On our way up from Los Angeles, we stopped off at Red Rock Canyon State Park. Read the travelogue here.

Unfortunately, we missed the sunset by about five minutes!

We spent about ten minutes up around the rocks.

Mike in a hole [thanks mjg]

There was a steady wind up the canyon. (my hair gives it away!) [thanks mjg]

Dusk as we move from the high desert into the Owens Valley

Bad photo? Well, yes. But... See the brown haze? That's smoke pouring over Olancha Peak and into the Owens Valley from the huge forest fire around Sequoia National Park. The air was filled with wood-scented smoke as far north as Lone Pine.

Dawn reveals the eastern Sierra from our roadside campsite just south of Big Pine.

[thanks mjg]

We happened upon the campsite by chance the night before. David, Mike, and myself slept under the stars while Josh and Garrett chose instead to put something between themselves and the mosquitoes.

It was a short drive over to the Pine Creek valley and our trailhead.

We're quickly surrounded by tall spires on each side.

Beck and the Pine Creek valley

As we hit the trail, we look up at the Four Gables, and ahead to a steep climb to the lakes above.

Josh, Mike, and Garrett

Beck traverses a stream

We head up past the Pine Creek Tungsten Mine. A forest ranger later informed us that it's being decommisioned.

Garrett looks up at the Four Gables

Beckett, David, Garrett, and Josh [thanks mjg]

Looking back beyond the trailhead

Despite the steady steep incline, it was a stock trail, quite well graded.

Group photo :) [thanks mjg]

The rock here is green from lichen.

We follow a set of switchbacks to reach the southern ridge above the creek.