High Sierra Topix

A while back I asked for some advice about this trip. It ended up being a great trip for the first longer-than-a-weekend backpack of the season.

We started off early on Thursday morning and dropped a car at Mammoth. Took YARTS to tuolumne and started off down Lyell canyon midday.
Said hi to an old friend.


Enjoyed my favorite lunch stop.


We arrived at camp below donohue pass just before a thundering storm with lots of lightning and hail. When the storm cleared we did a bit of fishing.


(all photos from today are here)

On Day 2 we hiked to 1000 Island lake rather quickly since storms were building all around us (yet a small patch of sun seemed to stay on us all day - quite nice!)

On the climb to Donohue


Keeping an eye on the building storms from Island Pass


Found a nice site and quickly set up in anticipation of the storms, but they never materialized above us.

Watching the storm clouds around us


But then things cleared up and we enjoyed a nice afternoon of swimming and walking the entire north shore of the lake with my fishing pole, but not a single bite.


All photos from day 2 are here

On day 3 we hiked to Shadow Creek and found a nice (legal) site below Ediza.

Banner Peak in the morning


Reminded of the freeway we're on at Garnet Lake


Wildflowers were popping


After setting up camp we scrambled up the (wrong) route to Cabin Lake, fished (nothing), then found correct trail back to Shadow Creek which spit us out right at our campsite.

This is sure miserable (at cabin lake)


Rest of the photos from this day are here.
(continued in next post)

Day 4 started with a successful fishing expedition to Ediza and brookie breakfast.



Followed by dayhiking to the lakes in the area. We started with Nydiver


This is such a beautiful set of lakes, with waterfalls and cascades between them


Went back to camp for lunch, then up to Iceberg for the afternoon.


No mystery about how this lake got its name



Lots of wildflowers along Shadow Creek too


We even found some interesting rocks in the tailings piles near camp


Full album from today is here

On Day 5 we hit the trail early and exited at Agnew - was eating fish tacos at Whoa Nellie by noon. Our original plan was to go to Reds Meadow, but I wanted to minimize the time on dry dusty horse trail, thus the decision to exit at Agnew.

Minarets sunrise from camp


last peek into the high country


Fish tacos double order with a pitcher of Mammoth Pale Ale! Nomnomnom.

Great report and pics ! Brought back memories and makes me want to go back. Thanks for posting

I see you went around Cabin Lake, thru the campsite and to the northern side.
Did you continue to the eastern end over the rocks to the very pretty small ponds
that where right at the edge of the bench, it had a great view down at Shadow Lake.

Yes, we did. In fact, both in the Cabin and Nydiver area we had a laugh about the sign on the JMT near Shadow Lake that forcefully declares "THERE ARE NO LEGAL CAMPSITES WITH A VIEW OF SHADOW LAKE". In fact, there are plenty, if you know where to look.

Thank you for the photos Rebecca, can't believe how sharp they are.