Ansel Adams Wilderness

[Ross]

Great trip report and awesome pictures! Thank you so much for sharing!

I realize this was 6 years ago, but I'm wondering if I could ask you a couple questions? I understand that 2017 was a big snow year, maybe similar to this year (2022-2023). Because of the remaining snow, it sounds like you did not go over the ridge from Iceberg to Cecile, but rather found a way down one drainage and up the next. Based on my understanding of the topo, it's not clear to me the route you took. Would you be comfortable sharing your exact path.

I have permits for mid-August to do a similar route to yours. I will be going up the High Trail to Thousand Island, then I plan to work my way over to Minaret via Iceberg and Cecile. With the record snow this year, I'm afraid I may run into the same challenge that you did on that ridge above Iceberg. Any alternative routes would be greatly appreciated.

TIA

Thanks. You're right I can't remember precisely. At Iceberg we couldn't get up over the ridge to the next lake. Cecile I think it is. So we came back down the way we went up. We had to go all the way round and eventually ended up seeing that snow covered col or pass from the other side, so I thiink we did in reverse the ending we had planned. ie we went to Minaret Creek, up that to Minaret and Cecile Lakes and then headed back down the same way. So instead of a loop hike taking in the lakes we did two semi-circles. I remember I used the Lonely Planet book on the best hikes in the USA when I was planning. If that's too vague and you need me to try and check precisely what I did, I haven't got that book any more, but somewhere in my home I have a photocopy of a map and the route description. Enjoy your trip. It's an amazing place.

 

[wabenho]

Thanks for the response! The information you provided gives me some good ideas for a plan B in case I cant get from Iceberg to Cecile. Thanks again for your TR!

 

[utahastro]

Thanks for the response! The information you provided gives me some good ideas for a plan B in case I cant get from Iceberg to Cecile. Thanks again for your TR!

As a heads-up, the mosquitos might be really bad in that area in August given the large snowpack. I hiked to Minaret Lake at the end of August 2019 (after a very snowy winter) and again in August 2022 (after a dry winter). The mosquitos were swarming everywhere in 2019, and I had to swat them almost continuously. But in 2022, I encountered only a single mosquito in a week of hiking. It was a night-and-day difference.

 

[wabenho]

As a heads-up, the mosquitos might be really bad in that area in August given the large snowpack. I hiked to Minaret Lake at the end of August 2019 (after a very snowy winter) and again in August 2022 (after a dry winter). The mosquitos were swarming everywhere in 2019, and I had to swat them almost continuously. But in 2022, I encountered only a single mosquito in a week of hiking. It was a night-and-day difference.

Thanks for the heads-up. I was in the adjacent John Muir Wilderness last August and the mosquitos were not a problem at all. Like you mentioned, a big snow season will change that for this year. I'm preparing myself for snow-covered passes, high stream crossings, etc. I'll add mosquitos to the list.