Please Wait While Photos Load !
The Ansel Adams Wilderness Region Trail System - will not only give you great access for
climbing Mt Ritter and Banner Peaks, but it also skirts some of the most fantastic scenery in all the Sierra Nevada
Mountains. Mt. Ritter and Banner Peak along with the Minarets are awe inspiring for climbers and outdoors men
of all types. John Muir considered the alpine beauty in this area to be unsurpassed by any other terrain in all the
range. He also considered Ediza Lake to be the most beautiful of all the multitudes of lakes in the Sierra. Most
climbers use the shores of Ediza Lake as their base camp for climbing in the Ritter Range. But we choose to go
higher and set up camp on a high alpine snow field. We found this to be a good option because it gave us a nice
high start for our summit attempt. We also had no problem finding water in a large depression that had collected
runoff from the melting snow and ice not too far from camp. If you decide to backpack or fish in this section of the
Sierra, you will certainly not be disappointed. The meadows, rivers, lakes, streams, and alpine scenery are nothing
short of spectacular!
Once you leave the trailhead on the Shadow Lake / River Trail, you will
find yourself traveling down a fairly level path that skirts the edge of
Agnew Meadows shown to the right. The going is nice and easy in the
beginning, and the pine trees give you plenty of shade in this section. On
our return from Thousand Island Lake we saw plenty of people enjoying
this section of the trail. This including a lot of little folks possibly getting their
first introduction into back country travel.
After this initial (near level) section of trail the path
turns downward and you loose a few hundred feet
of elevation, as you descend into a canyon. It is
always a nice break to travel downhill for a bit.
But I would just as well have the trail go level or
uphill when climbing a mountain. For as we
all know, that downhill section is going to have to
be made up for latter on. Additional uphill sections
will be encountered, and you never gain as much
energy on the down as you loose on the up. Sean,
Ben, and Garrett are shown negotiating the
downward section of the trail in the image to the left.
When you reach the bottom of the canyon the trail
becomes level again and you soon pass by Olaine Lake
(shown in the photo to the right). We used this flat
area in an earlier trip to camp out for the night because
our permit required entry on the day we arrived. We
had arrived late at night and were forced to hike in
a couple of miles to make our permit legal. The
bottom of the canyon has ample flat areas for setting
up quick camp sites. If you decide on an option (such
as described above) make sure your headlamps are on
hand for the night time hike in.
Toward the end of the canyon, you will come across a trail marker (as shown in the above left image). The River
Trail pointing to the right is the quickest way to reach Thousand Island Lake. The Shadow Lake Trail takes you to
Shadow Lake (obviously), but is also the path you will want to take if you are heading for Lake Ediza. It is the
most direct route to climbing Mount Ritter, Banner Peak, or the Minarets. You can also reach Garnet Lake, Ruby
Lake, Emerald Lake, and even Thousand Island Lake by taking the Shadow Lake Trail option. To do this, you will
branch off to the north when you come to the John Muir Trail junction. I believe this is the more scenic route by
far to Thousand Island Lake, but it is also a longer and more difficult route to the aforementioned lake. So if you
are in a hurry, or want the easiest route to Thousand Island Lake, take the River Trail. It is the most direct method
of reaching this particular destination. If you choose the Shadow Lake fork, you will find yourself passing over a
cool bridge that spans the Shadow Lake Creek (above right hand photo) within a very short distance from the trail
marker.
On both our climb up Mount Ritter, and also on our
August 25, 2007 backpack loop trip, we crossed
the above bridge and the trail then turned upward and
rocky. This section of the trail is shown in the above
left hand photograph. In the above right hand image,
you can just see Mike rounding the corner with
Shadow Lake Creek roaring down into the canyon
that we just exited from.
In the left hand photo Sean, Mike, and Eddie look
off in the distance at Mammoth Mountain. Hugely
popular in the winter with snowboarders and skiers,
it is mainly used by downhill mountain bikers in the
summer months.
Once on top of the lip of the Shadow Creek Canyon,
the trail continues to push upward as you can see
in the photograph just above. It also snakes its way
along the roaring creek bed as shown to the right.
