Muir Pass 11955 ft - Deer Meadow 8880 ft ...14.5 miles
day 13 : 12 July 2003
  
  the i-team  
  like in the old archival photographs, the I-Team posing at Muir Hut  
  
  
   
  the east side  
  snow may linger on the east side of Muir Pass throughout the summer  
  
  
   
  helen lake  
  named after the other of Muir's daughters, Helen Lake is a blue near-circular lake in a treeless, rusty-brown landscape  
  
  
   
  in the cracks  
  treeless it may seem but there is still traces of life everywhere; herbs and grasses hang onto existence here in the cracks and crevices  
  
  
   
  lakeside stroll  
  on the banks of the unnamed lake below Helen Lake, the first few stunted trees since Evolution Lake may be seen growing  
  
  
   
  wild onions  
  Steve harvesting wild spring onions to supplement our fast depleting food supply  
  
  
   
  stratification  
  the Middle Fork Kings River rumbles violently down as numerous torrent cascades as we descended  
  
  
   
  le conte  
  looking ahead is the lush Le Conte Canyon where a summer ranger is stationed  
  
  
   
  dusy water  
  Leon filters water from Dusy Branch, a tributary of the Middle Fork Kings River; behind him is Langille Peak (12018 ft)  
  
  
   
  grouse meadow  
  Tim and Octavia were having a picnic at Grouse Meadow when we caught up with them  
  
  
   
  palisade canyon  
  the JMT leaves Le conte Canyon and turns eastward up the beautiful canyon following Palisade Creek, this canyon is rich with patches of forest and open meadows  
  
  
   
  chefs at work  
  our campsite for the night was in the shaded lodgepole forest just east of Deer Meadow  
  
  
   
  my niche  
  this is the life! relaxing with the soothing sounds of the cascading Palisade Creek nearby  
  
  
   
  hangmok  
  a even more luxurious way of chilling out