Sept 2016. Started off the Fall season with a long 65 mile loop around Mt Lyell. Didn't know much about this region but after seeing some images of Twin Island Lakes I wanted to find a way to see this and other parts of Yosemite and Ansel Adams Wilderness. In hindsight I'm not sure the best way to start this loop was at Silver Lake. The trail up to past the reserviors to the JMT provides quick access, but that's about it. I spent the 1st night just south of Donohue Pass, the 2nd on the south shore of Evelyn Lake, the 3rd at the Lyell Fork of the Merced River, the 4th below Blue Lakes, and the 5th at the top of the North Fork of the San Joaquin River. After crossing Clinch Pass I spent the 6th and last night at Rogers Lakes before re-connecting with the Rush Creek Trail the next morning.
ANOTHER VIEW OF MY CAMPSITE AT EVELYN LAKE
LAST LIGHT OF THE DAY AT EVELYN LAKE.
LATE DAY VIEW NORTH TO CONNESS AREA FROM EVELYN LAKE.
ANOTHER LATE DAY VIEW OF THE ALPINE PEAKS IN YOSEMITE
DAY 3 AND THE SHORT WALK TO VOGELSANG AND THE HSC
HSC AT VOGELSANG
LEAVING THE HSC AT VOGELSANG AND HEADING SOUTH TO VOGELSANG PASS
MERCED LAKE AND HALF DOME IN THE DISTANCE.
VOGELSANG PASS FROM THE LAKE OF THE SAME NAME
VOGELSANG LAKE FROM THE TRAIL TO THE PASS
GALISON LAKE FROM VOGELSANG PASS
LEWIS CREEK ON THE WAY TO THE JCT WITH THE SO CALLED 'HIGH TRAIL'
ANOTHER VIEW OF LEWIS CREEK ON THE WAY TO THE JCT WITH THE SO CALLED 'HIGH TRAIL'
CAME ACROSS A GROUP OF HIKERS AT FLORENCE CREEK
CLEARING SKIES AS I APPROACH THE MUCH ANTICIPATED LYELL FORK
LODGEPOLE PINE ON THE DESCENT TO THE LYELL FORK
SOME WOW VIEWS FROM ABOVE AS I SLOWLY DESCEND INTO THE LYELL FORK OF THE MERCED RIVER
LOOKING UP INTO THE LYELL FORK OF THE MERCED RIVER
ANOTHER VIEW UP INTO THE LYELL FORK OF THE MERCED RIVER
IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PICTURE MY FAVORITE TREE OF THE SIERRAS - THE JUNIPER
TRAIL BLAZE WITH QUARTZ INSERT
ANOTHER VIEW OF THE LOWER END OF THE LYELL FORK BEFORE IT JOINS THE TRIPLE PEAK FORK
LAST REAL VIEW UP THE LYELL FORK BEFORE THE TRAIL DISAPPEARS INTO THE FOREST BELOW.
THE ONLY REAL VIEWS ONCE YOU DROP DOWN TO THE LYELL FORK ARE FROM THE SLABS ALONG THE STREAM ITSELF
DAY 4 - GETTING AN EARLY START ON THE BIG HILL HEADED SOUTH OUT OF THE LYELL FORK
LAST VIEW OF THE LYELL FORK AS IT MERGES WITH THE TRIPLE PEAK FORK OF THE MERCED
THE BIG ELEVATION GAIN IS OVER
LAST BIT OF THE RISE OUT OF THE LYELL FORK
LOOKING UP FOERSTER CREEK TO THE FIRST CLIFF BAND LEADING TO BLUE LAKE PASS
GETTING CLOSER TO THE LOWER CLIFF BAND WHICH AS YOU CAN SEE IS EASILY BY PASSED ON THE RIGHT
LOOKING WEST TO THE CLARK RANGE FROM FOERSTER CREEK
THE LOWER CLIFF BY PASS ON THE WAY TO BLUE LAKE PASS
EASY WALKING ON THE WAY TO BLUE LAKE PASS
ANOTHER VIEW OF THE LOWER SECTION OF THE APPROACH TO BLUE LAKE PASS
THE LITTLE TARN BELOW THE REAL WORK TO GET TO THE PASS