Thursday Sep 7, 2023 - Sabrina Campground to Convict Lake Campground

Deb here. It was a frosty morning, with frost covering the picnic table and bear box. I guess that’s what happens when you camp at 9,000+ feet in September. So very clear, but cold until the sun warmed things up. I’d wanted to hike up to Blue Lake, about a 6 mile round trip hike from Lake Sabrina, so John dropped me off at 8 and up I went. He decided to drive up to Lake Sabrina, and he spent his time while I was hiking chatting up fishermen and working on some van improvement projects. The lake was heavily stocked with brown trout so there were som happy fisherman there.

The hike up to Blue Lake (elevation 10.400 feet) was stunning, spending the first 2+ miles walking way up above Lake Sabrina, before cresting another ridge. I arrived at the lake and enjoyed the gorgeous views and the blues of the lake. Snow, blue sky, mountains, and clear water equaled a perfect morning for me! On the way down I ran into a couple of women who had a wealth of info about the area to share, and then I ended up walking down with Eric and Franca, a sweet couple in their 30’s from Monterey who also had a lot of intel about the area.

Once down the mountain at 11:45 John was there to meet me and we drove into Bishop for lunch. Judy Perry had recommended eating at Jack’s, and it was the perfect lunch spot. We then walked up Main St. to check out Erick Schat’s Bakery, a rather iconic spot recommended by many. We each picked out a pastry for later and walked back to the van.

We needed gas ($5.59/gallon, gasp) and then drove to Laws Railroad Museum. We strolled around the grounds looking at the displays in the old buildings, and John particularly enjoyed looking at all of the old farm equipment and everything old and mechanical. He could picture himself as an engineer in the late 1800’s coming into work each day inventing the new machines.

We then drove on to Convict Lake, a recommendation from Cooper and also John’s new fishermen friends, and we were lucky to score a campsite in the USFS campground. Only $15.50 with John’s golden access pass, an easy walk to the lake, and even running water in the toilets. We arrived a bit before 4, and I struck out to soak my feet in the lake and check out the Convict Lake Resort for a possible dinner later.

We walked to the Convict Lake Restaurant for dinner in their lounge at 6 and shared a delicious pizza and salad. Back to our campsite for reading and bed - a wonderful day!

Odometer = 16311