Second Try And Still No Luck

[hiketofish]

So I wanted to try getting to a lake in the National Parks again plus try out a new toy.

 

This is a packraft I got off the internet. It weighs 5 pounds and should make for many new opportunities to explore some new waters plus get to the middle of some of those alpine lakes where the fish are only jumping beyond your casts from shore. It is designed for one person but will definitely take two people. We tried sitting facing each other on the river but the front person got a lot of splash in the rapids and then tried the two man luge technique and promptly flipped it...

 

We did paddle across this large lake with the two of us (facing each other) with relative ease. We would have been susceptible to wind had there been much.

 

This is me in front of the first look at the next lake. The goal is to get above the background headwall. No easy task I assure you. I'd already tried once before and was too chicken at the crux of the hike.

 

We (my Dad and I) tried a different route going way to the right. This is the ledge you have to figure out how to get to.

 

Here my Dad (67) is a bit above his comfort zone but keeping up. He knows I want to get to this lake.

So far so good, doable but not for those scared of heights.

And then the ledge gets too narrow...and we have to turn back. We've actually been on the ledge walking for several hundred meters and its only 20 meter space that is bad. There is another way up and we found it but that will have to wait for another day. There is a helpful green arrow showing you the way of you look closely at the base of the cliffs. Unfortunately it was evening by this time and we needed to turn around. I think it can be done as a scramble but would be wiser to put in a rope anchor at the crux (scary part).

Here's a view from near the top that everyone who goes here takes. I've taken this exact pic before. So I'll give it one more go sometime. The packraft makes it really easy to get there. I would be interested to know if anyone else has one as I have some awesome trip ideas that would be way more fun (and safe) with some company. There are some headwaters that beg to be hiked to and then floated (rafted) down.

[lamponius]

That s sick man!!!

 

I wouldn t do that...Not sure fishing worth dying...

 

Anyway, spectacular pics.

[DougC]

Cool trip man. Is that an Alpacka raft? I was looking at those before I got my Watermasters.

[Conor]

Thanks for the vicarious adventure. Very cool.

 

More info on the raft, please. 5 lb!

[brownonbow]

You are crazy!!!

 

Take care on those mountain lakes as the wind can whip up pretty fast and things can get harry very quickly in a little craft like that.

 

Keep the adventures coming.

[Tungsten]

JeBus thats nuts.I tip my hat to your dad for tagging along and making it as far as he did.I hope he kicked your ass for getting him in that position.

[hiketofish]

Yes its an Alpacka raft. They are pretty much the only company that makes a really light packraft. It is an honest 5 pounds, the 4 piece paddle is just shy of 2 pounds and then your lifejacket. There a few places in the states where people are fishing with them and I've always wanted to take my kids out on the lakes we hike to. What really got me thinking of carrying a raft was the last two major hikes I did where floating out would have been tons easier. I would love to do Harvey Lake again and this time paddle down the river about 30 km, probably 5-6 hours) rather than hike it (took 26 hours). I'm hoping to use it this weekend again at another tough to get to lake (by myself so far) in JNP.

[Hawgstoppah]

You, sir, are absolutely NUTS!

 

I love it!

 

keep the pics coming...

[Bandi]

You're nuts, but looking at the photos I got why you did those climbs. That height/width combination is a no-no for me, but getting these superb photos would make me think it over. :=)

 

Great job with the photos. What camera did you shoot them?

[McLeod]

 

Totally awesome. Thanks for sharing this. I suspect you thing there are still a few cutties in that lake.

What is the weight capacity the raft can hold ?

[126barnes]

I got sick just looking at those pics..........really I did.

[beedhead]

I had butterfly's in my stomach and a adrenaline rush at the same time, lookin at those pics....Crazy!!...But awesome!!!

 

Cheers...Jeff..

[Taco]

High pucker factor country for sure! Any goats try to run you off?

[Muffin]

Like everyone else you are one crazy guy, but way to be adventurous. Thanks for posting the stories and the pics. the lakes look amazing, I love the color and calm of them.

[Brookie]

How did Turquoise fish? I used to fish it in the late 1970's. We caught splake and lake trout. The hike was marked with white paint at the start of the scrambling portion. It wasn't nearly as scary as the route you followed. Nice vantage to say the least.

[mvdaog]

theres got to be a better route...

[EvilWeevil]

i dont know whats scarier those pics or the two man luge technique......it sounds like the kinda closeness two men out on a fishing trip shouldn't be involved in j/k

[hiketofish]

i dont know whats scarier those pics or the two man luge technique......it sounds like the kinda closeness two men out on a fishing trip shouldn't be involved in j/k

 

Yes the two man luge technique lasted about 5 seconds before we flipped in the river. Fisherman are apparently not meant to luge. There is a better route to the ledge that joins it. I did find a green arrow but definitely was no white paint helping out after that. It can be done as a scramble, just don't fall or slip on the way down as there's zero room for error. We tried to stay on the ledge the whole way across the cliff to actually miss the exposed part of the scramble and we almost did it... The first time I went I tried to climb the waterfall (don't do it). Hopefully third time will be the charm.

 

Here's the green arrow showing the way....

 

The other lake below in the picture has fish in it, but not worth the hike to just fish that lake unless you like catching small Brookies. It is not the fishery it used to be.

 

[SNAPFisher]

I dunno man. I thought I was nuts about fishing but you make me look like a "nancy" in comparison. I echo that there must be a better way even than the last one you posted. Is it really worth taking these kind of risks into high alpine lakes that have fish with a very short growing seasion (i.e. smaller than average fish)?

 

Okay, now that the shock is over, I applaud you. Good luck on your continued search into alpine trout!

[ÜberFly]

SNAP,

 

It's not always about the fishing (or the fish) - fishing is just the bonus!!

 

P

 

Is it really worth taking these kind of risks into high alpine lakes that have fish with a very short growing seasion (i.e. smaller than average fish)?

 

[SNAPFisher]

SNAP,

 

It's not always about the fishing (or the fish) - fishing is just the bonus!!

 

P

 

Yep, I know it and live, but, there are limits even for me. Showed this post to my wife. She had two comments:

 

Darwin's theory is at work.

 

If he is married, make sure to tell his wife to take out a large insurance policy.

 

She always makes me laugh.

[hiketofish]

Well summed up by Uberfly, It is always about the trip and fishing is a bonus. Last year I tried and made it to David Lake. Number of hours hiking to get there: 15 hours to the lake, number of fish seen or caught in David Lake: 0. But that trip will forever be burned into my memory banks because of the adversity. Oddly enough I hardly ever hike to places that have no chance of fish. The fishing is the draw but there doesn't always need to be "catching".

 

This trip we tried to find a different route which I thought might be safer and although it was a bit skinny in some of the areas and perhaps we should have had helmets on to mitigate the risk of falling rocks against a cliff wall, I don't think it was that risky. Keep in mind we turned back, in fact I've turned back twice now, and the disappointment lingers but didn't ruin the trip. This trip I am more likely to remember flipping the raft in the river and starting out wet and cold and figuring out how to get two people across a large lake than the actual hike. I will remember getting my Dad out to a place that he likely wouldn't have gotten to on his own. I admit to enjoy trying to get to off the beaten path places that have fish. I'm guessing the people that put fish into some of these lakes must have felt the same way as some of these lakes are heinous to get to, but that's part of the fun.