This is a day hike to Birch Lake in Inyo County CA. I was there for photographs and Steve Yeager was there to fish. He caught a fish on every cast. This is a very strenuous day hike for anyone, especially for 2 guys in their 70's. It is 12 miles round trip with over 4,000' of gain overall. It took us 14 hours round trip. Wear long pants. Going through the willows is difficult. The Tom Harrison Map does not even show the last half mile to the lake because of the willows. I would compare this to the Red lake trail below Split Mountain in difficulty. It could be done as an overnight but campsites are very limited. We started at first light and got out near dusk. There is a narrative of this hike here:
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