Branigan Lakes ?

So we are going to be heading through Jack Main Canyon this summer, north to south, and planning to exit at Hetch-hetchy. And we'd like a little advice on a possible route through Upper and Middle Branigan Lake to Lake Vernon...passing south of Banigan Lake itself,,and traversing a bit to hit the Till Till trail south of Vernon.?

Anybody been this way? Seems like it should work from the maps...and it would save that big backtrack to Vernon...

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Quote
balzaccom
So we are going to be heading through Jack Main Canyon this summer, north to south, and planning to exit at Hetch-hetchy. And we'd like a little advice on a possible route through Upper and Middle Branigan Lake to Lake Vernon...passing south of Banigan Lake itself,,and traversing a bit to hit the Till Till trail south of Vernon.?

Anybody been this way? Seems like it should work from the maps...and it would save that big backtrack to Vernon...

My ex went the other way a few years ago but had a trail boat to traverse the lakes. Chich-on did it somewhat recently but I think he used a trailboat also.

Also you can cut down to Vernon by following Falls Creek down from where it leaves Jack Main heading to Vernon. There are actually blazes on some tree on this route.

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Old Dude

Thanks Old Dude. I suspected as much about Falls Creek.

And are there any fish in the Otter Lakes?

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Check our our website: http://www.backpackthesierra.com/
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You are missing a great portion of the canyon if you skip out at Paradise Valley and try to zig around
the Branigans. You certainly will not save any time by going by Upper and Middle Branigans.
You go that way because you want to explore them and don't care about how difficult it is or how
long it will take you. Even boating them is non-trivial b/c you have to portage b/t them and there
is some delicious goodness that you will flail through. From Paradise to Vernon... the quickest way is over Andrews.
That way is fun... done that a couple of times.. but you need to skip Andrews Lake and then
walk in the water / inlet area of Branigan to avoid major shrub.
Anywho. I highly recommend to just do the entire canyon... and then if you really want... zip down
Falls Creek instead of going up and over Moraine Ridge. OD said there are blazes in the trees... well..
those are ski trail markers... so... well... without snow... you get to ski-daddle over some shrub and
work and pick your way down. My guess is there will be some complaining. It's not as simple as
people probably say it is. Get that out of ur noggin. Alot of it is pretty sweet... but the top portion
is yummy. Pretty much just stay to the west of the creek and work down. After the top portion
plunge there's a zillion ways down.
I've never seen any fish in Otter. Gorgeous lakes though... if you want to fish... Tilden and Wilma and Vernon.
Lower Branigan has fish too... but never caught anything big in it.

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THanks Bill. Great info as always

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Check our our website: http://www.backpackthesierra.com/
Or just read a good mystery novel set in the Sierra; https://www.amazon.com/Danger-Falling-Rocks-Paul-Wagner/dp/0984884963

Here's a set from a 2 day trip I did thru all 3 lakes plus Andrews Lake in 2008.
Must have made the set for someone in the past. It was hidden. Here it is unhidden:
https://picasaweb.google.com/yosemite.chick.on/Branigan

May give some insight into the terrain.

Have fun

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