Minaret Lake was a spur of the moment trip as I was coming back from Tahoe and wanted to get one last trip in before heading back to the heat of AZ. I stopped at the Welcome Center at Mammoth Lakes to scope out the permits and a campsite for the night before departing the next morning on the 8 mile trip up to Minaret Lake. I had zero problems getting a permit to hike in on Friday morning leaving out of Reds Meadow. After picking up a bear can, permit and map I headed to the Shady Rest Campground which is one of the first campgrounds in Mammoth. It was clean and the hosts were super nice. Friday morning I drove into Devils Postpile and parked at the Backpackers parking lot. Most will have to shuttle down to the trail head but I have an all access pass so I was able to make my way all the way down to Devils Postpile. I left the trailhead at 730AM and hiked south about 1 mile to see Devils postpile. Once I saw that crazy rock formation I began my accent to Minaret Lake via the PCT/JMT. Approximately 1.5 miles I met the first of 3 water crossings. This one was thigh high for me ( I am 5 feet tall). The water was moving but easily fordable. After replacing my dry hiking boots. I continued on. The trail was clearly marked and maintained well. Soon the climb began. The next crossing had a downed tree and the third was a trickle. The whole accent the roaring falls accompanied us. Water was fairly accessible a good amount of time. The first 5-6 miles were a light workout. The landscape slowly turns to granite,the trail gets rocky and the steep switchbacks begin. The last two miles are a good workout but the beauty far surpasses any struggle. At 9600 feet and on up there were patches of snow still. The dog had a blast and it was a refreshing snack. I was a bit heavy at 35 lbs but I was only going overnight so I opted for luxury. Finally about 7 hours in I reached the spectacularly beautiful Minaret Lake. There were a handful of people. The whole day I saw 6 hikers. I camped lakeside tucked in behind some granite. No fires. Did a bit of fishing, cooked some dinner, relaxed and turned in for the night. No wind and about 50 degrees made for beautiful sleeping weather. Awoke to a mirror lake, had some coffee and soon the much awaited decent would begin. We hiked out in just about 4 hours. This area is so beautiful with so many opportunities Its tops my favorite list. At 9 hours away its a keeper.
I hike with a service dog. Dogs are allowed. I saw at least 5 other dogs. One couple had 3
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