The lakes areset amid granite cliffs that afford stunning vistas of the pristine lakes from above. Each site is equipped with a fire ring, picnic table, and bear boxes. Learn about this colorful Texan at the Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park. For the most part the granite is huge, smooth, and gently sloping, with a few boulder fields near to the cliffs below the ridge. The map was made using a combination of techniques including remote sensing, climbing, and geochemistry. In fact, it has been speculated that this voluminous volcanism may have contributed to the mass extinction during the middle of the Cretaceous period during which most large marine dinosaurs (such as ichthyosaurs and plesiosaurs) perished. We tried to do it as an overnight trip but I think it would be better as a 2 night trip, as we logged about 30 miles over the two days. After exploring the lake's shore, retrace your footing along the path back to the trailhead. The huge granite ridge climbs up behind, the north slope still blanketed in a layer of snow. Explored new territory off trail. What made this visit special was the colorful ice pools in the lakes, including a heavenly blue pool in Upper Lewis Lake and a stunning teal turquoise color in Ridge Lake. Visit Fredericksburg for a taste of German culture in the Texas Hill Country. We will match your abilities to our many needs. Granite is most often formed where oceanic plates dive beneath continental plates in tectonic environments called subduction zones. Click the thumbnails to enlarge. The trail is very straightforward from Kennedy Meadows all the way to the river crossing after Saucer Meadow. Upper Lewis Lake was my favorite campsite in this area. From Ridge Lake we ascended the rise above Iceland Lake with a gorgeous panorama from yet another balcony. Climb the ancient dome for amazing Hill Country views. The base of the mountain is about 9 miles from the trailhead, with ample places to camp on all sides of the mountain.The trailhead is located at the end of the parking area for the Kennedy Meadows Resort. A clear example of contrasting compositions is visible on the southeast face of El Capitan where the dark-colored hornblende-rich Diorite of North America intruded the older and lighter-colored quartz and feldspar-rich El Capitan and Taft granites. For example, the This geologic process of weathering is called exfoliation, and it still continues through the park today. Plenty of opportunities to filter drinking water. To the south we saw an endless wilderness of lakes and peaks that we have yet to explore! We made our way up steeper slabs to Middle Lewis Lake, the largest lake in the Granite Balconies region. All our fish were caught in the creek. Absolutely beautiful. After the ~ 9000' section, which was covered in snow, we descended into mosquitoville. (12), Comments Also ditto on staying low when crossing the boulder field, I wish I had remembered that comment someone made before. night 4: wire lakes (.7 mile side trail of this route, and the trail is hard to follow!) Besides their natural beauty, these icons are also important . 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. We ended up circling the west side of the lake to rejoin the trailhead at the north side where the dam connects. Furthermore, the view overlooking Iceland Lake from the south is fantastic. From Middle Lewis Lake, the easiest wayto Upper Lewis Lake requires traveling north from the end of the Middle lake to easier slabs before turning left and heading west and southwest to Upper Lewis Lake. This was my third time visiting the exceptionally scenic region beneath Granite Dome. Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com. I took off my boots and waded through maybe 6" of water for part of the crossing; most of the others in my group kept their boots on and just hopped from rock to rock. Glad we were on horseback. we didn't go to the top of granite dome. Except for minor dikes, the Half Dome Granodiorite, about 87 million years old, is the youngest plutonic rock in the valley area. This beautiful large granite and glass structure is located on a granite dome that is the highest point . Being unattractive to the loggers turned out to be serendipitous as its one of the few giants remaining in this forest from its era. Intense whitewater everywhere, neck-deep. Day 2 - 11 miles. didn't have too much trouble crossing the river - would recommend closer to the Kennedy meadows end before the river splits into two. 