I have hiked up Little Lakes Valley several times, but never made it the Pie Hike. So this week we decided to do just that --- The Pie Hike.
It all begins and ends here at the Pie in the Sky cafe.
A simple breakfast at the counter
I never grow weary of this trail as right at the beginning, one is in the high country at over 10,000 feet and the leaves are just beginning to
announce the coming of fall.
Off we go!
This trail just leads to one beautiful small alpine lake after another.
We don't go as far as we would like because poor old Tom is not doing as well as in his younger days --- we don't even think about facing reality, we
just keep him going and give him his meds after his hike.
He still loves to be King of the Mountain and the cold, cold water always feel good on his sore joints.
So while we have not really earned it, we decide to have the pie at the end of the hike. The Pie in the Sky fresh baked pies have been written up in
Sunset Magazine. While we are too late for the berry pie which we thought would be good because the berries are healthful, we indulged in these.
Now the connection. I wanted to take a picture of the young employee in the morning, but thought I would wait until we returned. But she was way too
busy at that time. She and friends rode their bikes all the way to Cabo and she sure changed my mind about those crazy bike riders. They had such a
great time and even rode out to San Ignacio Lagoon and went whale watching. Her joy in telling us about this adventure left me thinking that maybe
they are not so crazy afterall.
And one last picture of me --- using the poles has made a huge difference for me being able to take my rotten knees up and over rock steps and like in
this picture, crossing the streams. I am slow out there, but I make it!
Mexitron - 9-8-2013 at 11:10 AM
We had one of those pies too....the best!DianaT - 9-9-2013 at 08:20 AM
Quote:
Originally posted by Mexitron
We had one of those pies too....the best!
Yes, I am sorry we tried them as they may be calling us back! :-)BajaDove - 9-9-2013 at 09:26 AM
That is just beautiful let me get my hiking boots.Bwana_John - 9-9-2013 at 11:07 AM
My wife has driven over 600 miles for one of those pies.
The really amazing thing is, ever tried to bake ANYTHING at 10,000 ft.?
Looks really dry in the eastern Sierra this year. TMW - 9-9-2013 at 11:32 AM
Beautiful pictures, thanks. Oh for a taste of the pies.Jack Swords - 9-9-2013 at 12:12 PM
Diana...you didn't encounter any smoke? I've been smoked out of 3 backpack trips this summer. I've done Mono Pass and the recesses from the west,
and Pine Creek to the west, maybe this Little Lakes/Rock Creek is still smoke free? Still time to get a good backpack in if so. Thanks.DianaT - 9-9-2013 at 01:44 PM
Thanks. It is a magnificently beautiful area and I understand someone driving a long distance for those pies. :-)
Jack, the worst smoke on this side has been in the northern Mono county and the Carson City/Reno area. For a while, Mammoth was having really bad air
and it did reach down to Bishop.
It was quite clear the other day up Little Lakes Valley. Today it seems a bit hazy in Big Pine, but I don't think it is smoke. So up the Big Pine is
another possibility. I would just check with the Forest Service and see where the smoke is hanging out in the back country.
John, yes, it is very dry even with the thundershowers. The snow pack this year was tiny and disappeared early.Jack Swords - 9-9-2013 at 01:52 PM
Thanks Diana, gonna do it anyway. Looks like the best bet for this year of bad fires. Not sure if Forest Service would have accurate info. NPS and
Yosemite Conservancy kept saying Rim fire had NO effect on Yosemite Valley on Labor Day weekend, yet Sierra webcams showed severe smoke. Falls, El
Cap, etc. were not visible. Air Quality monitors at Visitor Center were in the extreme unhealthy range. I guess to support the concessions.
Thank you for the update, your photos are compelling so looking forward to that area into the Recesses and Pioneer Basin.tripledigitken - 9-9-2013 at 01:55 PM
Diane,
This post is 2 months late. If I had known about the pies I would have had one for breakfast in July.
I'm guessing you shot those with the little camera, very good color and focus!
KenDianaT - 9-9-2013 at 02:53 PM
Sorry Ken --- next time, but they close for the season in October. I forget which date --- I know she told me, but I forget.
FYI --- they start selling the pie at 10:30 am and on a busy day, they can sell out early. Over the labor day weekend, the server told us that they
had so many pies that the list barely fit on the board with small writing, and they sold out.
