Re: Suggestions: most photogenic lake north of the 120

In the park, of course.

I've heard great things about Smedberg, and went to Tilden once as a teenager, but don't really remember it being all that scenic. Remote and REALLY remote are OK, as visitation will occur on a long(er) backpacking trip.

Making plans for this summer, and would like to get the jump on things as early as possible.

Thanks!

Be aware that Chick-on will be touting Table Lake.

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Old Dude

Who, me?
http://yosemitenews.info/forum/read.php?3,20415

* I figured I'd let others chime in before giving you the correct answer

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And this is why this forum freaking drives me nuts.

I look at this one every day at work:


I know you looked at these though cause you asked where it was.
Just barely outside the park so I think it qualifies.

Tilden is a nice lake and you can prob. get something nice with Chittenden in the background.
Tower and Saurian are so far away they don't look super impressive with the lake in the foreground
without zooming in a bit.

I'll say more next week but there's a huge number of lakes which are really nice with nice backdrops.
You can always poke around my Picasa. Most are there somewhere or another.

Some obvious ones though that I'm certain many who frequent here have seen are:
Gaylor & Granite, Young Lakes, Upper Grant, a few of The Ten Lakes

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chick-on
And this is why this forum freaking drives me nuts.

I look at this one every day at work:


I know you looked at these though cause you asked where it was.
Just barely outside the park so I think it qualifies.

This little lake is a wonder. Very turquoise and crystal clear.

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Old Dude

I found just one print of that "Robinson Pool." July 1989

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hikerchick395
I found just one print of that "Robinson Pool." July 1989

Kewl. Missed this one. Tanks for Sharon. You beat me by over a decade!
(my goal is to beat you up Fairview though)

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Exactly where outside the park is this? It's beautiful.

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LRK
Exactly where outside the park is this? It's beautiful.

Look here:
http://yosemitenews.info/forum/read.php?1,14879
and I have a set of many more of that lake here (including a map):
https://picasaweb.google.com/yosemite.chick.on/RobinsonPool

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Picasa Pictures

Hey, I thought that looked familiar chick-on. (I looked at your Picasa pics of Robinson Pool.) I remember loving the clarity and color of it. Now I have to figure out when we were there...pics must be Kodachrome.

A lot of the other photos had me with my Nat Geo map out, looking for the locations of the lakes. A lot of the little lakes on that map aren't named, though.

That is one of the most beautiful...i would love to visit this one. Hope to experience it!

Upper Youngs lake is the only one I've visited. It's not super remote but has a high photogenic factor. We were there when the snow was still melting up in those parts. This added nice splashes of white to the photos, but also meant that the mosquito vermin were out and about.

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carl_spackler
Upper Youngs lake is the only one I've visited. It's not super remote but has a high photogenic factor. We were there when the snow was still melting up in those parts. This added nice splashes of white to the photos, but also meant that the mosquito vermin were out and about.

LOVE that second shot.

The most scenic lakes tend to have complementing nearby impressive peak backdrops. That is why areas north of 120 in the park tend not to be known for exceptional photographic potentials though there are exceptions. Just outside the eastern borders just east of our magnificent crest that should have been part of the park as chick-on added is a different story. That is not to say many of those lakes aren't relatively beautiful but rather not exceptionally so say like waters in Dusy Basin. The glacially rounded landscapes do have a lot of no name lakes and ponds, some rarely visited so there is much yet to be discovered by photographers. Sometimes the best landscape frames are more intimate situations say with a few gnarly sierra juniper sticking up into the blue sky on a pcituresque nearby dome next to nameless small bodies of water. Some such places I've visited in my earlier days and may return some day. I'll mention one such place since it is an effort to reach and no longer will be of any interest to fishermen, Ardeth Lake.

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http://www.davidsenesac.com

I'll need to go and look at my Ardeth pictures.... but that is one I would not have mentioned.
Maybe Mahan Peak is a nice backdrop. I'll have to go look at what I took the two times I've
been there.

I contend nearly every lake, pond, tarn, and puddle has photographic potential.

Perhaps I will take the time to put together a set of the lakes of Yosemite.
I still have the pesky Shamrock and Shepherd north of 120 to visit though.

This one is for you David:

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Photogenic has a lot to do with time of day and lighting, too. (Edited to provide a link instead of blowing up the page with the size of the pic.)

Gaylor Lake



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 03/16/2012 04:42PM by AlmostThere.

Thanks chick-on, that remote body is nicely scenic lake and one I expected would look fine given the cragginess of Shepherd Crest on the topo and considerable nearby metamorphic areas. Have been to Summit Lake a few times and have wanted to traverse around up to nearby Onion Lake also, but tend to wander off towards the more mesmerizing Virginia Peak instead.

