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Last.Man.Out Member
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Having a weekend forecasting snow here in Spokane, I decided to head westwards to the deserty Odessa Pacific Lake Trail;expected temps in the high 50s with sunshine. I woke up to a somewhat late start at 9:15, hit the road at 10:00 am, driving through snow out of town, and found myself arriving in the small town of Odessa at 11:40.
With my dog Dakota ready to go I shouldered my pack and headed off, destination Bobs Lakes. The well marked trail winded up,
before heading westward for a couple miles. Here it cut North through sagebrush under sunny blue skies. I continued on, crossing west down and back up a small valley, heading north again looking for the trail that would lead me down into the Bobs Lakes' canyon. The trail was spotted at 5.3 miles and I headed downhill, taking in views of the Odessa Towers across the canyon to the west as I dropped down.
Once in the canyon floor a curious thing happened. I discovered that rather than being inhabited by bodies of water, Bobs Lakes were inhabited by bodies of...cows. Somewhat discouraged by the dried up first lake on my map, I continued on, past the bovine herd,
hoping the Northern Bob lake would still have water and provide a suitable place to camp. I traversed along the dry, soft lakebed enjoying the sunshine and steep canyon walls to the east and west.
Occassional mule deer crossed my sight.
Two miles up ahead, with a steady breeze at my back, I crossed over a small hill and there it was, water and Bobs Lake.
I tossed down the pack at 3:45, having came just under 8 miles. The dog quickly ran into the lake and drank his fill while I sat down and ate some lunch. I pondered the best place to set up camp. Twenty minutes later my MSR Hubba Hubba was set up, fly/groundsheet only,
and I set off again hoping to do a little fishing at Pacific lake to the North before sunset. A five mile round trip journey took me boulder hopping around the lake, which caused by dog some distress trying to follow as he whimpered his complaints, then across a wide open plateu and up a ravine, eventually reaching a gravel road leading to Pacific Lake Recreation Area.
Excited to have arrived I quickly trekked over to the
Boat launch area. Unfortunately there was disappointment to be had here too, as Pacific lake was also dry as bone.
With nothing here to see I headed back south towards camp,
taking in views of the cliffs to the East and West until I spotted Bobs Lake with my Tent on the Southern Shore.
At about 7:00 PM, having wandered 13 miles for the day,
I tended to my blistered left foot, changed my socks and cooked up a dinner of MT.House Potatoes and Beef. Dakota took in some much needed rest before eating his dinner himself and settling down in the dirt y my chair.Picture 100
As the sunlight disappeared at 8:00 Pm, I lit my back-breaking six pound duralog and enjoyed the last rays of light. The breeze that had blown all
day died down to a whisper and I sat in my Thermawrest chair, enjoying the silence and a bottle of zinfandel out of my sigg container. As the dog
lay at my side, stars soon came out and I leaned back, picking out the few constellations I know, Orions Belt, The Swan, The Big Dipper pointing to the North Star. No sight of the Northern Cross tonight...
Picture 126 Picture 130
At 11:00 PM, the zinfandel gone, I broke into the good stuff, a half bottle of 2001 merlot..., and sipped this away until I called it a night. The fire burned down and distant howls of coyotes perked up my dogs' ears now and then. I turned in at 12:30 and slept the night away, although a stiff breeze picked up to wake me from time to time.
I awoke the next morning at 9:00 am, having overslept and missed the sunrise as I often do. After a cup of coffee and a hot breakfast, I started to pack up camp under overcast skies.
I encountered some difficulty trying to take down my rainfly under 20-30 mph wins as my tent tried to become a parachute. I did not intend fish my tent out of the lake and finished the deed. At 10:45, packed up again, I once again headed out southwards through the canyon.Picture 143
Having already memorized the route and minus 20+ pounds of duralog/dogfood/water I made good time, coming out of the canyon in just over an hour.
I continued on enjoying the sounds of birds in the brush, laughing at my dog barking at harmless cows. Consulting my topo map, I picked a point at whitch I would cut south-east cross country until I intersected the trail again to the south. A pleasant half hour of crosscountry travel in which I saw a coyote running off into the distance led me back to the main trail. Another hour of travel was grinded out,
with throbbing feet until finally I had reached the trailhead and my truck, traveling 7 miles in just over 2.5 hours. I gave Dakota, panting and looking thirsty the last half a Nalgene of water, which he drank mid-air out of the bottle, then we drove away back towards town... All in all this was a great trip, I never saw another soul on the trail, the scenery was great, and I'm likely the only one in Spokane with a sunburn...
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goats gone wild Mr. Goat
Joined: 19 Aug 2007 Posts: 2524 | TRs | Pics Location: Vampireville |
Welcome to NWHikers, Last.Man.Out
I enjoyed your TR & pictures.
.....leaving me wanting to return over and over in what ever capacity that may be, even if one day my knees are too old and I can only see the mountains from my porch.
Jason Hummel
.....leaving me wanting to return over and over in what ever capacity that may be, even if one day my knees are too old and I can only see the mountains from my porch.
Jason Hummel
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Gil Member
Joined: 29 Sep 2004 Posts: 4063 | TRs | Pics
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Gil
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Tue Apr 08, 2008 6:48 am
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What an interesting place! Are those lakes seasonal, so the drying up is normal? And what about trailhead / trail stats for the non-cognoescenti?
Friends help the miles go easier.
