Headed to the Minarets – Thoughts/Recommendations on Route

You may find it to be slow going from Minaret to Cecile to Iceberg to Ediza to Thousand Island in a day.

For Cecile and Iceberg, you may be up high enough to outrun the mosquitos. Ediza is lower, so they may find you.

The good news is that the big snow field that is normally found around Iceberg is likely to be missing this year.

–B.G.–

Yes that north facing snowfield is pretty dangerous imo without an ice axe–if it exists this year! It's usually there, for sure, at this time of year. there's a use trail from Minaret to Cecile, from the northish end of the lake if I'm remembering correctly. Class 3 going up.

edit: I just saw the "late June" time frame. bob's estimation is doubtless correct.

On a normal year, you would be hiking north from Cecile to Iceberg, going down a steep slope that often has a usage trail. Then you would hit the big north-facing snow field about two-thirds of the way down. Your only safe option is to cut east through the talus, staying high above the snow until you get close to the outlet end of Iceberg.

For this year, I can't imagine that there is going to be much snow left anywhere at the end of June.

–B.G.–

"You may find it to be slow going from Minaret to Cecile to Iceberg to Ediza to Thousand Island in a day."

Why is that? Is there are a lot of talus to negotiate? I think distance would be around 10 miles (haven't fully mapped it yet).

Maybe it would be better to do a counter-clockwise loop?

Day 1:
Start off from the Minaret Lakes TH
Take the John Muir Trail North to Thousand Island Lake, camp somewhere along the way

Day 2:
Hike to Thousand Island Lake, camp nearby

Day 3:
Hike to Minaret Lake via Iceberg and Cecile Lakes
If unable to safely make it to Minaret Lake, return to Ediza Lake to camp

Day 4:
Hike out

If you go counter-clockwise around the circuit, you will have normal trails all the way around as far as Iceberg. Then you might have a steep usage trail up to Cecile. From there to Minaret, you shouldn't expect any trail at all. Some hikers claim that it is rough and OK, and some claim that it is rough and not OK.

So, would you rather be doing the uphill stuff early in the trip with the heaviest pack and the trail is the best? Or, would you prefer to be doing uphill stuff early in the trip and there is no trail?

If I need to cover a bunch of uphill miles, I try to get on the best trails and go.

–B.G.–

Descending from Cecile to Minaret Lake requires finding a single 'slot' that is about class 3; not bad. But if you can't find that slot the climbing would be very difficult I think. If there is a use trail around Cecile I lost it pretty quick. I've only done this once–going up and back through this slot on a day hike–so there may be more ways than I'm aware of for 'solving' this downclimb. But lacking a use trail as a guide rail to the slot makes things a bit more complicated–I got disoriented on my day hike.
But I get disoriented pretty easily. There is/was the beginnings of a use trail going up from Minaret Lake.

"Descending from Cecile to Minaret Lake requires finding a single 'slot' that is about class 3; not bad."

That sounds right. Some people find the slot and find it to be tolerable. Some people don't find the slot and they are never heard from again.

–B.G.–

I did a route a few years back very similar to what you’re proposing.

Can’t speak to the snow issues as I went out in August. You probably won’t have to worry due to the drought though.

I car camped at the Old Shady Rest Campground in Mammoth, but that was because I was picking up my permit in the morning. If you’re starting at Devil’s Postpile, you could potentially get a campsite there.

I did go Minaret to Cecile to Iceberg to Ediza to Thousand Island in a day, but Bob is right–it took a while just due to the off trail travel and passes.

There is a light pack trail on the east side of Minaret Lake that can be followed to scramble up to Cecile. I’d be cautious about taking a dog though–the slot up to Cecile takes some balancing. I don’t think I would have been able to get a dog up there.

If you find that climbing up the slot from Minaret to Cecile is not for you (I was alone and found it a little dicey if I were to slip), you can do what I did (and several others I talked to later the same day), just follow the Cecile outlet stream up a steep slope to the lake, and then make your way along the lake to where the slot would have taken you. That will take maybe an extra 30 minutes, but it lets you see some nice scenery you would otherwise miss.

Thanks for the help. I think I will probably make a revised loop going counter-clockwise that doesn't depend on me traveling from Cecile to Minaret Lake. Maybe I will camp at Ediza or Nydiver Lakes and just make it a day-trip to try to visit Minaret Lake

The country around Iceberg lake–including Cecile–is really spectacular. You're just under the Minaret spires and Banner peak (or is it Ritter?). You can climb around on the granite around Iceberg forever–I mean, easy walking on the granite. There are a few little lakes/ponds up from Iceberg that may be campable–I'm not sure if there's much flat space. But the day hiking is just superb in this area. I would suggest not short changing your time there. Get up to Cecile and then explore up from Iceberg towards Banner. Awesome.

