Big Five / Little Five Lakes Loop

Dark Mineral Peak shows signs of mining. The white spot on the left side is two people. Beyond them is the back slopes of Sawtooth Peak, which looks like a piece of cake to climb from Sawtooth Pass.

Panoramic Views

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

Nearby was the easy looking summit of Sawtooth peak, and why I did not take the time to stroll over there to the summit is a mystery to me. Perhaps I felt pressed for time, faced with a long walk still, and an even longer drive. I will make that the destination of another special trip to the area. I am already planning a return for a climb.

Looking down on Mineral King. Way down there mid-picture is the trail passing through the yellow area.

Looking towards Monarch Lakes the mountains there were most decidedly red in color, with strange striations along the face of one mountain. I could not decide if the markings were natural or man-made, possibly as the results from all of the mining that went on down there. I knew the upper Monarch Lake was dammed (the lower lake I could see below), so the hand of man was definitely on the area. I swore I could see the faint outline of an old roadbed way down there below the established trail.

Looking towards Glacier Pass below the rust reds of Empire Mountain, the peak mid-picture.

Down range there were many an inverted "v" of peaks and summits decorated in colors of red, black, slate gray and granite white which contrasted with the light yellow of the peak I was standing on and the clear blue skies overhead. Down below I could see Mineral King, and I thought I could spot my vehicle, though I was not sure. Beyond stretched the drainage to the smoggy environs of The Valley.