Emerald Lake, Sequoia NP

L

lambertiana

Gold Member
Joined
Jul 7, 2000
Messages
9,411
In my efforts to start getting into better shape for backpacking this summer, I went on a hike to Emerald Lake in Sequoia NP today.

The trail starts at Wolverton (7200') in middle elevation forest


Lots of California Red Fir in the lower half of the hike


And a few of one of my favorites, sugar pine


Although it is a very dry year, there are still a few small brooks running






About halfway up is the Watchtower, a big granite monolith with thousand foot sheer cliffs. I had never been on top of it, so I detoured from the trail. On the way up, I liked the way this tree is hanging on


Here is a view from on top


And from on top looking over to where the trail goes, it seems that this was a popular hike today, look at all the people over there


Then I went over to where those people were, to take a few pictures from that point. This is the watchtower itself


And looking down from there; the pictures just don't convey the depth. Those trees directly below are 1000' down


Above the Watchtower, the trail is cut out of the face


From that point on the trail looking back


From there looking up toward the Tablelands
 
Awesome pictures. I did a lot of exploring in the Sierras when I was growing up, and those pics definitely take me back. Love those gnarled, twisted high-altitude pines.
 
A little farther and you can see into the basin where Heather Lake is found


Heather Lake


As I ascended the small ridge to cross to the Emerald Lake drainage, this was looking northeast across the canyon


And a little farther over a little ridge and you get to the bowl that holds Emerald Lake. Nothing says Sierras to me better than a lot of granite/granodiorite


The pool on the outlet stream just below Emerald Lake


The outlet stream just below the lake


And finally, on the shore of Emerald Lake. The glaciers scooped out a deep pool, right at the outlet side of the lake it drops vertically out of sight into the depths. And that is Alta Peak behind the lake; I climbed it last year via a rock scrambling route from Pear Lake (drainage immediately to the east of Emerald) and it looks like there may be a route up from Emerald Lake, too. I'll have to try it some time.


I would have liked to continue on to Pear Lake, but my wife was not pleased with me taking off because she had some honey do projects at home, so I decided to head back down so that there would be some daylight left when I got home to take care of them. On the way out I dropped directly down the drainage for my obligatory visit to Aster Lake, and found some nice spots on the stream




A pool on the stream immediately above Aster Lake, looking back up toward Emerald Lake


Aster Lake. When I camp at Emerald Lake I like to visit Aster Lake early morning and late evening to catch the reflections on the mirror-smooth water. Mid-afternoon today there was a breeze so I didn't get any good pictures.




I made tracks back down the trail, only seeing one deer along the way (I heard a number of grouse and woodpeckers, but that was about it, no bears this time). The only other interesting life form that I spotted on the way down was this Ent


All in all, it was mission accomplished. Left the house at 7:40 this morning, got back at 5PM and took care of my wife's projects.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top