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. pantilat September 23, 2014. Print/PDF map. It's an easy hike with a big payoff! Granite Shoals was developed as a lake resort, a 'fishing cabin community'. #cawx #spottedatmidpen #santacruzmountains #recreateresponsibly #leavenotrace, At least a dozen major stems of this ancient Canyon Live Oak are fused together to produce an immense trunk at the base. Granite dominates the geology of Yosemite National Park. Kennedy Meadows to Relief Reservoir Trail, Pacific Crest Trail: Sonora Pass to Latopie Lake, PCT: CA Section J - Sonora Pass to Echo Lake, Kennedy Meadows to Relief Reservoir Loop Trail, Disaster Creek Trail: Iceberg Meadow to Paradise Valley, PCT, Golden Canyon, Wolf Creek Pass, and Disaster Creek Loop, Relief Reservoir, Toejam Lake, Powell Lake. Granite is an intrusive igneous rock, which means it crystallized from molten rock, called magma, miles underground. The Young Lakes Loop Trail is an awesome adventure in Yosemite National Park that delivers epic vistas of the granite bluffs and alpine lakes that adorn the landscape. A wonderfully clear and calm post-storm evening #spottedatmidpen #stanford #eveninglight #recreateresponsibly #leavenotrace, 2014 Adventure Recap | Leor Pantilat's Adventures, Granite Dome & Lakes 2017 | Leor Pantilat's Adventures. After the snow has melted, it would not be difficult to reach Granite Dome from this route. Most of the granite in the Sierra Nevada Batholith was emplaced between 120 and 85 million years ago during the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods. tough day hiking up the granite and navigating around snow patches. Ridge Lake, on the same plateau as Iceland, is, to me, the prettiest lake in that area. No visit to the Emigrant Wilderness Area is complete without an ascent of Granite Dome. At the center is an ancient giant that was spared the axe because it was badly burned or deemed of little value because it was disfigured compared to its straight and tall neighbors. 4 beds, 3 baths, 3495 sq. As shown on the topographic map, there is a more gradual section if you aim straight up the middle of the saddle. The trail proceeds slightly above and to the north of Summit Creek. We only went to Sheep Camp and did local scrambling just by Black Hawk Lake, but it was still spectacular. Aim for the gap between the two peaks above you. I'm guessing the creek dries up later in the summer, but this early in the season, it is, again, a raging river and you will not be able to cross. There was one safe log over the creek in the vicinity I needed to cross. #redwoods #sanfraciscogiant #oldgrowth #recreateresponsibly #leavenotrace, Enjoying the spring warmth #spring #spottedatmidpen #recreateresponsibly #leavenotrace, Spring in the redwoods #redwoods #redwoodsorrel #redwoodviolet #westerntrillium #leavenotrace #recreateresponsibly, Sea to sky swipe panorama #ventanawilderness #leavenotrace, Western trillium (Trillium ovatum) started blooming in February per usual at this latitude but the persistent cool and wet weather has a resulted in an unusually strong second push in April! The huge granite ridge climbs up behind, the north slope still blanketed in a layer of snow. Stop by Llano, known as the Deer Capital of Texas, for museums, music and more. The elevation gain was not particularly kind to me. As the adventurer gazing over these magnificent lakes is the audience to a stunning natural performance, I like to describe this region as the Granite Balconies. All of the lakes are located on the northern side of a massive ridge that culminates in the summit of Granite Dome. But it's much less crowded than its neighbor to the South, offering more solitude for backpacking. Granite Dome via Kennedy Meadows Trailhead and Ridge Lake. We instead worked our way above the west side of the lake and followed a lovely line up and over the eastern flank of Granite Dome. Complete photo album here. Turning slightly southward, Bond Pass and northern Yosemite come into view, with Hawksbeak, Forsyth, Quartzite and Tower peaks, the Saurian Crest and Bigelow Peak. The Big Bald Rock Trail takes you atop a broad granite dome in Plumas National Forest where you have wide-ranging views across the Northern Sierra Nevada. The large lake appeared to be an infinity pool at the north end, dropping off to panoramic views of Relief Reservoir and the surrounding area. Cross the creek earlier than shown, at about the 6.2mi. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. We took a route southwest from our campsite, over a small hill and immediately came to a lush meadow. Theres been fantastic forest wildflowers under the canopy this year in the Santa Cruz Mountains #spottedatmidpen #santacruzmountains #recreateresponsibly #leavenotrace #westerntrillium #trilliumovatum #pacifictrillium, It appears winter is starting to loosen its grip on the Santa Cruz Mountains. You might guide a group to the summit, lead a tour of the loop trail, provide information to park visitors, or help maintain park facilities. If you get your line right, you will only have a short boulder scramble but be very careful in this section because its slippery and dangerous. This lake holds stunning views and sits just under the sheer walls of Granite Dome. There were no fish in this lake either though. Completely upgraded with wood shutters throughout. 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