So in our infinite wisdom Brian and Steven and I decided to try Loch Lomond again, a week after it beat us up. I never did make it to the lake on the last trip and we were all kind of determined to see how different it would be if we “did it right.” Basically, we wanted to win this round.
We parked in the same spot and this time actually found the proper trailhead. It turns out that some campers had parked their tent right in the middle of the trailhead entrance the last time we were there. It was right in front of us but completely invisible to us.
This going included nothing in the way of bushwhacking, so was far less eventful, overall. (Though the guys did find an abandoned ATV that looked like it took a hell of a jump off of a ridge. We spent a good bit of time figuring out exactly what happened and no body was near the vehicle so hopefully they were ok). Despite tackling the sanctioned trail it was still a hell of a hike. The trail descriptions call this a “moderate” hike and I’m sure it is when the rains and snows haven’t washed the roads away. But those old online photos of parking right up by the lake and walking in are no longer accurate.
We had come out earlier this time and we were constantly keep our eyes on the weather. One lightning and hail storm for the week was enough! The snow had already started melting considerably just since the week before. The one huge patch of snow we traversed prior was not remotely safe to take now.
There was a pretty funny scene where leader of the moment Steven picked a path through what looked like an impenetrable field of hedges; well it didn’t appear that way from his 6ft/thin vantage point but at 5’2 and “fluffy” I was eventually having to lift my gear up over my head like in Army training just to get through.
The weather held out and we finally made it to the lake…
This time I made it to the lake!
The mosquitoes were freaking unbearable and slowing down for long wasn’t really an option. We also ended up layering clothes back on to cover our skin, even though the temps didn’t really warrant it. The walk back down was pretty painful on my knees and Brian’s feet (old knees, new shoes and trekking down a water gulch for about two miles equals ouch).
We definitely came back out in better shape than we had the week before. And the lake was so beautiful that it made the idea of seeing the lakes beyond Lomond really appealing. But having lived and learned from the previous week, today would not be that day. Maybe down the road.
