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.
EARLY MORNING START TO THE AS YET UNKNOWN RUSH CREEK TRAIL
GAINING SOME HEIGHT ABOVE SILVER LAKE
SIDE HILLING ON THE WAY TO AGNEW LAKE
WONDER HOW LONG IT'S BEEN SINCE THIS CABLE SYSTEM WAS ACTIVE?
AGNEW LAKE AND THE DAM FOR GEM LAKE
LOW WATER IN AGNEW LAKE
SIGN OF THE TIMES AT GEM LAKE
THE WAUGH LAKE DAM
LOOKING WEST OVER TOWARD MT DAVIS
CRUISING NORTH ON THE JMT
LATE AFTERNOON VIEW SOUTH TO BANNER AND RITTER
THIS WILL DO NICELY.
LATE EVENING VIEW OF SMALL TARN AT ABOUT 10,400 FT.
LATE EVENING VIEW OF PEAK EAST OF DONONUE AND THE KOIP CREST
SUNRISE VIEW OF UN-NAMED PEAK ON THE CREST EAST OF LYELL ON THE WAY TO DONOHUE PASS
LOOKING DOWN AT THE MEADOWS WHERE I SPENT THE FIRST NIGHT.
THE GENTLE STROLL TO DONOHUE PASS
NEARING THE END OF THE 700 FT RISE TO THE PASS
DONOHUE PASS - APRROX: 11,056 FT.
SMALL TARN AT DONOHUE PASS
NORTH TO LYELL CANYON FROM DONOHUE PASS
ZOOM OF VIEW NORTH TO LYELL CANYON FROM DONOHUE PASS
A STAIRCASE OF STONEWORK ON THE NORTH SIDE OF DONOHUE PASS
A PRETTY GOOD LOOK AT LYELL AND THE LYELL GLACIER FROM THE DESCENT FROM DONOHUE PASS
LYELL FROM THE BASIN AT ABOUT 10,200 FT WHERE THE TRAIL CROSSES THE DRAINAGE.
LYELL FROM THE BASIN AT ABOUT 10,200 FT WHERE THE JMT CROSSES THE DRAINAGE.
ANOTHER VIEW OF LYELL FROM THE BASIN AT ABOUT 10,200 FT WHERE THE TRAIL CROSSES THE DRAINAGE.
SMALL TARN WHERE THE TRAIL TAKES A HARD RIGHT AND BEGINS THE LONG DROP INTO LYELL CANYON
MEADOWS ON THE FLOOR OF LYELL CANYON
PLEASANT WALKING IN THOSE MEADOWS AFTER THE TEDIOUS DESCENT FROM ABOVE.
BACK IN THE ALPINE AFTER THE LONG TIRING GRIND UP FROM LYELL CANYON
AFTERNOON LIGHT JUST BEFORE EVELYN LAKE
MORE MELLOW WALKIING JUST BEFORE EVELYN LAKE
ARRIVING AT EVELYN LAKE ON THE WAY TO VOGELSANG
A WONDERFUL CAMPSITE AT EVELYN LAKE.
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