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http://www.davidsenesac.com

Sorry David, that's not Shepherd's Crest.

The answer is here:
http://yosemitenews.info/forum/read.php?3,49696

Miwok was much more interesting photographically than Ardeth.

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Wutt da heck:

Here's Ardeth with Mahan Peak:


One perhaps more interesting... but could be many many lakes:


Miwok with it's little islands is more interesting to me:


Here's Onion for you:

(Virginia Peak on the right in the background)

And one just below Virginia Peak:


To tann... Smedberg is very photogenic... I prefer Rodgers though from the Saddle.
I love Benson... I have a photo of that lake on my desk at work too.

Other awesome lakes are ... aw heck... they're all awesome.
If I could only visit one and that was it... it would be Edith though. Amazing backdrop. Off trail. Incredible Lake.

You can find some pix of her here along with my ridiculous viewpoint:
http://yosemitenews.info/forum/read.php?3,46761

My apologies if these photos are not photogenic or otherwise... they're special to me b/c I was there taking them.

Have fun

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chick-on

Miwok with it's little islands is more interesting to me:

Talking about lakes with islands, located on the northwest side of Richardson Peak, how photogenic is Big Island Lake? Never been there myself. Curious about your thoughts on it.
.

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plawrence
Talking about lakes with islands, located on the northwest side of Richardson Peak, how photogenic is Big Island Lake? Never been there myself. Curious about your thoughts on it.

Well.. I LOVE the views looking down AT Big Island and Peninsula Lakes. Those are spectacular in my book.
From Big Island itself... well... the island just melts into the backdrop as if no island was there so...
The backdrop is the other side of the crest shown above though so could provide a nice backdrop.
Peninsula I spent a lot of time at boating around and hiking around. With Schofield and Haystack backdrops
it was just a gorgeous and unique place to spend some time.
Upper Pen was also very pretty due to it being in a cirque like setting.

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chick-on
Sorry David, that's not Shepherd's Crest...

I see, though you mentioned Shepherd and Shamrock, you didn't mean that was the image shown. Recall you mentioned having been up in that Richardson basin which is certainly one of the most remote basins. So you have been to Onion and even bothered to visit that lake east of Virginia. I expected the latter was an uninteresting talus ice bowl. As an example of how my interests in lakes and ponds is different from usual visitors that tend to be attracted to lakes with names or size, Return Lake and the ice bowl lake would have little interest to me but rather the little ponds just northwest of Grey Butte best maybe about 8am PDT in late July with a wide enough lens (24mm or 28mm 35mmSLR equiv) to capture both Stanton and Virginia.

Many lakes only look exceptional from limited perspectives at optimal times of day and season. In any case few lakes IMO look truly exceptional which is the case north of SR120 though many are generally reasonably beautiful. Such is the case for Ardeth where I seem to recall the better frame was from the southwest end of the lake that put several gnarly sierra juniper on the Mahan spine more prominently in the scene. That lake is also unblocked towards the west-southwest so from its northeast side one can take fine sky shots in late season if nice clouds are about. Miwok I went right by without bothering at the time as it seemed unremarkable. Edyth is simply way down in a deep hole of a canyon so did not impress this photographer. Took me all afternoon to climb out and up to Bearup. People enjoy and appreciate lakes for several reasons and photographers tend to value lakes with aesthetic backdrops that are not so close that backdrops can be framed without going too unnaturally wide. Although I have hundreds of mainly old 35mm SLR Kodachromes lake pics, about the only Yosemite region lake image that I've captured that is good enough to fit in my online gallery was above Saddlebag below though there are several that could if I'd bother to return and have good conditions.

http://www.davidsenesac.com/images/print_06-gg9-3.html

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http://www.davidsenesac.com



Edited 5 time(s). Last edit at 03/17/2012 01:09PM by eeek.

Davyd,
Probably goes without saying... but I'll say it anyway... if there's a lake... I'm gonna visit it.
But the one E of Virginia is a little gem that you pass if you go that-a-way up Virginia Peak.

And, again I find all the lakes worthy... prob. you didn't mean it in a mean spirited way...
but to call Edith area a hole and not worthy... wow.. just wow. Maybe I am taking it the
wrong way... with backdrop like that... I just dunno man. I think something else was afoot.

Anyway, I Return to the task at hand:


And a tarn with Virgina NW of Grey Butte:


And since you love Ardeth so much:


I've shown a bunch of photos of from very very close to Ardeth looking into Jack Main... now that is sweet IMO
and trumps the view of this lake.

