This was a three-day, two-night trip at the end of July. I just wanted to get back into the groove of backpacking and camping. It had been at least five years since I had done more than a day hike.

I drove up through Paskenta and camped near Long Lake. I had meant to do a loop, but I lost time by taking the wrong trail and ended up staying at the same campsite twice. It was a pretty good spot, though.

I spent a fair amount of time hiking off-trail, which is pretty easy to do in Yolla Bolly, but still much slower than trail walking. But you see things you wouldn’t see otherwise, like this mandala I found off-trail near a ridgetop (I won’t say where).

Yolla Bolly is not spectacular country, but there are wonderful traverses that make you feel like you can take mile-long steps.

On the third day I walked up to the peak of Mount Linn before hiking out. I could see from Mount Shasta to the Sutter Buttes.

I didn’t get back up there this year, but next year, with luck, I’ll go again.