I headed west out of Bishop in near 100 degree August heat. The neighborhoods and irrigated fields yielded to sage brush and open desert as Route 168 rose up the slope of the Sierras. And the higher I rose, the cooler it got. By the time I reached the end of the road at South Lake, I was at 9,800 feet enjoying a warm comfortable summer day. My plan was to hike up to 11,900 foot Bishop Pass. I could hike this as a two-day trip, camping at Bishop Lake just under the pass, or hike a little further and camp in Dusy Basin on the other side. But today had to be a day hike, and so I geared myself up for a 2,100 foot climb in five miles. Not too bad actually, even considering
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