Klahini
Friends help the miles go easier.
Klahini
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LastManOut Where's my whiskey?
Joined: 08 Apr 2008 Posts: 29 | TRs | Pics Location: Spokane |
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LastManOut
Where's my whiskey?
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Tue Apr 08, 2008 7:02 am
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Gil I dont know if there seasonal but there damn well dryed up and this was a record winter- wouldnt want to go there in August...far as totals it was 20 miles round trip and 1700 ft elevation gain , well worth it for the solitude...I did head to pacific lake which if excluded would cut of 5 miles round trip btw.
overslept another sunrise
overslept another sunrise
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trailjunky Backcountry Bumpkin'
Joined: 14 Jun 2004 Posts: 1124 | TRs | Pics Location: timberline |
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trailjunky
Backcountry Bumpkin'
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Tue Apr 08, 2008 10:15 am
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Way to go Cole, great trip and nice pics. Looking forward to future trip reports.
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gone Member
Joined: 08 Feb 2008 Posts: 1051 | TRs | Pics
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gone
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Tue Apr 08, 2008 10:53 am
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Beautiful desolation! Great pics! Thanks for sharing them!
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Canuck Member
Joined: 05 Jun 2006 Posts: 2137 | TRs | Pics Location: Lacey WA |
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Canuck
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Tue Apr 08, 2008 11:31 am
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That sounds like the trip I desperately need to take right now myself. Solitude, my dog, and a bottle of wine sound heavenly. Great trip report. Any snakes out yet?
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Bloated Chipmunk Cock Rock Searcher
Joined: 29 Jan 2007 Posts: 2993 | TRs | Pics Location: Margaritaville |
Last.Man.Out wrote: | At 11:00 PM, the zinfandel gone, I broke into the good stuff, a half bottle of 2001 merlot..., and sipped this away until I called it a night. |
Damn, sounds like my kind of evening at camp. But, sounds like you must've been up all night pi$$ing.
Home is where the hiking is.
"Peaks that have come and gone four times should halt a man in his steps." -- William O. Douglas
A balanced diet is a margarita in each hand.
Home is where the hiking is.
"Peaks that have come and gone four times should halt a man in his steps." -- William O. Douglas
A balanced diet is a margarita in each hand.
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Hiker Mama Member
Joined: 25 Jun 2006 Posts: 3451 | TRs | Pics Location: Lynnwood |
Fun, what a neat way to spend a weekend. Sounds like a perfect evening with perfect company. Nice pics, too.
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bobbi stillaGUAMish
Joined: 13 Jul 2006 Posts: 8012 | TRs | Pics Location: olympics! |
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bobbi
stillaGUAMish
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Tue Apr 08, 2008 3:24 pm
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yep, no longer in western washington. no trees!
thanks for the TR. looked like you and dakota had fun.
love #83, #130, and #143!!
a sunburn/tan is a sure sign you were away from spokane!
do you like your hubba hubba? i just bought the hubba for my hubby for his birthday. (it's still in the box!)
bobbi ૐ
"Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting. So…get on your way!" - Oh, the Places You’ll Go! By Dr. Seuss
bobbi ૐ
"Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting. So…get on your way!" - Oh, the Places You’ll Go! By Dr. Seuss
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LastManOut Where's my whiskey?
Joined: 08 Apr 2008 Posts: 29 | TRs | Pics Location: Spokane |
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LastManOut
Where's my whiskey?
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Tue Apr 08, 2008 4:01 pm
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Ewb-thanks it was rather desolate, glad i packed in water...
Canuck- no rattle snakes out yet that i saw, but i had my eye out
Chipmunk- Wine is water to me, just rehydrates so no worries...
Thanks Mama and TrailJunky, Me and Trailjunky hike together and he actually got me into backpacking...
Bcfc53- I do like the Hubba Hubba, tons of room for 1 and gear, plenty for 2 if your friendly, its a tad heavy at about 5 lbs, but lately I've ditched the body and gone with the groundsheet and rainfly for about 3lbs weight. I kinda like it cause its roomier and has a more open feel....
overslept another sunrise
overslept another sunrise
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Quark Niece of Alvy Moore
Joined: 15 May 2003 Posts: 14152 | TRs | Pics
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Quark
Niece of Alvy Moore
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Tue Apr 08, 2008 9:02 pm
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Wow, thanks for posting this! Excellente
Nice to see sumpin' different. Love the pics; gorgeous place.
"...Other than that, the post was more or less accurate."
Bernardo, NW Hikers' Bureau Chief of Reporting
"...Other than that, the post was more or less accurate."
Bernardo, NW Hikers' Bureau Chief of Reporting
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Lochsa Member
Joined: 21 Dec 2007 Posts: 31 | TRs | Pics Location: Spokane |
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Lochsa
Member
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Tue Apr 08, 2008 10:18 pm
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Great report - I was thisclose to going there Sunday in search of some sun as well. I had planned to take my bike, but opted for the bluffs instead. Looks like a great early season option.
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LastManOut Where's my whiskey?
Joined: 08 Apr 2008 Posts: 29 | TRs | Pics Location: Spokane |
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LastManOut
Where's my whiskey?
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Wed Apr 09, 2008 2:22 am
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Being a long winter as it is this was a great destination, could easily be mountainbiked in a few hours... Damn the snow for keeping the mountains outta reach...
overslept another sunrise
overslept another sunrise
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