John Muir Trail Aug 06

August 5, 2006 - My brother Christian and I, with our cousins Mike and Dan decided to try a longer backpacking trip by doing a section of the John Muir Trail. We dropped off a car in Mammoth area, and then my dad picked us up and drove us to Onion Valley to camp the night before we left. We left out of Onion Valley and hiked north along the JMT for 12 days exiting at Mammoth. The weather was great the entire time and we got to see lots of great sites. All in all, we hiked about 140 miles, climbing 22000 feet and crossing 7 passes. Daily mileage and climbing estimates and travel times (including lunch and breaks etc) as well as maps showing each day's travel are included in the galleries below (All maps copyright Tom Harrison) The pictures were taken with Mike and Dan's cameras, with some by all of us included in the galleries, too much work to figure out who took what...

Day 1, 8/6/06 - 6.3 miles, 2650 feet climbing, 900 feet descending, 5 hours 30 minutes hiking

Map - Day 1

Pothole Lake

View from Kearsarge Pass, Kearsarge Lakes and Pinnacles looking south/west

View from the Pass, Bull Frog Lake looking west

Dan, Mike and I at the pass

Christian at the Pass

View of the Kearsarge Pinnacles from one of the Kearsarge Lakes

First day, last light, alpenglow

Day 2, 8/7/06 - 9.7 miles, 1400 feet climbing, 2050 feet descending, 7 hours 30 minutes hiking

Map- Day 2

Kearsarge Pinnacles and Bullfrog Lake

Kearsarge area and Bullfrog Lake, the Pass is on the far left

Looking southwest accross Bullfrog Lake

Glen Pass

Glen Pass with trail shown

Looking south from Glen Pass

Chris and Mike on Glen Pass

Lake south of Glen Pass

Rae Lakes from Glen Pass

Rae Lakes looking North

Upper Rae Lake, Dragon Peak (L) and the Painted Lady (R)

Lower of Rae Lakes, Painted Lady (Mt. Rixford behind) and Glen Pass

Lower of Rae Lakes, looking up at Glen Pass

Day 3, 8/8/06 - 9.2 miles, 2100 feet climbing, 1800 feet descending, 7 hours 20 minutes hiking

Map - Day 3

Looking Back at Fin Dome from Arrowhead Lake (Camp 2)

Arrowhead Lake and Mt. Clarence King

Looking down the Valley towards the Castle Domes, Window Peak, and Pyramid Peak

Looking up Baxter Creek

Suspension Bridge across Woods Creek at Junction 8492

Looking back up the valley towards Diamond Peak

Looking down (West) Woods Creek/Paradise Valley from near Junction 8492

Lupine and Indian Paintbrush along Woods Creek

Looking down Woods creek towards junction 8492 and Paradise Valley

Woods Lake Tr. Junction Looking South

Crater Mountain from near Twin Lakes

Mt. Wynne (see next map) from near Twin Lakes

Lower Twin Lake, Acrodeetes Peak Area

Day 4, 8/9/06 - 14.3 miles, 2650 feet climbing, 2350 feet descending, 9 hours hiking

Map - Day 4

Mt. Wynne

Crater Mountain

Pinchot Pass

Mt. Wynne from Pinchot Pass

Small Chain of Lakes SE of Pinchot Pass, Colosseum Mtn (L), Mt Cedric Wright (R)

Mike, Me, Dan, and Christian at Pinchot Pass

Christian and view south from Pinchot Pass

Lake just N of Pinchot Pass

Mt. Ickes

Lake Marjorie and Mt. Ruskin

Looking back up to Pinchot Pass from Lake Marjorie

Lake Marjorie

Looking towards Mather Pass, the Palisade Range (Left side, pointy ones) and Split Mountain (back right)

Bench Lake and Arrow Peak, a small detour from the main trail

Christian and Bench Lake

Reflections and very clear water in lakelet by Bench Lake

Creek crossing at trail junction 10795

Crossing the South Fork of the Kings River in the valley

Southern face of Split Mountain

Cardinal Mountain at Sunset

Continued on John Muir Trail Aug 06 (2)