Actually, it was a fun exercise. As I mentioned most of Salty's way points were unknown to me, so a challenge to find them, and then to connect the dots. Thankfully gmap was there
Salty, was there any section that you particularly liked, and why?
I will be up at Mammoth in Sept., and you may have inspired me to check out Lake Anona. I am guessing a 5 mile hike (one way). Any comments on the scenery from Devil's postpile to the turn off? From your InReach track it seems you may have considered this as a side trip.
Dam! I was hoping no one would catch the Lake Anona Anomaly: brief foray up the wrong trail at an unmarked junction. You can benefit from that, however, by making note that the turnoff is unsigned: Mammoth trail continues left and south up a ravine, as I recall, and trail to Anona cuts along a contour into some wooded bogginess. Wrong turn here will put you on the Mammoth Trail up to the inexplicably named Granite Stairway. Some good open views with line of sight to Mammoth Mt and down into San J.
Outstanding section of the hike was the upper Merced drainage (s) from Ottoway Lakes to Isberg. 2 days of a 5 day stretch in which I saw no one except a couple I had met picking up my permit, and they were only there because I had suggested a route to them that crossed mine. Very interesting crossings of Red Peak and Isberg passes, including ice ax ascents and glissade, incredible garden like scenes especially at Ottoway and Merced crossings, spectacular vistas from above Red Devil Fork of the Clark and Ritter ranges, Triple Divide and all the way to Cathedral and Dana that far surpass anything the Yosemite stretch of the JMT has to offer. Last tourists I saw were less than a mile from the Panorama trailhead at Glacier Point, and even then not many: so different from starting in the madness of the Valley.
BTW, your track from my descrition was pretty good, except that you have me n Bear Ridge instead of the Bear Creek Cutoff. Bear Creek is not to be missed, especially this year with spectacular cascades, whirlpool and general spectacular water effects. I spent 2 days doing this, too.
Least favorite, By the way, was south from Hemlock Crossing, and the Magical Disappearing Reappearing Trail. Sierra NF needs some serious support for their trail maintenance. it was heartbreaking to see the condition of the trails in this otherwise truly beautiful part of the Ansel Adams Wilderness.
