A Backpack Cross-Country Traverse of the Minarets

On the left among the rocks, a campsite. On the right, Ashley Lake outlet.

Leaving Ashley Lake

A Cross-Country Traverse of the Minarets, August/September 2006

It was very hard leaving Ashley Lake. It was certainly one of my favorite lakes of the Sierra, which is why I featured so many pictures of it here in this story. There are lots of lakes in the Sierra, many of them unique, but few with such a combination of features at tree-line. Features like mirror waters, waterfalls, glaciers and snow fields, cliffs, a massive peak, beautiful hemlocks at tree-line, easy terrain for travel, flowers, fish, blue sky and more. I miss it still.

The trail winds its way along the Ashley Lake outlet stream (now a fork of King Creek). Ahead is the canyon we are heading for and Noname Lake.

But, we had to pack up and leave. If I ever get a chance to go back....

We hit the faint trail leaving the lake, a trail that became ever more defined as we traveled. You probably will not find this trail section on any map, but it is there. We planned to follow a segment of it before we left the trail to hit another segment to two other lakes, then it would be cross-country to yet another lake. Trail or no trail, it was easy going, and we could have found our way without the trail.