Tuesday, July 12, 2005, 9 AM - Commonwealth Start

Today is a rest day, I am off to Commonwealth Lake. I have been here before but it was an unplanned trip we were aiming for Smuts Pass. I now know the route to both so I will not make that mistake again. The sky is more blue than clouds a change from the last few days.

2:30 PM - Commonwealth Lake

I arrived here about 10:45, I have been admiring the view, warming in the sun and taking a few pictures. I told you today was a rest day. I think I will hike up and around the lake to see what I can see.

5 PM - Back at Car

I hiked up into the valley above the lake for a bit. I found some larches and tried to follow them down. I ended up back at the lake on the opposite side from where I sat all the time this morning. I bushwhacked down to the smuts valley. I had a little trouble crossing the creek. I had to hike upstream to find a better spot to cross. The logs where on usually crosses was half submerged. I finally found a few rocks to hop across, not without getting my boots wet. And I had just got them dried out too. I think it is running high. From there it was a simple hike out to the car on the smuts pass trail.

Commonwealth Peak

Commonwealth Lake

Looking back