John Muir Trail: Day 20

On Day 20 I visited Thousand Island Lake and crossed over Donahue Pass into Yosemite National Park.  I spent the night in Lyell Canyon, a few miles away from Tuolumne Meadows.

I hiked 13 miles and climbed 2200 ft.

My daily progress and major trail milestones can be seen at https://caltopo.com/m/DKGD, or on Google Earth using https://www.dropbox.com/s/9cy12lzxnuvatsa/2017.07.30_JMT_Actuals.kml?dl=0. The caltopo website is the best place to look to find the place name I use.

Day 20 elevation profile in yellow

Day 20 route in blue

The day started with an easy walk down into Thousand Island Lake basin.  Storm clouds were threatening and the combination of clouds, mountains, snow and reflections on the water make it difficult to tell where the lake ends and the land begins.  If you look closely it is not where you think.

Looking south west across Thousand Island Lake

Thousand Island Lake

After leaving Thousand Island Lake the trail rises gently to Island Pass.  I was daydreaming a bit and didn't even notice that I had gone over the pass, that is how intense Island Pass is.

Island Pass marks the southern boundary of the Rush Creek watershed.  Donahue Pass marks the northern boundary.  Rush Creek drains into Mono Lake in Mono Valley on the eastern side of the Sierras.  It is the only waterway along the John Muir Trail that drains to the eastern side.

I spent much of the time in the Rush Creek drainage thinking that Donahue was the pointy peak and that Donahue Pass was to the right of the flat peak.  It turned out that the flat peak is Donahue and the pass is to its left.  Navigation is a continual process.  You have to always be reviewing your surrounds and matching it to the map.  Of course on the JMT it is not that big of a deal, you just follow the trail and you will get there.

Looking north from Island Pass.  Donahue Peak is the flat topped mountain in the middle.  Donahue Pass is to its left.

The next section was hard to figure out what I was crossing, even when I looked at SPOT data vs. camera time stamp.  There are more creeks on the ground than on the map so the captions are my best guesses as to where these creeks came from.

The path on the right is for people, the path on the left is for stock.

Davis Lakes Creek crossing

The quality of the "bridges" varied greatly in this area.  This log bridge had the tops of the logs flattened to make it easier to walk, but the log had twisted over the years so the surface was no longer parallel to the ground.

Davis Lakes Creek crossing

Rodgers Lakes Creek crossing

This bridge was particularly interesting.  It was rotten and sagging.  The stock path is on the right.  I would take that next time.

Rush Creek crossing

This was the only stone beam bridge I saw the whole trip.  Very cool.

Unnamed Creek crossing

I stopped to figure out where I was and which peak was Donahue Peak.  After a bit of map and compass work I figured out that this was Donahue Peak and that I was just over 10,000 ft.

Add caption

Fortunately I didn't need to know exactly where I was, only that I was on the right trail heading in the right direction.  That I knew with certainty, so I carried on.

Donahue Pass at about 10,300 ft

During all of the trips I have taken over the past 6 years I never felt like I was in the back country until I had crossed the first major pass and was out of range of day hikers.  Donahue Pass was the last barrier between me and Tioga Highway and Tuolumne Meadows.  Once I crossed it I had a ways to walk, but it would not be too long after crossing that I would be within range of day hikers.  In fact I did see day hikers by the end of the day and on Day 21 and on Day 22.  Don't get me wrong, I love day hiking, but it doesn't compare to getting deep in the wilderness.

Looking south from the top of Donahue Pass

After spending some time on Donahue talking to a lady that had just finished a 30 day tour of the hot springs in the Sierras, I turned my attention toward Lyell Canyon.

Looking north from the top of Donahue Pass

At about 11000 ft Lyell Canyon comes into view.  It is a long broad valley that I had seen many times on the map.  Nothing I had imagined compared to the grandeur that was there in person.  From this point I would walk 5.5 miles to where I camped and I would be halfway through the canyon.

