A Backpack Cross-Country Traverse of the Minarets

The view of the Minaret Lake minaret from near camp.

Minaret Lake Camp

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

We crossed a level meadow-like area, noting the spur use trail that leads to Cecile Lake. Ahead of us was a grove of trees and a well used camp. We were in luck and had the whole camp to ourselves. We must have just missed the Swedish Bikini Team. Once in camp we threw down our packs and after looking the place over, quickly set up camp.

Ahhh, home. The red chair (folded to keep it from flying away in the wind) marks where I set up the kitchen, with a nice handy rock for the stove. The other rock would later made a good footstool. Plenty of flat ground here for tents and plenty of shade and windbreak.

After some further activities explained below, we returned to camp to snack and rest up. Then I noticed something that seemed to be a trend at this lake: wind. A cold wind had started up, similar to what I experienced in 1999. I think it may be a regular feature at this lake, so plan for chilly wind if you came here. It may be a boon during mosquito season.

But I was not enjoying the wind much. It was cold and constant, causing chop on the lake waters. Occasionally severe cold blasts would come roaring through that would threaten to flatten our tents. You could hear them coming, so you brace yourself, and hope everything is nailed down enough to stay put. Worse, at dinner time, I had to find a well sheltered nook to keep the stove going so I could "cook" dinner (if you think boiling water for noodles is cooking). Eventually I had dinner, but not before I put on almost all my clothes to keep warm. The constant wind and the pounding blasts of cold air seemed to go on and on. I thought it would never end. Wind is not my favorite element. Eventually, once it was full dark, the wind died down enough to come out of hiding. We sat out for a while on the beach to admire the nearly full moon reflected on the lake waters, with the dark silhouette of the lake Minaret providing moon companionship.

Eventually, it was time to head in to be lulled to sleep by the sound of tent fabric flapping in the wind.

In 1999, I experienced frisky weather in the form of wind and clouds. There was better pictures to be had at the time, but I ran out of film. But I remember wind tattered clouds bloody red in the sunset with Clyde Minaret clawing through the racing clouds.

A near full moon over Minaret Lake as seen near camp.

This is a turning point of sorts. We actually went up to Cecile Lake this day then took off for the trailhead the following day. From here on this is story is a hybrid of the 2006 trip and the 1999 trip that will be a general guide to a hike to Cecile Lake, down to Iceberg Lake and Ediza Lake, and a guide to routes back to the trailheads.

With the "Next" Link below, I will take you back to the John Muir trail junction where you will have another link back to this page so you can go on to Cecile Lake and beyond. Click "Next" to go to the JMT:

  

Here we will end this days travels and pick up our guide of the Minaret backpack cross-country traverse "tomorrow" when we will go on to Ediza Lake via Cecile Lake, starting with the next page. Eventually we will get to a junction at Shadow Lake and the JMT/Minaret Lake junction, with two routes back to the trailheads. Click "Next" to go to Cecile Lake and beyond (north):