My little one-person campsite right next to Palisade Creek where I ended my 18-mile day
Up the Golden Staircase towards Mather Pass
Rockslides and forest fires took their toll on this canyon
A long toil up the Golden Staircase
Somewhere up their is Mather Pass (actually it's around to the right)
Palisades Lakes. A good long food and water break here before heading further up towards Mather Pass
Above Palisades Lakes - there were CCC workers working on the trail here with nothing but crowbars and shovels
Flowers were everywhere
The last glimpse of Palisade lakes
You get to about here on some of these passes and it just looks like it will take forever to get up there
My favorite type of flower on this trip
JMT-20130725104903-2485
Such a nice mix of flowers
The trail up to Mather. Lots of big steps and boulders to deal with
Looking back from the top of Mather Pass (12,100')
Yours truly on Mather Pass
Upper Basin on the south side of Mather Pass
If I'm looking a little beat up by Mather Pass, it's because I am. This one has such a long, steep approach from the north that it nailed me
Looking down on Upper Basin