Round and round the Ritter Range

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hikerduane
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Post by hikerduane »

I have seen a mouse I guess a couple times along the shore somewhere in my travels, working the shore, submerging and surfacing looking for food I guess. Then there is the mountain beaver I saw close to home in a creek that runs into the one I live on, like a small muskrat. Did a search a few years ago on them and they are along the coast, they shouldn't be where I saw it. I was fishing, opening day and saw this small critter. It wasn't paying any attention to me, so I tapped it on the head with my fishing pole, :lol: , then it finally took off.
Piece of cake.
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Re: Round and round the Ritter Range

Post by DoyleWDonehoo »

quentinc wrote:Finally, this is the trip report I've been hinting at in various posts. ...Blue Lake...Blue Lake Pass ....
Outstanding. The whole Glacier Pass to Blue Lake Pass is something I have had my eye on for a long time.
Some comments:

http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/23 ... 3830FXuBml
The "Tarn, in lower portion of basin" is commonly refered to as "Foester Lake" is reported to be a real beauty, and is something I intend to camp at one day. There was a use trail to it from the main trail, but it has been reprted missing. Thanks for posting that picture!

The Peak 11210 (7.5) was something I was carefully looking over from the Lyell Fork a few weeks ago, so I found your pictures of it very interesting.

http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/25 ... 3830GOQYhD
The "Looking down into the Lyell fork of the Merced River basin" is a great shot, but it is even better being down there, as I hope to prove in the next issue of Sierra-Trail. See that rock island in the right-hand meadow? Both F. Solomons and Ansel Adams took pictures over that rock island. If you like I could send you a picture I took duplicating their shot or I could post it here as a sneak peek, but I do not wish to bogart this thread.
The left hand meadow has a great camp there, which is why Ansel Adams camped there. And the view from there....

http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/29 ... 3830BseKiu
Was "Triple Divide Peak" really Long Mountain and Harriet Lake?

"Heading up to Blue Lake pass" Picture. John Muir passed through this area and spoke of camping on an istmus between two lakes. This may be the place.

I also liked the Bench Canyon, Blue Lake and Pass pictures. If I go up there I will probably start from the Isberg Pass trailhead.

Great pictures and trip!

PS [Edit] Here ia an Ansel Adams picture from the Lyell Fork:
http://www.anseladams.com/index.asp?Pag ... rodID=1033
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quentinc
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Post by quentinc »

Doyle, thanks so much for the comments. That tarn (Foerster Lake) was indeed quite beautiful. There's an easy route down to it from below Peak 11,200, trail or no trail.

I was very tempted to hike down into the Lyell fork canyon, but I was surprised by how ridiculously steep. loose and rocky the slope was from the base of 11,200 down into the canyon (I would have gone down that way and then looped back via the Isberg trail). Also, as I get older, I've had to admit to myself that my killer week trips are becoming more literally killers, so I begrudgingly conceded that day as a semi-rest day. I'd love to see your photos from down in the canyon!

If I do this trip again, instead of out and back I would head down the Isberg Trail over to Vogelsgang, and then return to Thousand Island Lakes via the Muir Trail. But the area was so incredible (and the navigation frustrating enough) that I wanted to do it twice this time.

And I think you made a good catch. Now that I look at that picture, I'm not sure that is Triple Divide, because I don't think there's a lake right in front of it. But it's not Long Peak -- that's further to the southwest, along the Foerster ridge. So maybe it's Post Peak?
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Post by DoyleWDonehoo »

