Today’s goal was somewhere between Purple Lake and Silver Pass. I got an early start, around 6:30 or so, and planned to hike most of the day. The scenery for the first half of the day was pretty dull, so I just put my head down and hiked. It was mostly just a stroll through the forest until the gorgeous Lake Virginia, where the scenery improved significantly.

A smokey view through the trees back to the Minarets.

After climbing from Devil’s Postpile, the trail passes through the area ravaged by the Rainbow Fire 25 years ago.

After slogging for a few more hours, the trail hits the beautiful Virginia Lake which sits on a high bench with a backdrop of the high mountains of the Silver Pass and Mono Divide areas.

Shortly after Virginia Lake, the trail drops 1,000’ down to Tully Hole before climbing 1,700’ back up to Silver Pass. I went through Tully Hole a couple of hours before sunset, peak mosquito hour.

Beautiful, alpine Chief Lake is the last high lake before crossing Silver Pass (10,754’).

Looking south from Silver Pass over Silver Pass Lake and the Mono Divide. The high peak on the left is Recess Peak. I would camp down near the lake in the foreground, Silver Pass Lake.

Sunset from my campsite at Silver Lake. It was a bit cooler tonight, but that meant no mosquitoes!