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My son, a friend of his and I did a 5 day backpack fishing trip in the John Muir Wilderness on the Pacific Crest Trail last month, 45 mile round trip starting/finishing at Florence Lake. The weather was perfect and the fishing for Golden Trout was spectacular. I had done this trip myself over 25 years ago and wanted my adult son to see it, I wanted to see it again too. I was, to say the least, apprehensive about my physical ability at 57 to do this trip, especially the initial 3200' elevation climb in, but I got in shape, lost some weight beforehand and modernized my gear cutting it's weight substantially compared to my old backpacking kit.
Here's the map, stating at Florence Lake we took the water taxi across then hiked to Muir Trail Ranch and up the switchbacks on the PCT to Salley Keyes Lakes. From there we went over Selden Pass to Marie Lake and north toward Lake Edison cutting back to Florence Lake via Bear Creek Trail and out to Mono Hot Spring then back to our car at Florence Lake
Day 1 at Florence Lake waiting for the water taxi to take us across
Blayney Meadows by Muir Trail Ranch
The switchbacks up to Salley Keyes Lakes
Salley Keyes upper lake at 10,200' looking east towards Selden Pass, we camped and fished here for 2 days
Day 2 at Salley Keyes Lakes
Golden Trout, I'd estimate 70% on our casts got a fish on
My son and I exploring about
We found a snow survey shelter off trail just south of Salley Keyes Lakes
And spotted a grouse at 10,200' elevation...
Day 3 headed to Selden Pass looking back at Salley Keyes Lakes
My son and I loaded up at Heart Lake just below Selden Pass
Looking north east at Marie Lake from Selden Pass at 10,910', Mammoth Lakes is north over the far peak on the left
Day 4 at Rosemarie Meadow
Day 5 along Bear Creek, we did 20 miles on day 4 & 5
And out...
Here's the map, stating at Florence Lake we took the water taxi across then hiked to Muir Trail Ranch and up the switchbacks on the PCT to Salley Keyes Lakes. From there we went over Selden Pass to Marie Lake and north toward Lake Edison cutting back to Florence Lake via Bear Creek Trail and out to Mono Hot Spring then back to our car at Florence Lake
Day 1 at Florence Lake waiting for the water taxi to take us across
Blayney Meadows by Muir Trail Ranch
The switchbacks up to Salley Keyes Lakes
Salley Keyes upper lake at 10,200' looking east towards Selden Pass, we camped and fished here for 2 days
Day 2 at Salley Keyes Lakes
Golden Trout, I'd estimate 70% on our casts got a fish on
My son and I exploring about
We found a snow survey shelter off trail just south of Salley Keyes Lakes
And spotted a grouse at 10,200' elevation...
Day 3 headed to Selden Pass looking back at Salley Keyes Lakes
My son and I loaded up at Heart Lake just below Selden Pass
Looking north east at Marie Lake from Selden Pass at 10,910', Mammoth Lakes is north over the far peak on the left
Day 4 at Rosemarie Meadow
Day 5 along Bear Creek, we did 20 miles on day 4 & 5
And out...
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