Looking north into Lyell Canyon

At about 10200 ft you cross the Lyell Fork of the Tuolumne River for the second time.  The first one was an easy rock hop.  This one was wet sock style.  Once across the trail drops into the canyon and into the forest.

Crossing Lyell Creek at about 10,200 ft

At about 9700 ft you cross Lyell Fork for the third time.  At this crossing this bridge is there to help you across.

This is a popular spot to stop for people going the other way.

Bridge across Lyell Creek at about 9,600 ft.

Just past the bridge I came across this rope hanging from a tree with the end frayed.  I am just guessing but I think a bear got someone food after it was not hung properly.

A cautionary tail for the counterbalance method

I complain a lot about the bear canister, but it does make life simple.  Birds, rodents, foxes, coyotes, bears, deer.  None of them can get your food.  You don't have to find a mythical tree with just the right branch.  All you have to do is close the canister and put it on the ground away from your tent.  And you don't have to worry about this.

What broke the rope?

I left the trail again around 9400 feet because I caught a glimpse of this view.  I found my way to a rocky highpoint out of the trees and sat for a while and ate something.

Lyell Canyon

Yosemite gets a lot of visitors and they like their trails to be durable.  This trail will outlast your feet for certain.

Trail down Lyell Canyon

At 9000 ft the canyon floor flattens out.  Over the next 10 miles it drops only about 400 ft.

Meadow in Lyell Canyon

The river is a slow meander all the way through the canyon.

Lyell Creek in Lyell Canyon

Here I think someone got a little zealous about marking the trail.  These boulders easily weigh 200 lbs each and walking on the rock on either side of the prescribed lane would not affect anything.  I guess the rocks won't get washed away in the spring melt.  I walked up the left side.

Excessive trail markers

Campsites in Lyell Canyon were hard to find.  I passed a large campsite a few hours before this, but it was too early and I  figured that site would get crowded.  The only other camp along this stretch was at the Evelyn Lake trail and I had heard that it was already crowded.  Beyond the Evelyn Lake trail camping is not allowed until you get to the backpackers camp in Tuolumne Meadows.

I left the trail and walked into the forest looking for a clearing.  After some zig zagging I found this spot less than 100 yards from the trail.  The hardest part of the search was finding a place that was flat enough.  I had to clear off the Lodgepole pine cones, but then had a fine campsite.

Camp 20, location is top secret

All photos of Thousand Island Lake
All photos of Rush Creek
All photos of Donahue Pass
All photos of Lyell Canyon

John Muir Trail: Day 19

Day 19 had quite a pleasant surprise.  Once again I would find it by wandering off of the trail for a while.  This day had me visit several lakes along the eastern edge of the Ritter Range.  These lakes all drain to the east into a valley that gathers the headwaters of the Middle Fork of the San Joaquin River.  The uppermost of these lakes is Thousand Island Lake, which I will visit on Day 20.

By the end of the day I hiked 11 miles and climbed 3700 feet.

My daily progress and major trail milestones can be seen at https://caltopo.com/m/DKGD, or on Google Earth using https://www.dropbox.com/s/9cy12lzxnuvatsa/2017.07.30_JMT_Actuals.kml?dl=0. The caltopo website is the best place to look to find the place name I use.

Day 19 elevation profile in yellow

Day 19 route in blue

When I woke up on Day 19 everything was wet, and not just damp this time.  My hiking pants and shirt hadn't dried at all overnight, my tent was wet with dew on the outside and condensation inside and my sleeping bag had absorbed a lot of moisture from brushing against the tent.  My shoes and sock were wet from the late afternoon creek crossing yesterday.

It would probably be two hours or more before the sun made it above the mountains and down to my campsite, so instead of waiting I packed up all of my wet gear and set off up the mountain wearing rain pants and a synthetic fleece pullover.

After about an hour of hiking and 1000 ft of elevation gain I found this spot just off the trail.  I had made it up the the ridge of the mountain so I was no longer in the shade and the sun was bright and warm.

