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The Prettiest Place on the Planet, continued
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My wife and I slept in a tent, the two packers slept under the stars, and the stock were tied nearby. The packers' three dogs guarded camp to ward off any bears or other night time prowlers who might wander by and we all slept soundly that night and every night thereafter. In the mornings while the packers were busy with their camp chores the three dogs amused themselves by permitting us to throw sticks for them. These were real working dogs and responded to their masters voice commands without fail - even to the point of not ever chasing any wild animals. I have never seen better canine discipline.
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The second day, after a huge breakfast of bacon and eggs, coffee, and toast, one of the packers saddled our hores and mules (that day the packer rode one of the mules) and we prepared for our first trip into the surrounding countryside. Our two companions refused to let us do any of the numerous chores associated with camp, took care of the stock, looked to our comfort (including a portable toilet), prepared all of our meals, and answered all of our endless questions about everything we were seeing and doing. We quickly came to regard them as valued friends. That day we rode past Grassy Lake to Lone Indian and Wilbur Mae Lakes. ( A group of backpackers were swimming in Lone Indian Lake and we compared notes. They agreed that horse packing had some definite advantages - particularly as regards food.) Dinner for us that evening consisted of a fresh green salad, steamed fresh vegetables, and superb pork chops grilled over the campfire with cherry cheesecake for desert.
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The third day we woke to an unbelievable breakfast quiche prepared in a dutch oven nestled in the coals of the morning campfire - the equal of anything that might be prepared in a fully equipped kitchen and even better theatre. I should also mention that each morning we made our own lunches from a selection of ingredients that were spread out on a small table. We usually took a sandwich or two with fresh fruit and a couple of handfuls of mixed nuts along with a couple of bottles of filtered water in a bag that was slung over the horn of our saddle. Very convenient to snack along the way, but most of the time we would enjoy lunch by the edge of a magnificent glacial lake with crystal clear water. This particular day it was Peter Pande Lake. That evening dinner was another dutch oven creation - honey chicken - cooked to perfection
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The fourth day, after another wonderful breakfast, we decided that we would hike up to Olive Lake. That was the day that really brought home how much the horses were worth. I am not sure of the exact elevation but think that it was probably around 10,000 feet or better. The air was thin and we were definitely not acclimatized. There was a lot of huffing and puffing and frequent stops. The trail wandered up through a small glacial valley over sheets of granite and we lost it a couple of times, but it was easy to find again and we eventually topped out into a grand amphitheater with a beautiful turquoise jewel of a lake in its center. We spent most of the afternoon lazing in the sun and watching a few pure white clouds drift over the distant peaks. Eventually we wandered back to camp where we found steaks being grilled over the camp fire and potatoes baking in the coals. Another magnificent meal and another interesting and entertaining conversation with two delightful people who live an entirely different life than our own.
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That evening the white clouds that we had seen over the distant peaks grew in size and darkened in color. The wind came up and it was clear that the weather was changing. The packers put up their tent just in case but it did not rain over night. In the morning we broke camp under threatening skies and headed down the mountain. The views were even more dramatic than on the way up with mountain tops peaking through the mist and clouds but we were fortunate - the storm held off until we got back to the pack station. That night it snowed but we were off the mountain.
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All in all it was a trip of a lifetime. The weather was perfect, the animals were magnificent, our companions were skilled in their profession, and the world that we visited is indeed one of the "prettiest places on the planet."
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