High Sierra Topix

A long time ago I asked for advice to take my teenager on her first Sierra backpacking trip (viewtopic.php?t=23398). It has taken me forever to edit photos and put something together about our trip.

I had a reservation for the Alta trail but was able to switch to Emerald Lake without a problem for a Wed entry. The ranger said middle of the week for the Lakes Trail is almost never an issue. So our plan was Emerald Lake -> Tablelands for a couple nights -> Alta Meadow -> out. Things did not go according to plan. I had 2 nights in Lodgepole with the idea that it would help with altitude since we had been at sea level for the previous two weeks. I've never had an issue with altitude, but it turns out my daughter doesn't adjust very quickly and she probably could have been in better shape

When we got our permit, the ranger mentioned the 3 night limit at Pear/Emerald Lakes. I had thought it was a one night limit so I asked specifically if we could stay a second night. No problem with 2 or 3 nights if we wanted. That ended up working well for us. We made it to Emerald without any problems and found no one else was there, yay for midweek. Woke up the next day and my daughter was feeling her legs and wanted to relax for the day. So we did a day hike down to Aster Lake and then over to Pear Lake dodging a bit of rain on our way back to camp. A couple groups showed up on Thur and then a bunch showed up on Friday.

Next day was decision time, stay one more night and head home or go higher to Tablelands. The weather forecast made the decision for us. There had been lighting up high the day before and more thunderstorms were in the forecast. I would have gone by myself, but didn't really like the idea of being exposed with my daughter. So one more night at Emerald and then out. I was able to get in touch with my wife on my InReach and she was able to change our flight. So then next day we hiked out, showered in Lodgepole, drove to SFO and got a red eye back home. Not my planned trip, but still a good one.

some highlights of the trip

The Lakes Trail is beautiful with tons of flowers






Amazing views from the Watchtower


The marmots have no fear at Emerald/Pear. My daughter said she wants to be reincarnated as a marmot at Pear Lake because they looked so fat and happy


Stars over Emerald Lake


Emerald Lake is beautiful


Aster Lake below


Pear Lake


Great sunset






Climbing away from Pear Lake


Looking down the Marble Fork




I had never noticed White Shooting Stars before




lots more photos, no ads, just easier than posting a ton more photos here - https://backpackandbeer.blogspot.com/20 ... ia-np.html

wsp;_scott,

That looked like a beautiful camp at Emerald Lake. Your photos reminded us of how nice and wild the peaks are above Emerald and Pear Lakes. Really fine pictures to go with your story--we checked out all of them on your other site. We hope that your daughter is hooked now, and will begin practicing for her next life as a marmot.

It sounds like your trip together had it all--fair and foul weather, beautiful flowers, cool wildlife, and great mountain scenery. We're happy to hear that you pulled of a nice trip together. Sorry to hear that you have to fly to get to the Sierra; how far away are you? All the best, Harlens.

I live in Kentucky and unfortunately I fell in love with the Sierra on a trip through Kearsarge and Rae Lakes

My daughter said that now she understands my love for the High Sierra, it is very different than the southeast Appalachians. It probably helped that we had the whole thing to ourselves for one night.

wsp_scott wrote:

...it is very different than the southeast Appalachians.

I just checked out a lot of images of the Kentucky mountains in the east of the state, and it looks pretty nice. Reminds us of the incredibly colorful forested ranges in Vermont. Good, hard sandstone for climbing too, right? There were some old paintings of the Cumberland Gap that make it appear every bit as impressive as the best of the Sierra.

Have you seen those? Are they the work of wildly inspired artists of the Bierstadt school?
for instance this painting of Lake Tahoe: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/ ... dt_001.jpg Where is that mountain?!

I wonder if you and your daughter considered driving for a couple long days into the center of the Colorado Rockies. I checked, and it was exactly 20 hours and 1 minute to Aspen from the center of Kentucky. Do you also backpack in the Rockies?

Anyhow, we sure enjoyed your trip report, and all of the award-winning images! Harlens.

Thanks for posting your marvelous trip to Emerald Lake. Years ago, my wife and I camped there for two nights in June. When I was getting the permit at Lodgepole, the man in line in front of me was the leader of a scout troop of 12 and got a permit for Pear Lake. When it was my turn, the woman ranger said nobody had a permit for Emerald. Rather than deal with a large group at Pear, I chose Emerald. We camped at that far campsite furthest away from the others. The first night we were also the only people there. We also dayhiked to Pear the next day and discovered along with the 12 scouts, there were three other groups camp there. We felt vindicated for stopping at Emerald. We really loved the view and sense of soltude.

Harlen wrote: ↑Wed Jun 04, 2025 7:13 am wsp_scott wrote:

...it is very different than the southeast Appalachians.

I just checked out a lot of images of the Kentucky mountains in the east of the state, and it looks pretty nice. Reminds us of the incredibly colorful forested ranges in Vermont. Good, hard sandstone for climbing too, right? There were some old paintings of the Cumberland Gap that make it appear every bit as impressive as the best of the Sierra.

Have you seen those? Are they the work of wildly inspired artists of the Bierstadt school?
for instance this painting of Lake Tahoe: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/ ... dt_001.jpg Where is that mountain?!

I wonder if you and your daughter considered driving for a couple long days into the center of the Colorado Rockies. I checked, and it was exactly 20 hours and 1 minute to Aspen from the center of Kentucky. Do you also backpack in the Rockies?

Anyhow, we sure enjoyed your trip report, and all of the award-winning images! Harlens.

Kentucky is beautiful, the southern Appalachians are beautiful, but very closed in feeling, you have to really work for wide open views. It feels like there is an amazing view right around every corner in the High Sierra.

I'd love to see that version of Tahoe in real life I've seen similar "embellished" paintings of the Appalachians.

My son and I are doing a 5 night trip in the Smokies next week and then he and I are driving to WY the end of June for a couple different backpacking trips. My sister lives in CO, but I've never done any backpacking there.

Glad you liked the photos

scott

LMBSGV wrote: ↑Wed Jun 04, 2025 10:21 am Thanks for posting your marvelous trip to Emerald Lake. Years ago, my wife and I camped there for two nights in June. When I was getting the permit at Lodgepole, the man in line in front of me was the leader of a scout troop of 12 and got a permit for Pear Lake. When it was my turn, the woman ranger said nobody had a permit for Emerald. Rather than deal with a large group at Pear, I chose Emerald. We camped at that far campsite furthest away from the others. The first night we were also the only people there. We also dayhiked to Pear the next day and discovered along with the 12 scouts, there were three other groups camp there. We felt vindicated for stopping at Emerald. We really loved the view and sense of soltude.

I think I had read on HST that Emerald Lake was less popular than Pear Lake, so I was always aiming there. Having it to ourselves just made it better. Pear is small enough that I can't imagine being there with a boy scout troop

What a terrific father-daughter trip! My first backpacking trip was to Pear Lake (1967 to climb Alta Pk--I had just turned 8) then I went back with friends to the Tablelands in 1979 and then on a long trip with friends (Tablelands, Glacier Divide, Cloud Canyon, Triple Divide, Lion Lake etc in 2002. But that was all long before I did my first father daughter trip in 2017 (she was 11) and she would be my ace backpacking buddy from that time on. I wish many great trips ahead for you and your daughter. Funny thing about the rain. My daughter kids me that she brings rain with her. We were caught in fierce thunderstorms on our main trips in 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020.

This photo in your blog post stood out for me: