Emigrant Lake TR
Posted: Tue Jul 19, 2011 2:02 pm
Made it to Emigrant Lake on July 10 2011, here's some info on conditions. We started on July 9th from Kennedy meadows and first tried the branch towards relief valley. We considered Summit Creek uncrossable, so back tracked slightely and took the branch towards sheep camp. Snow started a mile or more below sheep camp and became 100% coverage very quickly. The forest at the bend in the creek at sheep camp was almost 100% covered, we found an ok camp several hundred yards back from the creek in the rock formations. On July 10th we proceeded towards lunch meadow, finding some sections of exposed trail but mostly snow cover. We crossed the creek on a slightly questionable snow bridge (it could easily have been waded at knee deep or less) and headed up towards mosquito pass. 100% suncuped snow all the way over. Got a slight break from the suncups in the forest just before Emigrant Lake. The Lake was mostly snow covered but did have a substantial liquid section at the East end. Returned to sheep camp the same day, and then hiked out on July 11. Hot and sunny the whole time, I would think the snow should be melting fast, so things may have changed quite a bit by now.
. It is however, a good reminder for all of us that there is still a ton of snow left out there. I think its real easy for any of us to start to thinking that areas like this have to be open now. Its an area thats lower in elevation than the higher parts of the sierra and it typically opens up a bit earlier than most, so its easy to just start thinking it has to be accessible and it most years it would be. This year is not most and your pics are a stark reminder to us all that there is still alot of snow to melt off and challenges to face when crossing streams and/or snow fields. Be safe out there folks. More horrible news this morning about some possible fatalaties in Yosemite due to high water.