Lonely PCT

And on and on and on….. Where was that photo taken, Jay?

Hey Tom, Sonora Pass going North to the parking lot.

"Sonora Pass going North to the parking lot." I've never hiked up that way, but you're photos are starting to get me interested. Wide open rambling country.

Great composition on the first one! It gives a real sense of isolation. On the second, you might want to cheat and use "dehaze" function in Lightroom or Aperture or whatever. Or convert to B/W so that the haze becomes an artistic effect. (Sorry for the photo critique. Carry-over from some other sites I'm participating in.)

I'm a lot closer to that area now Jay. We need to do a trip.

The abrupt change of geology is startling in that area. A few pics from Aug of this year. Even the PCT trail sign is weird.

Yowie! Keep 'em coming, Jay.

So this is a bit north of Kerrick Canyon…? I've always looped out of Bridgeport going south, which is wonderful country. I've wondered about going North. I come in/go out at Peeler Lake, but I'm not always on the PCT. Wow, the geology certainly changes! You just added some pictures that look more familiar…Matterhorn range in the distance? (I'm terrible at identifying stuff.)

Really beautiful photos, Jay. Thanks for sharing. That ragged ridge looks like the backside of the one visible from Bridgeport.

Tom: yep, I'm thinking Sawtooths–Matterhorn peak. Benson Lake loop takes you right under those–just stunning–and then up over Burro–or is it Mule?–pass and down to re-join the PCT.

"Benson Lake loop takes you right under those–just stunning–and then up over Burro–or is it Mule?–pass and down to re-join the PCT." I'll have to take your word for it, Jeffrey. I've never hiked up there. I've only seen the ridge from Hwy. 395 on my way down to Bishop and points south. Jay's pictures are starting to get me thinking about remedying that deficiency, though. :)

There's a lot of very cool country in this area–and a lot of off-trail stuff too. If you look at a map you can see that, just before entering the Sawtooth Ridge area, there's Slide Canyon, which takes you down a parallel drainage that's off trail. But geeze, there's lots of possibilities just past Peeler lake too going West. (I know you like off-trail.) I avoided this part of Yosemite because the elevation seemed lower than what I liked…boy I was wrong. It's a great part of the park. But none of this country looks at all like Jay's first series of photos…the geology changes a lot! that ridge from Bridgeport is enticing, isn't it? That area is a bit reminiscent of the Tetons–I mean, the huge green meadows framing a series of serrated peaks.

" But geeze, there's lots of possibilities just past Peeler lake too going West. (I know you like off-trail.) I avoided this part of Yosemite because the elevation seemed lower than what I liked…boy I was wrong. It's a great part of the park." I'm guessing that I'll be exploring that area in a year or two. This thread has moved it from possible to probable. Just a matter of time now. "that ridge from Bridgeport is enticing, isn't it? That area is a bit reminiscent of the Tetons–I mean, the huge green meadows framing a series of serrated peaks." Yes. I've been looking it over ever since I started driving down from Reno, which is quite a few years now. It is indeed reminiscent of the Tetons, and also a coupe of ridges up here in the Cascades.