Prior to departure, trip leader Derek described today’s Trip 8 itinerary this way:
“The first day will be a biggie: 4.7 miles (which isn’t much) and 2,500+ feet of elevation gain. Basically, each step is a step up. But we’ll be rewarded with a beautiful campsite next to Gem Lake.”
The trail report from the Trip 8 team includes:
“It rained on and off. Scattered showers on the hike up. We were dry by the time we got to camp. … Good news: No smoke from Oak fire, and it is moving away from us. … Spirits are good. Everyone hiked great, napped, and a few swam.”
The team arrived at their campsite on a peninsula on Gem Lake late this morning. Elevation is 9,100 feet. They spent part of the day watching a big storm cell and getting ready for it to hit.
The evening update is:
“We huddled in our tents for a couple hours as a big, loud thunderstorm complete with wind and rain passed over us.”
Derek’s humor for the day:
“Gem Lake is known for its gems. While swimming this afternoon I found a rough diamond – about five carats.”