Water is a very powerful force and you are advised to
stay away from slippery river banks. Falling into a
torrent of water as shown to the right could very likely
be fatal. I have great respect for fast moving water and
I certainly know of its great power. Every year is seems
that people die from falling into fast moving cascades such
as this. But nevertheless, they provide for great scenic
beauty and wonderful photo opportunities. The right
hand image was taken in mid July of 2006, but we found
Shadow Lake Creek still running in good form in late
August during the dry year of 2007.
When most of the Sierra
Nevada is fairly dried out
by late August, the Ansel
Adams Wilderness still has
good water flow. It receives
a good amount of snow
every year and this keeps
the region green and
beautiful.
The sign to the right is
posted here and there along
the trail, and this one is
displayed near the Shadow
Lake outlet. It informs visitors
of camping regulations.
In this case, it lets you know
that there is no camping
around Shadow Lake.
After the second upward rise in the trail (after the canyon section), Shadow Lake is finally encountered. The
upper left photo shows Mt Ritter and Banner Peak beautifully reflected in peaceful Shadow Lake. The trail
skirts along the lake, and then reaches another major point where it intersects the John Muir Trail. The bridge
shown in the upper left image (where Ben, Garratt, and Sean are standing), is in the southern direction of the John
Muir Trail. We just walked across the bridge for a photo opp, but we went to the north on the John Muir Trail to
Garnet Lake and Thousand Island Lake on August 25, 2007. But on our Mt Ritter climb, we crossed over the
John Muir Trail, and picked up the Ediza Lake Trail in mid July of 2006. The below section first shows the
terrain along the Ediza Lake Trail, and then further down the page, we switch over to the northern part of the
John Muir Trail and show some of the spectacular scenery of that section of the Ansel Adams Wilderness.
Beautiful meadows with lots of greenery delight the senses.
Very refreshing locations for rest stops, or areas to enjoy
a snack or two. We most often get so busy scurrying up
the trail in order to get to our destination that it's nice to
have the photos from the trip. The images allow us to
review the beauty of the trip when we are in a less
hurried mind.
Lots of moisture on the mountain. The trail in the upper
right hand photo shows the grassy meadow portion of the
trek. It was still under water in mid July 2006. Water
proofing your boots is a must. Keeping your feet dry
avoids all sorts of problems such as blisters and all other
sorts of ailments that come with wet feet.
Mount Ritter in the background with the beauty of
the pinkish red wildflowers make for a nice photo
opp. It is views like this that make all the work that it
takes to get to places like this worthwhile.
Mountain terrain can be a very fragile environment.
Some people get upset about back country rules, but
I appreciate those who take responsibility for keeping
the wilderness from being trampled by droves of
people. It preserves it for future generations to enjoy.
Because of the short growing season at high altitude,
delicate wild flowers can take years to develop, and
only a moment to destroy. It is always important to
consider this fact when traveling cross country.
Mike (upper left) examining what we called the "Elephant Tree." We saw several of these structures not too far
from Ediza Lake. We were not sure what caused this phenomenon, but the trees were curious sights to say the
least. Eddie on a great log crossing (upper right). Trail builders went to some work here shaping this natural bridge.
It makes for a much easier crossing. Still, there is no railing
here, so you do not want to stumble. Falling into the rushing
water below could be fatal. I have the greatest respect for the
power of fast moving water.
The trail turns upward once again before reaching beautiful
Ediza Lake. The winter of 2005-2006 had a fair amount of
snow, and we ended up having to kick in some steps in
order to negotiate the trail in places above the intersection
of the John Muir Trail and the Ediza Lake Trail.
Once at Ediza Lake, the Minarets come into full
view. They make for spectacular mountain
scenery in this rugged landscape. Ansel Adams
Wilderness is truly a remarkable place to visit.
John Muir considered this area to be one of the
most beautiful places in all the Sierra Nevada
Mountains.
The trail runs along the southern portions of Ediza
Lake, and then the it ends and you must now
switch to cross country travel for the rest of the
approach to the climbing portion of Mt Ritter and
or Banner Peak. As beautiful as it was at Ediza Lake,
we did not camp there. We wanted to get a higher
start for the next day so we climbed up to an upper
snow field and camped there. Our campsite is
featured in the High Camp section of this trip report.
