.jpg IMG_0209.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94562-24ea995dbba7611244859b3feb050e04.jpg)
View down to Crown Lake
![IMG_0162.jpg IMG_0162.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94560-27bfde20af5267b86633e3fce21f4cd3.jpg)
The evening fishing session was memorable. On one cast as I pulled my lure out of the water near the bank, a fish jumped a foot out of the water to hit it in mid air! Not only did he hit the lure, he hooked himself and I flung him on the grass! This happened twice in a row! I had never seen that!
![IMG_0137.jpg IMG_0137.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94558-ca546d516740483db8b1f443fafab740.jpg)
We safely released everything we caught.
![IMG_5637.jpg IMG_5637.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94570-ec1c9429eff0e6f8373859359032d4d6.jpg)
The next morning Slide Mountain looked great in the early light.
![IMG_5640.jpg IMG_5640.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94571-6736e2d9fc58f2d636c70faaf17480e1.jpg)
That morning we moved camp a short ways down to Crown Lake.
![IMG_0125 (1).jpg IMG_0125 (1).jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94557-7733e0602ec79e8b58125aa35f8e8cd7.jpg)
Very scenic views from above our tent site.
![IMG_0096.jpg IMG_0096.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94556-8095f9747dba19eb8176214770b9f62e.jpg)
More good fishing. This lake had a shallow shelf encircling much of it that allowed you to wade comfortably into knee deep water.
![IMG_0006.jpg IMG_0006.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94549-034a61ada241599991618720d4db2aae.jpg)
Robinson Lake was a good lunch stop the next day.
![IMG_5645.jpg IMG_5645.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94573-647cb7ff96dea0f5c502d0ed29ab4e7d.jpg)
Holly spotted a garter snake swimming over to us.
![IMG_0031.jpg IMG_0031.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94552-e11ef0c6c65294a788ed0fe310df0bc8.jpg)
It was very predictable and swam right between my legs after I took this picture.
![IMG_5650.jpg IMG_5650.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94574-7b9c4c2fa24491450918a00570649678.jpg)
A cool colored pond above Robinson lake.
![IMG_5654.jpg IMG_5654.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94575-a2ea1cd5ccdc03d5ae7d110edb9ecc90.jpg)
We had been sleeping without needing the tent fly but on our last night back at Barney lake we could see a thunderstorm developing. We hustled to put up the fly and were treated to a loud, wet, and vibrant storm for an hour as the sunlight faded. It helped to clear out some of the haze but then the next day was when a lot of the Sierra fires intensified.
Barney lake valley arrival.
![IMG_5655.jpg IMG_5655.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94576-1ada497118d8b3505042219571842585.jpg)
Barney swim
![IMG_0155.jpg IMG_0155.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94559-eb381dff469111f6c876301097400a11.jpg)
Our final morning we checked out the numerous beaver dams above Barney lake before hiking out.
![IMG_5660.jpg IMG_5660.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94577-a69b9ca656d7d886b23f9715d509c74b.jpg)
It was a great short trip. We were so glad to be able to do it. We thought for sure we were going to get shut out of a backcountry trip as the covid shut downs increased.
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