Pioneer Basin & LLV TR 9/16-20
Posted: Sat Oct 02, 2010 7:50 pm
I was worried about smoke with all the reports about how bad it was in some
areas, but luckily it was mostly a non issue.
I will not use the old "this is the most beautiful place in the Sierra" phrase any more
but it does offer a photographer ample subjects to keep busy for several days.
I got a later than normal start but still managed to be at the Mosquito Flats Trailhead
with boots on the ground (trail runners) by 11 am, and making the 3rd lake in Pioneer
Basin by 5 pm.
Passed a father-son on there way to Pioneer Basin, about 10 minutes away from the
lowest lake in the basin, running into them again 3 days later, they were getting ready
to climb Mt. Hopkins, which the successfully did.
Pioneer Basin was much drier than I expected, a lot of the smaller ponds under Stanford
Pass at the northern part of the basin were either completely dried up, or down to half
there size.
The second day was spent taking photo's of the ice formations on the creek running
betweenthe lakes, and then visiting the lakes under Mt.Crocker, and Crocker Pass
which is a class 2 pass into the Hopkins Drainage.
I hiked to the largest lake on the eastern side of the basin, and spent the day admiring
the views towards Second Recess, and Third Recess form a lookout near the lake.
The third day I hit the middle section of the basin where an old favorite pond was
located but had also evaporated to about half its size.
Then continuing on to the lake which is the last in the chain from the top sitting at
the end of the bench.
There is a small pond located here which with the right weather, and colors, makes for
a first class photography spot, and it did not disappoint as you can see in the pano taken
from that spot.
My plans were to spend 4 nights in the basin, but the fall colors of Rock Creek were
surprisingly at there peak, so I hiked to LLV to spend the night, and hike out early to get
some shots of the beautiful colors.
Besides the Ice Art, there are 3 nights shot, especially the Moonlit Glow Reflection in LLV
and Moonlit Pioneer Views are quite interesting, and unique in my opinion.
While hiking out to LLV, I climbed the 12800 peak above 4th Recess Lake, and got some
beautiful all encompassing views of Pioneer Basin, and Hopkins Basin where you can see
both lakes in the basin from this vantage point.
There are a few black & whites, sorry Rlown, but they worked much better to me in the
circumstances I shot them in than color.
Please click on the link, then double click on the first photo to get a larger photo, and
then proceed to clicking on the other photo's to the right.
The photo's are small and not at optimal resolution to be viewed larger than the preview
mode, slideshow mode will not be very clear!
http://maverick.zenfolio.com/p159446325" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
areas, but luckily it was mostly a non issue.
I will not use the old "this is the most beautiful place in the Sierra" phrase any more
but it does offer a photographer ample subjects to keep busy for several days.
I got a later than normal start but still managed to be at the Mosquito Flats Trailhead
with boots on the ground (trail runners) by 11 am, and making the 3rd lake in Pioneer
Basin by 5 pm.
Passed a father-son on there way to Pioneer Basin, about 10 minutes away from the
lowest lake in the basin, running into them again 3 days later, they were getting ready
to climb Mt. Hopkins, which the successfully did.
Pioneer Basin was much drier than I expected, a lot of the smaller ponds under Stanford
Pass at the northern part of the basin were either completely dried up, or down to half
there size.
The second day was spent taking photo's of the ice formations on the creek running
betweenthe lakes, and then visiting the lakes under Mt.Crocker, and Crocker Pass
which is a class 2 pass into the Hopkins Drainage.
I hiked to the largest lake on the eastern side of the basin, and spent the day admiring
the views towards Second Recess, and Third Recess form a lookout near the lake.
The third day I hit the middle section of the basin where an old favorite pond was
located but had also evaporated to about half its size.
Then continuing on to the lake which is the last in the chain from the top sitting at
the end of the bench.
There is a small pond located here which with the right weather, and colors, makes for
a first class photography spot, and it did not disappoint as you can see in the pano taken
from that spot.
My plans were to spend 4 nights in the basin, but the fall colors of Rock Creek were
surprisingly at there peak, so I hiked to LLV to spend the night, and hike out early to get
some shots of the beautiful colors.
Besides the Ice Art, there are 3 nights shot, especially the Moonlit Glow Reflection in LLV
and Moonlit Pioneer Views are quite interesting, and unique in my opinion.
While hiking out to LLV, I climbed the 12800 peak above 4th Recess Lake, and got some
beautiful all encompassing views of Pioneer Basin, and Hopkins Basin where you can see
both lakes in the basin from this vantage point.
There are a few black & whites, sorry Rlown, but they worked much better to me in the
circumstances I shot them in than color.
Please click on the link, then double click on the first photo to get a larger photo, and
then proceed to clicking on the other photo's to the right.
The photo's are small and not at optimal resolution to be viewed larger than the preview
mode, slideshow mode will not be very clear!
http://maverick.zenfolio.com/p159446325" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