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Thanks for sharing the pic of Miwok, that brought back some memories. It is such a pretty lake.

Although its not a single lake and it is highly travelled, I think its pretty tough to beat the panoramic view that you get on the ridge above Ten Lakes looking down at them all.

Again, its very highly travelled, but Vernon is extremely pretty too.

Of the lakes that have been mentioned, I think both Vernon and Benson are very photogenic in their own ways. Benson, more majestic; Vernon more subtle and sublime.

Of what I've seen in photos though, Edith Lake is definitely one of the top ones that I want to visit and experience firsthand of the many Yosemite lakes north of 120 I've yet to see in person.
.

Right now I don't have access to post any _new_ pictures, just ones I've already posted. Along those lines...here's Benson with some thunderclouds building:



Don't have Vernon right now, I agree its nice. Many lakes can be nice w/ a complementary setting, here's "Lake 1" of the "10" Lakes:



I actually haven't explored as much in the area north of 120 and south of the park border. I need to correct that.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/16/2012 10:06PM by ttilley.

I've always liked the little lakes to the west of Smedberg:




And while it's not in Yosemite, it's just across the border in Hoover wilderness to the North,. Crown Lake

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Balzaccom

follow our adventures, read our blog, or just to come hang out at our website: http://www.backpackthesierra.com/

One more note. You give yourself away as an LA native when you call it "the 120."

This ain't no freeway. It's 120, that's all. Or Highway 120.

The 405 doesn't go to Yosemite, grin.

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Balzaccom

follow our adventures, read our blog, or just to come hang out at our website: http://www.backpackthesierra.com/

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balzaccom
One more note. You give yourself away as an LA native when you call it "the 120."

This ain't no freeway. It's 120, that's all. Or Highway 120.

The 405 doesn't go to Yosemite, grin.

Nah. Big Sur native, but I've lived in LA for about 11 years now.

chick-on, now your split mirror reflection frame of Virginia from one of the tarns is indeed an image of higher aesthetics. Your snow pic of Ardeth shows one reason why it has more potential with the ability to isolate trees against sky. During fall when the sun sets more in that direction, with cirrus above in the sky, one might capture a strong image. As to shooting down from the rim of Ardeth into Jack Main, yes that makes for some quite fascinating pics of the green stream lagoons and domes. I actually bivied tentless on that narrow rim with a nightime view into the canyon.

plawrence, I've never seen an image of Benson that from this photographer's aesthetic sense impressed me beyond somewhat nice though I readily understand why so many folks like that lake for other reasons. As noted we judge lakes for different reasons which is a reason I don't value Edyth strongly while others do. Vernon, I've visited several times and consider likewise. However there is one late afternoon perspective from the approaching trail to the west with rusty watermark glacial slabs foreground, deep blue lake surrounded with beautiful green forest mid ground, and domes behind, that I very much like.

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http://www.davidsenesac.com



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/21/2012 10:46AM by DavidSenesac.

IMHO photographs are very subjective. What I like... others may not.
Def. the case with my wife and I ... she purchased a picture of Stoneman Bridge.
I absolutely hate it. She loves it.

So I doubt we will reach a common ground. I find all the lakes to have some redeeming quality.
I'm not trying to sell anyone any photographs though.

One other note. It is Edith Lake. With an I. Not Y. It was a screwup on a map ... and has since
been corrected.

Chyck-on

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I was greatly amused at a quote I saw in a book in The Ansel Adams Gallery last weekend.
Went something like this:
"If you buy yourself a flute, you have a flute, if you buy yourself a camera, you are a photographer."



Have fun out there

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chick-on
I was greatly amused at a quote I saw in a book in The Ansel Adams Gallery last weekend.
Went something like this:
"If you buy yourself a flute, you have a flute, if you buy yourself a camera, you are a photographer."



Have fun out there

ACK! Who knew Dorothy Lake could look so good?

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tanngrisnir3
ACK! Who knew Dorothy Lake could look so good?

It's all about lighting, subject matter, and composition luck

We ended up spending two nights at this lake over July 4th in 2006 so
I had enough time to go climb Forsyth and take a lot of photos.
I also visited Ardeth for the first time then (the one w/o the snow).

Old Dude, my wife and I also found out that if a tree falls in the forest
and you are there to see it... it makes a huge noise.

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Sharing this one b/c
a) it's the only photo of Yosemite I have mounted and on the wall in my house (macro shots not counted)
b) when we walked by this I saw the reflection and snapped a quick shot... the little puddle there was not very inviting...
much different than what is shown in the picture

I guess the interest is waning so I'll stop there.

