Trip Report Summit Lake Hoover Wilderness
Posted: Sat Oct 30, 2010 2:54 pm
What a summer! Or should I say What? A summer? Late snows derailled my JMT trip (although I must say my wishy washiness played a part too. All I could muster other than several Car camping fishing sojourns was a return to my "sacred grounds." Summit Lake in the Hoover Wilderness has always been a spiritual spot for my family and I. I don't know if it's the many arrowheads to be found there or it being perfectly situated between beautiful Wilderness areas, but it has always been a perfect Out and Back from Virginia Lake TH. So my buddy soon to relocate to the urban wilderness of NYC decided to take a quick 3 day trip in the middle of a July Heat wave.
After encountering an "equipment problem" (left being bear canister full of food on Sonora Pass) we hit the trail at about 1pm. Love the climb up to the pass above Blue, Cooney and Frog Lakes....great bang for your buck as the TH is already 9,000 ft plus. I was suprised to see the snow had rapidally melted since my June fishing trip to the same area.
We pushed up the pass, dropped down to the "hole" between the pass and Summit Lk, and made a great site at the west end. I was glad to find eager brookies on the protected from wind side of the lake. You know your in the right spot when you get a good 12 incher on the FIRST CAST. 4 fish were "invited to dinner" and we ate a delicious meal.
The next day we did a scramble across the NW ridge of Gabro peak to the upper reaches of Virginia Canyon. Naturally we found beautiful cold water bath tubs in the meandering and still swiftly flowing creek. After a bath and some sunning, we scrambled up the West end Valley and had some exquisite views looking south. After a long hike down the valley and back up to Summit Lake we were ready for a snack and hit the hay early.
In he middle of the night we were awakened by a sickening crunch and crack followed by a water fall off rock hitting the lake. Apparently the warm night and days of above average temps must have loosened up some snow/rock on the South wall of the lake, sending rock and scree down into the lake...needless to say that sound was pretty freaky and caused a little tossing and turning.
Next day we made our way back up and over the pass amid clouds of mosquitos in down into the Virginia Lakes basin and into 85+ degree weather....AT 10 AM!!!!!!! Definitely on of the hottest day's I've ever had over 10,000 ft. Then it was off to the baptism ritual in Tenya, a few IPAs and El Jardin in Oakdale for a great meal! In all, an enjoyable albeit short trip.
Here is a link to my pics:
http://picasaweb.google.com/jcwilson227 ... directlink" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
ESC
After encountering an "equipment problem" (left being bear canister full of food on Sonora Pass) we hit the trail at about 1pm. Love the climb up to the pass above Blue, Cooney and Frog Lakes....great bang for your buck as the TH is already 9,000 ft plus. I was suprised to see the snow had rapidally melted since my June fishing trip to the same area.
We pushed up the pass, dropped down to the "hole" between the pass and Summit Lk, and made a great site at the west end. I was glad to find eager brookies on the protected from wind side of the lake. You know your in the right spot when you get a good 12 incher on the FIRST CAST. 4 fish were "invited to dinner" and we ate a delicious meal.
The next day we did a scramble across the NW ridge of Gabro peak to the upper reaches of Virginia Canyon. Naturally we found beautiful cold water bath tubs in the meandering and still swiftly flowing creek. After a bath and some sunning, we scrambled up the West end Valley and had some exquisite views looking south. After a long hike down the valley and back up to Summit Lake we were ready for a snack and hit the hay early.
In he middle of the night we were awakened by a sickening crunch and crack followed by a water fall off rock hitting the lake. Apparently the warm night and days of above average temps must have loosened up some snow/rock on the South wall of the lake, sending rock and scree down into the lake...needless to say that sound was pretty freaky and caused a little tossing and turning.
Next day we made our way back up and over the pass amid clouds of mosquitos in down into the Virginia Lakes basin and into 85+ degree weather....AT 10 AM!!!!!!! Definitely on of the hottest day's I've ever had over 10,000 ft. Then it was off to the baptism ritual in Tenya, a few IPAs and El Jardin in Oakdale for a great meal! In all, an enjoyable albeit short trip.
Here is a link to my pics:
http://picasaweb.google.com/jcwilson227 ... directlink" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
ESC