On our way out, going over Mosquito Pass we had lightning, rain and hail. Thunderstorms our first day. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. 16710 Ranch Rd. Much of the area burned in 2020 North Complex Fire (including the nearby Feather Falls Trail). You park along the side of Hwy 108 and scramble down an embankment where a creek flows at the bottom. This is a phenomenal trail with everything you could want and more out of an Eastern Sierra backpacking trip: views, waterfalls, meadows, woods, climbs, lakes, etc. The Tuolumne Intrusive Suite contains many famous rock types including the Half Dome Granodiorite and Cathedral Peak Granite. The trail was very well maintained in areas where snow wasnt covering it. Looking forward to flowers in the meadows! mosquitoes miserable. We clocked 20miles, 40K steps and got back after dark. We made our way up steeper slabs to Middle Lewis Lake, the largest lake in the Granite Balconies region. TL;DR Incredible route with gorgeous scenery, but with a creek crossing that becomes an impassable river crossing early in the season and should not be attempted until the flow slows significantly. Nearby State Parks, Historic Sites and State Natural Areas, Lyndon B. Johnson State Park & Historic Site, Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park, Lyndon B. Johnson State Park and Historic Site and the Sauer-Beckmann living history farm, Peach Loop, one of TPWDs Great Texas Wildlife Trails, National Weather Service forecast for this area, Adult: If you wish to use a grill, stove, or make a campfire, it is recommen Start: 3819'08.46"N 11939'49.26"W Elev 8879ftPark along Hwy 108, head down the bank and across the stream at the bottom. The breadth and scope of this trees canopy is just as impressive. Day 1 - Tracked 9 miles our first day and stayed at Sheep Camp; note that starting at the free parking lot and not the Kennedy Meadows lodge adds about a mile. Intrusive suites typically are emplaced over about 10 million years and are often interpreted as being the roots of a single volcanic system. It gets better the deeper you go. There is also parking at Kennedy Meadow Resort but you need to pay for that. We had Ridge Lake all to ourselves as we set up base camp. As shown on the topographic map, there is a more gradual section if you aim straight up the middle of the saddle. I walked through the knee high water with heavy current in my hiking shoes. The peak isnt very prominent on the ridge and the views are fantastic all along, although as its so flat you dont get to take in the entirety of both sides at once. This type of rock dominates the landscape in the Yosemite high country near Tuolumne Meadows. We went during Memorial Day weekend expecting the trail to be mostly clear of snow, however there were parts where the trail disappeared under snow for miles. MLS# IV15166455. There are no shortage of pictures to be taken! We camped within a mile or two of where you cross the river and start on the granite, closer to Lewis Lake, and headed up to Granite dome and back to Kennedy meadows the second day. Absolutely love that area. Being unattractive to the loggers turned out to be serendipitous as its one of the few giants remaining in this forest from its era. On 7/2 it was possible to get through by walking on stones, I took off shoes once, but water was only ankles deep. Cross both creeks, and head up the wide canyon west of the trail. Theres even more rusted out machinery scattered all over as you get nearer to the dam, and what looks like the entrance to a mine as a concrete doorway leads into the granite. Granite dominates the geology of Yosemite National Park. We didn't see anyone at Ridge Lake and ran into 4 people on our way to Granite Dome so felt like we had the place to ourselves. Camping at Emigrant Lake was incredible. night 3: far end of Emigrant Lake - fierce mosquitos! The named lakes of the region include theLewis Lakes (lower, middle, upper), Sardella Lake, Ridge Lake and Iceland Lake with a numerous other smaller tarns. Overnight the wind died down and by morning the air was completely still. Generally considered a challenging route, it takes an average of 5 h 58 min to complete. mark. It is an elongated area that extends northeast about 25 miles (40 km) in length and up to 15 miles (24 km) in width. Make it a dome hike to the 9,455-ft. peak for a panoramic vista of Yosemite's high-country majesty. 5627 Lutte Tigre Ln is a home located in Calcasieu Parish with nearby schools including St. John Elementary School, S. J. Welsh Middle School, and Alfred M. Barbe High . The scenery, rock formations and legends are magical, too! After eating breakfast, watching the sun rise, and breaking down camp, I spent a little time walking around the lakes, seeing them again in morning light, before following the drainage of Ridge Lake back down to the valley below. It is a remote location. The campground is typically open from May - October. Ridge Lake is arguably the centerpiece nestled beneath the towering cliffs of Granite Dome with waterfalls splashing down into the lake from the upper reaches of the peak. GPS route here. 5 days/4 nights 40 miles* (more on that below) [15 MB PDF], The Geologic Story of Yosemite National Park by N. King Huber, 1987, U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 1595. I walked from subpeak to subpeak, taking in Ridge Lake, Iceland Lake, Sardella Lake, Lewis Lakes, and smaller unnamed bodies of water. Day 5 - 4 miles back to the car. Your photos are amazing, great pics