Sally and I escaped the smoke, heat and a PG&E Smart Day, and headed up to beautiful Saddlebag Lake in the Tioga Pass area for a day of fishing.
Topographic Map showing Saddlebag Lake and My Lucky Fishing Spot.
Where: Inyo National Forest
Distance: About 5 Miles
Difficulty: Easy
Elevation Range: 9,524’ – 10,167’
Date: September 10, 2015
We headed east on the Tioga Road and after we exited the east entrance to Yosemite National Park at Tioga Pass, we drove about 2 more miles to Saddlebag Road on the left side. We headed up the mostly dirt road to Saddlebag Lake, parking at the Saddlebag Lake Resort parking lot. As I started walking my way around the lake on the east side, the crystal clear waters provided gorgeous reflections.
Early Morning Reflections on Saddlebag Lake
Fall colors were showing off in several spots. Short willows were bright red and several others plants had turned a bright yellow, reflecting in the lake.
Fall Colors Reflecting in Saddlebag Lake
Fall Colors Reflecting in Saddlebag Lake
Reflections of the colorful mountains to the north were gorgeous!
Reflections from Shepherd Crest, Excelsior Mountain and Mount Snowden in Saddlebag Lake
Reflections from Excelsior Mountain and Mount Snowden in Saddlebag Lake
But wait, there was more!
Shepherd Crest peeks through a Red Mountain to Reflect in Saddlebag Lake
Shepherd Crest Reflecting in Saddlebag Lake
I worked my way up to my lucky fishing spot, threw my line in the water and Sally and I waited for a fish to jump on my hook.
Sally and I Wait to Land a Big Fish at Saddlebag Lake
While Sally and I waited for the fish to bite, two waterfowl provided entertainment. They continuously dove while they were feeding, only to reappear. This fascinated Sally. They also knew Sally was there and stayed just out of her reach.
Sally Thought These Waterfowl Were Very Interesting!
Is it just me or is that bird on the left giving a raspberry at Sally?
After about an hour of thinking she was bound to catch those birds, Sally finally said “Phooey.”
Sally Gives Up
Sally and I came home with a nice 14 incher, which I cooked for dinner. I am sure glad that Sally had come up with this idea to get out of the smoke and heat for a day. It was just gorgeous up thee and gave me the strength to endure that weather back home a little longer, hopefully not much longer though.
I Took Home a Beautiful 14 Inch Trout
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Prior Blogs on This Area:
