Brown Duck Mountain Loop

I've camped at Atwine and Kidney lakes several times yet, never have tied the two together in the form of a loop.  While it is slow at work, I look at several trails I can do as over nighters then I cyber hike the using Google maps, a little bit of research goes a long ways.  This is one of those hikes I planned.  Initially I wanted to do it in August but the itch got to me this weekend.  I sent off the itinerary to the folks via email.
.
Last weekend hike kinda put a rush on the hike a little with driving to the trail in the morning.  This weekend I took off straight from work for Moon Lake, the trailhead.  I put two or three miles in before sunset and found a spot in the lodgepole pines just flat enough for me.  Under the watchful eye of a momma moose, I ate two candy bars.  Between thoughts of standing dead trees falling and mom deciding I was to close, I actually slept really well.
.
I got on the trail at 7 am.  Made Brown Duck Lake my breakfast spot a few hours later.  I shuffled past Kidney Lake and spotted my old campsites.  Got 3/4rds the way up Tworoose Pass before I realized I didn't see the lake.  Then I remembered that Lake is off the trail. The pass is well wooded and no views.  When you look at a Flickr set of mine there is one for Brown Duck Region, those images are up a spur trail from Tworoose Pass.
.
Down into Squaw Basin I went and into unfamiliar territory. I got happy feet for exploring new territory. Excitement over rode the nerves I expected.   The trail from  here to Clements Lake would be lightly used.  I found a spur that is on the National Geo map but not on any others.  It saved me close to 500 foot loss/gain in elevation. This short cut lead through some amazing meadows and views of rock cliffs above.  I am amazed at how much water was along this route.
.
Clements Pass is awesome high alpine meadows that goes on and on.  At the top is a huge pond! After a detour to look out into another basin, I came back to the trail sign and ate lunch.  I wanted a hot luch since I didn't get much chow the night before, with the wind, I hunkered down and ate some dry fruit, a power bar, and drank some powdered drink mix.
.
Dropping into East Basin is nothing spectacular, may be the fishing is good.  My goal, get over that pass.  This became  a mind game as I got closer the pass seemed to get farther away.  If you look for East Pass on Google Maps, it wrong, it's closer to the east end than through  the boulder field.  I hit the trail with awe, honestly, I didn't have to go up that stinking boulder field.  The switchbacks head into some trees about half way up and doesn't come out.  The rough part literally is 1/4 of a mile, the rest is forest.  The top was heavily forested, too with no views. The views came with the initial climb.
.
Not so far a long from the pass, I meet two guys on horse back.  They asked what was farther down.  'A pass,' I replied.  They turned around for a meadow not so far back.  I continued on.  At Clement's Lake I took another break to consider my options.  I was there within an easy day hike to the car, I could go to Brown Duck Lake and be out early in the day, or draw something in between.
.
I went with in between.  There aren't very many campsites at Atwine Lake.  I considered the dead fall in my selection.  I haven't camped within shoe throwing distance of a campfire ring since the AT.  I am tonight.  I haven't seen any rodent signs, big or small.  I set camp, fixed my super, swatted a few mosquitoes.  The mosquitoes are present but, not bothering.
.
As evening sets in, the fish started to jump.  I haven't identified what they are going after.  Several years back, I held up here on night as the previous night at a higher elevation was a bit nippy, I listened to the fish jump.  When I got home I got a lightweight fishing kit.  In Boy Scouts I broke a fishing rod tip in the trees on the trail so no more rods that extend higher than the pack.  I don't have that lightweight kit with me now.  If I did, this blog wouldn't be in writing phase now.  I did catch the colors of the sky...
.
I'm sitting at Brown Duck Lake thinking.  Yesterday at this time, I sat here too.  I look to my right and see a mountain with snow just under the ridgeline. I can honestly say, I hiked around that mountain.  Sure it's not that big of deal for one who can do 30 plus miles.  It's a bit bigger for me as a planned 30 miles in a 2 day weekend was a barrier, both physically and mentally.
.
Physically included the shape I'm in and what I carry.  I've worked up to the 30 miles by doing a few 20's and extra.  I've worked up the gear by looking at what I really need to be comfortable  while not carrying excess.  An example of excess is 2 pairs of hiking  socks or a towel when my bandana will do.  My luxury item this weekend is my sit pad which doubles as my back sheet for the pack I'm using.  I could use a different on that doubles as a sleeping pad.  Last night I rolled over, grabbed my pad and heard a hissing sound.  I thought, great now I have a hole in my pad.  Actually, I'd grabbed the valve.  I slept the rest of the night on a less than ideally inflated pad.  The other pad I'm referring to isn't as comfy but, has no worries to deflation.
.
Mentally, on the long multi-day, week long plus, doing 30 miles every 2 days is expected.  Okay, 45 to 60 per 5 days plus is normal.  There one isn't worried about drive time to and from the trailheads.  It's less about getting from point A to B and more of getting through the mundane.  Yesterday, I walked a lot of same type forested miles crossing similar meadows for a few enchanting views.
.
It's 9 am, I've got 2 1/2 hours down and 3 hour drive ahead.  The fish are still jumping.  I woke up to jumping fish at 6:30 pared with great morning colors.  I treated myself to a hot coffee while getting ready to move out.
.
The rest of the day holds getting home, cleaning gear, thinking about the week ahead, and possibly start looking at next weekend.  If I ruck next weekend I'll hit 100 miles backpacking for the summer which I set as a goal for this year excluding any thru-hike attempts.
.
Hike on!
.
Footnote
Forest hiking often involves looking out for rock and root alike. Dodging the occasional pile of fly attractor or moving around streams.  Forest trails are mark with a 'i' notched into the trees.  On a seldom use trail the tread way might be over grown.  Often remains of a trail can be followed by looking for trimmed low branches or fallen trees cut to allow for passage.
Meadow hiking may clip a corner of a meadow or go right through it.  The later of the two is fun as sometimes a trail will not be there.  One may see a pile of rocks, a carin, somewhere in the middle or far side, sometimes not.  On the larger, one may need to guess where the trail re-enters the forest by looking for the 'i'.  The meadows may include: marshy areas, streams, or nice comfortable grass to walk on.  In the right time of year an abundance of wild flowers are present.  In the early dawn and late evening wildlife like deer or moose may be present along the edges.