Sierra Nevada - Marie Lakes-Davis Lake Loop 1988

On August 20-27,1988 I did a nine day backpack from Agnew Meadows trailhead. I took the High Trail to Thousand Island Lake where I explored the area on two layover days.

Shadow Lake from high trail - Ansel Adams Wilderness - Aug 1988

Looking toward Agnew Pass on high trail - Ansel Adams Wilderness - Aug 1988

Looking toward Minarets on high trail - Ansel Adams Wilderness - Aug 1988

Mt. Ritter, Banner Peak from high trail - Ansel Adams Wilderness - Aug 1988

Banner Peak over Thousand Island Lake - Ansel Adams Wilderness - Aug 1988

Garnet Ridge over Thousand Island Lake from near camp
Ansel Adams Wilderness - Aug 1988

Banner Peak from camp at Thousand Island Lake - Ansel Adams Wilderness - Aug 1988

Reflection of Banner Peak in Thousand Island Lake - Ansel Adams Wilderness - Aug 1988

Banner Peak over Thousand Island Lake - Ansel Adams Wilderness - Aug 1988

Banner Peak, camp at Thousand Island Lake - Ansel Adams Wilderness - Aug 1988

Camp at Thousand Island Lake - Ansel Adams Wilderness - Aug 1988

I then hiked cross country to Island Pass and followed the John Muir/Pacific Crest Trail north toward Donohue Pass to the junction with a trail to Marie Lakes.

On August 22, 1988 .. my birthday .. I arrived at the Marie Lakes located just southwest of Donohue Pass in the Ansel Adams Wilderness.

The map shows:

my route from the John Muir Trail to the lakes (red)
my route to the upper lake (green)
my departure route (blue) to the Rodgers Lakes, Davis Lakes and eventually to a small lake above Garnet Lake.

Marie Lakes route map

I stayed two days at Marie Lakes, exploring the upper lake and enjoying the solitude and scenery.

Banner Peak from meadow near Island Pass - Ansel Adams Wilderness - Aug 1988

Banner Peak over lake at Island Pass - Ansel Adams Wilderness - Aug 1988

Valley below Marie Lakes - Ansel Adams Wilderness - Aug 1988

View over valley below lower Marie Lake with Waugh Lake on the right - Ansel Adams Wilderness - Aug 1988

Looking down valley below Marie Lakes at Waugh Lake
Ansel Adams Wilderness - Aug 1988

Lower Marie Lake - Cascade from Upper Marie Lake seen across the lake
Ansel Adams Wilderness - Aug 1988

Lower Marie Lake from the trail arriving at the lake on August 22, 1988 (my birthday) - Ansel Adams Wilderness - Aug 1988

Looking west across lower Marie Lake and my campsite at the Ritter Range
Ansel Adams Wilderness - Aug 1988

Looking across lower Marie Lake on way to upper Marie Lake whose outlet stream can be seen on the right - Ansel Adams Wilderness - Aug 1988

Cascading outlet stream from Upper Marie Lake - Ansel Adams Wilderness - Aug 1988

Cascading outlet from Upper Marie Lake - Ansel Adams Wilderness - Aug 1988

Edison control gate on upper Marie Lake outlet - Ansel Adams Wilderness - Aug 1988

Upper Marie Lake from near outlet - Ansel Adams Wilderness - Aug 1988

Edison control gate on upper Marie Lake outlet - Ansel Adams Wilderness - Aug 1988

Looking across upper Marie Lake outlet stream at lower Marie Lake
Ansel Adams Wilderness - Aug 1988

Lower Marie Lake from upper lake outlet - Ansel Adams Wilderness - Aug 1988

Basin above lower Marie Lake as seen from near the outlet of upper Marie Lake
Ansel Adams Wilderness - Aug 1988

From Marie Lakes I proceeded cross country parallelling the Ritter Range past Rodgers Lakes to Davis Lakes for two more nights.

Map showing my route to the Rodgers Lakes and Davis Lakes

Upper Davis Lake. When I left here I contoured on the gentle slopes in the left background toward Island Pass - Ansel Adams Wilderness - Aug 1988

From Marie Lakes I descended a gully to Rodgers Lakes. Then proceeded up the slope shown here to a saddle above Davis Lakes. Mt. Davis in the background - Ansel Adams Wilderness - Aug 1988

Mt. Davis above the upper Davis Lake - Ansel Adams Wilderness - Aug 1988

Mt. Davis from my campsite at upper Davis Lake - Ansel Adams Wilderness - Aug 1988

Mt. Davis and upper Davis Lake - Ansel Adams Wilderness - Aug 1988

Outlet stream from upper Davis Lake - Ansel Adams Wilderness - Aug 1988

Flowers and stream below upper Davis Lake - Ansel Adams Wilderness - Aug 1988

North over lower Davis Lake to the Koip Crest and Lost Lakes basin
Ansel Adams Wilderness - Aug 1988

Lower Davis Lake with the route to Island Pass in right background.
Easy slopes to contour - Ansel Adams Wilderness - Aug 1988

Near Island Pass .. looking back across route from Davis Lakes. Mt Davis on left edge of picture. Lower Davis Lake is in the valley behind the trees - Ansel Adams Wilderness - Aug 1988

I then proceeded near Island Pass to the upper end of Thousand Island Lake and on to a small lake above Garnet Lake (blue line on map).

In 1966 Explorer Post 360, of which I was the adult Advisor, backpacked from Yosemite Valley to Red's Meadow on the John Muir Trail as our annual Sierra Trek (red line on map). I believe this was my first time to see Garnet Lake.