I unpacked absolutely everything and laid it all out in this clearing to dry, then I set about making breakfast.  After about an hour my things were dry and I was fed and warm.  I packed everything back up and hit the trail.  My pack felt about 10 pounds lighter than it was when I left camp.

I stopped here to dry out my gear and eat breakfast

The first in the series of lakes I would visit today was Trinity Lakes.  Actually a series of lakes, they are marshy and shallow and hidden in the trees.  I spotted some ducks here (shouldn't they be at Duck Lake?).

Ducks on one of the Trinity Lakes

The next lake along the trail was Gladys Lake.  Gladys is a small lake perched on the eastern edge of the mountain, just before it drops into the glacial valley that is the where the San Joaquin River starts.

Gladys Lake

I walked around the shore of Gladys Lake until I came to the outlet.  It was a small stream that runs down the dark crevice in the picture below to the Middle Fork of the San Joaquin River.  Mammoth Mountain can still be seen in the distance.

The lake outlet was quiet and shady with the sound of the stream trickling through.  I sat down and stayed a while.

Looking south east into the San Joaquin River Valley from Gladys Lake

Rosalie Lake is much bigger than Gladys.  The scenery is spectacular with pine trees and granite hills rising from the shoreline.  This view is looking south west across the lake at the inlet and the trail up to Lois Lake.

Rosalie Lake

As I left Rosalie Lake, the trail traverses through a small pass before a series of switchbacks zig zag down to Shadow Lake.  At the first switchback the trail turns left.  I turned right and left the trail.  I ended up on top of this granite mound north of Rosalie Lake.

The view was spectacular.  In the distance Ritter and Banner provided a dramatic backdrop.  Below me was Shadow Lake, buried deep in a hole surrounded by mountains and pine trees.  I stopped here for lunch and just enjoyed the view.  Behind me in the panorama photo is the San Joaquin River Valley.  This was one of the most memorable views of the trip, in part because it was unexpected.

Shadow Lake with Ritter and Banner behind. Click the image for the full panorama.

Leaving Shadow Lake the trail follows Shadow Creek.  Shadow Creek has a large drainage area that includes the eastern side of Ritter and Banner.

Shadow Creek

The trail then turns north and climbs to the top of this rock mound.  The higher peaks of the Ritter Range are hidden from view at this point, but the lower peaks are still dramatic, ragged and laced with snow.

Volcanic Ridge with the Minarets on the right

Still higher, the trail follows this canyon to the crest that makes the southern shore of Garnet Lake. By now I was starting to wonder if I was ever going to get there.  There are a lot of false summits and slight turns in the ascent that make you thing you are almost there when you still have a long way to go.

The pass to Garnet Lake

After what seemed like an eternity I crested the ridge and was rewarded with a spectacular view of Garnet Lake.

Garnet Lake from the south side

I toyed with the idea of walking around the lake.  I went down to the shore and started around the lake counterclockwise.  I passed the point where the JMT turned north again toward Thousand Island Lake and continued along the shore.  The path became more difficult and rugged as I went and after a while I decided that walking around the lake would take a lot longer than I had originally thought and decided to save it for another trip.  I headed back to the JMT.

Garnet Lake with Ritter and Banner behind

In the middle of the divide between Garnet Lake and Thousand Island Lake is Ruby Lake.  It is a small lake with steep wall on three sides and the outlet draining to the San Joaquin River to the east. I found a quiet spot at the south end of the lake and made camp.

Camp 19.  Ruby Lake.

The snow at the north end of Ruby Lake was about 6 or 8 feet thick. There was a large crack that looked as though it may cleave off, but alas no such luck while I was there.

