This wasn't the trip we'd planned. While our first choice had always been to go to Thousand Island Lake, we'd hoped to do it via one of the easier routes, via the high trail or the river trail from Agnew Meadows. Unfortunately, when we arrived at the ranger station in Mammoth first thing on Saturday morning, we were too far back in the permit line to have any real chance of getting a spot on either of those trails. The quotas were filling up fast for everywhere in the area, and our second choice, the Dorothy Lake area above Convict, went out the door with the two people in line directly before us.
Anyway, with most of the weekend-friendly spots filled, we took the Rush Creek trail head and were thankful. Unfortunately, the line for the permits and the drive to June Lake meant that we didn't get on the trail until 9:30, which gave just enough time for it to get plenty hot on the exposed slopes below Agnew Lake. We made very slow progress up the hill, and got to Agnew around 11:30 for an early lunch.
At Agnew Lake, we had a decision to make. We could either go the longer, more gradually ascending route around Gem Lake, or take the shorter and steeper route via Spooky Meadows. We opted for the latter for a couple of reasons. One: it was a full two miles shorter, and two: we were going so slowly, anyway, that a steep ascent couldn't really slow us down. I still feel like it was the right decision, but it's a fairly difficult climb.
This lake is just a little below the crest.
Just beyond the crest, which is just after the climb past Spooky Meadows (which weren't very spooky), we found this beautifully sparkling lake. Just past it there was a pair of deer foraging in the trees. The trail drops down into the Clark Lakes, of which the above may be the first, depending on your map, and we enjoyed walking past their grass-lined borders. Little tree frogs were hopping across the trail, which was fun.
Libby at the biggest Clark Lake
Libby at the biggest Clark Lake
We enjoyed the continued stretch of downhill from Clark Lake, but had to stop to take in the view of the San Joaquin's valley. The crest isn't spectacular here, though the Ritter Range is, and the views of Mammoth Mountain, Mammoth Crest, and - just peaking from beyond Mammoth Pass - Crystal Crag itself, offered a new perspective on a much beloved place. A haze of smoke, the acrid bite of which occasionally nipped inside the nose, unfortunately kept the views from being as perfectly clear as Sierra air can be.
Mammoth Mountain and Crest beyond the middle fork of the San Joaquin River valley.
Mammoth Mountain and Crest beyond the middle fork of the San Joaquin River valley.
We arrived at Thousand Island Lake around 5:30 in the evening, and had to hike past a dozen or more camps to find an open spot to camp. That added an extra mile or more to our trip, and of course, was a little disheartening after a long day's hike. All the time, however, our pain was well compensated by the absolutely fantastic scenery that the lake offered as we walked along its banks. The views of Banner, alone, are worth the trip, and the lake's endless and varied shoreline, granite islands, and flowering meadows were also balm to every aching joint.
We did finally settle on a camp spot. Unfortunately, on the first night we could see a couple of other nearby camps, but on the second night they had all moved on. We also discovered we had somehow forgotten our tent stakes. We're still not sure how we managed to separate them from the rest of our tent, but we found them when we came home in our car camping supplies. A dozen rocks served to substitute, though the first night's wind was a bit noisier than it would have been.
The next day we slept in a bit, and then we hiked over to the Garnet Lake basin via a knapsack pass on the western end of Thousand Island Lake. The tarns just between Banner and Thousand Island were intensely blue, really pretty, and matching Mountain Bluebirds were fluttering over the meadows in small family groups. There was another really nice tarn above Garnet, and the meadows along its outlet were the best we saw on the trip - still green despite the late date. We found ourselves wandering out onto a bluff for a view of Garnet, and sat down for lunch.
Garnet Lake
We did finally settle on a camp spot. Unfortunately, on the first night we could see a couple of other nearby camps, but on the second night they had all moved on. We also discovered we had somehow forgotten our tent stakes. We're still not sure how we managed to separate them from the rest of our tent, but we found them when we came home in our car camping supplies. A dozen rocks served to substitute, though the first night's wind was a bit noisier than it would have been.
The next day we slept in a bit, and then we hiked over to the Garnet Lake basin via a knapsack pass on the western end of Thousand Island Lake. The tarns just between Banner and Thousand Island were intensely blue, really pretty, and matching Mountain Bluebirds were fluttering over the meadows in small family groups. There was another really nice tarn above Garnet, and the meadows along its outlet were the best we saw on the trip - still green despite the late date. We found ourselves wandering out onto a bluff for a view of Garnet, and sat down for lunch.
Garnet Lake
After lunch, it was back over the knapsack pass and back to camp. There we took a bracing sponge-bath and relaxed and read to while away the evening. It's delightful to sit in the warm sun of a high mountain meadow and read a book.
The next day we had to get on the trail early to get home before it was too late, so we were up before the sun. It had been still overnight, and there was a little frost on the rain fly, and more under the groundcloth when we packed it away. Down by the lake, it coated the bristly grass and rimmed our footsteps in the mud and sand. Then the first light of the sun started painting Banner orange, and I ran down to the lake to snap a few pictures. Here's one:
Banner sunrise
The next day we had to get on the trail early to get home before it was too late, so we were up before the sun. It had been still overnight, and there was a little frost on the rain fly, and more under the groundcloth when we packed it away. Down by the lake, it coated the bristly grass and rimmed our footsteps in the mud and sand. Then the first light of the sun started painting Banner orange, and I ran down to the lake to snap a few pictures. Here's one:
Banner sunrise
We were on the trail not long after the sun started warming it, and we made good time to Clark Lakes. Then we took the longer trail around Gem, judging that, with our early start, we'd be able to see some new country. Rush Creek was particularly beautiful, and the views around Gem were also very nice. It is a shame about the dam, though.
Anyway, we took lunch at the far end of Agnew, again, and were back to our cars around 1:30. We stopped for some ice cream (for Libby) and root beer (for me) in June Lake, and then we were on our way home. And that was our backpacking trip!
Pictures from the weekend are at the normal place for pictures.
Anyway, we took lunch at the far end of Agnew, again, and were back to our cars around 1:30. We stopped for some ice cream (for Libby) and root beer (for me) in June Lake, and then we were on our way home. And that was our backpacking trip!
Pictures from the weekend are at the normal place for pictures.
1 comment:
You should have hiked over Mammoth Pass and back to the cabin. But I guess you wouldn't have a car.
It looks like a nice trip. It's roughly the reverse of what I did a few years ago, though I didn't go through Spooky Meadows.
-bill
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