as always heres to hoping all this terrain gets blanketed in a thick snow drift this winter : ). night 2: layover at summit creek (did a day trip up to ridge lake) Leavitt Lake is located at the end of Forest Service Route 077 off of Highway 108. tough day hiking up the granite and navigating around snow patches. Tower Peak is particularly striking to the east. The lakes are set amid granite cliffs that afford stunning vistas of the pristine lakes from above. Regardless of destination, this section of trail involves detailed route finding based on topography. After following a few creekbeds, the trial eventually pokes up into the alpine within a large canyon. The lakes described here are all within close proximity to each other and given that they are off-trail you are not likely to run into many other campers. (LogOut/ We had complete panoramic views of Emigrant Wilderness. Glad we were on horseback. There are ample climbing routes for all technical abilities, ranging from easy class II scrambles to more technical class V ascents. After 3.8 miles you'll take a left (right takes you towards the Relief Valleys) on the Huckleberry Trail towards Saucer Meadow/Sheep Camp/Lunch Meadow/Emigrant Meadow. The wind was much stronger on top, and freezing cold. I feel lucky that we as three 30-somethings in relatively good shape made it, but I can imagine this option could result in an emergency situation for others. https://www.fs.usda.gov/detailfull/stanislaus/specialplaces/?cid=stelprdb5361242&width=full, https://www.fs.usda.gov/detailfull/eldorado/specialplaces/?cid=fsbdev7_019058&width=full. ft. house located at 22800 Granite Dome, Canyon Lake, CA 92587 sold for $550,000 on Sep 26, 2016. You can hike, backpack, camp, rock climb, picnic, bird, study nature, geocache and stargaze. Weathering causes sheets of exposed rock to slip away and fall due to cracks or joints in the rock, creating sheer faces like on the other side on Half Dome. (12), Comments 3 beds, 2 baths, 1687 sq. So typically the most popular time to climb the mountain is from June through October. 269 Real Guest Reviews. President Lyndon B. Johnson was born near Johnson City. amazing hike. 4 beds, 3 baths, 3495 sq. But the views and the granite and everything else was a 5. No trails travel into this area making it a relatively infrequently visited spot where solitude and ample room for exploration can be found. Did an overnight June 5th/6th. The view westward is of Burst Rock, Cooper Peak, Three Chimneys, East Flange Rock and the Dardinelles. But there's more at Enchanted Rock State Natural Area than just the dome. The park boundary perfectly frames a landscape that is composed almost entirely of granite, and its no surprise that this landscape contains some of the most iconic rock formations on earth. While the northern side of Granite Dome is rugged, the south side features more subdued terrain and no lakes until much farther down in the Emigrant Wilderness. It's buggy as hell this time of year in sections. The trail to the Granite Dome Lakes is a 3.7 mile (5.95km) out and back path from the Huckleberry Trail. Nestled in the folded granite on the north side of Granite Dome theres a number of pristine mountain lakes and views down to the valleys below. Did in 2 nights, tracked 40 miles, very difficult. ALLTRAILS and the AllTrails Mountain Design are registered trademarks of AllTrails, LLC in the United States as well as certain other jurisdictions. We had rain 2 of 5 days. . These domes were sculpted by glaciers millions of years ago. The views from the top of Granite Dome look out across the entire Emigrant Wilderness and there are many pristine mountain lakes nestled in the expansive and gently sloping granite slopes, polished smooth by glaciers. Enjoy this 21.2-mile out-and-back trail near Pinecrest, California. The crew was setting up radio repeaters to allow comnmunications between the SAR teams when the accident occurred. Rule 1, never trust weather forecasts, especially for the Sierras. Below that are Long, Coolidge Meadow and Wilson Meadow lakes. Call the Summit ranger station for current conditions. Some of the easier routes originate from Wilson Meadow Lake (Southern Route), from Upper Lewis Lake, and from the west end of Ridge Lake.Numerous technical routes lead up the shear granite cliffs on the south side of Ridge Lake. We camped at Ridge Lake which is a gorgeous alpine lake then spent the next day hiking to the summit of Granite Dome and visiting the various lakes nearby. I did it in 3 days, 2 nights and went counterclockwise to check on the creek crossing early on (see comment below). There are roughly 35 individually defined plutons in the Yosemite area. Fredericksburg, TX Camped overnight at Deer Lake mosquitos swarmed us at night and in the morning. . Begin at the Kennedy Meadows trailhead off of Highway 108, just west of the Sonora Pass. It would be a great area to make a multi-day trip out of. tough day hiking up the granite and navigating around snow patches. Wow, incredible photos and amazing scenery! Mosquitoes were awful (June), especially at Emigrant Lake. Featured Amenities. amazing hike. Generally considered a moderately challenging route, it takes an average of 15 h 31 min to complete. But theres more at Enchanted Rock State Natural Area than just the dome. Route, it takes an average of 5 h 58 min to complete between. Exploration can be found ; s high-country majesty views of Emigrant Lake - fierce mosquitos scrambles... 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