[Brucester]

Headed out of town Friday arrived at my first detour around dusk. Black Creek Road is still closed..... My second detour Gold Creek? Road was also closed. Altered my plans and headed to Foggy Dew trail head. Glad I brought my old trusty Green Trails Map! (It actually comes in handy further on, on this trip as well.) This one's open to ORV's so you gotta keep an open mind and eye out for either mountain or motor bikes. Saw neither until after the falls area. A couple charging up something I could never ride up.... All pumped up with that happy energy. LOL, I was carrying too much water......

Nice trail but dusty. Further on into the rocks, not sure how people ride this on bikes, especially upwards without stopping and doing a hike a bike.

The basin was nice. Quiet. All to myself.

I didn't see anyone until I reached the ridge. There to greet me were a bunch of hardcore mountain bikers and a backcountry ranger. I dunno, I'm not a fan with bikes being out here. Not a huge deal, just not used to seeing them.

I hauled my pack almost to the top. "What am I doing" crossed my mind and I sat my pack down, took a giant swig of water and headed to the top without it. Nice view of Martin and in every direction. From here I altered my plans once again after seeing Sunrise Lake. Thinking it'd a cold night on the ridge I headed down and over to the lake.

In Merchant Meadow someone was behind me so I took a break beside some Larches. This person stopped to ask where I was going. Seemed odd since I was going down. Hoping for solitude I just answered "down". So I asked "how about you." "Sunrise." I was like damn but he did have a small pack, maybe I'd have a chance at that solitude after all.

I headed down and up to Sunrise. That guy just stared at me as I walked past some other campers and pulled out my camera for some pictures. He looked for awhile, seemed odd. Anyway, I wasn't going to camp there. the lake wasn't as I imagined. Nice but too crowded. Wanted that solitude.

Back down the dusty trail, cooked some dinner on my new Pock Rocket, much better than the alcohol can stove. Quicker and more water, more better. At the intersection to Eagle/ Cooney Lake a couple stood there staring at a phone. The guy asks "where you going". DejaVu. This time I was more forthright with my intentions since they seemed "lost". I shared my old trusty Green Trails map. Lucky for them plus it was nice to use this map that sits at home in a drawer. Good to help others I think. Long dusty slog down to the car where I'd catch some zzz's. Made it down before dark. Solitude at last, not one car in the lot accept for mine. 18'ish miles give or take. 5,000 gain. Fall set up in pack with gallon of Gatorade for the way up. *There's water up to the basin. Maybe even further up into the basin, didn't look though. I wore highly visible orange but the ranger said the "high hunt" was only in the wilderness??? In Pateros I saw LOTS of hunters.

[Get Out and Go]

Sunrise/Merchants Basin was on my list this past weekend if my Pasayten trip didn't come together. I've always enjoyed solitude up there myself, and mildly surprised to hear of all the people you ran into. Nevertheless, won't keep away in the future. Thanks for the TR.

[wildernessed]

[Brushbuffalo]