Sierra Nevada Backpacking

DAY 1

Bishop Pass Trailhead.  Big smiles, clean clothes, heavy packs.

Maddy and Jacob at Long Lake.

Numerous Lakes on the way up to Bishop Pass.

Mom and Dad continuing the climb to the pass.  Just above here, the trail climbs steeply up a rocky hillside to reach the pass.

Over Bishop Pass, heading down to Dusy Basin.

DAY 2

Hiking cross country toward Knapsack Pass toward the Barrett Lakes Basin.

Looking back on Dusy Basin

Sierra Gentian

Indian Paintbrush

Yellow Monkeyflower

Dad nearing the top of Knapsack Pass

Knapsack Pass

Small egg shell, my guess is this is a grouse egg based on the dark speckles

Looking off the east side of Potluck Pass

DAY 3

Cirque Pass

Descending Cirque Pass toward the John Muir Trail (JMT)

Palisade Lakes

Descending the JMT along Palisade Creek

Roughly 6' diameter tree.  There were 1 or 2 others this size in this stand of trees

The Middle Fork Kings River, heading upstream.  We are in the same canyon as we were when we descended Palisade Creek.

Grouse Meadow

DAY 4

Grouse, just outside of Grouse Meadows.  We saw 3 grouse here

Pumping water from the creek leaving Dusy Basin.  On the JMT here, we are only a few miles from where we spent the first night.

Wet weather rolling in

Wet weather rolling in quickly today.  We set up the tent around 3pm and did not get out for the rest of the day due to heavy wind and rain.

DAY 5

No rain for the first couple hours of the day this day.  We were able to climb over Muir Pass and descend through Evolution Basin before we had any significant rain.  That was fortunate as that took us to lower elevation.

Muir Hut at Muir Pass

Ponchos, these were a good addition for the rain this year after we got wet last year

Descending down to the South Fork San Joaquin River

DAY 6

Red Mountain

Hell For Sure Pass

Hell For Sure Lake

DAY 7

Leaving the JMT for the final time.  This is the use trail that leads up to Darwin Bench where we spent our final night.

The lakes in Darwin Canyon

DAY 8

Lamarck Col

Looking toward the Owens Valley about 9000 feet below

The red ridgeline is the Piute Crags