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.
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
LOOKING BACK AT THE TARN AS THE FUN BEGINS
LOOKING WEST FROM BLUE LAKE PASS
LOOKING EAST AT BANNER, RITTER AND THE MINARETS FROM BLUE LAKE PASS
ANOTHER VIEW EAST AT BANNER, RITTER AND THE MINARETS FROM BLUE LAKE PASS
THE SERENE BLUE LAKES ON THE WAY DOWN FROM THE PASS
WALKING THE SHORELIINE OF THE UPPER BLUE LAKE
LOOKING BACK AT THE PASS FROM THE UPPER LAKE
THE RITTER RANGE FROM THE LOWER BLUE LAKE
MINARETS FROM MY CAMPSITE BELOW THE BLUE LAKES
ANOTHER VIEW OF MY CAMPSITE AT THE END OF DAY 4
LATE DAY VIEW OF THE MINARETS AT THE END OF DAY 4
MORNING DAY 5 IN UPPER BENCH CANYON
MORNING DAY 5, UPPER BENCH CANYON
CAMPSITE MORNING DAY 5
LOOKING EAST TO THE MINARETS AS I START THE DESCENT OF BENCH CANYON
EASY WALKING IN LOWER BENCH CANYON
LOOKING BACK UP BENCH CANYON
THE UNAVOIDABLE SCREE TRAVERSE ON THE WAY TO THE HIDDEN LAKE THAT IS THE KEY TO GETTING TO TWIN ISLAND LAKES
LOOKING FOR THE HIDDEN TARN AFTER THE FIRST SCREE TRAVERSE
ANOTHER VIEW OF THE RITTER RANGE FROM THE MID-SECTION OF THE TRAVERSE
ANOTHER PARTY GOING THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION AT THE HIDDEN TARN
THE DROUGHT THAT WON'T QUIT
I'M HEADED FOR THAT RIDGE IN THE BACKGROUND
NOT SO MUCH. BEST TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT TO DO NEXT
LOOKING NORTH IN THE NORTH FORK OF THE SAN JOAQUIN RIVER BASIN
LOWER TWIN ISLAND LAKE FROM ABOVE
ARRIVING AT LOWER TWIN ISLAND LAKE
SHORELINE LOWER TWIN ISLAND LAKE
LOWER TWIN ISLAND LAKE AND THE LOWER UPPER TWIN ISLAND LAKE
UPPER TWIN ISLAND LAKE