Snow at Ruby Lake

All photos of Middle Fork San Joaquin River to Shadow Lake
All photos of Garnet Lake
All photos of Thousand Island Lake

John Muir Trail: Day 18

Day 18 was a densely packed day of sightseeing.  The trail took me from Deer Creek to Red Cones, then down across the fire scarred valley of the San Joaquin River to Rainbow Falls, on to a stop in Reds Meadow, past Devils Postpile and finally to Johnston Lake.  I saw people who were not backpackers, or providing a service for backpackers, for the first time since Cottonwood Lakes.

I walked 13 miles and climbed only 1600 ft.  Between Crater Meadow and Johnston Lake the only places to camp is at the backpackers camp at Reds Meadow.  That sounded like a terrible idea to me so I planned my day to avoid it.  It spared me the crowded campsite, but it made for a very long day.

My daily progress and major trail milestones can be seen at https://caltopo.com/m/DKGD, or on Google Earth using https://www.dropbox.com/s/9cy12lzxnuvatsa/2017.07.30_JMT_Actuals.kml?dl=0. The caltopo website is the best place to look to find the place name I use.

Day 18 elevation profile in yellow

Day 18 route in blue

The wildflowers around Deer Creek continued until I had crossed over from the Deer Creek drainage to the Crater Creek drainage about a mile past where I camped.  It seemed like every clearing I came to was filled with purple and yellow.

A meadow north of Deer Creek

The Crater Creek drainage was less colorful and the ground was very dry.  It had been a damp morning because my camp was in a marshy area and near the creek, so I had packed up and started walking before breakfast.  I found a clearing in the sun, dried my things and ate breakfast.  I had done this enough that it was almost routine.

After breakfast I packed up and moved on.  The terrain on this part of the trail is mildly sloped and heavily forested, making it more difficult to identify landmarks and keep track of my progress. Not a big deal unless you are a map nerd like me.

This is Upper Crater Meadow.  When I got there I was guessing where I was.  After I got home I was able to use the tracking record of my SPOT to figure out where I was by matching the time on the tracking data with the time from the camera.

Upper Crater Meadow

I had been watching very carefully so as not to miss the Red Cones.  When they finally came into view I realized how silly that had been.  They are very big and very red and not hidden at all.  At least the northern one is.

The northern Red Cone

The southern Red Cone is only hidden to the northbound hiker to the extent that you have to look over your shoulder.  It is not as picturesque from the trail as the southern one.

These are volcanic cones that last erupted about 5000 years ago.

The southern Red Cone

From the same place on the trail Mammoth Mountain and Crater Meadow both come into view. Mammoth Mountain is a ski resort and you can see the warming hut on top of the summit.  Their season length varies with each winter and spring.  This year they were open until the second week of July, which is extraordinary.

Crater Meadow with Mammoth Mountain behind

Just past the Red Cones the trail traverses down the side of a mountain to the valley below.  From the top of the traverse I was presented with a spectacular view of the Ritter Range.  This was the first I had seen it since I crossed over Silver Pass the day before.  As you can see here, the smoke that was shrouding the mountains on Day 17 was gone on Day 18.  I held out hope that it was because the fire was out.

The Ritter Range

This rock formation could be seen across the valley on the other side of the river.  I think it is either an amphitheater or a landing pad for ancient aliens.

An alien landing zone or amphitheater

Pumice left from the eruption of the Red Cones 5000 years ago.

Pumice Stone

On the mountainside below the Red Cones, the mighty Sugar Pine dominated.  This magnificent tree has soft red fibrous bark, short needles and the largest pine cones I have ever seen.  The pine cones at this particular spot were not remarkably big, but in 2011 on the western side of the Sierras, we found this.

Sugar Pine

The Rainbow Fire was started in 1992 by a lightning strike near Rainbow Falls.  25 years ago.  There are some trees coming back, but it is mostly ground shrubs and grasses.  The soil is decomposed pumice.  When you walk on it your foot just sinks in.

