After leaving Obsidian Campground, I cross Hwy 395 and start the drive up Bircham Flat Road

After leaving Obsidian Campground, I cross Hwy 395 and start the drive up Bircham Flat Road

I turn up Lobdell lake Road, and views over to the Sierras improve

I turn up Lobdell lake Road, and views over to the Sierras improve

An oncoming car... the only one I'll see on Lobdell Lake Road today

An oncoming car... the only one I'll see on Lobdell Lake Road today

A group of several dirt bikers drives by after I pull over to check out a seep along the road

A group of several dirt bikers drives by after I pull over to check out a seep along the road

I check out the puddle in the road that I just drove through

I check out the puddle in the road that I just drove through

I get back in the FJ and drive through another puddle in the road

I get back in the FJ and drive through another puddle in the road

... and then another puddle

... and then another puddle

I drive over a couple of mildly rocky stretches and wonder if the road is about to worsen

I drive over a couple of mildly rocky stretches and wonder if the road is about to worsen

The views over to the Sierras from this part of Lobdell Lake Road are pretty nice

The views over to the Sierras from this part of Lobdell Lake Road are pretty nice

A switchback and then a little uphill to the next plateau

A switchback and then a little uphill to the next plateau

... and another puddle to drive through

... and another puddle to drive through

I park the FJ at Lobdell Lake and begin my hike up to Mount Patterson from here

I park the FJ at Lobdell Lake and begin my hike up to Mount Patterson from here

I start the hike up to Mount Patterson and notice a few Blue flax flowers along the road

I start the hike up to Mount Patterson and notice a few Blue flax flowers along the road

This would be another puddle to drive through, except that I'm walking now

This would be another puddle to drive through, except that I'm walking now

The road is a little rockier now, but nothing that the FJ would find too difficult

The road is a little rockier now, but nothing that the FJ would find too difficult

Red Indian paintbrush flowers alongside the road

Red Indian paintbrush flowers alongside the road

And some fragrant Coyote mint

And some fragrant Coyote mint

This little gulley across the road would be a bit of a frame-twister if I were driving the FJ right now instead of hiking

This little gulley across the road would be a bit of a frame-twister if I were driving the FJ right now instead of hiking

The road to Mount Patterson passes through another patch of forest

The road to Mount Patterson passes through another patch of forest

A twisted old pine tree lays on the ground

A twisted old pine tree lays on the ground

I hike past a rock turret and shale pile

I hike past a rock turret and shale pile

My hiking road drops down steeply into that little canyon in front of me

My hiking road drops down steeply into that little canyon in front of me

After dipping down into that canyon, the road starts to climb back up

After dipping down into that canyon, the road starts to climb back up

The road gets a bit slippery and off-camber here

The road gets a bit slippery and off-camber here

The road rises via a switchback and then passes this off-camber area

The road rises via a switchback and then passes this off-camber area

It's fun to take a good look back down at the road I've just hiked up

It's fun to take a good look back down at the road I've just hiked up

I'm up in the heart of the Sweetwater Range now

I'm up in the heart of the Sweetwater Range now

I'm feeling the effect of the above-10000-feet elevation up here

I'm feeling the effect of the above-10000-feet elevation up here

I find myself mesmerized by this environment up here

I find myself mesmerized by this environment up here

That must be Mount Patterson up ahead

That must be Mount Patterson up ahead

I like the "Mars With Flowers" sign up here, though I missed the flower show

I like the "Mars With Flowers" sign up here, though I missed the flower show

Just a reminder that I'm on Road 226

Just a reminder that I'm on Road 226

As I climb the final hill, I look back at the plateau where I saw the "Mars With Flowers" sign

As I climb the final hill, I look back at the plateau where I saw the "Mars With Flowers" sign

A little closer to the top!

A little closer to the top!

Those clouds are getting rather dark: rain on the way?

Those clouds are getting rather dark: rain on the way?

Almost there!

Almost there!