You get great views of Ritter and Banner from Ediza
Lake. Many climbers use the lake for their base camp
for climbs in the Ritter Range. It is certainly a
beautiful place to set up camp and with the lake you
will have no problem getting water. (make sure to
filter it). As mentioned above, we choose to go up
higher for our base camp. The image to the left shows
both Mt Ritter and Banner Peak in the background.
We found ourselves having to cross several small
water tributaries (some of which we found a bit
troublesome), before we hit better ground above the
Lake.
Sean crossing a large snowfield (image to the right) near our
high camp on Mount Ritter. Once in this amount of snow I
usually put on my crampons. Even though you can negotiate
this angle of snow easily without them, I find that they just
make travel a little faster.
Not far from this point we reached our high camp for our Mt
Ritter climb. We will now backtrack to where we met up with
the John Muir Trail, and explore the northern portion of this
famous trail as it passes through the Ansel Adams Wilderness.
The first major landmark that you reach
if you take the north fork of the John
Muir Trail from the Shadow Lake Trail
Ediza Lake junction is fantastically
beautiful Garnet Lake. There you will
find unparalleled views of Mt Ritter and
Banner Peak. We reached the lake
around 1:00 pm, so the lighting is not
as ideal as I would of liked, but the
area is still beautiful no matter what
time of day it is. For the photographer
early morning would be best. The late
Galen Rowell took some beautiful
photos in the Ansel Adams Wilderness
area, and some of them are displayed in
the Mountain Light Gallery located in Bishop, California.
I would highly recommend a visit to this famous gallery
if you get the chance and you have the time.
Next comes crystal clear Ruby Lake. To the right you
see Ben (left), Garrett, and Sean relaxing
on its shores. Most people hang around Shadow Lake,
Ediza Lake, or Thousand Island Lake, and do not visit
Ruby Lake or Emerald Lake as seen below. So if you want
to get in some great fishing on a remote lake, Ruby and
Emerald Lake just may be your ticket. They are truly
a couple of jewels in the Ansel Adams Wilderness.
Above is beautiful Emerald Lake. The crystal clear blue waters
make this lake inviting to all who visit its shores. To the right,
you see a trail marker identifying the J.M.T (John Muir Trail),
the way to Shadow Lake Trail, the P.C.T. (Pacific Crest
Trail) junction, and the Reds Meadow cut off. The Ansel Adams
Wilderness is so spectacular, that all of these world class trails make
sure to route their way through this region. The sign also reminds
campers that there can be no campfires above 10,000 feet.
Finally at the height of our
backpacking loop, we reached
Thousand Island Lake. We had
planned to camp at this
fantastically beautiful lake, and
we were certainly not
disappointed with our choice.
Even though you cannot see
Mt Ritter or the Minarets from
this vantage point, Banner Peak
more than makes up for it with
its looming presence above the
islands. We had a little left over
weather from hurricane Dean
on Sunday August 26, 2007
but the clouds just added to the
beauty of the area.
In the morning, we had our
breakfast, and headed down the
river trail toward Agnew
Meadows. The scenes to the
left and to the right are typical
views along this trail. As
mentioned earlier, the River Trail
is not as scenic as the Shadow
Lake / John Muir option, but
for a quick easy route back to
the trailhead (or to Thousand
Island Lake), it is hard to beat.
We found the trail nice and
shady keeping us out of the sun
and the nice and sandy trail bottom
made it easy on the feet. It also
gets right to the point with very
little ups and downs and very few
zig zags. The photo to the right shows what was
left of the river that runs along the trail in late
August. I am sure in spring, this now meandering
stream would surely be a fast running torrent of
water.
Well that's about it for the trail sections that we
traveled on in the Ansel Adams Wilderness.
