After leaving the TH at 9:30, I marched up the hill to Camp Lake.
![Image](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v216/orangputeh/2013%20Emigrant%20Wilderness/P1130881_zps9c2e92dc.jpg)
The trout were rising, but I wanted to get farther. Next came Piute Meadows.
![Image](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v216/orangputeh/2013%20Emigrant%20Wilderness/P1130923_zpsedcc758e.jpg)
It continued to warm up and by the time I arrived at Gem Lake, some 11 miles down the trail, I was pooped.
![Image](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v216/orangputeh/2013%20Emigrant%20Wilderness/P1130950_zps9bc2efe4.jpg)
Gem Lake was a bit small and I was concerned that it might not have any fish, but after being patient, I discovered that it had these little fatties
![Image](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v216/orangputeh/2013%20Emigrant%20Wilderness/P1130955_zps2ca1b51e.jpg)
They ran about 9 inches long and were very deep. They also wouldn’t stick to my Panther Martins. On a whim I tried a Z-Ray I had been packing around for years and found that it did the trick nicely. The one I kept fit nicely in my frying pan. After dinner and a glass of “cardboard box” wine (not bad actually), I retired to avoid having to deal with mosquitos any more.
Next morning I work feeling much better, and decided to see if I could finish the ladder this day. I was on the trail by 6:45 and soon passed Jewelry and Deer Lakes
![Image](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v216/orangputeh/2013%20Emigrant%20Wilderness/P1130968_zpscf4a79e8.jpg)
![Image](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v216/orangputeh/2013%20Emigrant%20Wilderness/P1130983_zps3613dd0a.jpg)
When I reached the summit between Deer Lake and Buck Lakes, I found the last of this years’ snow
![Image](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v216/orangputeh/2013%20Emigrant%20Wilderness/P1130987_zpsf0af9c62.jpg)
I then rolled down the hill to Beautiful Upper Buck Lake. After too much glaring granite ugliness, this lake was really nice.
![Image](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v216/orangputeh/2013%20Emigrant%20Wilderness/P1130994_zps056bc35b.jpg)
![Image](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v216/orangputeh/2013%20Emigrant%20Wilderness/P1130998_zps22de32a3.jpg)
I fished for a bit and then made my way down to Lower Buck Lake
![Image](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v216/orangputeh/2013%20Emigrant%20Wilderness/P1140006_zps6604b25c.jpg)
And long, strange Wood Lake.
![Image](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v216/orangputeh/2013%20Emigrant%20Wilderness/P1140025_zps7553e5ae.jpg)
My arrival coincided with a major trout feeding and I happily cast my Panther Martin for a couple of these 12-13” beauties.
![Image](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v216/orangputeh/2013%20Emigrant%20Wilderness/P1140028_zps0561b144.jpg)
From this point the trail begins to descend the Cherry Creek canyon
![Image](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v216/orangputeh/2013%20Emigrant%20Wilderness/P1140044_zps0572d8a1.jpg)
![Image](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v216/orangputeh/2013%20Emigrant%20Wilderness/P1140056_zpse16627f8.jpg)
Out of the tree cover and in the granite, things began to heat up.
In some spots of this desolate canyon the Mariposa Lillys were just thick, more than I had ever seen in one place at a time.
![Image](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v216/orangputeh/2013%20Emigrant%20Wilderness/P1140062_zpsa1946545.jpg)
At Groundhog Meadow, I climbed out of Cherry Creek..
![Image](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v216/orangputeh/2013%20Emigrant%20Wilderness/P1140071_zps8e319445.jpg)
…. And into Pine Valley
![Image](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v216/orangputeh/2013%20Emigrant%20Wilderness/P1140082_zps5f5f497d.jpg)
This penstamon was particularly nice
![Image](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v216/orangputeh/2013%20Emigrant%20Wilderness/P1140083_zps21d74896.jpg)
Good water was pretty scarce in Pine Valley and I finally had to fill my bottle in Grouse Lake, duckwater, ewe! Fortunately, my iodine tabs rendered drinkable.
![Image](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v216/orangputeh/2013%20Emigrant%20Wilderness/9c6a0227-a7f7-4f66-8a21-1da977e1dee5_zpsd5aa1794.jpg)
After Grouse Lake, I was in a burned over area, before finally climbing back up to the rim and back to Crabtree. This was one of my longest distance days with 18 miles and a full pack. I was tired, but quickly recovered. 29 miles in two days was a personal best.
In summary, bugs, heat, trout, and the best scenery being the farthest away. I will need to explore Emigrant some more.