Minaret Lake should be on every backpacker's list. Non-motorized: $5. Permit Info: Wilderness permits are required for overnight trips into the Ansel Adams Wilderness. Flush toilet at shuttle stop. I finally hiked the High Sierra Trail, a trip I've been dying to do for years! Permit: None required for day hiking, Wilderness Permit required for backpacking. In Minaret Creek you will fish for Brook Trout. The lake was quite marshy, but there were some nice spots in the shade to relax and watch the dragonflies flying low across the meadows. Day two. Our first view of the entire Minarets, part of the Ritter Range. Anywho, my permit via recreation.gov was for the Inyo ⦠You don't need a permit to hike this is a day hike. Explore Inyo National Forest - Wilderness Permits in Inyo National Forest, California with Recreation.gov. Price. Wilderness permits are required for all overnight stays in the backcountry. This area falls under Eastern Sierra regulations. The use trail that leads from Minaret Lake up toward Cecile Lake actually climbs the north side of the canyon via some obvious switchbacks at about the midpoint between Minaret Lake and Cecile Lake. Overnight permits can be reserved online through Recreation.gov, and the ones we reserved were for AA09 - High Trail.If youâre unable to get a permit for the High Trail, there are alternative trailheads you can plan around like Shadow Creek and the River Trail. Although the scenery so far has been pretty typical of a high elevation Sierra forest - dried pine needles and lots of boulders, the portions near the creek were surprisingly lush. There are a couple more sites just when climbing out towards Minaret Lake. TL;DR: Walk up permits are not as hard to get as it may seem. 1(800) 292-7758. Minaret Vista is the highest lookout point in the Mammoth Lakes area that motorists can drive to during summer months. Less than 10 miles roundtrip, the Duck Lake is the perfect overnight backpacking trip to experience classic Sierra lakes and mountains. The Minaret Lake trail follows Minaret Creek. The trail to Lake Ediza is frequently traveled and is usually completed as an out-and-back day hike. Water from creeks, lakes and springs should be treated before drinking. Bishop, CA 93514. Check the area map for the correct trail name. We passed two groups of hikers that sported some climbing gear who probably had their eyes set on higher end goal than us. You'll hike along the Minaret Creek past meadows, an enormous waterfall, and eventually you'll see the entire range of the Minarets ⦠To get to the trailhead: Take Route 395 to Route 203 and drive 3.6 miles to Mammoth Lakes. Those 6 days in remote backcountry absolutely blew me away. Glacier-fed Minaret Lakes are at the foot of the Minaret Pinnacles in the Ritter Range. You can reserve permits ahead of time online here, or try to get a last minute walk in permit as early as the day before at any of the ranger stations listed on their site here. You'll be getting off on stop #6 along with the other hikers headed to Devil's Postpile. Day three. All day we could detect the faintest trace of smoke in the air from all the wildfires California has been battling, and as late afternoon rolled around, we could visibly see the haze settling into the basin, even up here at 9,800 ft. That sunset ended up being one of the most memorable I've experienced in the backcountry. Bury human waste away from water sources. Fishing in Minaret and Deadhorse Lakes is for Brook Trout. The trail now mostly follows the Minaret Creek, and we spotted lots of fish in the clear waters darting away in front of us. It is the second highest peak in the Ritter Range, very close to its bigger neighbor Mount Ritter, 200 feet taller. Each hiker will need to buy a $8 roundtrip shuttle ticket from the Mammoth Mountain Adventure Center, and you can find parking down the hill. I'd love to come back for some more technical routes up some of the nearby peaks - the view must be incredible from up there. - Quota of 10 people permitted to start overnight trips each day from May 1 to November 1 for the John Muir Trail north of Devils Postpile.Trips going toward Minaret Lake, Beck Lake, Fern Lake or South of Devils Postpile are a different permit. Although it's not even 9am on a Thursday morning, ⦠Cecile has two or so single spots near the lake (in the midst of the rock slide; the best views but no shade during the day). Since we didn't get to acclimate by sleeping at elevation the night before, we were feeling the altitude