There is so much to this area, that we have
hardly scratched the surface. There is no doubt
that one could spend his or her entire life exploring
this region. It is so vast and so beautiful, that one
would never become bored. The photographic
opportunities are wonderful, and the subject matter
is endless.
climbing Mt Ritter and Banner Peaks, but it also skirts some of the most fantastic scenery in all the Sierra Nevada
Mountains. Mt. Ritter and Banner Peak along with the Minarets are awe inspiring for climbers and outdoors men
of all types. John Muir considered the alpine beauty in this area to be unsurpassed by any other terrain in all the
range. He also considered Ediza Lake to be the most beautiful of all the multitudes of lakes in the Sierra. Most
climbers use the shores of Ediza Lake as their base camp for climbing in the Ritter Range. But we choose to go
higher and set up camp on a high alpine snow field. We found this to be a good option because it gave us a nice
high start for our summit attempt. We also had no problem finding water in a large depression that had collected
runoff from the melting snow and ice not too far from camp. If you decide to backpack or fish in this section of the
Sierra, you will certainly not be disappointed. The meadows, rivers, lakes, streams, and alpine scenery are nothing
short of spectacular!
Once you leave the trailhead on the Shadow Lake / River Trail, you will
find yourself traveling down a fairly level path that skirts the edge of
Agnew Meadows shown to the right. The going is nice and easy in the
beginning, and the pine trees give you plenty of shade in this section. On
our return from Thousand Island Lake we saw plenty of people enjoying
this section of the trail. This including a lot of little folks possibly getting their
first introduction into back country travel.
After this initial (near level) section of trail the path
turns downward and you loose a few hundred feet
of elevation, as you descend into a canyon. It is
always a nice break to travel downhill for a bit.
But I would just as well have the trail go level or
uphill when climbing a mountain. For as we
all know, that downhill section is going to have to
be made up for latter on. Additional uphill sections
will be encountered, and you never gain as much
energy on the down as you loose on the up. Sean,
Ben, and Garrett are shown negotiating the
downward section of the trail in the image to the left.
When you reach the bottom of the canyon the trail
becomes level again and you soon pass by Olaine Lake
(shown in the photo to the right). We used this flat
area in an earlier trip to camp out for the night because
our permit required entry on the day we arrived. We
had arrived late at night and were forced to hike in
a couple of miles to make our permit legal. The
bottom of the canyon has ample flat areas for setting
up quick camp sites. If you decide on an option (such
as described above) make sure your headlamps are on
hand for the night time hike in.
Toward the end of the canyon, you will come across a trail marker (as shown in the above left image). The River
Trail pointing to the right is the quickest way to reach Thousand Island Lake. The Shadow Lake Trail takes you to
Shadow Lake (obviously), but is also the path you will want to take if you are heading for Lake Ediza. It is the
most direct route to climbing Mount Ritter, Banner Peak, or the Minarets. You can also reach Garnet Lake, Ruby
Lake, Emerald Lake, and even Thousand Island Lake by taking the Shadow Lake Trail option. To do this, you will
branch off to the north when you come to the John Muir Trail junction. I believe this is the more scenic route by
far to Thousand Island Lake, but it is also a longer and more difficult route to the aforementioned lake. So if you
are in a hurry, or want the easiest route to Thousand Island Lake, take the River Trail. It is the most direct method
of reaching this particular destination. If you choose the Shadow Lake fork, you will find yourself passing over a
cool bridge that spans the Shadow Lake Creek (above right hand photo) within a very short distance from the trail
marker.
On both our climb up Mount Ritter, and also on our
August 25, 2007 backpack loop trip, we crossed
the above bridge and the trail then turned upward and
rocky. This section of the trail is shown in the above
left hand photograph. In the above right hand image,
you can just see Mike rounding the corner with
Shadow Lake Creek roaring down into the canyon
that we just exited from.
In the left hand photo Sean, Mike, and Eddie look
off in the distance at Mammoth Mountain. Hugely
popular in the winter with snowboarders and skiers,
it is mainly used by downhill mountain bikers in the
summer months.
Once on top of the lip of the Shadow Creek Canyon,
the trail continues to push upward as you can see
in the photograph just above. It also snakes its way
along the roaring creek bed as shown to the right.
Water is a very powerful force and you are advised to
stay away from slippery river banks. Falling into a
torrent of water as shown to the right could very likely
be fatal. I have great respect for fast moving water and
I certainly know of its great power. Every year is seems
that people die from falling into fast moving cascades such
as this. But nevertheless, they provide for great scenic
beauty and wonderful photo opportunities. The right
hand image was taken in mid July of 2006, but we found
Shadow Lake Creek still running in good form in late
August during the dry year of 2007.