"You're just under the Minaret spires and Banner peak (or is it Ritter?)."

Yes, Banner Peak is slightly closer to the highway and Mount Ritter sits behind it and slightly higher. Banner is the easier climb.

–B.G.–

My recommended route would depend on your skill/navigation level doing cross-country. And your general interest in x-country.

A shuttle runs all up and down that valley. That means you can start at one trailhead, and finish at another. Take advantage of that.

I've been all over the Sierra, and to the Minarets many many times. Here's how I would rate the lakes & trails around there,

Minaret Lake – Cecile – Iceberg – Ediza – Nydiver – basin with little lake to the west of Garnet Lake – west side of Thousand Island Lake: 10 out of 10. There is no better scenery in the Sierra. This x-country path from lake to lake corresponds to Roper's Sierra High Route. Whether you should do it and how long it should take you depends on your x-country skills. You absolutely do not want to do to Minaret to TI in one day even if you're in shape to do that. It's too much rushing through the exquisite. Every lake will blow your mind. Rush your trail miles/entries, so that you can take your time through THIS section.

Minaret Lake Trail (besides Minaret Lake itself which is a 10): 4

John Muir Trail south of Shadow Lake: 5

John Muir Trail north of Shadow Lake, to Thousand Island Lake: 7-8, although very crowded

Shadow Lake to Agnew Meadows: 7-8

River Trail (PCT from Thousand Island Lake south to Agnew Meadows): 5, but fast

High Trail (PCT from Thousand Island Lake south to Agnew Meadows): 8

Therefore, the best way to see all the best scenery might be this loop:

1. Agnew Meadows to TI Lake via High Trail
2. Walk along north shore of TI Lake to its west side; then take easy x-country pass due south to the little lake in the basin west of Garnet Lake
3. Steep pass (Class 2) due south to Nydiver Lakes. If you're not comfortable with a Class 2 pass, go to Garnet Lake and follow the John Muir Trail around the corner to Ediza Lake.
4. Ediza, Iceberg Lakes. Nice (extraordinary) camping above west side of Ediza. There is a reason this lake is called "legendary Ediza Lake."
5. If the route from Iceberg to Cecile looks okay (low snowfield, or gone), hike to Minaret Lake. Then out the Minaret Trail the following day. (Twice I have been on that section between Minaret & Cecile Lakes, and I found it easy Class 2 – I do not know what people mean by a Class 3 "slot" – does not sound familiar. I think that slot is what is described in the traditional Roper route. However, a lot more, easier use-paths have been beaten from Minaret to Cecile Lake and I was able to take novice x-country people on them. WHETHER YOU FIND ONE OF THE EASY ROUTES DEPENDS ON YOUR NAVIGATION SKILLS.)
6. Alternate if you don't feel comfortable going above Iceberg Lake, is to retreat to Ediza and walk out to Agnew Meadows via Shadow Lake. You miss Cecile & Minaret Lakes, but on the positive side, the Shadow Lake Trail is beautiful. As you yourself mentioned, yet another angle would be to just day-hike from Ediza to Minaret Lake & back; then exit the Shadow Lake Trail.

– Elizabeth

^^^ +1

"3. Steep pass (Class 2) due south to Nydiver Lakes. If you're not comfortable with a Class 2 pass, go to Garnet Lake and follow the John Muir Trail around the corner to Ediza Lake."

Whitebark Pass (north side, no snow):

south side:

Great information – thanks for sharing. I am going to have to revise my route. I am reasonably confident in my off-trail abilities in the mountains and high-deserts of Arizona, but I do not have much experience with high-altitude passes or cross-country Sierra terrain. Based on the feedback here, I am going to do a day-hike to Iceberg/Cecile/Minaret Lake from Ediza Lake or Nydiver Lakes to really take in the area. From the pictures, I think the scramble looks reasonable and it should be a great way to spend a day. I will have to work on the rest

Thanks for the reminder about the shuttle. I had initially discounted it due to having my dog along, but it seems she can ride the shuttle with a muzzle on (will have to find a lightweight muzzle to pack and double check with ranger). This opens up a lot more possibilities.

My permit starts out from the Minaret Lakes TH, but I will look into changing this now that my route has changed.

Update: permit is changed, I'll be starting on the High Trail from Agnew Meadows. With help from those who posted, I think I have an awesome route put together!

"will have to find a lightweight muzzle to pack"

Get one with big enough openings that you can push dog treats in there.

Can we assume that the dog will have a dog pack?

What is the dog's base weight for gear?

–B.G.–