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Archive 2014 · Wanda Lake, Kings Canyon NP

  
 
WilliamFinley
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Wanda Lake, Kings Canyon NP


Here's a capture from a recent hike in Kings Canyon NP. Wanda Lake is named after one of the two daughters of John Muir. It is located in Evolution Basin just north of Muir Pass. This is without a doubt my favorite place in all the Sierra Nevada's. Photo was taken with a Canon Rebel SL1, and the 18-55 STM kit lens.




Wanda Lake, Kings Canyon NP




Jul 11, 2014 at 11:04 PM
JimFox
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Wanda Lake, Kings Canyon NP


Hi William,

What a really sweet looking shot. Nice job.

By the look of the ice in the lake still, it looks like there might still be a lot of snow on the ground? What was the condition of the trail? Where did you hike in from?

Jim



Jul 12, 2014 at 04:47 AM
JimKied
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Wanda Lake, Kings Canyon NP


Beatiful!


Jul 12, 2014 at 05:30 AM
stanparker
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Wanda Lake, Kings Canyon NP


Pretty shot, nicely done.


Jul 12, 2014 at 08:08 AM
WilliamFinley
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Wanda Lake, Kings Canyon NP


JimFox wrote:
Hi William,

What a really sweet looking shot. Nice job.

By the look of the ice in the lake still, it looks like there might still be a lot of snow on the ground? What was the condition of the trail? Where did you hike in from?

Jim


Hey Jim,

The trail in the lower lands was snow-free. You didn't start hitting snow until you started ascending towards the passes. Muir Pass was the most snow clogged pass of the trip. I came in to Kings Canyon from the south. I didn't expect this much snow for a drought year. Most of the high lakes in the pass areas where still iced over, but it was melting fast.

Bill




Jul 12, 2014 at 10:15 AM
gdanmitchell
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Wanda Lake, Kings Canyon NP


The whole portion of the Sierra from Evolution Basin south (over many high passes — Muir, Mather, Pinchot, Glenn, Forester — is, to my mind, the heart of the range. This lake at the upper end of Evolution Basin exemplifies one sort of terrain that is characteristic of this area, the high, open, terrain above timberline with broad shallow lakes and higher peaks all around. (The other side of the pass, heading down towards Le Conte Canyon is quite a contrast!)

Beautiful photograph of the early season black, white, and blue world of this high country!

Dan



Jul 12, 2014 at 11:33 AM
Scott Kroeker
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Wanda Lake, Kings Canyon NP


Beautiful light and colours here. The reflections set it off!


Jul 12, 2014 at 02:32 PM
Bob Altic
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Wanda Lake, Kings Canyon NP


Great shot, good eye and your efforts to get to the shot are well rewarded. You have done an excellent job without having to spend thousands on high end equipment/lenses. Frame it large!! Best, Bob



Jul 12, 2014 at 03:09 PM
WilliamFinley
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Wanda Lake, Kings Canyon NP


Bob Altic wrote:
Great shot, good eye and your efforts to get to the shot are well rewarded. You have done an excellent job without having to spend thousands on high end equipment/lenses. Frame it large!! Best, Bob


Thanks Bob. Went to a lighter kit to cut weight, and I am liking it thus far.

Bill



Jul 12, 2014 at 03:17 PM
JimFox
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · Wanda Lake, Kings Canyon NP


WilliamFinley wrote:
Hey Jim,

The trail in the lower lands was snow-free. You didn't start hitting snow until you started ascending towards the passes. Muir Pass was the most snow clogged pass of the trip. I came in to Kings Canyon from the south. I didn't expect this much snow for a drought year. Most of the high lakes in the pass areas where still iced over, but it was melting fast.

Bill



Hey Bill,

Thanks for the info. Since you weren't expecting the snow, did you have snow shoes? Or did you just slog up through it in your hiking shoes?

I would like to do a little backcountry backpacking before I head out for Colorado, Evolution Valley is on my list of possibilities, though I really like the Ansel Adams Wilderness area too, so not sure which I will chose.

Jim



Jul 12, 2014 at 03:39 PM
WilliamFinley
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · Wanda Lake, Kings Canyon NP


JimFox wrote:
Hey Bill,

Thanks for the info. Since you weren't expecting the snow, did you have snow shoes? Or did you just slog up through it in your hiking shoes?

I would like to do a little backcountry backpacking before I head out for Colorado, Evolution Valley is on my list of possibilities, though I really like the Ansel Adams Wilderness area too, so not sure which I will chose.

Jim


No snow shoes Jim. The snow was fairly hard and packed down by all the hikers that came through ahead of me. Tough decision to make.

Bill




Jul 12, 2014 at 04:08 PM
gdanmitchell
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · Wanda Lake, Kings Canyon NP


JimFox wrote:
Hey Bill,

Thanks for the info. Since you weren't expecting the snow, did you have snow shoes? Or did you just slog up through it in your hiking shoes?

I would like to do a little backcountry backpacking before I head out for Colorado, Evolution Valley is on my list of possibilities, though I really like the Ansel Adams Wilderness area too, so not sure which I will chose.

Jim


Ansel Adams wilderness generally gets you closer to where you want to be much more quickly, at least if you are contemplating the Minarets, Ritter, Banner area outside of Mammoth Lakes.

Getting to Evolution Basin is a more major undertaking and will almost certainly involve a longer trip. From the east one of the most direct routes is over (very steep and very high) Lamarck Col — a spectacular climb, but not an easy route. You could come in a bit further north and then track over to Evolution, but this also isn't easy country. You can come over Bishop Pass, drop past Dusy Basin to Le Conte Canyon, and then climb up and over Muir Pass. For normal mortals that is likely a 3 day route to the basin. Many people come in from the west, which is again a long walk.

For anyone who really wants to "get" the true high Sierra – the highest and most isolated portions of the range — do explore this region between Evolution and the Upper Kern Canyon. The JMT runs through here, but because access requires a commitment of a week or more (or else an awful entrance over some of the worst crest passes) there are not as many people as you might think, and if you can explore off of the JMT a bit you can find true isolation pretty quickly.

Dan



Jul 12, 2014 at 04:12 PM
Jeffrey
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p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · Wanda Lake, Kings Canyon NP


William,

A very nice image.

I certainly agree with Dan about the merits of that area and the sheer wonderfulness of it all. Evolution Basin is the sweetest spot you can imagine. I've come to it from the south and also from Lamarck Col twice. Early July is an excellent time, but there will always be snowfields to cross. I take a pair of crampons and sometimes stay in the high country above the basin a while. It gets really wild with only snow and boulders for a few days. Just seeing a trail again when you drop down is downright exciting.



Jul 12, 2014 at 05:56 PM





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