and had to take a break every 15 minutes on the final climb to catch our breath. Doable in a short weekend backpacking trip, the jagged peaks of the Minarets are some of the most dramatic scenes in the Sierra. The red, smooth, striped walls make for unique photo opportunities. Open Season: Road closed in winter. I recorded to gps tracks on Gaia GPS and both were different so these numbers are not 100% accurate but close. There is a water spigot and bathrooms near the Ranger Station here. Compared to Ritter, Banner Peak is much slimmer with a sharp profile; it is surrounded by 1500-2000 feet high vertical cliffs except on its southwest side. Agnew Meadows : SummitPost.org : Climbing, hiking, mountaineering. Overview Located a few miles west of the bustling ski/vacation resort of Mammoth Lakes, the Agnew Meadows trailhead offers peace and quiet, quick access to some of the most beautiful scenery in the Sierra, as well as an easy approach to some of the range's ⦠I got a HD permit this way, a whole bunch of them became available once the time to pick up permits had expired, there seemed to be a lot of these. Minaret Lake should be on every backpacker's list. The mandatory shuttle helps with congestion on the windy roads and runs from about mid June to early September. Also called the Minaret Creek Trail, this is a 6.5-mile (one way) hike that offers a moderate to difficult challenge up to 9,500 feet. As the sun started to set, the light rays created by the shadows of the peaks became more and more pronounced. Turn right on Minaret Road and go to Mammoth Mountain Adventure Center (Main Lodge) for long term parking and to board the mandatory shuttle to the trailhead. Suite 200 Finally we started seeing pools of water, and eventually we arrived on the shore of gorgeous Minaret Lake! Minaret and Fern Lakes are just a couple of the destinations you ⦠I've been wanting to visit Minaret Lake for so long now, and I love that I was able to squeeze in a weekend trip from the Bay Area. Minaret lake to Nydiver Lakes going past Cecile lake, Iceberg Lake, and Ediza. The trail follows Minaret Creek to the west and reaches Minaret Lake, set in dark rock at the foot of the Minarets. You'll hike along the Minaret Creek past meadows, an enormous waterfall, and eventually you'll see the entire range of the Minarets above you. During the summer you can also arrive before 7am to avoid having to take the shuttle (like we did for our Thousand Island Lake backpacking trip), and this allows you to have your car waiting for you when you return from your hike. After lunch we steadily climbed another ~600 feet over another two miles before turning a bend and seeing an enormous waterfall cascading down the side of the mountain! Sign up with your email address to receive occasional updates of new blog posts. Turn right onto Minaret Road toward Mammoth Mountain. Recreation.gov is your source for discovering and experiencing America's federal recreation activities and outdoor adventures. Monday August 21. Please Leave No Trace. Banner Peak is arguably the most picturesque peak in the Sierra Nevada. Shuttle stop #6 is Devils Postpile Visitor Center. Click here for all important dates for booking CA backpacking permits. Makes me want to slide down the entire thing, much faster than hiking back down the switchbacks! This scenic overlook offers a panorama of the famous Minarets, the backside of Mammoth Mountain and the far-reaching Sierra landscape. We took our time enjoying the morning light in the trees, and we even happened upon a doe and a fawn. Follow the John Muir Trail as it climbs above Minaret Falls to the junction near Johnston Meadow. To purchase more detailed maps or guidebooks of the area, visit sierraforever.org. A bridge across the river leads to several trail junctions. The Zebra Slot Canyon is one of my favorite hikes in the Grand Staircase-Escalante area. Call Mammoth Lakes Welcome Center for more information. This entire time we hadn't had a single glimpse of the Minarets that we would be camping beneath. It reaches a beautiful setting where overnight backpackers find a lovely high-altitude lake (permit required) right under the iconic Minaret spires of the Ritter Range. An Inyo National Forest Wilderness permit for Minaret Lake is required for this trip and can be purchased from recreation.gov. After 0.75 miles, we passed the North/South junction for the PCT. Situated at 9,793 feet in the Ritter Range, Minaret Lake is a stunning alpine lake with Michael Minaret as the