Little Lakes Valley (John Muir Wilderness) 8/23/04
2 Days Total Miles- 10
The Little Lakes Valley is known as one of the most scenic valleys in the Sierras. It is surrounded by massive granite peaks and feathered with lakes. The trailhead is also at a whopping 10,300 ft. What that translates to is less time hiking up a steep eastern Sierra pass and more time enjoying the surrounding high country. It was a pleasant drive from Yosemite where I stayed the night before in Tuolumne Meadows. I headed to a Mammoth ranger station to get a permit. I had no set plans on where to camp for the night, but I knew that I wanted to go out the of the Rock Creek trailhead and the ranger recommended Treasure Lakes which would require some cross country. So that's the plan. I got off 395 just south of Mammoth and drove up the valley, the trailhead starts at the end of the road. I was excited knowing that I would get to hike to the end of this magnificent valley and make camp.
I spent about an hour getting all my gear together and I was on the trail at about 3:30.
Less than 100 yards into the trail the valley unfolds and gives a sweeping views of Little Lakes Valley that I would hike all the way to the end and up about 1000ft. As you can see the weather was marginal. The weather did not call for rain, but increasing winds.
This is the first lake (Mack Lake) that you reach a short ways into the hike.
This is looking north from Long Lake. This is where I would leave the trail and follow the creek (crosscountry) that would hopefully lead to my destination.
As I made my way up from the drainage from Long Lake there were lots of large size boulders that were awkward to hike up. I went up boulders on the left side of the picture. I knew that I was on the right track because I could hear a river running underneath the rocks. I knew that the lake was somewhere above.
There she was, the treasure has been found. It only took about 2 1/2 hrs to reach. This picture was shot from my camp and there is another lake higher up on the right. I was camped on a ridgeline above the two lakes. The elevation at Treasure Lakes is 11,075 ft and is the highest elevation that I have camped yet. MOVIE
Looking east from camp at Mt. Morgan.
The last moment of light hitting Bear Creek Spire. This is now one of my favorite mountains. It looked like the perfect high sierra peak as it overlooks the center of the valley. I remember looking above at the stars that night. It was quite a feeling- we are all just stardust as Carl Sagan once said. I tried to no avail to grasp some perspective, but it felt good just to take a moment to try to attempt to see the whole picture. I concluded that I do not think humans are capable of it. Size and time defeats us.
The next morning was cloudless, no wind, but very cold. Bear Creek Spire again. There is always something special about the suns first rays. They bring the excitement of a new day.
Interesting veins running through Mt. Dade. I talked 2 other guys that were camping near by that were camped at Treasure Lake and they told me they planned climb Mt. Dade the next morning. We were looking up at the hourglass route that they would follow and we talked about how difficult it looked- they were probably not going to attempt it.
It would be a beautiful day in the Sierra. It was a wonderful basin feathered with the Treasure Lakes below. From left to right there are 3 peaks all over 13,000 ft. Bear Creek Spire, Mt. Dade and Mt. Abbot. My camp was located at the ridgeline of trees to the right.
Looking North the opposite direction at Long lake below. Today, I would not take the same route down to Long Lake to pick up the trail. Instead, I planned to cross country over a small ridgeline to Gem Lakes and find the trail there.
From the top of the ridge I was looking down on Gem Lakes. On the top of the picture you can see the trail that I was headed to switchback over Morgan Pass. No big trouble getting down to the lake other than a few steep sections. The popular Gem Lakes were pretty, but I preferred Treasure Lakes perched below the peaks. I found the trail and headed back through the valley.
It was a cool morning, one that was perfect for hiking and I enjoyed the short 2 1/2 hr hike back to my car. The Crystal clear waters of Rock Creek near the parking lot.
Another impressive look back
With the trailhead located at 10,300 ft it was an easy trip and this valley could be explored in a day hike. There were lots of people fishing and hiking in the area. I highly recommend checking out this area of the Eastern Sierra especially if you want a short trip with no passes to haul over. It was a quick easy trip that reminded me of how easy it is to access some amazing terrain in the Eastern Sierras.