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Ansel Adams Wilderness Trip
Sept 25 - 28, 2003
OVERVIEW:
This will be a easy to moderate three day backpack trip to the Ansel Adams Wilderness in the High Sierras near Mammoth Mountain California. It will include hiking over part of the John Muir Trail and visiting 10 alpine lakes. We will be viewing Mt. Ritter and Banner Peaks, made famous in photographer Ansel Adams historical photographs and spend a night at the spot where the famous photograph was taken.
ITINERARY:
Thursday Sept. 25
A convenient parking location will be mutually agreed upon by the participants of the hike, preferably in the City of Corona. We will consolidate our gear into one vehicle and head up the I-15 freeway to Hwy 395. From Corona it will be a 4 hour drive to Lone Pine and the Mt. Whitney Visitors Center.
From Lone Pine it's an hour to Bishop where we can stop for lunch. After lunch we'll drive another 45 minutes to Mammoth where we'll stop and pick up our Wilderness Permits from the Mammoth Mountain Ranger Station just before we enter the town.
After a quick drive through the town we'll head up Minarets Summit Road toward Agnew Meadows Campground. If time permits we can make a quick run to the Devil's Postpile Monument just past Agnew Meadows to see the famous columns of blue-gray basalt rock. Upon arriving at Agnew Meadows we'll set up camp and prepare for our hike in the morning.
Friday Sept. 26
Shadow Lake /River Trail to Ediza Lake (3-3 1/2 hours, 7.4 miles, 1225 ft ascent, 260ft. descent, 165 ft/mile grade)
After packing up the camp we'll head up the Shadow Lake/ River Trail 7.4 miles over easy terrain to Lake Ediza. Along the way we'll pass Olaine Lake and the Middle Fork of the San Joaquin River before stopping for a break at Shadow Lake. After Shadow Lake we continue past the John Muir Trail Jct. and make a moderate climb up to scenic Lake Ediza at the base of the Minarets Mountain Range. We'll set up camp on the North West shore and settle in for the night.
Saturday, Sept. 27
Ediza Lake to Thousand Island Lake via John Muir Trail (7.4 miles, 1934 ft.ascent, 1401 descent)
This will be our most scenic day and we'll pack up and retrace our steps 2.3 miles back to the John Muir Trail. From here we'll take the trail north toward Garnet Lake 2.5 miles away. This might be the prettiest lake of them all and the views are breathtaking. We can spend some time at Garnet Lake before continuing up the trail past Ruby and Emerald lakes. During this stretch of trail we'll be achieving our highest altitude of 10,100 feet while crossing a rocky pass down to Ruby Lake. After passing the lake it's a slight downhill hike to our final destination, Thousand Island Lake.
Sunday, Sept 28
Thousand Island Lake to Agnew Meadows via the High Trail (4-5 hours, 9.7 miles,280ft ascent, 1714ft descent)
This will be our longest day. We'll get an early start and head east on the Pacific Crest Trail and onto a ridgeline overlooking Badger and Clark Lakes. From this ridge aligned trail we will get our best overall views of Mt. Ritter, Banner Peak and the Minarets. This trail has lots of small stream crossings and takes us 9.3 miles back to the car in about 5 hours. This days hiking is all downhill and should put us back at the car by 1400 hrs. If we leave by 1500 hrs we should be pulling into Corona by 2200 hrs.
Costs: The wilderness permit is free but this area requires a bear canister to be used in areas where bear resistant lockers are not available. They can be rented for $5.00 per week at the Mammoth Mountain Ranger Station. Agnew Meadows Camping fees are $12.00 per night. We will be having one lunch in Bishop on the way up and dinner in Lone Pine on the way home so plan on some money for grub. It is roughly 700 miles to Mammoth and back. I estimated fuel costs of $80.00 to be incurred during the trip as gasoline could be as high as $2.50 per gal. in Mammoth. Members should either contribute to the fuel cost or supply their vehicle to share the costs of transportation.
Weather: This is the best time of the year for the High Sierras, after Labor Day and before the first snow flies. Daytime high temperatures should range in the low 80's with nighttime lows in the 40's. This can change rapidly with a developing weather pattern. Rain is unlikely but you should be prepared for it just in case.
Altitude: Agnew Meadows is at 8400 feet, high enough to help us acclimate but low enough for us not to get altitude sickness. All of the lakes are under 10,000 feet. Our highest achieved altitude is10,100 feet while we are nearing Ruby Lake. It shouldn't be a problem. If you are concerned about the possibility of altitude sickness advise your doctor to prescribe Diamox (a high altitude sickness medication) prior to going on the hike or give me a call for other non-prescription remedies.
Gear List: I have included a sample gear list which should give you a general idea of what to take for this trip. I have also included articles on how to pack your food correctly and tips on how to use a bear canister.
Additional information:
Contacts:
