Wagonwheel Lake

My track log going down
Wagonwheel lake trail is actually
even steeper than the signs advertise.

I was feeling a bit under the weather so I did not want to push myself too hard by going up the ridge above Wagonwheel.  I made it up to Wagonwheel lake in about two hours and fifteen minutes.  I was surprised by my time.  I think listening to my music helped my time.

Another thing that saved time was not having my camera.  It turns out that I left the house half cocked without my wallet or my camera.  So no drivers license and no national parks pass.  The full moon was just above the shoulder of Mount Rose as I turned onto 119 so I slammed on my brakes to get a picture and then realized I did not have my camera.

I did however have my external flash and a spare Nikon battery.  I have a new used Nikon D90 that I was going to take on its trail run on this day.  I was quite unhappy to realize I had left my camera at  home.  But really there was nothing to take picture of on this hike and after a big weekend of photographing oysterfest I was a little burned out on photography.

The lake was as ugly as usual and the forest was just as dark and spindly as usual.  There is not much to see on this trail, but I might start doing this trail all the time.  Mount Rose is getting too crowded for my liking and with a recent post to NWhikers net that I asked the poster to take down (they did not)  I know that Mount Rose is going to explode with people and be ruined for me forever.  I expect Mount Rose to go the same way that the Vance Creek Bridge went.  Killed by popularity.    The city slickers who infest Mount Ellinor will soon all be on Mount Rose as well.

With this hike I broke my annual elevation gain record.
My totals for the year are now:

Elevation gain 88990

Miles hiked 518.05