Dan hiking along Long Lake
High Sierra Backpack
Dusy Basin from South Lake
September 2007
This is one of the most popular trails and areas in the high Sierra. There's a lot to like here but it's really not any more beautiful than the areas reached via Pine Creek and Paiute Pass. We had great weather except for some sustained high winds midweek, didn't see any bears although we expected that we might, and we found some places in this crowded area to be away from the crowds. (I don't like the way the slide show works here so this is just one long page. Sorry.)
Dan hiking along Long Lake
Me at Long Lake
A couple swimming across Bishop Lake (11,300') They were wearing dry
suits.
My tent under afternoon clouds at Bishop Lake
Same tent with a little alpenglow
There were a pair of high altitude rabbits at Bishop Lake. I think that
this is a Sierra White-Tailed Jackrabbit. It's the only one I could find
that went up above 11,000 feet.
Dan was feeling altitude so I took a day hike around the canyon. This is
Ledge Lake (11,200') and it would be a great place to camp. It's
quiet, off-trail, and gets sun earlier in the morning if you're there when it's
chilly. Below the ledge is Saddlerock Lake (11,126')
The red spot near the center is Dan headed up the wonderful switchbacks of
Bishop Pass. You can see the trail far below at the left and several
switchbacks above where Dan is. This trail is an engineering marvel and
represents a lot of hard work by trail crews.
Mt. Agassiz (13,693') from Bishop Pass (11,972')
Dan and I in Bishop Pass with Isoceles, Columbine and other peaks in distance.
My tent, Lake 11,388 and Isosceles Peak (12,321') We spent two nights
here.
Sunset over Lake 11,388
We walked around the right side of this lake to get to Knapsack Pass. The
lake has no name.
We day hiked to Knapsack Pass (11,680') and this is the view up the "trail".
Dan on the boulders going up Knapsack Pass
We met this very nice couple from Chicago in the pass.
This is Dan coming down a steep slab of granite.
Split boulder
Isosceles Peak. A Korean climber died here a couple of weeks earlier.
Next day we headed back up and down Bishop Pass. This is the view of
Bishop, Saddlerock and other lakes from the pass. Chocolate Peak is the
red one peeking out on the right.
Lemmon's Paintbrush, I think. This one grows in swampy areas.
Dan atop Chocolate Peak on our last full day. This is an easy hike with a
great reward.
Looking back up toward Bishop Lakes from Chocolate Peak
Chocolate Lakes from Chocolate Peak
Dan and I and our cold iced tea at the trailhead. No comment on Dan's
shirt.