Granite Dome, Emigrant Wilderness

Welcome again, wilderness friends! This past month I have been cursed and blessed with many splendid trips to the Sierras. My merry group of 6 adventurers ventured from Kennedy Meadows towards Relief Reservoir towards our destination of Granite Dome in the great Emigrant Wilderness. In a moment of regrettable angst, I called Emigrant "Yosemite's ugly cousin" or something less PC. I hereby retract my statement, as seen in this set of pics. My set of pictures starts from Relief and ends at Granite Dome as we hiked in late on the first day and low light makes not for great pictures. Enjoy!

Getting out of the Relief Basin

After the trail met the river, we started up this route across many an ill placed granite rock.

Charlie is the mountain champion.

Adam and Jon in disbelief once reaching the top of our climb. Splendid job!

One more saddle to cross before our camp.

Microcosm splendor.

Our lake and camp below Granite dome.

Golden tent of glory.

Kurtz is a man. A wilderness man. He made pizza.

Yet another fine example of a "trail"

Adam grabbing his junk.

Diving board.

Ascending to Granite Dome.

The southward view towards Kennedy.

The path of least resistance? Whatever.

Some kind of lake thing on the way up to Granite Dome.

Although we can never know for certain, I suspect this was the reason my trail runners were soaking wet.

False summit #4.

At the top, a bountiful scene emerged!

Nature!

View from the top.

There's our campsite! ... somewhere down there.

It wouldn't come out of the ground. Oh well.

Pondering the climb. The climb was hard.

Shaun is getting a little too close to the edge.

The campsite, expanded.

Made it back down! Fish that lake.

Nature is full of trees and junk.

Lunch break.

This tree is DOPE. Na, it's just like every other tree.