When most of the Sierra
Nevada is fairly dried out
by late August, the Ansel
Adams Wilderness still has
good water flow. It receives
a good amount of snow
every year and this keeps
the region green and
beautiful.
The sign to the right is
posted here and there along
the trail, and this one is
displayed near the Shadow
Lake outlet. It informs visitors
of camping regulations.
In this case, it lets you know
that there is no camping
around Shadow Lake.
After the second upward rise in the trail (after the canyon section), Shadow Lake is finally encountered. The
upper left photo shows Mt Ritter and Banner Peak beautifully reflected in peaceful Shadow Lake. The trail
skirts along the lake, and then reaches another major point where it intersects the John Muir Trail. The bridge
shown in the upper left image (where Ben, Garratt, and Sean are standing), is in the southern direction of the John
Muir Trail. We just walked across the bridge for a photo opp, but we went to the north on the John Muir Trail to
Garnet Lake and Thousand Island Lake on August 25, 2007. But on our Mt Ritter climb, we crossed over the
John Muir Trail, and picked up the Ediza Lake Trail in mid July of 2006. The below section first shows the
terrain along the Ediza Lake Trail, and then further down the page, we switch over to the northern part of the
John Muir Trail and show some of the spectacular scenery of that section of the Ansel Adams Wilderness.
Beautiful meadows with lots of greenery delight the senses.
Very refreshing locations for rest stops, or areas to enjoy
a snack or two. We most often get so busy scurrying up
the trail in order to get to our destination that it's nice to
have the photos from the trip. The images allow us to
review the beauty of the trip when we are in a less
hurried mind.
Lots of moisture on the mountain. The trail in the upper
right hand photo shows the grassy meadow portion of the
trek. It was still under water in mid July 2006. Water
proofing your boots is a must. Keeping your feet dry
avoids all sorts of problems such as blisters and all other
sorts of ailments that come with wet feet.
Mount Ritter in the background with the beauty of
the pinkish red wildflowers make for a nice photo
opp. It is views like this that make all the work that it
takes to get to places like this worthwhile.
Mountain terrain can be a very fragile environment.
Some people get upset about back country rules, but
I appreciate those who take responsibility for keeping
the wilderness from being trampled by droves of
people. It preserves it for future generations to enjoy.
Because of the short growing season at high altitude,
delicate wild flowers can take years to develop, and
only a moment to destroy. It is always important to
consider this fact when traveling cross country.
Mike (upper left) examining what we called the "Elephant Tree." We saw several of these structures not too far
from Ediza Lake. We were not sure what caused this phenomenon, but the trees were curious sights to say the
least. Eddie on a great log crossing (upper right). Trail builders went to some work here shaping this natural bridge.
It makes for a much easier crossing. Still, there is no railing
here, so you do not want to stumble. Falling into the rushing
water below could be fatal. I have the greatest respect for the
power of fast moving water.
The trail turns upward once again before reaching beautiful
Ediza Lake. The winter of 2005-2006 had a fair amount of
snow, and we ended up having to kick in some steps in
order to negotiate the trail in places above the intersection
of the John Muir Trail and the Ediza Lake Trail.
Once at Ediza Lake, the Minarets come into full
view. They make for spectacular mountain
scenery in this rugged landscape. Ansel Adams
Wilderness is truly a remarkable place to visit.
John Muir considered this area to be one of the
most beautiful places in all the Sierra Nevada
Mountains.
The trail runs along the southern portions of Ediza
Lake, and then the it ends and you must now
switch to cross country travel for the rest of the
approach to the climbing portion of Mt Ritter and
or Banner Peak. As beautiful as it was at Ediza Lake,
we did not camp there. We wanted to get a higher
start for the next day so we climbed up to an upper
snow field and camped there. Our campsite is
featured in the High Camp section of this trip report.
