Spent last Friday through Monday with Chick-On exploring part of the Emigrant Wilderness between the Crabtree Meadows TH and the Yosemite border. Weather was perfect, mosquitoes not as bad as expected (although we were primarily up on the granite away from the mosquito-y areas). We were at elevations from 7000 to 8500 feet and the snow was non-existent except in very sheltered north facing slopes, and even there it was intermittent.
Day 1 was from the TH to Big Lake, via Piute Meadow, Groundhog Meadow, and Rosasco Lake, mostly on trail, although the last half appeared to be no longer maintained. Day 2 all cross country from Big Lake over Gillett Mountain, down to and across Cherry Creek downstream of Lord Meadow, up into Yosemite at Boundary and Little Bear Lake and to the Uppermost Inferno Lake. Day 3 more cross country along the border towards Wheeler Peak, down and back across the East Fork of Cherry Creek downstream of Huckleberry, then east to Pruitt Lake, north to cross the north fork of Cherry Creek, then east past Yellowhammer Lake back to Big Lake. Day 4 we headed northeast past Coyote Lake to the Buck Meadow Trail (where we hit our only significant snow...intermittent as it was...on the trail), up past Gem and Piute Lakes and then down to Grouse Lake before heading back to the trailhead.
Lots of big, open granite spaces..it was easy wandering.
Some photosynths and some pictures:
The view from the top of Gillett is here. Big Lake to the north is the most significant landmark.
The view looking into the North Fork of Cherry Creek Canyon is here.
Heading down towards Big Lake on Day 1
The view southeast across Yosemite from the top of Gillett
Unsinkable making his way across Inferno Lake
Crossing the West Fork of Cherry Creek
Camp Yellowhammer
Heading North out of Big Lake
Along the Bell Meadows Trail heading back to the car
All of the pictures (so far) are here.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/06/2014 07:57AM by Bearproof.