Day 1, September 6, 2017 - Dana Meadows to Alger Lakes

Our trip started innocently enough in the small parking lot for the Dana Meadows trailhead, elevation 9700'.  We were escorted to the trailhead by Mark's wife Rhonda and their two foreign exchange students Elena and Annette.  It might mb hard to tell from the photo below, but my observation is that they don't take well to temperatures below 60F.  This picture was before breakfast at Tuolumne Meadows.

And here are Matt and Mark at the beginning of the trip. 


They would not look that clean again for three weeks. 

The first day's itinerary had us going over two passes, Parker and Koip.  Parker Pass (elevation 11,100') was the first of two passess we would go over that day.  The trip up toward Parker Pass and the surrounding terrain were very pretty and a great way to start the trip.

As most passes are, Parker Pass was rather barren.




Once over Parker Pass we got into a dramatic change of scenery.  After a small drop in elevation, we began to climb in elevation, and the terrain also changed. More rocks, snow and water, and some vegetation. 

After passing several streams and small lakes, we began our climb up Koip Pass.  Elevation at the pass is 12,250'.  The climb up the pass was very strenuous, like perhaps more strenuous than we should have elected to take on day one of our trip.  The view back toward the small lake pictured above from near Koip Pass.  



Mark and Matt at Koip Pass



Looking down from just below Koip Pass as we descend toward Alger Lakes (lower right)



If the hike up Koip Pass did not take it out of us, then the hike down to our camp spot at Alger Lakes did.  We descended over 2000' to camp near the closest of the larger lakes.  We go into camp at 6pm.   You may have noticed the clouds in the picture above.  We encountered a couple of hours of off and on light rain during our descent to camp and while setting up camp and making dinner. We both had minor altitude sickness and did not eat all the salmon pasta I prepared, did not take the time to bake bacon cheese bread, and ate no dessert. 


This was definitely a one off for the trip, as food played a central role for all of our days on the trail.  We both set up tents and got to bed as soon as possible. 


I felt terrible all night.  It was windy off and on all night and into the morning.  I remember laying in my tent in the middle of the night and wondering what I had gotten myself into.  I just wanted to go home.  That sentiment fortunately did not last beyond the night of day 1. 

There is no inreach location for this day.

Day 2 page is here

Daily Statistics
Miles hiked:  11
Elevation gain:   2500'  
Elevation lost :  2150'
Precipitation:  2 hours light rain in the eveining
Morning low temperature:  Not recorded, estimate mid 40s