![]() The sunset was cloudless and I went to bed early with an alarm set for midnight for night photos. Once they made it to the lake they informed us that they were attempting the long, challenging Sierra High Route that travels off trail for some 195 miles through the Sierra high country. ![]() We had Iceberg Lake to ourselves until after dinner, when two English gentlemen appeared on top of the pass to Cecile Lake and quickly began making their way down the precarious scree and across the snowfield. We set up camp and sat on the shore of the lake and watched as the icebergs slowly drifted around in the lake's eddies. Iceberg Lake was a welcome change from the busyness of the JMT and Thousand Island Lake. 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 final night. There is an endless supply of loops, out-and-backs, and point-to-point hikes that can be completed in the Ansel Adams Wilderness and Laura snagged us permits for the River Trail entrance. I decided to get to sleep early and tried to avoid thoughts of wildfire and smoke.Īfter a fitful night of sleep Laura and I packed up and officially hit the trail. At 7 o'clock sharp we headed past the gates and down to the trailhead where we set up camp at the first-come, first-serve campsite located there. We had already picked up our wilderness permits from the ranger station in Mammoth, stopped for some sandwiches in town, and headed to the vista to wait until 7pm at which time we could drive to the trailhead at Agnew Meadows. My friend, Laura, and I were scheduled to begin our hike through the Ansel Adams Wilderness the following day and from where I was standing it seemed we would be in for a smoky trip. ![]() The Lions Wildfire that was sparked by a rogue lightning strike on June 1 was only partially contained and the smell of smoke was overwhelming. The mountains, which should have been clear and crisp from our distance appeared vaguely through a smoky haze. I looked out at the mountains from our vantage point at the Minaret Vista parking lot and furrowed my brow. ![]()
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