Big Five / Little Five Lakes Loop

The descent into Lost Canyon occasionally has a fair view up lost canyon to see the tooth of Sawtooth Peak.

Lower Lost Canyon

Big 5, Little 5 Lakes Loop and Sawtooth Pass, August 4th to 7th, 2000.

Back on the trail, which stayed its level course, I made good time. Eventually the gently undulating trail reached the edge of Lost Canyon and turned left to wind it way through rocks and sandy flats. Eventually, the trail turned right and began its drop into the canyon.
"Drop" it the operative word here. For a maintained trail in a National Park, that first section of descent was not so much as a trail as a steep path the dropped the hike almost straight down the flanks of the canyon. Once again I rejoiced I had chosen this direction to do this loop, and I can only imagine the curses of those who had to hoist themselves up this near vertical rut.

The ford of Lost Canyon Creek, and above it the bear-box and well used camps.

The only thing I saw like that trail section (that year anyway) was an "unmaintained" section of trail coming up out of the Kern-Kaweah Canyon. Mercifully, that section is short and dumps out on a large level forested open area near a large rock formation, where a hike heading upward can rest before tackling the climb upward. The upside is the view up the canyon where the sharp tooth of the impressive Sawtooth Peak pokes above the horizon above the impressive sheer Lost Canyon walls.

Lost Canyon Creek near the camp and ford.

After the level area is obtained, the trail descends in a more normal Sierra fashion, and eventually reached the canyon floor. Soon afterwards a large beat out camp with a bear-box near a stream crossing is reached. I flew through this area and crossed the shallow stream, which may be a wet crossing early season. The camp seemed abandoned, but well used, so I had no incentive to stay.