When I first met Jeff, much of our time was spent kayaking. Well, HE kayaked class 4 & 5 whitewater while I ran shuttle for him and his kayaking buddies. My kind of kayaking involves water that doesn't move me zipping along in a current. I enjoy water like when we kayaked the coast of Maine on our honeymoon (15 years ago!), and I enjoy it like on the Alpine lakes we just spent our wedding anniversary floating on this past weekend.
With his 20+ years of kayak experience on both moving and flat water, I always feel confident with Jeff around, even though I myself am not a water lover. I don't see how cold water doesn't bother him! I love packing up snacks & lunch, water & some wine, a book and the hammock, and heading out with him to explore what you can't see from just hiking on the shore. I love having our kids out there with us, too, showing them how to enjoy nature and keep active and fit.
We celebrated our 15th anniversary in the Bear Valley area due to the generosity of some friends we've met through owning Jaunt Adventure Gear. This kind couple offered us the use of their condo for a couple days, and it was fabulous. It isn't easy to get away during this season of life: children at home and running a retail store that is open 6 days a week, me teaching full-time ten months a year... But plans were made, gear was packed, and off we went. Some folks may not wish to spend an anniversary in the outdoors, but it's who we are. When we met and dated back in 1996 we were getting outside all the time to hike, backpack, kayak, canoe, raft, dirt bike ride, mountain bike...and we've added and subtracted other activities along the way, such as climbing and fishing, but always sticking with the hiking and the paddling. Our 3 week honeymoon on the East coast was peppered with camping and ocean kayaking, so it's only fitting that an anniversary be spent outdoors.
Lake Alpine is located right on Highway 4, a couple miles past the turn-off to ski Bear Valley. We went snow shoeing with the kids there a few months ago, on the little snow we had this winter. This time we donned the sunscreen and mosquito repellant and launched the boats to explore the lake's islands. There were other boaters, many of them fishing, but it wasn't crowded. This lake is roadside, so many people stop to picnic in its day-use areas on their way over Ebbets Pass. We set up the hammock, ate lunch, and relaxed, enjoying the 75-80 degree weather while Modesto was 103. We saw a few Osprey looking for fish, and chipmunks and birds and butterflies. The next morning we hiked all the way around the lake. Gorgeous area, easily accessible. We've camped before at the West Lake Alpine campground, first come/first served.
But the best part of the trip was Utica Lake, a little farther off the beaten path. After driving 9 miles away from Highway 4, and taking a gravel road for another couple miles, you get to some real gems, Utica and Union Lakes. We heard Union is the place to fish, but we went to Utica for its granite coves to explore on the kayaks. Again we were blessed with great weather and this time we saw a bald eagle! There are so many nice places to set up the hammock and to swim in this lake that it was hard to choose. The views of Carson Iceberg wilderness from the lake are amazing, looking over to the Dardanelles (which you also see from Highway 108 interestingly). There is first come/first served camping available here as well, with some spots right by the water where you can easily launch your kayak or paddle board or canoe.
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