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


Previous
Saturday September 2, 2017
John Muir Trail from
Thousand Island Lake to Rosalie Lake

Sunday September 3, 2017
John Muir Trail from
Rosalie Lake to Devil's Postpile



2017-09-03 08:58

Rosalie Lake 9,390' looking west



PANO scroll right

I got yet another late start....
I decided that while I could stay another day in the Sierras, I'd end up fighting Labor Day traffic all day and get home very late Monday night.
The forest fire smoke was relatively light, but I decided I'd rather get home a day early and rest up on Monday.


2017-09-03 09:22

Gladys Lake - 9,606', looking northeast - milepost 5.7 on the JMT - 0.6 miles hiked today, 16.8 miles hiked total
Gladys Lake was nearly empty and had quite a few level spots that would make excellent campsites.
Of course by the time I left Rosalie Lake it was nearly empty as well, but there are almost no good campsites there.


2017-09-03 09:51

One of the Trinity Lakes - 9,463', looking northeast - milepost 4.6 on the JMT - 1.7 miles hiked today, 18.5 miles hiked total


2017-09-03 10:17

Another one of the Trinity Lakes - 9,341', looking northeast - milepost 4.2 on the JMT - 2.1 miles hiked today, 18.9 miles hiked total
Another lake with lots of level places to camp nearby...


2017-09-03 10:57

The Minarets - looking west


2017-09-03 11:07

Minaret Lake Trailhead - looking west - this is the junction I missed last year, causing us to hike an extra 7.8 miles roundtrip
8,180', looking northeast - milepost 1.5 on the JMT - 4.8 miles hiked today, 21.5 miles hiked total


2017-09-03 11:35

First time I've ever been forced to wade while backpacking...


2017-09-03 12:14

Middle fork of the San Joajuin River, looking north


2017-09-03 12:15

Middle fork of the San Joajuin River, looking north


2017-09-03 12:23

Devil's Postpile. looking southeast

7,500', looking east - milepost 907.2 on the PCT - 8.1 miles hiked today, 24.9 miles hiked total


2017-09-03 12:38

Top of Devil's Postpile, looking west

After a relatively short wait for a bus and a long, slow busride I was back at Mammoth Mountain...


2017-09-03 13:31

My what fun these people were having on Labor Day...
Waiting in a very long slow line for a standing room only bus, only to be rewarded with another very long slow line for a standing room only bus when they wanted to leave the Postpile.
The people at the end of this line probably weren't going to get out of the Postpile before dark, assuming they got into the Postpile at all...

I got back to the car, quickly installed my license plate lamps, and started back to El Granada...


2017-09-03 14:20

Looking northwest into the Sierras from northbound US 395
I'd had mixed feelings about leaving early, but the storm clouds told me I'd made the right decision.


2017-09-03 14:52

Fish tacos at the Whoa Nellie Deli...


2017-09-03 14:52

Mono Lake and my Celica from the Whoa Nelli Deli


2017-09-03 15:09

Mono Lake and my Celica from the Whoa Nelli Deli


2017-09-03 15:22

I was crushed to see that the beloved Tioga Pass Resort was crushed by the brutal winter of 2017...
Fortunately they are now starting to rebuild...

Previous
Saturday September 2, 2017
John Muir Trail from
Thousand Island Lake to Rosalie Lake

Sunday September 3, 2017
John Muir Trail from
Rosalie Lake to Devil's Postpile