Big Five / Little Five Lakes Loop

I think Columbine Lake should of been named Guitar Lake. Beyond and above Lost Canyon I could see Mt. Guyot, Mt. Langley at mid-horizon, and Mt. Whitney on the highest point of the left horizon.

Sawtooth Pass

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

At one point I saw two routes and I had to choose. One went steeply uphill in a crack, and the other seemed to be an established trail to the left going downward around the flank of a granite wall. I chose left, and sure enough it was a good trail after all and after a drop, it climbed up and around to a spot that met the other more primitive and difficult route. After more weaving in and out of the massive rock garden, the route finally became obvious and I could look above to see a distinct trail ascending to the trial summit on yellow soil. I slogged upward slowly in the ever thinner air meeting others wearily ascending or descending the steep slope.

On Sawtooth Pass at last, I should of headed over to the summit of Sawtooth Peak. Darn! Another missed opportunity.

A slow crawl up a steep sandy incline brought me to the established trail that mysteriously headed downhill to my right to parts unknown and to the left to the summit. Turning left, I slowly churned upward. Towards the top the trail began to switchback steeply on narrow trail, and even began to be multi-threaded with a number of use routes. Finally, I reached the top and doffed my pack, grateful to finally be able to drop my load and rest a bit.