TR: Three seasons of 1000 Island

[Dmasten]

Since I mentioned three trips to 1000 Island Lake this past year in another topic, I guess I best post a TR!
Trip one was in April of this past year, essentially still winter in the Sierra. It was a nice little ski trip.

Heading out - catching my first peak of the area I'm heading to. There should be an outhouse, picnic tables, and info signs somewhere around here!

Looking back at the easy skiing!

Traversing just below the San Joaquin ridgeline.

Still traversing. Shadow Lake, Banner and Ritter are beautiful dressed in white.


Views both fore and aft are just incredible!

Isn't there a fairly sizable, famous lake around here? All that traversing looks so far away now.

The mandatory pic of Banner over 1000 Island Lake.

[Dmasten]

A few months later I went for a bit of a run back to 1000 Island Lake.

Had to run the road down (and back up) to Agnew Meadows.

There's a nice waterfall; but the stop and pic cost me about a pint of blood from the mosquitos.

The San Joaquin was flowing heavy!


So beautiful!

And again the requisite Banner beyond 1000 Island Lake.

After a bit of a rest at 1000 Island Lake I headed back to Mammoth Mountain Main Lodge by way of the PCT. For that loop and that time of year, I think I went backwards from how I should have gone. The river trail would have been a better return. Oh well, it's all good awesome.

Off in the distance are people still skiing! Too bad I don't have my skis in the car.

The combination of greens, tan, grays and white is spectacular! "Spring" is a beautiful time, absolutely worth braving the mosquitos and constantly wet feet.

[Dmasten]

Come September and I return with my wife. This time we head up the Shadow Lake outlet to the JMT.


Is there a bad view anywhere around here?



Sometimes the awesomeness is just a drop of blue.

Garnet rivals 1000 Island. Can't quite figure out which is more beautiful. Needs more study.

I don't remember a footbridge here.

The San Joaquin ridge looks a lot different.

The mandatory Banner shot is difficult to get in the late afternoon. So...

... let's get it in the morning as well!

[wildhiker]

Great photos! Thanks for posting. I've never tried to do any winter trips here, so it was fun to see it under all the snow.
-Phil

[gary c.]

You are right. There are no bad views in that area. Thanks for posting.

[oldhikerQ]

Thanks for posting the photos.
Love 1000 Island Lake and the surrounding environs.

[B.Kruger]

I love this idea, visiting the same area in all seasons...thanks for the inspiration!

[Cross Country]

In 500+ day of BP I never had destinations on trail that I thought looked easy. I missed out on 1000 Is. These are really good fotos.
I had a condo in Mammoth for 10 years (to ski) and still never went on a BP trip in the mountains south of 1000 right behind Mammoth either. It all looked too easy to me. And I don't like to climb peaks.

[cslaght]

Nice Reports! What a great ski that must have been for the trip to April

[Scouter9]

Thank you for posting these! Outstanding, just outstanding to see that terrain in your winter shots. My oh my.

You were pretty high along the High Trail, just below the Teats, on the skis! I am from SoCal, so let me just say, "Gnarly, dude!"