High Trail to Thousand Island Lake

We started our pack trip from Agnew Meadows.  Grandpa gave us a ride to the trailhead from the cabin early enough in the morning that he could get us down and then get back out again before the gate opened at 7:00.  We started hiking just a bit before 7.

The high trail starts with some easy switchbacks out of the meadow and then it surprised us by entering timbered country for a couple of miles.  It slowly ascends to avoid some cliffs, and then when it starts descending to the various junctions of the Clark Lakes trails, it heads out into open country.  I had expected to have continous views of Ritter and Banner on the walk to Thousand Island, but that didn't turn out to be the case at all.  There are some campsites in an hour or so (they may be illegally close to the trail and the water may dry up in late season, I suppose) that have fantastic views, though.

We took lunch when we hit the North Fork of the San Joaquin for the first time.  Then we were up and hiking along Thousand Island Lake.  That always takes longer than you'd like.  There were quite a few other parties camped along the lake, but we hiked almost all the way to the far end, so we had a nice private campsite.  The closest people had actually camped between Banner and the lake.  This is really one of the most beautiful places I've ever been, so it's not surprising that it's such a popular location.

That night we tried fishing, but it was very, very windy, and we had no luck.  It's also very shallow on the west end of the lake.  We did see a couple of deer and a bald eagle, though, which was nice.