Top Trail Chef: Lassen VNP Solo trip II

After battling a job change, the flu, and travel for a wedding, I'm finally posting pictures from the Lassen volcanic national park return visit. This trip was a blast, and I used up a lot of my food that had been sitting around for a while.

I will once again be heading towards the lakes in the eastern section of the park

I enter the wilderness at summit lake around 4:00 and began making my way up to badger flat.

Little bear lake was running a little low on water

big bear lake was also low on water

I believe this critter to be an actual badger. I was about 2.6 miles outside of badger flat proper when I startled him. I watched him burrow under the log, and then moved on to my campsite.

This is a print from a California Mountain Lion. I believe it to be the right front paw. I believe a mom and cub[s?] made a kill very recently from the number of tracks in the area. This was taken about 50 yards from my campsite. I was hoping to catch them coming to the water at night.

Since this was an easy trip for me, I just carried wet tofu. I wasn't packing much water because the lakes were so plentiful in the area. This was dinner. I could have whipped it smooth, but I was feeling more hungry than I was concerned about presentation. I ate it and I liked it.

I laid out on the "beach", silently waiting for visitors to the water. I saw neither bear nor mt lions. I did see two deer, but was honestly hoping for something more interesting.

Morning came quickly and I took a photo before heading out on the PCT across the park.

I walked past several empty lake beds

view of Lassen peak from badger flat

PCT trail marker

I had a very quick lunch of grilled jambalaya I made this before I started the blog. It tastes a lot better than it looks, plus it is almost instant. Add hot water, wait three minutes and chow. Tomatoes, garlic, onions, bell peppers, jalapeno, basmati rice

I passed twin lake on my way to swan lake. It also was a little bit low on water this year.

I reach swan lake and setup camp near the animal highway coming to the lake, hoping to catch some large animals drinking in the evening. Here is a bear track I colored in to make the print more obvious.

Dinner was Dahl, black beluga lentils in spicy tomato sauce . . . and apparently some amaranth too. This is one of my favorite trail dishes, but I made this before I had started this blog.

Just before the sun breaks through the forest, whisps of fog float above the water
of Swan lake.

And then the sun breaks through and warmth hits my side of the lake immediately.

I hit the trails early, and was walking in awesome scenery

I made it to corral meadows before the good light was gone. Above was on the left side of the trail, and the shot below was on my right. Just fantastic.