The Rainbow Fire, 25 years later

The Rainbow Fire, 25 years later

The Rainbow Fire, 25 years later

Wildflower near Reds Meadow

A berry bush near Reds Meadow

A prickly berry bush near Reds Meadow

Rainbow Fire Information

My walk to Rainbow Falls was a bit of culture shock.  I came upon the stock trail before I got to the hiking trail and followed it.  When I emerged near Rainbow Falls I was the only backpacker around. Everyone else was day hiking from reds meadow with tank tops and Bermuda shorts.  I was 18 days on the trail and despite bathing and cleaning most of my clothes regularly, I was pretty filthy to look at.  My pants in particular were dirty, in part because logistically they were the hardest to clean, so I hadn't.  The net result was that I looked like I was homeless and people treated me accordingly. People would pull their children aside on the trail.  They would give me a wide berth.  No one would make eye contact.

I saw one family near a couple of Jeffrey Pines (the ones that smell like butterscotch).  I wanted to tell them about the trees so they could share with their young daughters.  I walked up to the first tree to see if it smelled and took a deep breath.  Then I went to the second and did the same.  The second smelled much better, but when I turned to the family to tell them, they were staring at me with a slightly scared look.  I quickly explained about the pleasant smell of the trees, which helped a bit. The mother was curious enough that she went over and smelled one of the trees.  After she reported that it did smell like butterscotch they stopped looking at me like I was a madman and I finished telling them about the trees.

After that I didn't try and talk to anyone else.

Rainbow Falls

About .75 miles past Rainbow Falls is Lower Falls.  Much smaller and less dramatic than Rainbow Falls, it was nice nonetheless.

Lower Falls

I made my way back to Reds Meadow and stopped at the general store.  I wanted to buy some tent stakes, but they didn't have anything suitable.  I bought some extra food to replace what I had given the Koreans at MTR.  You can also ship a bucket here for resupply.  Many people were unpacking their resupply bucket while I was there.

The general store at Reds Meadow

I also stopped in the Mulehouse Cafe for a burger and a beer.  It turned out I had to go back to the general store to get the beer, but by the time I returned my burger was ready.

Mulehouse Cafe at Reds Meadow

Now feeling drowsy after a meal and a beer I left Reds Meadow to tour Devils Postpile.  The postpile is basaltic columns near the surface that have been exposed at this particular spot from every angle.  It was made a National Monument by President William Howard Taft in 1911.

Devils Postpile

Basaltic columns sheared by glaciers

Basaltic columns

Basaltic columns

Having had my fill of basaltic columns I crossed the Middle Fork of the San Joaquin River and headed toward my intended campsite near Johnston Lake.

The bridge across the Middle Fork of the San Joaquin River

From the trail on the other side of the river I got another view of Devils Postpile.  For perspective, those are people on top in red and blue.

Also, by this time the smoke had returned, making everything dark and making it not pleasant to breathe.

Devils Postpile from the trail on the other side of the river

Since Evolution Valley, all of the big creek crossings had bridges.  Therefore I was a little surprised when I got to Minaret Creek and found I would have to ford it.  My socks had been dry for several days and I had the unfortunate side effect that they were starting to stink.  I had been washing more frequently, but it was a losing battle.

Minaret Creek crossing

I arrived at Johnston Lake around 6:00, dirty and tired.  It was another damp campsite, with lots of water and surrounded on three sides by mountains.  There were few options without hiking on for what may be another hour, so I stopped here for the night.

Johnston Lake

I found a campsite on a bed of pumice.  It was very soft and comfortable.  I set up camp and ate, then set about washing my clothes.  When I went to bed they were clean(er) but still very wet.  They would have to dry in the morning.  In the meantime I was wearing my rain pants and a lightweight synthetic fleece pullover.  That was okay for the night, but it would be hot and sweaty to hike very far in.

Camp 18, near Johnston Lake

All photos of Deer Creek to Red Cones
All photos of Red Cones to Rainbow Falls
All photos of Rainbow Falls
All photos of Reds Meadow
All photos of Devils Postpile
All photos of Middle Fork San Joaquin River to Shadow Lake