Duck Pass John Muir Wilderness

July 24, 2014

After yesterday's aborted attempt to visit Dana Plateau, I am determined to fare better today.  Forty years ago, my late wife and I were driven off this trail by mosquitoes; it will be different this time.

This route appears to have much the same characteristics as both Little Lakes Valley (Hike #65)  and the Bishop Creek area (Hike #126)  — a southward slog up a long forested hillside to a chain of lakes and ultimately a mountain pass.

Starting up the trail
First 'attraction'

Because this is a stock trail, the gradient is kept down to a maximum of about ten percent; so I am able to walk more or less indefinitely without needing to stop for rest.  By the time I do so, I seem already to have bypassed Arrowhead Lake, which never was really visible; I must venture over there later.

Skelton Lake

This lake is beautiful.  The next one is another mile away.

Cracked Crag
Mammoth Creek

Approaching what I know is the last and highest lake in the chain, my excitement grows; for the area right at the base of the mountains tends to be the prettiest of all.

Nearing the end of the canyon

When I finally get a clear view, I am not disappointed.  In fact, my jaw drops farther than usual, for this is one of the most beautiful settings I have seen:

Barney Lake is exquisite

Red Lake is hiding back there
The pass is waiting

The views should become even better as I ascend toward the pass.  It is time to find out.

It's a lot better than no trail at all

That dog is carrying all its own stuff
Hikers up ahead

Yep.  The views just get better

Zooming in on Red Lake and Skelton Lake

The map suggests that another serious visual treat lies just ahead.  This is really exciting.

Still a ways to go

Yep.  The Other-Side-of-the-Pass Effect has performed its magic again.  Oh, my!

Mile-long Duck Lake, with smaller Pika Lake behind it

The man ahead of me on the trail offers to take my photo.  As this is happening, another man approaches.  Craig, a retired FBI agent from Phoenix, summers at his condo in Mammoth Lakes and already has walked most of the area's trails.  Craig shares his concern about the future of our sport from an economic standpoint, and I wholeheartedly agree (see Addendum).

Yours Truly at Duck Pass
Craig overlooks Duck Lake

My hair looks crazy in the photo, because I just took my hat off.  Or perhaps it just looks crazy anyway; I really don't care.

Those formations have no name

Details of the spires

I must look closer at Duck Lake.  The amazing light-blue strip over there is unlike anything I have seen.  It appears to be a shelf of solid granite:

The interesting northern shoreline

It is only a 350-foot drop to the two lakes.  I really should make the effort to explore them first-hand.  Craig is ready to head back, though; so I opt to join him for further chat instead.

Back on the north side of the pass, Barney Lake continues to highlight one of the most colorful vistas in the Sierra:

This is why I go hiking    ⇔

Lakes don't come any prettier than this    ⇔

It is interesting that the nearest and semi-detached segment of Barney Lake was not visible or evident from the other side.

Mammoth Creek at the outlet
The unnamed peaks to the east are full of ore

Slogging along

Back at Skelton Lake

Just beyond the edge of the forest, Craig and I encounter a signed junction for a spur trail over to Arrowhead Lake.  After saying farewell to my new acquaintance, I head down toward the lake for some photographs.

Almost immediately, I am accosted by a young couple, who ask whether I have been on this trail before.  I respond that I have not, but that I have a good map.  Well, the man has an even bigger map; but he cannot seem to reconcile that Arrowhead Lake appears to be on the 'wrong' side of the trail.  After several attempts to explain that he is effectively reading the map upside down, and that in order to match up the drawing with the actual landscape it will be necessary to turn the sheet around so that north actually points north, the guy still seems confused; but the two of them do head off in the suggested direction and are not seen again.

Portions of Arrowhead Lake

Back at the trail junction, I get out my Walkman to help reduce the tedium of negotiating the final mile of switchbacks down to the campground.

Lake Mary and Mammoth Mountain

§: Wow!  This was one fine outing.  Barney Lake is, for my money, the jewel of the Mammoth Lakes area; and viewing it from above was especially rewarding.  The absence of bugs was a bonus.

Pleasant conversation notwithstanding, I really should have continued walking over to Pika Lake.  That would have added two miles to the trip, but so what?  My proclivity for not 'going for it' seems to persist.

• Trailhead: Cold Water Campground, Lake Mary Road (the town's main street)
• Distance: 8 miles
• Elevation: 9150' to 10800'
• Hikers: 35
• Rating: 9

Scenery
Difficulty
Solitude

ADDENDUM

I find it ironic that, in an area called Mammoth Lakes, my hiking companion Craig would broach the issue of our nation's ongoing mammoth financial crisis (that's right), which inexorably will become much worse.  One unfortunate reality is that federal agencies such as the Forest Service might well be compelled to subsist on substantially reduced budgets in the future.  How many trails will be maintained then?  How many campgrounds will remain open?  How many back roads will be graded?  How many folk will be able to afford to travel at all?

As if that weren't bad enough, your offspring might not be able to view much through the smog anyway.  The airborne destruction of the Mineral King area (Hike #217)  is a good foreteller of what is in store for future generations; moreover, what they still will be able to see might have become too hot and dried up to enjoy in any case.  Sorry.

The message is: Do your hiking now, while the going is reasonably good.  Take your family and friends to view the wonders of nature while they remain wondrous.  Take them to the High Sierra, because you cannot do any better than that.  I just logged my 52nd hike of the year.  How about you?