Johnson Lake 2021 - Day 3

We got to sleep in! And we both did, even though Ambrose is usually up and out of the tent well before I'm awake on sleep-in days. This was our day of hanging out at the lake. That might not seem like much work for a training hike, but you have to consider that we were hanging out at 8000 feet elevation. Acclimatization is work ;)

After breakfast, we decided to do a little exploring. Not a circumnavigation of the lake (this time), but a look around by the outlet. A little pleasure hike. 

The water was so incredibly clear. We even saw some fish.

Some mushrooms busting out. We looked, but saw no morels :(

When we got to what we thought was the outlet, we found that it is only the outlet in very high water years. This year, the whole area looked clear enough to house five or more tents, and a few hammocks to boot. Ambrose said we might consider camping there in the future, but I'm not sold. It's right above the outlet, and I bet it would be a bit cold. 

Lovely cascading outlet. 

I told Ambrose if I were going to swim to the island, I'd do it from here. Nice short distance.

After we got back from our little ramble, it was lunch time. Or close enough. We got lunch done and then settled into the afternoon's hard work of acclimatization. We'd find a shady spot with a view, settle down on a tarp with our pillows, water and snacks, then relax. 

Someone was watching for snack leavings.

Ambrose kindly holding onto my pillow while I get supplies. Wonder if I'll get it back...

When we were facing the lake in the late afternoon, microbursts would blow up and chase waves across the lake. I even got a video of one of them. 

And so the day passed. My dinner seemed a bit too small, but I made up for it with snacks. 

It's possible I didn't bring enough snacks on this trip though - at least, not the right kind. On this trip, Ambrose and I discussed the necessity of "chewy" snacks. Not snacks that were chewy in the mouth, but snacks that gave your stomach something to "chew" on. We can't subsist on just sugar or energy gels/chews (which are mostly sugar). We need something bread-like, meat-like. Something to assure the stomach that its needs are being met. 

On the next trip, I definitely plan on having more snacking meats. I'll probably bring some nuts, too, which I skipped on this trip. Nuts aren't the best on my digestion, but I can handle macadamias while backpacking. 

Bed time came a bit earlier for me on this night, because in the morning we were going to pack up and hike the whole way back to the car. And then I would get to drive home. Got to rest up!