Camping at Lake Mary (Mammoth)

This week we went camping at Lake Mary which is near Mammoth Mountain where we ski in the winter. We went with our usual camping buddies Sam and Saeah but also her sister Jane and another family, Chi, Mike, and their son Joshua. This was one of our longest camps. We stayed almost 4 days. It was a nice spot and we did a little kayaking and hiking around the area but spent most of the time cooking and cleaning up and roasting marshmallows.

Most days one group had a cooking duty (breakfast, lunch, or dinner). I made dinner the first night. Prime ribeye with an ancho coffee sauce, chimichurri sauce, and a stout molasses sauce, rack of lamb with mint sauce, baked potatoes with scallions, bacon, cheese, butter, and sour cream, and elotes (corn Mexican style). Lunch was a beef stew with red wine, worcestershire sauce, potatoes, crushed tomatoes, carrots and corn. Breakfast was our usual sausage, bacon, eggs, and hash browns. 

Most days it was nice and warm and most nights it got down to the 40s or 50s. It was 41 one morning and we were quite cold. But no rain and the clear skies afforded us a good look at the stars at night. We did not see any bears unfortunately but we heard some were in the area. 

My favorite spot: In my chair. Although everyone seemed to like sitting in my new chair and it never seemed to be available for me.

Here's most of the gang on our picnic table where we ate our meals.

Here's Jane. Sophia enjoyed spending time with her since they are both girly girls.

We roasted marshmallows every night. Caden burned 75% of his and realized he was better off letting the marshmallow roasting master take over (me).

Caden about to flame out his marshmallow.

Jane and Saeah (also nicknamed Cheese, Princess Bubblegum, and the Pink Panther).

The master at work (notice the expert technique).

The master holding a marshmallow roasting clinic.

Yeah. Camping is dirty business

We aren't sure if Caden liked Sam or just his hat. He really wanted that warm hat. He nicknamed Sam, Ham, and Saeah, Cheese. Ham and cheese.

Me not sitting in my chair because someone else is in it

Using the Dutch oven for the first time. I made stew. You can see the coals on top of the pot.

Beef stew that turned out well

Yep. Dirty feet.

Having fun.

We cooked some kind of potato every night. Usually we put them in the coals but I was finishing them off on top. Someone bought Korean potatoes too. I think your mom called them gogoma).

One of many ridiculous faces Caden made.

Elotes

Prime ribeye

More dirty feet.

Cooking next to the fire is very hot and very smoky. I had to take breaks from being so close to it.

Mommy helped prepare the food after I was done cooking.

Me trying to stay as far away from the flames as possible.

The girls.

Rack of lamb is in da 'hood.

The lamb.

Sauces for the meat and condiments for the corn and potatoes.

While I stewed at camp, you guys went out for a hike near Horseshoe Lake

You can see the lake is pretty dried up

Mommy hasn't quite figured out the art of the Selfie

Whoever took this shot did a great job

Future underwear model?

Ham and Cheese

I love Sam's pose.

Another good jumping shot.

Panorama down by the lake

How we spent our evenings

How we spent our mornings. Trying to warm up by the fire

The grillmaster at work on the bacon

For two nights it was so cold that Caden decided to climb into my sleeping bag. He was like a small space heater.

Caden got the hat

Venturing off to Lake Mary where we rented kayaks for the day

There were lots of people and wonderful views of the surrounding mountains

As we were coming in someone was leaving with lots of fish. Maybe 25 in total?

Some lady paddle boarding with her dogs

We raced mommy across the lake and lost. Caden you were ZERO help!

A dead fish at another lake

Nope. Still can't do the Selfie

A dead tree in the lake that you guys climbed on

Before heading home we stopped at Schat's to get junk food.

Everyone seemed pretty happy with their selections