Yowza, what a hike!

7 miles, topping out at 11,323 feet elevation, starting at 9808. we hiked into the magical John Muir wilderness on the Chocolate lakes loop.

I was fascinated by the diverse group of people on this high elevation hike.

We met a "mountain man" from Montana at the trailhead, and he's hiked the Eastern Sierra a lot, it's his favorite place to hike. Then we leapfrogged the "Instagram couple", who were dressed to go to the mall, posing and smiling at the first lakeside viewpoint. Young serious hiker, woman with her dog, and a trail runner with very little compared to us, the retirees carrying enough for a few days in the back country.

The frozen lakes and streams were particularly beautiful, and a great reason to pause hiking for a minute.

For some reason, throwing rocks onto the frozen lake to see if it will go thru the ice or stay on top is enticing. And the sounds that the ice makes when struck by a rock is super interesting.

Route finding grew more challenging, particularly in the rock scrambles, the real trails become overgrown, and the social trails more prominent.

I think I need to edit this post for clarity…