Silver, Amy, Granite (and Some Other Small) Lakes

For the first time in a long time we had no soccer or for that matter any other obligations on Saturday.  The weather is still nice so we needed a good activity.  There is a large lake we love to go to in the summer called Silver Lake.  It is now too cold to swim, but there are a bunch of lakes east of Silver Lake that I have always wanted to visit (See Granite Lake and Amy Lake below, but there are about 20 other lakes in the area).  Its just with no real trails it did not seem likely that I would be able to find them.  When Dad was here a few weeks ago he gave us his old GPS unit, so we programmed the lakes into the GPS and went on an adventure. The GPS  allows us to go off trail.  We have never had that luxury.  Barring dead batteries it is impossible to get lost.  We did a triangle today and nothing on the way back was familiar, but you knew that you were going in the right direction.

Not knowing what to expect we did bring our fly rods.  Silver Lake is large and although there are plenty of trout its not generally productive for fly rods.  Most people fish it by trolling.

In all we did a 1.03 mile paddle from the parking lot.  Then a 2.31 mile hike that gained 382-feet.  Then 1.32 miles back because we paddled to the boat launch.  So nice to have the GPS that tells you all of these stats.  You know exactly what you have done and how long it took, elevation gain, maximum speeds.  As stated, you set waypoints and then the kids get 5 M&M per waypoint.  We didn’t let Soren carry the GPS as much this hike because we were not on a trail he kept adjusting his direction and was leading us in the wrong direction.  He was bummed about that, but still did a great hike.

First of all, the lake was low – you can see that one Waypoint is called “boat” it shows that it is in the water, but that is where we got out of the boat – also Treasure Island is now a peninsula. Boat ramp is at the very end of the concrete.  Bottom right, we usually paddle to the right of the grove of trees shown.  Now about 10 feet above the water.

Ashley packed a picnic we ate before our big adventure.

A little different being off trail.  Through thick forest and granite outcroppings.  It was a hard hike on the joints.

 

First lake we made it to was Amy Lake.  Very small it was probably about 2-feet below the high water line shown on the rocks along the shore.  I don’t think the lake was deeper than 2-feet at any location.  Not deep enough for trout as I am certain the lake freezes over during the winter.

Muddy around the fringes, of course Svea stepped in the mud and her shoe got sucked off.

I tried to get it out of the mud with my hiking pole, but the shoe catapulted out of the mud and flew 20-feet and landed in the Lake.  We were able to get the shoe back, but it was muddy and soaked.  The next hike we go on where Svea keeps her shoes dry will be the first.  She keeps insisting that her shoes are water proof and then she gets in the water.  She always has to hike in soaking shoes.

Below Liv and I with Amy Lake in the background on the way to Granite Lake.  Next is Soren with the GPS and Svea leading the way to Granite Lake.  You give them the GPS and they are gone.  It was really nice because we made it to Amy Lake and then we knew it was .18 miles to Granite Lake (3 minutes) and then .12 miles to the next lake.  You realize how close you are to things when normally you would have no idea how far you were or where to go.  You would just walk around in the woods not finding anything and getting frustrated.

Made it to Granite Lake.  Much larger – very low, but still shallow – 3’ depth max.  No sign of any trout.  Probably freezes through also.  I was sweating from the hike and thought I might jump into the lake and swim but it was FREEZING.  Maybe the coldest water I have ever felt.  You legs ached after being in for 30 seconds.  Liv got in and was saying it was warm.

After Granite Lake we hiked to “Lake 1” as shown with our GPS.  Lake 1 was tiny but we went to check it out.  More of a weed hole

Would never have found it without the GPS.  We did make it to a waypoint, so it was time for M&Ms.  They look like a bunch of baby birds waiting for their mom to feed them.

Make it to “Lake 2” as shown on the GPS, but Lake 2 was not a lake anymore.  Picture of the kids next to the rock with the high water line shown, but it was dry.

The lake bottom was like peat or bog.  Not muddy, but damp.  It felt like walking on a sponge or a wet trampoline.  Interesting.

We thought about making a run to “Lake 3” .25 miles away, but the kids had done well and we had a mile paddle back to the car so we cut Lake 3 from the trip and headed back. Found a spring on the way back that was not shown on the topo map.  Kids thought that was cool.

Asked Soren what he thought of the hike “Awesome” Svea “Beautiful” Liv “Cool”.  They all loved it and they all hiked the whole thing (Fuzz in the pack) with no complains no wigging out.  I am surprised they enjoyed it so much it was actually a lot of work. I think they liked the fact that it was canoe combined with hiking,  Kind of a double adventure.  Dad noticed something after the Monterrey Trip – if the kids are outside they are ok.  They might just be playing in the sand, walking the beach, flying a kite, whatever, but they are ok. Its only when they are inside they begin to become unsettled.

I am glad we went.  It satisfied my curiosity regarding the lakes above Silver Lake.  No trout.  I will say when we talked about going the thought of getting the canoe out, making lunch, getting the kids dressed, packing the equipment, driving – I asked Ashley if she just wanted to stay home and watch football all day.  Its difficult to line it up and get it all together, but it is worth it.  Kids were very grateful all the way home.