A Backpack to the Remote Lyell Fork of the Merced River

The frosty meadow next to Babcock Lake.

A Cold Morning at Babcock Lake

A Trail and Cross-Country Route to the Lyell Fork, July 2007

DAY 5, 13 Miles, 1897 feet of gain and 2117 feet of loss from Babcock Lake to the Trailhead (Tuolumne Meadows).

The night was a cold one, which was not good news for Dave and his "lite" half sack. Why he did not ask to borrow my pile clothes for sleeping I don’t know. I sure did not think of it until too late. The cold manifested itself by a frost-covered meadow that added a soft unreal quality to the scenery.

Looking over the frosty meadow in the direction we would be hiking this day.

Looking back towards "Babcock Valley", about halfway up the walk along the Emeric/Fletcher Creek cascades.

We had breakfast on the granite while enjoying the golden morning light. After morning chores we packed up and headed back to the trail wearing more than usual clothing due to the cold. We had an uneventful walk back to the main trail (this time I used the log crossing of Fletcher Creek), where we hung a left.