Peculiar light up here because I'm in a sunny spot surrounded by dark clouds

Peculiar light up here because I'm in a sunny spot surrounded by dark clouds

Arrived! On top of Mount Patterson at 11654 feet elevation

Arrived! On top of Mount Patterson at 11654 feet elevation

All the views up here are great, but I especially like this one northward toward Nevada

All the views up here are great, but I especially like this one northward toward Nevada

Hmmm... looks like it might be raining down at Lobdell Lake where the FJ is parked

Hmmm... looks like it might be raining down at Lobdell Lake where the FJ is parked

Yeah, it's definitely raining down there

Yeah, it's definitely raining down there

Looking pretty wet down there; I think I'll stay up here a little bit longer

Looking pretty wet down there; I think I'll stay up here a little bit longer

Or maybe I shouldn't stay up here, maybe the rain clouds are headed this way

Or maybe I shouldn't stay up here, maybe the rain clouds are headed this way

I hear thunder and see occasional lightning down there

I hear thunder and see occasional lightning down there

Further north, it doesn't look like there's any rain at all yet

Further north, it doesn't look like there's any rain at all yet

I'm enjoying walking around the Mount Patterson area while deciding where to go

I'm enjoying walking around the Mount Patterson area while deciding where to go

This high mountain-top wouldn't be the best place to be if the thunder and lightning comes here

This high mountain-top wouldn't be the best place to be if the thunder and lightning comes here

If the rain moves over here, I'd be better off getting wet down there than up here

If the rain moves over here, I'd be better off getting wet down there than up here

That nearby peak just received some snow from this precipitation system blowing through

That nearby peak just received some snow from this precipitation system blowing through

The rain down there seems to be fading, so I decide to start the hike back down to the FJ at Lobdell Lake

The rain down there seems to be fading, so I decide to start the hike back down to the FJ at Lobdell Lake

So far, so good; I'm encountering some rain sprinkles, but no heavy rain (at least not yet)

So far, so good; I'm encountering some rain sprinkles, but no heavy rain (at least not yet)

These lupines along the road surely appreciate this rain

These lupines along the road surely appreciate this rain

Here's that slippery off-camber stretch again where I'm glad to be hiking instead of driving

Here's that slippery off-camber stretch again where I'm glad to be hiking instead of driving

Back down into the canyon for a bit, while I enjoy the pitter-patter of the rain sprinkles

Back down into the canyon for a bit, while I enjoy the pitter-patter of the rain sprinkles

It's so lush down here compared to the moonscape up on top of these mountains

It's so lush down here compared to the moonscape up on top of these mountains

I pass a nice garden of wildflowers on the way back down from Mount Patterson

I pass a nice garden of wildflowers on the way back down from Mount Patterson

I keep wondering what it would be like to be driving this road rather than hiking it

I keep wondering what it would be like to be driving this road rather than hiking it

I took a photo here on the way up a couple of hours ago, but everything looks greener now

I took a photo here on the way up a couple of hours ago, but everything looks greener now

I pass through a bit of forest

I pass through a bit of forest

The rain seems to have stopped and I've hardly gotten wet at all: phew!

The rain seems to have stopped and I've hardly gotten wet at all: phew!

It's apparently still raining over in the Sierras, and maybe down at Obsidian Campground too

It's apparently still raining over in the Sierras, and maybe down at Obsidian Campground too

These lower peaks also picked up a bit of snow during this afternoon's rainstorm

These lower peaks also picked up a bit of snow during this afternoon's rainstorm

My road winds back down toward Lobdell Lake where the FJ is parked

My road winds back down toward Lobdell Lake where the FJ is parked

This stream crossing near Lobdell Lake is a bit wider than it was on my way up to Mount Patterson

This stream crossing near Lobdell Lake is a bit wider than it was on my way up to Mount Patterson

Light rain continues

Light rain continues

The FJ got a good car wash from the rainstorm while I was up on Mount Patterson

The FJ got a good car wash from the rainstorm while I was up on Mount Patterson

And I think Lobdell Lake has a bit more water than when I started my hike a few hours ago

And I think Lobdell Lake has a bit more water than when I started my hike a few hours ago

It's cold up here at 9233 feet elevation, so I decide to drive back down to Obsidian Campground

It's cold up here at 9233 feet elevation, so I decide to drive back down to Obsidian Campground

The mud at the bottom of this puddle turns out to be quite slippery as I drive though it

The mud at the bottom of this puddle turns out to be quite slippery as I drive though it

