Emerald Lake
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The usual terminus of this hike is Pear Lake, a mere half mile or so beyond Emerald Lake. The Pear Lake trail starts at Wolverton (7400') and ascends rapidly and steadily. At around 8100', the trail splits. Snow conditions permitting, the easier and more scenic alternative is the Watchtower Trail, which is cut directly into the precipice above Lodgepole. As our trip was taken in June, after a heavy spring snow year, the Watchtower trail was closed, and we were forced to take the "hump" to Heather Lake. This segment of the trail tops out at 9500', at which point you take in fantastic views of the smooth, regularly-fractured headlands of upper Tokopah Valley.
From the hump, the trail descends first to Heather Lake, and next, to beautiful Emerald Lake, which
sits in a classic glacial cirque north of Alta Peak.
Kim took a swim in the recently-frozen lake, while Antoine and I timidly munched trail mix on the
flat slabs nearby. I wholeheartedly recommend this hike. Easy enough for fairly casual hikers,
and an archetypal display of the glacial terranes so typical of the Sierra Nevada.
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Department of Geophysics Stanford University |
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