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HIGH SIERRA: BAKER LAKE : Baker Lake and Skyhaven Pass ~ May 10-12, 2015(37) images

Ramping up for a wet spring, the first of several storms blew thru adding to my downtime. After a 3 day affair I got going again with a scenic trip to Baker Lake via the North Fork of Big Pine Creek. Plan was to top Skyhaven at sunrise. Could have worked, but it didn't. A mostly cloudy sunrise gave way to fierce winds at the pass and little or no reason to scramble up to the summit given the grey cold skies. Settled for a consolation prize by camping at the edge of the drop back in the Big Pine Creek. Enough snow was found to take care of water issues. The 3rd day sunrise was of course perfect.  

MORNING VIEW OF TOM AFTER THE FIRST STORM.

EVENING VIEW OF WHITES FROM BISHOP CREEK ROAD

SUNRISE VIEW OF HUMPHREYS FROM BISHOP CREEK

NEW SNOW AT NORTH LAKE.

BACK AT IT. MY FAVORITE BRIDGE AT THE START OF THE OLD TRAIL TO THE TWO FORKS OF BIG PINE CREEK.

STROLLING THRU PINE AND MANZANITA ON THE WAY TO BAKER LAKE.

APPROACHING TREE LINE ON THE BAKER LAKE TRAIL

EMERGING FROM THE FOREST YOU ARE HIGH ENOUGH FOR SOME GREAT VIEWS OF BOTH THE NORTH AN SOUTH FORKS OF BIG PINE CREEK. IN THIS CASE TEMPLE CRAG AND THUNDERBOLT.

LOW IMPACT TRAIL MARKER ON THE WAY TO BAKER LAKE.

TERRAIN AT THE END OF THE VALLEY USED TO ACCESS SKYHAVEN PASS.

EVENING VIEW OF SKYHAVEN RIDGE FROM THE SMALL LAKE ABOVE BAKER LAKE.

CLOSE UP OF SKYHAVEN RIDGE FROM SMALL TARN ABOVE BAKER LAKE

GOOD OLD SNOW AND LOUSY BRREAKABLE CRUST ON THE WAY TO THE PASS NORTHWEST OF SKYHAVEN WHERE THE VIEW OF THE PALISADES SHOULD BE WORTH THE 12 MILE WALK

THUNDER AND LIGHTNING LAKE AT SUNRISE

MY LITTLE WINDOW OF SUNLIGHT DISAPPEARED JUST AS I ARRIVED AT THE PASS.

A WELL FROSTED VIEW OF THE NORTH SIDE OF TEMPLE CRAG.

AGGASIZ, TWO EAGLE PEAK AND JIGSAW PASS FROM SKYHAVEN PASS.

LAST SNOW SLOPE ON THE DESCENT TO BAKER LAKE DRAINAGE.

BAKER LAKE VIEW OF SKYHAVEN ON THE WAY OUT

LAST VIEW OF SKYHAVEN ON THE WAY OUT

NARROW STREAM CUTTING THRU A MEADOW ON THE BAKER LAKE TRAIL

BITS OF SNOW ALL OVER THE PLACE, SO I WAS ABLE TO CAMP AT ABOUT 10,200FT ON THE EDGE OF THE RIDGE WHERE I WOULD HAVE A GREAT VIEW IN THE MORNING

SOUTH FORK BIG PINE CREEK FROM MY ROOM WITH A VIEW.

LOOKING EAST TO THE WHITE MTS

LUCKY ME. A COUPLE OF HOURS OF REALLY CLEAR SKIES THE NEXT MORNING. THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN MY DAY FOR SKYHAVEN.

THE BIG EAST FACE OF SILL WITH THE SWISS ARETE ON THE RIGHT. BACK IN '79 WE TRIED THE LEFT HAND PILLAR BUT RAN OUT OF DAYLIGHT AND RETREATED.

DISAPPOINTMENT, MIDDLE PALISADE, CLYDE PEAK AND WILLIAMS AT SUNRISE

THE FULL PALISADES PANORAMA

CAMPSITE HIDDEN IN THE BUSH AND PROTECTED FROM THE SOMEWHAT RELENTLESS WIND.

BALCONY TO WINCHELL FROM OPEN RIDGE ON THE WAY TO BAKER LAKE

MIDDLE PALISADE AND CLYDE PEAK ABOVE THE SOUTH FORK FOR BIG PINE CREEK.

'DARK STAR' REGION OF TEMPLE CRAG WITH NORTH PALISADE AND STARLIGHT BEHIND

MUCH BETTER VIEW OF TEMPLE CRAG AND THUNDERBOLT ON THE WAY OUT.

SAME VIEW JUST ZOOMED OUT.

ONE MORE VIEW OF TEMPLE CRAG AND THUNDERBOLT.

LOOKING DOWN TO THE NORTH FORK TRAIL

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