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Backpacking the High Trail / John Muir Trail loop over Labor Day Weekend 2017

Previous
Introduction

Friday September 1, 2017
High Trail / PCT from
Agnes Meadow to Thousand Island Lake
Next
Saturday September 2, 2017
John Muir Trail from
Thousand Island Lake to Rosalie Lake

Since I was driving until way too late the night before I decided I was in no hurry to get started hiking.
I was assuming I could drive into Devil's Postpile National Monument, park at the postpile, then take the bus back up the valley to my trailhead.

It took me nearly half an hour to standing in line to get my permit at the backcountry office.
Nearly everyone else in line was trying for a walkup permit.
The guy in front of me told the ranger that he and his wife had just hiked the loop from Ediza, Iceberg, Cecile, and Minaret Lakes, and that he'd done it without crampons or any special gear.
There isn't a real trail past Ediza Lake, and I've read that you need to cross a snowfield next to Cecile Lake most years.
He said the route was straightforward in the direction he travelled (counterclockwise on the map), but route finding would be very challenging doing it in the other direction.
He kicked steps into the snow and his wife was terrified, but they made it and he thought it was the most gorgeous place he'd ever been.
The ranger made detailed notes to pass along to other hikers, clearly very few people go back there.
When we got lost up Minaret trail last year Kent wanted to continue on this loop but I refused since I had no maps and knew the route was nearly unmarked and treacherous at best.
I'm now planning to do this route, but I won't do it alone.
There are plenty of people on the JMT and PCT, if I get into trouble while hiking alone someone would be along eventually to summon help and a rescue.
If I got into trouble hiking solo near Cecile Lake they may never find my body..

After I got my permit I went to Napa to buy the license plate lamps since I had no desire to get pulled over again, then I picked up breakfast at the bakery across the street.
Eventually I drove to the entrance to the National Monument and was turned around - since the buses would be running on the day I planned to exit the park, I had to take the bus.
I wasn't too pleased by this obstacle, but in the end it didn't result in a significant delay.



The Minarets from Minaret Vista - this is as far as cars can get when the buses are running.


2017-09-01 10:32

I parked, bought my bus ticket, and rode the bus to the Agnew Meadows Trailhead.


2017-09-01 11:05

Agnews Meadow Trailhead, 8,387' milepost 914.8 on the PCT

The bus driver warned us that there were plenty of mosquitos and we'd better apply bug spray.
I hadn't brought any...

It was 11am by the time I start hiking.
A very late start, but I assumed there would be plenty of places to camp along Thousand Island Lake.


2017-09-01 11:25

Looking northwest toward Banner Peak, Mount Ritter, and the trail ahead.

It was a gorgeous bluebird day in the Sierras. 
There were hikers in front of me but I soon lost them cause I stopped to take so many pictures, most of which I haven't posted cause they weren't that great, at least compared to pictures of the mountains and lakes.


2017-09-01 11:29

Looking south toward Mammoth Mountain and the way back
 

2017-09-01 11:58

Looking south toward Mammoth Mountain and the way back


2017-09-01 11:58

Looking northwest toward the trail ahead


2017-09-01 12:06

Looking north


2017-09-01 12:08

Looking north


2017-09-01 12:21

Looking north


2017-09-01 12:39

Shadow Lake and the Minarets from the Pacific Crest Trail / High Trail.
I was blown away by this view and lingered for quite a while.
Looking southwest


2017-09-01 13:00

Shadow Lake and the Minarets from a little further up the Pacific Crest Trail / High Trail
Looking southwest


2017-09-01 13:37

Looking northwest and the way ahead


2017-09-01 14:59

Milepost 920.3 - distance hiked today 5.5 miles
It is now 3pm and I'm nowhere near Thousand Island Lake.... 8 miles of hiking uphill with a full pack is slower than I'd remembered...
The first of three intersections to the Clark Lakes trail(s).


2017-09-01 14:59


2017-09-01 14:59


2017-09-01 15:18

9,539' - milepost 921.1 - distance hiked today 6.3 miles
The second of three intersections to the Clark Lakes trail(s).


2017-09-01 15:34


2017-09-01 15:45

Milepost 921.7 - distance hiked today 6.9 miles
The third of three intersections to the Clark Lakes trail(s).


2017-09-01 15:54

Milepost 921.9 - distance hiked today 7.1 miles
Intersection of the River Trail.


2017-09-01 16:16


2017-09-01 16:44
Intersection of the JMT and the PCT with a Ranger on the right side of the picture
9,841', milepost 922.9 - distance hiked today 8.1 miles

Eventually I got to the intersection of the JMT and the PCT... and met a Ranger who was checking permits.
A solo backpacker in front of me had no permit and no bearbox.
The Ranger politely informed him that he was supposed to have both a permit and a bearbox, but didn't chase him out of the wilderness area or start writing him a ticket.
He then turned his attention to me - I showed him my permit, the Ranger seemed surpised that I had the appropriate permit for the area.
He asked how early I had to camp out at the backcountry office to get the permit and I told him I'd gotten it six months ago online, which also seemed to surprise him.
I continued along the trail along Thousand Island Lake to find a campsite leaving the Ranger and dude with no permits or bearbox behind.

It was now past 5pm and I was quite tired of hiking, but I kept finding more and more people as I kept hiking along the lake.
After perhaps 30 minutes of hiking along the lake and getting increasingly frustrated at the dozens of people I saw, I finally decided enough was enough, this was a great spot... even though it was probably too close to both the trail and the lake to be legal.

It is safe to say I hiked at least another half mile to find my campsite bringing my total for the day to 8.6 miles


2017-09-01 17:51

Not too shaby a campsite, even if it probably isn't a legal spot.
To be honest none of my campsites last year were probably legal either, they were all too close to the water and / or trail.

I didn't encounter any mosquitoes until I got to Thousand Island Lake - there were a few bugs here but it wasn't too bad.


2017-09-01 18:07


2017-09-01 18:44


2017-09-01 18:44


2017-09-01 18:44

I had dinner and turned in relatively early.
Once the sun goes down in the wilderness there's not much to do except get cold...


Previous
Introduction

Friday September 1, 2017
High Trail / PCT from
Agnes Meadow to Thousand Island Lake
Next
Saturday September 2, 2017
John Muir Trail from
Thousand Island Lake to Rosalie Lake