Circle the Cirque Crest

At the top of the gully leading to the lake, you just have to stop again to admire the view. To the left is Dumbbell Pass leading into the Dumbbell Lake Region. Marion Lake awaits below. Look at the picture below to see what is just below this view: the trailed gully leading down into the lake. The 1935 Sierra Club outing led over 100 mules down that gully trail and beyond.

Descent to Marion Lake

Circle The Cirque Crest - By D.W.Donehoo (All rights reserved)

As I neared the cliffs above Marion Lake, I yelled for Dave, who had been stopped by cliffs. When we joined up and crossed the stream, we stopped for a brief rest and watering. I had spotted the correct descent route when I was higher up, and we went up, over, and down the lawn-like landscape flanked by white granite ridges that rapidly plunged into a gully and gave way to...a trail.

This time the trail was very steep and somewhat slippery, but very manageable. We went down one at a time in one precipitous spot to avoid rockfall danger. Once at the bottom, the improving trail led around to the left at the base of the cliffs, through some bushes obscuring the trail, and finally to the open shores of the incomparable outstandingly beautiful Marion Lake.