Machado Postpile Loop Eldorado National Forest

July 3, 2016

Photographs marked as (A) were shot by Ali.

Getting started

Thunder Mountain

The cairns are needed for keeping track of the trail

Nice reflection

(A)

Water everywhere.  This is good

A nifty crossing

Squaw Creek drains three lakes and many ponds

(A)

Another fun crossing, on the angled log

Thimble Mountain.  Kirkwood Ski Area is on the other side

Mountain Pride

The best falls of the day

Summit Meadow Lake and Squaw Ridge

An unexpected old campsite replete with bear locker, folding table, firewood, and a tent of sorts

A few snowbanks at 8,500 feet  (A)

Devils Hole Lake

Nice flowers in the meadow

Mokolumne Wilderness is on the other side

Drummond's Anemone
Mountain Laurel

Finding a way down  (A)

Beautiful

A not-so-nifty crossing

First view of the Postpile

Balanced Rock atop the Machado Postpile

Each mound is the top of a vertical column

On the back (west) side

The columns are taller on the other side

On my way down

An easy route up the front (east) side

In the high rocks  (A)

The Postpile is way down there, at left-center  (A)

Rock Gardens  (A)

§: Those hikers saved us; otherwise, I might still be sitting at Kit Carson Lodge, and the rangers might still be looking for me atop the postpile.  I should have gotten photographs of those guys.

I missed out on many of my planned photographs, so another trip is in order.

Scenery
Difficulty
Flowers
Adventure
Solitude

PP = Postpile;   F1/F2 = Falls;   VP = formation can be seen from that trail;
The dotted red line was the 'high' route that I wanted

Read this:   <Hike #196: Machado Postpile>