Have fun wherever you end up

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chick-on


Sharing this one b/c
a) it's the only photo of Yosemite I have mounted and on the wall in my house (macro shots not counted)
b) when we walked by this I saw the reflection and snapped a quick shot... the little puddle there was not very inviting...
much different than what is shown in the picture

I guess the interest is waning so I'll stop there.

Have fun wherever you end up

I love shots that have lakes that appear to show drop offs into nothingness. There are many on the east side that do so, esp. around Whitney.

Where did you shoot that?

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tanngrisnir3
I love shots that have lakes that appear to show drop offs into nothingness. There are many on the east side that do so, esp. around Whitney.
Where did you shoot that?

That was taken just off the trail east of the S Fork of Cathedral, north of Tuolumne Peak.
That little puddle you will not find on any map.

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Many Island Lake:


Lake Vernon:


Lower Young Lake:


From near lower Young Lake, afternoon view of Conness with thunderstorms:


and the next morning:

You've piqued my interest in Many Island. Looks cool. Adding to my ever growing list Robinson Pool, Kendrick canyon, Wegner, etc etc.



Semi- / not really related : Your pictures of Young lake reminded me that it seems
I never really see references to nearby Roosevelt Lake. (and, yes, I'm asking w/o utilizing the search function sorry y'all, will do after though)

So anyone know what's up with that... is it just fugly / not worthy of photos in its disgustingness (i'm being sarcastic here
Windy barren? talus field? marshy? bubbling mud pit?
I kinda don't even want to know the answers so I can go find out on my own but, I've always been curious.


Anyway, I really appreciate all the great photos etc everyone. Been meaning to comment instead of being such a lurkyloo.

If people want more they need to say something....

Roosevelt is right below Conness routes... so it will be busy if you go there at the wrong time...
It's a big area though and you can easily get away from people ...

A couple pix are here:
http://yosemitenews.info/forum/read.php?3,47002,47181#msg-47181

I am not sure why Many Islands is so popular. I guess I need to revisit and bring the boat again.


Me... I love this gem:


An interesting thing about Lower Youngs (and I hope blaz reads this )... it is one of the very few lakes
I have ever seen that has TWO beaches... one on each side of the lake (want a picture?)

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I never understood Many Island's popularity either. It's very pretty from above, but I never found a decent campsite around it. There was even a write up about it in backpacker magazine last year or the year before about it.

That last pic isn't Mercur is it? That little peak in the background looks suspiciously like Mercur Peak.

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oakroscoe
I never understood Many Island's popularity either. It's very pretty from above, but I never found a decent campsite around it. There was even a write up about it in backpacker magazine last year or the year before about it.

That last pic isn't Mercur is it? That little peak in the background looks suspiciously like Mercur Peak.

There is a small lake at 7480' just to the northeast of Many Island that has a nice campsite.

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Old Dude

Early morning views of Rodgers Lake last August.



Edited 7 time(s). Last edit at 04/01/2012 08:36AM by tomdisco.

August 24, 1960 I turned 21 at Tilden Lake. Two very long and fast days later, we were in Tuolumne Meadows to complete our 14 day journey which had begun at Blue Lakes up near Tahoe. We stayed at Smedburg Lk the first of the last two days, if I remember correctly. We visited Benson Lake and the trail crew working out of there at some point. Sorry to say, it is too long to remember details, except a few:.
Tilden Lake is still in my mind as one of the more beautiful places I have seen; watched what we believe was an otter (turned out to be two of 'em, one immediately behind the other otter) cruise from far across the lake to look at us, just 20 feet up onshore, before they turned to swim clear back to the far side. We saw, we think, an Elk in Matterhorn Canyon; both animal and canyon were so, so wild. M. Canyon was really cool and deep, and the trail up the far side was an elegant example of trails built back in the '30s by CCC guys. I wonder how it looks now? The various images in this thread are beautiful, and I wish I could remember Smedburg being that pristine and perfect. Wonderful shot, and thanks!
In '62 a friend and I hiked in from Kennedy Meadows, stayed at Dorothy Lk, hiked up over and past Forester Pk, crossed the shoulder of Tower (did not climb it, and should have-Did it years and years later from Tower Lk, and it was an easy third up the gulley to the summit), had a perfectly cool time jumping and leaping, sliding down endless fine scree into Thompson (?) canyon, and then hiked over Benson Pass to finally stay at Snow Lk behind the Sawtooth Ridge. etc, etc. The high and slowly winding creek high up in Kerrick Canyon with its almost perfect spawning beds was a surprising and sublime scene late on a long day. I have been back in the NE Yosemite country just a few times in all the intervening years; believe that region is under appreciated (this is probably good). My son and I have an eye on a possible route up to Twin Peaks which is a little different and maybe we will have a chance at it this late Spring. And then, finally, we may do Virginia, also. V Pk is impressive from V. Canyon, below!
Thanks, you all!
Onward
Warren



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 04/02/2012 11:54AM by XCSTSKI.

