Sept 2016. Next up was a somewhat convoluted attempt to see more of the North Lake to South Lake terrain that I have such fond memories of (1981). Also wanted to see some new terrain so I added a trip up Goddard Canyon with a exit back to the JMT via the north fork of Goddard Creek and Davis Lake. A comfortable 4 night trip with a serious dislike of the rough conditions over the last couple of miles of the Piute Pass trail as it approaches it's end at the JMT. Darwin Bench and Canyon was as expected a wonderful place to be. The real surprise was how nice the terrain leading up to and around Davis Lake was. Alot less talus and scree than I had been prepared for.
FIRST VIEW OF THE START OUT OF NORTH LAKE AS YOU HEAD UP TOWARDS PIUTE PASS
BONE DRY CONDITIONS AT PIUTE PASS
CAMPSITE AT LOWER GOLDEN TROUT LAKE
LATE AFTERNOON AT LOWER GOLDEN TROUT LAKE
HUMPHREYS AND LOWER GOLDEN TROUT LAKE
SHORELINE LOWER GOLDEN TROUT LAKE
HUMPHREYS FROM LOWER GOLDEN TROUT LAKE
MORNING SUN AND THE START OF A LONG DAY.
QUIET MORNING AT LOWER GOLDEN TROUT LAKE
LEAVING LOWER GOLDER TROUT LAKE
STARTING THE DESCENT INTO PIUTE CANYON
GLACIER DIVIDE PEAKS
ANOTHER VIEW OF GLACIER DIVIDE
HUTCHINSON MEADOW
LOWER PIUTE CANYON
LOOKING UPSTREAM AT NOW DISTANT FRENCH CANYON
PIUTE CANYON BEGINS ITS BIG SWING TO THE SOUTH TOWARDS ITS JUNCTION WITH THE SAN JOAQUIN RIVER
PIUTE CREEK PASSING THRU A SMALL GORGE NEAR ITS JUNCTION WITH THE SOUTH FORK OF THE SAN JOAQUIN RIVER.
PIUTE CREEK PASSING THRU A SMALL GORGE NEAR ITS JUNCTION WITH THE SOUTH FORK OF THE SAN JOAQUIN RIVER.
JMT AND BRIDGE OVER THE SOUTH FORK OF THE SAN JOAQUIN RIVER.
ON THE JMT HEADED SOUTH AT ABOUT 8100 FT.
APPROACHING ASPEN MEADOWS
ASPEN MEADOWS
SOUTH FORK OF THE SAN JOAQUIN RIVER
ANOTHER VIEW OF THE SAME GORGE
END OF THE DAY FOR ME ....
NICE LITTLE SPOT NOT TOO FAR FROM WATER
JUST BEFORE THE BRIDGE
BETTER CAMP SITES ALL OVER THE PLACE AT THIS CROSSING
COOL MORNING SUN IN LOWER GODDARD CANYON
LOWER GODDARD CANYON
PRETTY BIG DROP INTO THE PIG CHUTE IN LOWER GODDARD CANYON
LOOKING DOWNSTREAM THRU THE PIG CHUTE IN LOWER GODDARD CANYON
ANOTHER VIEW OF THE PIG CHUTE IN LOWER GODDARD CANYON
STARTING TO GAIN SOME HEIGHT IN GODDARD CANYON
MIDDLE SECTION OF GODDARD CANYON
ANOTHER GORGE IN THE MIDDLE SECTION OF GODDARD CANYON
THE MAP AND MY INTUITION TELLS ME THAT THE NORTH FORK OF GODDARD CREEK IS TO BE FOUND UP AND LEFT IN THE VISIBLE GAP
THE NORTH FORK OF GODDARD CREEK MEETS THE SAN JOAQUIN AT THIS GORGE
THE PLAN THEN BECAME ONE OF SIDE HILLING SOUTH OF THE GORGE AND HOPEFULLY FINDING A WAY TO GET THRU THE MYRIAD BANDS OF CLIFFS THAT APPEAR TO BLOCK THE WAY
LECONTE DIVIDE FROM THE OTHER SIDE OF THE SAN JOAQUIN
THIS VALLEY TURNED OUT TO BE THE KEY PASSAGE THAT WOULD ULTIMATELY GET ME UP INTO THE DAVIS LAKE DRAINAGE
A BETTER VIEW OF THE EASY TRAVEL THAT HELPS SOLVE THE PROBLEM
FALL COLOR IN GODDARD CANYON
GODDARD CANYON FROM THE ROUTE TAKEN TO DAVIS LAKE
NORTH FORK OF GODDARD CREEK
UP AND DOWN ON THE WAY TO NORTH FORK OF GODDARD CREEK
NORTH FORK OF GODDARD CREEK
NORTH FORK OF GODDARD CREEK
NORTH FORK OF GODDARD CREEK