TR:Emigrant Wilderness 5/30 - 6/4

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SSSdave
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Re: TR:Emigrant Wilderness 5/30 - 6/4

Post by SSSdave »

Well if you were not in shape before that trip you are now.

Familiar with most of those places. For the reader best to follow your considerable navigation comments by following a topo map.

http://mapper.acme.com/?ll=38.20079,-119.84599&z=14&t=T" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Places like those lakes behind Granite Dome were certain to still be frozen. Any trips this early need to pay attention to elevation and exposure. Should sober up some of those of conventional thinking that fishing is certain to be better at melt out. Although that can be at much lower bodies of water especially reservoirs, not so in many high country bodies of water. If a large stream is flowing in where fish are spawning there may be fish though most are engaged with behaviors of other fish and not feeding that doesn't seem to bother those jerking large treble hooks at them. More often cold lakes seem rather lifeless as fish have nothing to surface feed on with insect hatches still weeks away, sub-surface feeding minimal as larvae have months before since escaped into shallows or beneath rocks, and below water temps are so cold with nothing to do that trout are often rather lethargic just sitting in groups where cold inlet stream flows creeping along lake bottoms provide aeration.

At this time of year the better choices would be about the lower southwest lakes like Big Lake. However reaching those lakes is problematic if taking the more direct route from Crabtree because of high creek flows so one's fording skills need to be high.
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Re: TR:Emigrant Wilderness 5/30 - 6/4

Post by jhoest »

Thanks for the trip report! I'll be heading out of Gianelli Meadows on Sunday for a few days, all the info you posted has certainly helped me refine my trip. Thanks!
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Re: TR:Emigrant Wilderness 5/30 - 6/4

Post by Wandering Daisy »

I was not expecting great fishing. I have been to most of the lower lakes a few years ago from Crabtree TH and wanted this time to go out of Gianelli, and see the upper lakes. I also avoided the lower lakes because I figured the warmer temperatures would mean more mosquitoes. The loop through Lewis Lakes and Summit Creek worked out because I had done extensive looking at this route but left it out because it involved too many miles. Ha, ha - ended up doing it anyway! Years ago I dragged my poor husband up to Emigrant Lake, from Kennedy Meadows, via Iceland Lake and over the shoulder of Granite Dome, in one day! He was about to kill me by the time we were trudging up the switchbacks to Emigrant Lake! I think Buck Lake is one of the prettiest lakes with so many little nooks and crannies to explore. I had planned on camping here and spending half a day, but by the time I got there I was worried about time. One of these days I will spend several days at Buck Lake! One thing I really like about going early season, is that the air so clear- no lingering smoke and cool enough in the Valley so that smog does not float up into the wilderness. No haze to deal with when photographing.
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Re: TR:Emigrant Wilderness 5/30 - 6/4

Post by cahikr »

Great trip report!
I will be heading this way next weekend for a fly by the seat of my pants trip.
Nice to have some idea of what to expect.
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Re: TR:Emigrant Wilderness 5/30 - 6/4

Post by SSSdave »

Wandering Daisy wrote:...Years ago I dragged my poor husband up to Emigrant Lake, from Kennedy Meadows, via Iceland Lake and over the shoulder of Granite Dome, in one day! He was about to kill me by the time we were trudging up the switchbacks to Emigrant Lake! I think Buck Lake is one of the prettiest lakes with so many little nooks and crannies to explore. I had planned on camping here and spending half a day, but by the time I got there I was worried about time. One of these days I will spend several days at Buck Lake! One thing I really like about going early season, is that the air so clear- no lingering smoke and cool enough in the Valley so that smog does not float up into the wilderness. No haze to deal with when photographing.
Well we share that in common. Not knowing better as twentysomething I did just that and by time I reached the other side of Granite Dome about 9pm was an absolutely quivering blob ended up with sleeping bag (no tent those days) atop some bumpy rocks. Agreed about the Buck Lakes beauty and yes I have that on a fully spreadsheet planned Emigrant trip. Also want to camp at Lertora and Shallow Lakes a couple days each. Emigrant is arguable in bad years the worst zone in the Sierra for mosquitoes because it probably has more small stagnant ponds than anywhere else which the topo readily shows. Probably the ideal year to visit is one with slightly below average snowpack then a dry warm May followed by an unusual snowy cold front which I've seen a few times over the years that kills most of them. Then backpack a month later in early July. Still would be more mosquitoes than many places but at that level with usual DEET I can easily cope rarely getting bit without having an unpleasant time. Above a certain level mosquitoes get so thick that they easily get inside my view camera when changing lenses or are just a general nuisance when dozens are continually in a cloud over one's head because some are continually landing then taking off after getting a taste.
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Re: TR:Emigrant Wilderness 5/30 - 6/4

Post by maverick »

SSSDave wrote:
Emigrant is arguable in bad years the worst zone in the Sierra for mosquitoes because
it probably has more small stagnant ponds than anywhere else which the topo readily
shows.
Very true, though also one of the better places for wildflowers, unfortunately at about
the same time the mosquitoes are peaking. :\
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Re: TR:Emigrant Wilderness 5/30 - 6/4

Post by mokelumnekid »

Great pics, so nice to see some water anyway. Oh the bugs...that's why I always have gone pretty late in the year. But then one doesn't get the flowers or the freshness.
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