I stop briefly to look at the history marker at Lobdell Lake

I stop briefly to look at the history marker at Lobdell Lake

It's only 48 degrees F, no wonder I feel a bit chilled

It's only 48 degrees F, no wonder I feel a bit chilled

I'm learning to drive more slowly though these big puddles

I'm learning to drive more slowly though these big puddles

It looks like the rain over the Sierras has dissipated

It looks like the rain over the Sierras has dissipated

I'm surprised to see snow along this stretch of Lobdell Lake Road

I'm surprised to see snow along this stretch of Lobdell Lake Road

Here's a little stream to drive through on Lobdell Lake Road

Here's a little stream to drive through on Lobdell Lake Road

This puddle should wash off some of the big chunks of mud my tires are picking up

This puddle should wash off some of the big chunks of mud my tires are picking up

I'm surprised to see these folks setting up camp at the junction of Bircham Flat Road and Lobdell Lake Road

I'm surprised to see these folks setting up camp at the junction of Bircham Flat Road and Lobdell Lake Road

After the nice downhill here on Bircham Flat Road, I'll arrive at Obsidian Campground and settle in for the night

After the nice downhill here on Bircham Flat Road, I'll arrive at Obsidian Campground and settle in for the night

After many miles on Hwy 395 and little back roads, crossing a few streams, we camp at Desert Creek, Nevada

After many miles on Hwy 395 and little back roads, crossing a few streams, we camp at Desert Creek, Nevada

Here we are, on the top of Mount Patterson, 11654 feet

Here we are, on the top of Mount Patterson, 11654 feet

It's a fresh and cool morning here at Desert Creek Campground, Nevada

It's a fresh and cool morning here at Desert Creek Campground, Nevada

There's a fair amount of shade here at Desert Creek Campground

There's a fair amount of shade here at Desert Creek Campground

We make some excellent coffee with our Aeropress coffee maker

We make some excellent coffee with our Aeropress coffee maker

It's that sad time to take down the tent and get on with our day

It's that sad time to take down the tent and get on with our day

We drive through the first of several stream crossings on the way out from Desert Creek Campground

We drive through the first of several stream crossings on the way out from Desert Creek Campground

And here's another stream crossing to drive through on the way out of Desert Creek Campground

And here's another stream crossing to drive through on the way out of Desert Creek Campground

And yet another stream to drive through on the way out of Desert Creek Campground...

And yet another stream to drive through on the way out of Desert Creek Campground...

The road out of Desert Creek Campground rises slowly out into sagebrush country

The road out of Desert Creek Campground rises slowly out into sagebrush country

We drive past a few more rocky hills on our way out of Desert Creek Campground

We drive past a few more rocky hills on our way out of Desert Creek Campground

We drive out of the Desert Creek Canyon and on toward the paved highway

We drive out of the Desert Creek Canyon and on toward the paved highway

After lunch, we drive some 15 miles south on Hwy 395 to Burcham Flat Road

After lunch, we drive some 15 miles south on Hwy 395 to Burcham Flat Road

Great views over to the Sierras as we drive up toward Lobdell Lake on the way to our Mount Patterson hike

Great views over to the Sierras as we drive up toward Lobdell Lake on the way to our Mount Patterson hike

We drive past a herd of sheep on the way up to Lobdell Lake!

We drive past a herd of sheep on the way up to Lobdell Lake!

And then we drive past a few patches of yellow rabbitbrush flowers

And then we drive past a few patches of yellow rabbitbrush flowers

Lobdell Lake Road passes through an aspen grove on the way up to Mount Patterson

Lobdell Lake Road passes through an aspen grove on the way up to Mount Patterson

More great views over to the Sierras as we rise up Lobdell Lake Road toward Mount Patterson

More great views over to the Sierras as we rise up Lobdell Lake Road toward Mount Patterson

We drive through another stretch of alpine forest

We drive through another stretch of alpine forest

Rising, rising...

Rising, rising...

We arrive on the little plateau upon which sits Lobdell Lake

We arrive on the little plateau upon which sits Lobdell Lake

As we drive around Lobdell Lake, we're heading straight towards the peaks of the Sweetwater Mountains

As we drive around Lobdell Lake, we're heading straight towards the peaks of the Sweetwater Mountains

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