I came up with this song a few weeks ago. I'm playing my Native American Flute and Debbie is Playing the Elk Skin Drum.
If you like the song you can purchase a download of it on my bandcamp page, (its only 1$) your support would mean a lot to me.
wildernesswanderer.bandcamp.com/track/rolling-hills-of-ch...

I also have a YouTube Channel for hiking, backpacking, camping, nature and more music like this.
www.youtube.com/channel/UCJFdIj7TITFAg4fJyzUJzSA

Tags:   Hiking backpacking camping wilderness wandering music native American flute sespe river hills mountains

© All Rights Reserved

Check out my YouTube channel www.youtube.com/@wildernesswanderer6157/videos

Home Sweet Home!" is a song adapted from American actor and dramatist John Howard Payne's 1823 opera Clari, or the Maid of Milan. The song's melody was composed by Englishman Sir Henry Bishop

© All Rights Reserved

Part 4
The next day I explored up to the small lake above Trail lakes, Needle lake, named for the needle like spire that rises over it. While there, thunderstorms brewed in the valley to the east of the mountains, boiling high enough to be seen rising over the the 12000 ft Sierra crest.
After I finished at Needle Lake I headed back to camp for a nap. By the time I woke up large cotton ball clouds rolled across the sky, condensing in one spot, boiling over to another spot, only to evaporate and reform again elsewhere.
There is a small ridge that rises to the west of the smaller of the two trail lakes that I decided to climb to see if I could see 4th recess lake. The view that awaited me left me awestruck and speechless. Cliffs to the south reaching up from the lake to many sweeping benches carved out in steps until they ended in jagged spires of stone along the encircling ridge. The whole scene embellished in dappled light from the cotton ball clouds. From the benches above, down the towering cliffs tumbled a 650 foot waterfall, the roar of its cascades bringing me peaceful bliss. The lake lay far beneath me, filling the cirque which cradled it. That drained into a log jammed creek that disappeared into forest. Beyond the lake's edge and beneath a patchwork sky, lay a wide, low valley nestled gently within the mountainous landscape, a seemingly endless forest blanketing every inch.
Later that evening while back at trail lakes I enjoyed the alpine glow along it's shores.

Tags:   Landscape wilderness hiking backpacking camping wandering mountains lake forest granite high sierra California

© All Rights Reserved

On Monday I left early to drive to the trail head and begin my High Sierra wanderings. The first day started out with clear skies, though as I began my ascent up the pass dark storm clouds brewed in the distance. At one point I stopped for a break and another backpacker on his way out stopped for a chat.
Soon after I continued on and in the small saddle below the pass thunder rumbled and the rain began. This area was strewn with large, sharp boulders that were the only shelter for miles. I found a cluster of them that had a nice over hang just as the rain picked up, and I huddled underneath to stay dry. It was good shelter until the wind shifted direction and blew the rain right into the opening, soaking my pants since they weren't water proof. My only option to not get any more wet was to shield myself with my waterproof pack. Thankfully my pants are a quick drying material and were dry within 10 minutes. An hour later the storm passed and I continued on to my first lakeside camp.

my new youtube channel: www.youtube.com/channel/UCJFdIj7TITFAg4fJyzUJzSA

© All Rights Reserved

After leaving Davis lakes I navigated cross country to Rodgers Lakes. They were nice, but nowhere near as beautiful as where I had just come from so I continued on to Marie Lake. I worked my way up a steep ridge in the hot sun. At the top I could see a beautiful meadow land far below on the other side, dotted with many shining, shimmering ponds and a creek flowing between them all.
As I continued on I found a large rock with a shaded overhang and took a break from the hot sun in it's shadow. After the break I continued uphill and soon found the trail that led me the rest of the way to Marie Lake. After reaching the lake I made lunch, then I explored around the eastern shore.
While exploring I dropped my water bottle and when I squatted down to grab it the seat of my pants ripped from the crotch all the way to the waist band. To save weight on these trips I only bring one pair of clothes, not including cold weather gear. I also stopped carrying a sewing kit because I've never needed one. So I could neither replace nor repair my pants. Now that I had unprotected skin exposed to the sun, I went back to where my pack was and I tied a jacket around my waist to prevent the sun from burning me. I do carry sunscreen, but having clothing covering as much skin as possible works much better in my opinion.
After another hour of exploring the lower Marie Lake I was not happy with with the lack of shade and my photography options here so I decided to head back down and go to the meadow lands I had seen.
After reaching the pools and meadows of Rush Creek, I found a nice shaded spot beneath a stand of trees to set up camp. I soaked my feet in the cool water of the creek, then took a nap. When I awoke, the sun was low and I headed down to the creek to photograph sunset. I found a nice spot atop a waterfall where small fish were jumping, here I waited for the light to get good. While sitting at the spot I chose, another backpacker sat down nearby to enjoy the same view. Once I got the photos and the light faded from the landscape I asked the other backpacker if they had a sewing kit I could borrow. They said they didn't have one but asked what I was going to use it for. I told them about my ripped pants.
“I have duct tape, you can have some of that.” they offered.
“I have some too, but I don't think it will hold for a whole week.” I explained,
“This is Gorilla Duct Tape. It will hold.”
They gave me a small roll and I thanked them. We headed back to our own camps, and when I reached mine I repaired my pants. They were right, it held them together for the rest of the trip.

Tags:   hiking backpacking camping wandering wilderness High sierra sierra mountains lakes

© All Rights Reserved