You get great views of Ritter and Banner from Ediza
Lake. Many climbers use the lake for their base camp
for climbs in the Ritter Range. It is certainly a
beautiful place to set up camp and with the lake you
will have no problem getting water. (make sure to
filter it). As mentioned above, we choose to go up
higher for our base camp. The image to the left shows
both Mt Ritter and Banner Peak in the background.
We found ourselves having to cross several small
water tributaries (some of which we found a bit
troublesome), before we hit better ground above the
Lake.
Sean crossing a large snowfield (image to the right) near our
high camp on Mount Ritter. Once in this amount of snow I
usually put on my crampons. Even though you can negotiate
this angle of snow easily without them, I find that they just
make travel a little faster.
Not far from this point we reached our high camp for our Mt
Ritter climb. We will now backtrack to where we met up with
the John Muir Trail, and explore the northern portion of this
famous trail as it passes through the Ansel Adams Wilderness.
The first major landmark that you reach
if you take the north fork of the John
Muir Trail from the Shadow Lake Trail
Ediza Lake junction is fantastically
beautiful Garnet Lake. There you will
find unparalleled views of Mt Ritter and
Banner Peak. We reached the lake
around 1:00 pm, so the lighting is not
as ideal as I would of liked, but the
area is still beautiful no matter what
time of day it is. For the photographer
early morning would be best. The late
Galen Rowell took some beautiful
photos in the Ansel Adams Wilderness
area, and some of them are displayed in
the Mountain Light Gallery located in Bishop, California.
I would highly recommend a visit to this famous gallery
if you get the chance and you have the time.
Next comes crystal clear Ruby Lake. To the right you
see Ben (left), Garrett, and Sean relaxing
on its shores. Most people hang around Shadow Lake,
Ediza Lake, or Thousand Island Lake, and do not visit
Ruby Lake or Emerald Lake as seen below. So if you want
to get in some great fishing on a remote lake, Ruby and
Emerald Lake just may be your ticket. They are truly
a couple of jewels in the Ansel Adams Wilderness.
Above is beautiful Emerald Lake. The crystal clear blue waters
make this lake inviting to all who visit its shores. To the right,
you see a trail marker identifying the J.M.T (John Muir Trail),
the way to Shadow Lake Trail, the P.C.T. (Pacific Crest
Trail) junction, and the Reds Meadow cut off. The Ansel Adams
Wilderness is so spectacular, that all of these world class trails make
sure to route their way through this region. The sign also reminds
campers that there can be no campfires above 10,000 feet.
Finally at the height of our
backpacking loop, we reached
Thousand Island Lake. We had
planned to camp at this
fantastically beautiful lake, and
we were certainly not
disappointed with our choice.
Even though you cannot see
Mt Ritter or the Minarets from
this vantage point, Banner Peak
more than makes up for it with
its looming presence above the
islands. We had a little left over
weather from hurricane Dean
on Sunday August 26, 2007
but the clouds just added to the
beauty of the area.
In the morning, we had our
breakfast, and headed down the
river trail toward Agnew
Meadows. The scenes to the
left and to the right are typical
views along this trail. As
mentioned earlier, the River Trail
is not as scenic as the Shadow
Lake / John Muir option, but
for a quick easy route back to
the trailhead (or to Thousand
Island Lake), it is hard to beat.
We found the trail nice and
shady keeping us out of the sun
and the nice and sandy trail bottom
made it easy on the feet. It also
gets right to the point with very
little ups and downs and very few
zig zags. The photo to the right shows what was
left of the river that runs along the trail in late
August. I am sure in spring, this now meandering
stream would surely be a fast running torrent of
water.
Well that's about it for the trail sections that we
traveled on in the Ansel Adams Wilderness.
There is so much to this area, that we have
hardly scratched the surface. There is no doubt
that one could spend his or her entire life exploring
this region. It is so vast and so beautiful, that one
would never become bored. The photographic
opportunities are wonderful, and the subject matter
is endless.
Mount Ritter - Ansel Adams Wilderness - Trail / Approach Guide timberlinetrails.net
Other Mt Ritter / Ansel Adams Wilderness Links
Base Camp Getting Started Trailhead High Camp The Climb Summit Aerial View
Base Camp Getting Started Trailhead High Camp The Climb Summit Aerial View