quentinc wrote:Doyle, thanks so much for the comments. That tarn (Foerster Lake) was indeed quite beautiful. There's an easy route down to it from below Peak 11,200, trail or no trail.
No problem. ...and...its part of the Roper route I believe. The Blue Lake to "Foerster Lake" is something I have been interested in a long time. Glad you reported it.
quentinc wrote:I was very tempted to hike down into the Lyell fork canyon, but I was surprised by how ridiculously steep. loose and rocky the slope was...
Yeah, the trail would have been faster I bet. ;^)
quentinc wrote:I'd love to see your photos from down in the canyon!
I will see if I can show something in the next day or two...
quentinc wrote: And I think you made a good catch. ... But it's not Long Peak -- that's further to the southwest, along the Foerster ridge. So maybe it's Post Peak?
Bet ya a buck it is Long Mountain. I am betting you were on top of the cliff east of "Foerster Lake" (looking down on the lake), and you pointed your camera SSE at Harriet Lake. You would have been just above the level of the lake, just like the picture. I have examined the picture and the 7.5 map and everything matches up: lake, tarns, ridge line.... :cool:
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Unidentified Peak

Post by egull »

Thanks so much for the interesting trip report and pictures. I've not been to this area yet but based on the photos and discussion I think it will be my next destination.

Here's something that might help solve the debated peak in the "Triple Divide Peak" shot. It's the Google Earth view of Harriet Lake from the direction of peak 11210. The peak behind Harriet Lake is the unnamed peak just to the west of Long Mountain. Google Earth is amazing!


Image
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Post by DoyleWDonehoo »

It's the Google Earth view of Harriet Lake....
Uncanny! :eek:
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Post by cgundersen »

Hi Quentin,
For some strange reason my computer has problems pulling up webshot galleries so I’ve not checked out your photos, but otherwise it’s great to hear that you managed that loop into the Blue Lakes area and beyond in spite of the shoulder dislocation. I’ve continued to wrestle with the question whether the scenery/isolation around Blue Lake(s) puts it at the top of my list of favorites in the Sierras, and even though the competition is pretty stiff (and folks in other threads have given me ideas for places I still need to visit), I think it’s pretty hard to beat. I also thought you articulated very well the striking contrast one gets at the juncture of the dark and foreboding Minarets (with Ritter and Banner) and the classical gray granite of the Cathedral range as one transitions into Yosemite. I’m already planning a route into that area from the west (as Maverick did earlier this year), but it may take a couple years to get back since a couple other long trips are already on the top of the charts.
Incidentally, which brand of boots were you breaking in (so, I can avoid them)?
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DoyleWDonehoo
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Lyell Fork

Post by DoyleWDonehoo »

quentinc said:
quentinc: I'd love to see your photos from down in the canyon!
If you look at this picture from quentinc's pictures:
http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/25 ... 3830GOQYhD
...you see two meadows. The picture below is looking over the eastern (right) meadow, at the west end of the meadow, looking over the obvious granite island towards Mt. Ansel Adams:

Image

This picture is from my almost completed Lyell Fork story. quentinc: If I can include that birds eye view and photo credit in my story, let me know! :thumbsup:
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Post by quentinc »

That Google Earth photo is uncanny -- it almost feels like "cheating" to use it. Of course, I'm probably the only one on this board who doesn't even have a GPS, so I'm obviously a fossil. :) In any event, I'm glad that it turns out not to be Long Mountain!

Doyle, by all means feel free to use the photo. I also have a zoom just on the east meadow if you'd like it (not posted on Webshots). Your picture from down in the meadow is quite beautiful. Thanks for posting it.

CG: I was wearing a pair of lightweight Salomon mid-level tops, so it's very unlikely you or any other sane individual would be trying them out on a hike like this. Ironically, Salamon brags about its "contagrip," which I think should be renamed "contragrip" -- as in anti-grip. I have at least some excuse for my insanity -- I've been having a nightmare of a time finding a pair of "real" boots to replace my falling apart (and discontinued) Montrail Moraines. I was so desperate that the previous backpack I did was in low-tops (although all the hiking was on trail). The only good news is that my ankles were just fine both times.
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Lyell Fork East Meadow

Post by DoyleWDonehoo »

quentinc wrote: Doyle, by all means feel free to use the photo. I also have a zoom just on the east meadow if you'd like it (not posted on Webshots).
Great! My site is journalistic in nature, so more and better information is good. Email both pictures to me with how you want your photo credit to read. My email can be found on my website, link below.

I have got to get more into Google Earth!
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