backdrop. Permits are available on a first-come first-served basis, or through an online reservation system. Most of it was gorgeous but some of that JMT section honestly sucked, although the Minaret Lake day made up for it! During our 3 day trip, we also hiked up to the summit of Mt. Date Hiked: October 12, 2019. Inyo National Forest After pitching our tent, we headed down to the shore to pump some water and take an afternoon dip. Visitors to the Reds Meadow Valley pay a per-person transportation fee which allows use of the mandatory shuttle bus. We headed to bed early in normal backcountry fashion, and woke at dawn to catch the sunrise. So with permit in hand I was ready to leave from the Devils Postpile trailhead near Mammoth Lakes. But to camp overnight, you'll need to obtain a permit like most spots in the Eastern Sierra. The John Muir Trail (and Pacific Crest Trail) passes through this wilderness, and it can be reached from both sides of the Sierra crest. The trail is primarily used for hiking and backpacking and is best used from July until October. - No campfires at Minaret Lakes or Deadhorse Lake; and no campfires above 10,000 ft. see. - Ansel Adams Wilderness ⦠Three and a half hours later, we were back at the trailhead waiting for the shuttle! Ban⦠⦠Location to obtain permit: Ansel Adams Wilderness-North Trailheads North of Middle Fork of the San Joaquin River: Minarets/Mariposa Ranger District 57003 Road 225 North Fork, CA 93643-9734 (559) 877-2218 : Ansel Adams Wilderness-South Trailheads South of Middle Fork of the San Joaquin River John Muir, Kaiser and Dinkey Lakes ⦠Only two miles in, we decided to have our Triscuits and tuna lunch (click here for my tried-and-true backpacking meals) on the edge of Johnston Lake, since this would be the only other lake we would pass before reaching Minaret Lake, our final destination. A little while later we were at our intended camp: Minaret Lake. Once at the top there ⦠After heading left here, the trail steadily climbs up through the trees, gaining some slight elevation the entire time. Please remember to check with the local Fish and Wildlife department ⦠The Minarets rose over our tents. Price â Desolation Wilderness, CA, Zebra Slot Canyon - Grand Staircase-Escalante NM, UT. Aloha Lake is one of the most popular backpacking trips in Desolation Wilderness, CA. Although we didn't get glassy lake conditions because of a slight wind in the air, we were treated to smoke-free, crystal clear skies. Click on the hyperlinks to see both tracks. Here are some of my favorite snacks, breakfasts, lunch, and dinner meal ideas for your next backcountry trip, Outdoor gear is not cheap, so here are a couple of tips Iâve found that have helped me save a little on gear, Here's our 10 day road trip itinerary along with things to do on New Zealand's south island to help you plan your trip. We watched the final light rays radiating up from behind the mountains glow from yellow to orange before the sky darkened and blue hour set in. To prevent erosion, please walk in the middle of the trail and do not short-cut trails even if it is muddy or snowy. Permit in hand, I drive up to the ski area to park and catch the shuttle bus to the trailhead. Dogs are also able to use this trail but must be kept on leash. Iceberg Lake This short extension off the trail to Ediza Lake heads to a higher lake in a sublime setting below a ridge of steep spires ⦠Permits are issued at Inyo National Forest visitor centers. Shadow Lake This 8.5-mile hike crosses a picturesque canyon and passes a plunging cascade to visit a mountain lake in the Ansel Adams Wilderness of Inyo National Forest near Mammoth Lakes. Leave Hwy 395 at Hwy 203 to the town of Mammoth Lakes. I scaled the ridge on the eastern shore to get a better vantage point of the multi-lobed lake and enjoyed some peaceful moments watching a fly fisherman steadily cast his line back and forth. Permits are issued at Inyo National Forest visitor centers. Tents in a meadow off Iceberg Lake Trail below Mount Ritter and Banner Peak A sunset over Ediza Lake from boulders just off Iceberg Lake Trail. The plan was to head to Thousand Island Lake on the first night, Ediza Lake on the second, and Minaret Lake for the third and ⦠I already have a permit for this trailhead. Minaret Lake. Motorized: $25. For reservation and wilderness permit information call (760) 873-2483; or for area information call the Mammoth Lakes Welcome Center (760) 924-5500. 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