eagle lake, sequoia national park
i'm four years strong on this birthday backpacking tradition i started when i turned 24.
if i think about it long enough, i'll rationalize that it's easy enough to get to, get lost in, and get away from the crowds. but really, it's about my single non-negotiable to be near a body of water to swim/bathe in. water feels nice.
this trip was much snowier than every other time. there were 12 of us, perched up next to a half frozen lake that's usually melted this time of year, with an icy waterfall out in the far distance that we would eventually trek to see up close. we made it through an earthquake that shook the water and the ground beneath us, and damaged nothing near us. i sometimes forget that this is one of the last places i'd like to get injured.
marcus' shirt and whiskey got stolen by marmots. his bottle eventually showed up, but diluted.
at some point, we all spent time swimming in the water, even for a quick 20 seconds before our limbs went numb.
