Ted's Hiking World Blue Canyon
Emigrant Wilderness

August 9, 2019

On my way home from two great days in the Yosemite highlands, it is convenient to return via Sonora Pass, which otherwise would involve many miles more than the traditional routes.

Blue Canyon lies just west of the summit area, yet features no official trail.  There must be a way up there, however, to a couple of fair-sized lakes.  I stop near what looks like a use trail down to the creek and up the other side.  Another car is parked here as well, so it's gotta be true.

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There is room for three vehicles

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A down-and-up beginning

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Deadman Creek flows down from Sonora Pass

The embankment on the far side is steep and muddy, which should make for a lot of fun on the return.  Reaching the lip of the creek channel, I unexpectedly find myself in the middle of a giant garden.

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Flower, flowers everywhere

One of my favorites is out in greater numbers than I previously have seen:

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Slendertube Skyrocket

Following the creek up this hill should be delightful.

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Way up there is Leavitt Peak, 11572'

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Pacific Mountain Onion *
Horsemint

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A little bit of everything

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Sierra Bog Orchid

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Bog Wintergreen

Those flowers are aptly named, for I seem to have entered a real bog of sorts.

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Maybe I'd better find the trail instead

Circling around to the left, I am back on track.  A relatively faint path veers off toward the left here, but I'll continue straight ahead.

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A dilapidated signpost suggests that this was an established route at one time.

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Entering Emigrant Wilderness

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Fairly mellow going

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King's Clover *
Pennyroyal and Blue Flax

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Cascades galore on Blue Canyon Creek

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Hello.  A hiker and his buddy are coming down the cliff ahead.  Because the two of us are the only people on the trail, a friendly greeting is in order.

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Dave and Buffy from Topaz

Dave is a kindred soul.  Ten years younger than I, he spends about five days a week out on some trail or other.  Buffy's paws don't like the sharp volcanic rock, but she is hanging in there nonetheless.

After we part, I must scramble up that cliff myself.  It is quite steep, and the sand and loose rock are treacherous.  I am not looking forward to descending this section later.

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Above the cliff now *
Spectacularly rugged

Ahead is a deep runoff channel that is a bit more interesting than most.

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Snow bridge

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A crappy crossing, but not too difficult

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Colorful strata across the way

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Dave said that there would be more waterfalls

My planned destination was Blue Canyon Lake; yet my GPS says that I am little closer than I was half an hour ago — about half a mile yet.  Also, the trail ahead seems to traverse a steep rocky section that doesn't look like fun at all.  Furthermore, Dave had said that there was a highly problematical creek crossing ahead.

Although I can see footprints in the snowbank below, just getting down there would be a bit of a challenge.  For the second time in two days, I decide that enough is enough.  I'll have a snack here, then head back, content with the results of today's outing.

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End of the line for me

Sitting down for lunch, I promptly discover that the lid is missing from one of my water bottles.  Oh, no!

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The creek below

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A great scene across the canyon

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Carmine is resting as well

Time to head back.

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The scenery is completely different in the other direction

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Shasta Buckwheat *
Oval-Leaved Buckwheat

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There's another lake up there somewhere

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It was easier going up

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Hairy Arnica *
Crimson Columbine

The dreaded cliff section proves but a minor nuisance after all.

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Easy does it

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I'm glad that's finished *
This is more like it

Abruptly, I am stopped in my tracks by a welcome sight:

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Eureka!

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Another hiker approaches and announces, "You must be Ted".  He saw my license plate.

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He would like to keep this area a relative 'secret'

Actually, two hikers are more than I had expected to encounter today.

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Back in the Garden of Eden

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Corn Lily *
Great Red Paintbrush

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Mule Ears and Sulfur Flour Buckwheat *
Mariposa Lily

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A common directive in the Sierra

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Not far now

The final muddy trail section proves to be no issue either.

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Finishing up with a boulder hop across Deadman Creek


§: Well, what I missed in lakes was more than compensated in flowers.  Today, this area is competing favorably with my gardens over at Carson Pass.  There is more that could be explored up here, including a venture over to Deadman Lake.  I believe that another trail struck off from the area of the snow bridge; I'll keep that on my bucket list.

Scenery *
Difficulty *
Personality *
Adventure *
Flowers *

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