A few summers ago, we set off on a 15-mile backcountry overnight to the remote Garnet Lake. It was a moderately tough hike with an amazing pay-off.
The setting is idyllic, as are most throughout the Eastern Sierra. One of the many spectacles along the John Muir Trail in the Ansel Adams Wilderness, crystal-clear Garnet sits beneath the two tallest mountains in the Ritter Range - Banner Peak and Mount Ritter. We realized admiring these peaks from afar is nothing compared to setting up camp at the base.
Clocking in at an impressive 12,942 ft., Banner and her 13,143 ft. sister Ritter cast their shadows over the lake at dusk and provided a backdrop for the sun’s rays as they illuminated our camp in the early morning. Their commanding presence left us feeling somehow more powerful and confident, rather than insignificant and small. To say we were inspired is an understatement. Our obsession continues with this backcountry paradise, and we're counting the days until we can make the trek again.
Photo Credit: Kim Phillips, Nate Reifke
