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John Muir Wilderness Backpacking On The PCT & Golden Trout Fishing

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  • MeatyMac
    Senior Member
    • Aug 2013
    • 1789

    John Muir Wilderness Backpacking On The PCT & Golden Trout Fishing

    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...
    Last edited by MeatyMac; 09-09-2021, 3:05 PM.
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    .........??????????...... sigpic
    .
    ???Everyone's a Garand expert until the Garand expert walks in the room and I have only met 3, Scott Duff, Bruce Canfield & Gus Fisher
    .
  • #2
    1911man
    Senior Member
    • Jun 2006
    • 1575

    That looks like you had a awesome trip. Looks similar to echo lake area, and woods lake. Good memories

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    • #3
      homers
      Member
      • Nov 2007
      • 292

      Great looking trip! Did you need a permit?

      Comment

      • #4
        echo1
        Veteran Member
        • Apr 2010
        • 3724

        Good job, great scenery. My long distance at elevation days are behind me. Love the high country. Nice fishin. PAX
        You need a crew

        "A free people should be armed and disciplined" (George Washington),

        Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.~John Adams 1798

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        • #5
          MeatyMac
          Senior Member
          • Aug 2013
          • 1789

          Originally posted by homers
          Great looking trip! Did you need a permit?
          Yes, wilderness and a campfire to run our stove.
          .

          .........??????????...... sigpic
          .
          ???Everyone's a Garand expert until the Garand expert walks in the room and I have only met 3, Scott Duff, Bruce Canfield & Gus Fisher
          .

          Comment

          • #6
            Jeepergeo
            Veteran Member
            • Feb 2012
            • 3506

            I hiked that same area in the 1970s....it still looks the same. Beautiful. Sounds like a great trip.
            Benefactor Life Member, National Rifle Association
            Life Member, California Rifle and Pistol Association

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            • #7
              IronsightsRifleman
              Senior Member
              • Jun 2020
              • 786

              Nice.

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              • #8
                Casual_Shooter
                Ban Hammer Avoidance Team
                CGN Contributor - Lifetime
                • Sep 2006
                • 11733

                Looks like a great trip. I'll have to add that area to my list of to-do hikes.
                Guns, dogs and home alarms. Opponents are all of a sudden advocates once their personal space is violated.

                "Those who cannot remember the posts are condemned to repeat them"



                Why is it all the funny stuff happens to comedians?

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                • #9
                  Reecek
                  • Dec 2012
                  • 844

                  Nice trip!

                  Sent from my SM-G977U using Tapatalk

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                  • #10
                    Red-Osier
                    Doesn't Abide
                    CGN Contributor - Lifetime
                    • Oct 2015
                    • 12284

                    Looks like an awesome hike.
                    sigpic

                    Comment

                    • #11
                      Dnele928
                      Senior Member
                      • Feb 2014
                      • 680

                      My high school buddy and I did that same backpack trip many years ago in mid June. So long ago, there was no water taxi running across Florence Lake - get this, we had to hike all the way (sarcasm) from the parking lot to the other end of the lake. The trout fishing was very good where the creek dropped into the lake.

                      We first camped near the bridge across Boulder Creek. Then hiked and camped near Sallie Keyes Lakes. Next, we hiked over Selden pass to get to Marie Lakes. From the pass, as we looked over to the Marie Lakes valley, it was completely snow and ice packed. And the Marie Lakes were completely frozen. Since we were equipped for summer camping, we realized that we were going no further and headed back to Sallie Keyes.

                      Looking for things to do now that were as far as we could go, we hiked to Heart Lake, then climbed up the adjacent east slope as far as we could go until we got to the upper ice pack. Picked a good spot with a great view to have our salami and cheese lunch. We got water that was running out from under the glacial ice. Best tasting water we ever had.

                      While sitting there, we then noticed that high up there, on a horizontal flat rock right next to us, someone had carved the shape of Heart Lake in that rock. The carving was well weather worn. We were in awe that we found that, and could only wonder how long ago that was carved, and by whom. Awesome...

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                      • #12
                        RandyD
                        Calguns Addict
                        • Jan 2009
                        • 6673

                        What an awesome trip. Your son will always remember this trip.
                        sigpic

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                        • #13
                          MJB
                          CGSSA Associate
                          • Sep 2010
                          • 5915

                          See any deer or bears?

                          Nice Golden's
                          One life so don't blow it......Always die with your boots on!

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                          • #14
                            M76
                            Calguns Addict
                            • Apr 2014
                            • 5954

                            this thread delivers!

                            sigpic
                            Originally posted by dunndeal
                            Stop digging.
                            Originally posted by BrassCase
                            I only buy fireworks from Three Finger Willie over at One Eyed Jack's Fireworks.
                            iTrader

                            https://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/....php?t=1884858

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                            • #15
                              Featureless
                              CGN/CGSSA Contributor
                              CGN Contributor
                              • Mar 2018
                              • 2266

                              Awesome trip and photos. Thanks for posting that.
                              California Native
                              Lifelong Gun Owner
                              NRA Member
                              CRPA Member

                              ....."He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harrass our people, and eat out their substance."

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