Sometimes you dream about summer and it looks just like this.
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Day 1
Towards the end of September Franklin and I drove up to the Lakes Basin area for a quiet weekend of cabin living. Left after work on a Friday and stopped off at the National Hotel in Nevada City, too exhausted to do much except drink some wine and hit the sack. Not to worry, we'll be back there in a few weeks.
Gathered up a bunch of vegetables at the farmer's market, then back on the road into the mountains.
Highway 49 is great if you like little towns and swimming holes.
So nice to climb out of the hot stickiness of driving and dive into icy water. Warm boulders and picnic lunches make me happy, as do two lane highways. One of the neat old towns along the way was having a classic car rally, so the drive was made even lovelier with their occasional passing.
Miles of twisting, climbing road brings us to Elwell Lakes Lodge.
Took a quick peek at the lodge house then settled into our cabin to mix up some cocktails and grill ourselves dinner.
Steak and veggies for two and a nice cozy cabin.
Nothing like a porch that looks straight out to forest. No lights except those from the cabins and the stars overhead.
I can't say wine makes me a better photographer, though this does remind me of something. Go out for a pass, Bobby?
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Day 2
Breakfast in the warm sun and then a little exploration of the Lodge.
It only took a few minutes for me to fall in love. Built in 1920 and maintained by the same family ever since, the cabins and dining halls don't seem to have been altered from the outside at all. So lovely and rustic, all staggered just enough to give you privacy, yet a friendly sense of community. I like places like this so much.
Our little Cromwell cabin.
Even the tent cabins looked clean and bright.
Cups, plates, bowls, everything you need and all looking like it hadn't been replaced since 1940. It took all my self-control and respect for our hosts not to tuck away a fantastic yellow handled butcher knife into my suitcase.
Took a trip over to the town of Graeagle for supplies. Film, slingshot and a coffee for Franklin.
Back at Elwell we picked up a map of the trails and started out for a loop around the lakes.
You can't believe how many there are. Because the Lakes Basin Recreation Area is within the Plumas National Forest, everything within it (Lodges, campgrounds, etc) is run by special use permit and, as far as I can tell, nothing new's been built there for decades. Its amazing to hike around these gorgeous lakes and not see a single house, or even very many people. I was pretty floored that there weren't a million people floating around on inner tubes, but maybe its just not that kind of place.
Picked up the boathouse keys and liberated ourselves a row boat.
Hardly any wind to stop us as we propelled our tin can across.
Victory champagne on the other shore.
Climbed along the rocks and found a great little cabin that belongs to the same family who built Elwell. All by itself on that side and accessible only by boat or trail it looked like a little bit of heaven. Came around behind it and caught a sight that made my heart stop.
There's something about a wooden diving platform that speaks of warm summer days, brown arms and legs covered with tiny droplets of water, and sheer and utter happiness. I think I would love it no matter where it was.
Someday.
Over the water and through the trees, boat stowed and cocktail ready. Thought we'd trek over to the neighboring Gold Lake Lodge to catch their last meal of the season. Packed up a flashlight and a bottle of wine and took off down the trail.
Made it in time for pork chops and soup and they didn't even mind that we'd brought our own beverages.
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Day 3
Said goodbye to Elwell and started back down the mountain, stopping to peek at the handful of lodges along the way. Salmon Lake, Sardine Lake and the cream of the crop, Packer Lake.
Took a short hike around the marshland near Sardine Lake. I like the wooden boardwalks.
And the nature guides. Durring the beaver?
Back on the road to Nevada City we made a final stop at the Willo for fortifications. Sat in on the bantering of three amazing gents who used to work the city beat as a cop, a judge and a something else I didn't catch---they kept riding him so much I don't think the truth ever came out. Their interaction was like something out of the Marx brothers and between busting into a grin every 30 seconds I learned about the unlikely combo of bourbon and orange juice (like it), Thursday lunches at Gino and Carlo's, and watching the Blue Angels from a private table on the roof of Castagnola's.
The burger was equally fantastic.
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Summer's end? The season of lakes and summer lodges is officially over, but if we have the chance you know we'll head back next year. From the city, the Lakes Basin is about 4 1/2 hours of driving but once you get off the I-80 at Truckee its not so bad. We took a slightly longer route, veering off on Hwy 49 to Nevada City, and winding our way through the hills where its really lovely and if you go with ample time I'd recommend this trail for sure. Til then, summertime's a dream.