Stubblefield?
Kewl about the Otters. Have seen them a few places now. Last time was at Peninsula.
I'm guessing you didn't see this:
http://yosemitenews.info/forum/read.php?3,40408
(maybe you don't want to either)

Benson has some interesting trees. such as:


I could spend a few months putting up various photos of lakes. Want more?

Ask a ranger their favorite place in Yosemite. Little doubt they will say the northern.
(I know cause I've heard many many say it)

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tomdisco


Early morning views of Rodgers Lake last August.

Can you give coordinates for this lake or directions?

Thanks,

Paul

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Ataim

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tomdisco
Early morning views of Rodgers Lake last August.

Can you give coordinates for this lake or directions?

Thanks,

Paul

He can't really tell you that since it's his secret place in Yosemite.
It's a gem. The vast vast vast majority whip nearby on the PCT
and never see it. It's a shame. And the view from Volunteer is ... well...
worth the effort. This lake is def. on my top 5 list in the park.
Unfortunately there seem to be a swarm of mosquitoes there
almost every time been there.

It's here

**p.s. to Tom. Awesome faux toe. Love love love it!

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chick-on

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Ataim

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tomdisco
Early morning views of Rodgers Lake last August.

Can you give coordinates for this lake or directions?

Thanks,

Paul

It's a gem. The vast vast vast majority whip nearby on the PCT
and never see it. It's a shame.

But aren't you secretly glad that they skip it.
.

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plawrence
But aren't you secretly glad that they skip it.
.

It's no secret. I am glad that it's a piece of Twinkie to get away from everyone though.

I put some pix of Rodgers here:
http://yosemitenews.info/forum/read.php?1,14823
If you follow the Picasa link you'll see a number of other lakes N of 120.

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chick-on

Quote
plawrence
But aren't you secretly glad that they skip it.
.

It's no secret. I am glad that it's a piece of Twinkie to get away from everyone though.

I put some pix of Rodgers here:
http://yosemitenews.info/forum/read.php?1,14823
If you follow the Picasa link you'll see a number of other lakes N of 120.

Thanks for the link to the Picasa photos link.

By the way, does anyone know the current status of those trees around Rodgers Lake?
.

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plawrence
By the way, does anyone know the current status of those trees around Rodgers Lake?

Take a look here at Jim's Trip Report:
http://yosemitenews.info/forum/read.php?3,45764
Follow his link and then look specifically at photos 58-59+
That was last year. The trees look great.

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Looks like most of the trees recovered from whatever had inflicted them, though some of the trees near the lake look a bit scrawny (sections of bare limbs and such). Still, the outcome could have been a lot worse.
.

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chick-on

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Ataim

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tomdisco
Early morning views of Rodgers Lake last August.

Can you give coordinates for this lake or directions?

Thanks,

Paul

He can't really tell you that since it's his secret place in Yosemite.
It's a gem. The vast vast vast majority whip nearby on the PCT
and never see it. It's a shame. And the view from Volunteer is ... well...
worth the effort. This lake is def. on my top 5 list in the park.
Unfortunately there seem to be a swarm of mosquitoes there
almost every time been there.

It's here

**p.s. to Tom. Awesome faux toe. Love love love it!

Go in mid August or later---only 5 mosquitos in residence at that time of year!

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tomdisco
Go in mid August or later---only 5 mosquitos in residence at that time of year!

For my specific case... the better 3/4 spousal unit can't go then...
so I'd end up solo-ing it there nowadayz.... at that time...
But yes, the first time we were there in early-mid Aug. there were skeeters at
Benson but pretty much non at Smedberg and Rodgers.
(not to mention how incredibly beautiful Loch Tablae is at that time o the year)

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Second this. Where is this?

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jackolive

Second this. Where is this?

Where's what? Which lake do you want to know its location?

(Not clear by your reply).
.

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plawrence

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jackolive

Second this. Where is this?

Where's what? Which lake do you want to know its location?

(Not clear by your reply).
.

Best guess by the thread view is Rodgers. Which was answered here already:
http://yosemitenews.info/forum/read.php?3,51886,52498#msg-52498

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From January, Lake 5728, Kendrick Creek Lakes.



and February, Kibbie:

I know it's not as far north of 120 as some of the other great lakes pictured in this forum, and I know it's along a more popular route, but I think McGee Lake has a fine backdrop: