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starting the ascent, 8am in the morning- see how the sun has not yet fully emerged over the top of the ridge?
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pretty indian paintbrush!
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getting steeper...and rockier
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looking west- out into the haze of the San Joaquin valley
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Alta peak, from a closer vantage point
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hard at work...with not a bad view at all!
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FINALLY...made it to the top!
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not many trees up here...but a very nice clump of western whitepines, accentuated by the cool, whispy clouds
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same shot in sepia
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closeup of flower called elephant's head
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measuring dbh of a beautiful old WWpine, with an incredible view to boot!
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awesome snag
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our lunch spot at the top of the ridge
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looking down into the neighboring canyon from our big rock lunch spot
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Pear Lake
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Laura, sitting up above on another rock
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pano1 EASTward view from Em. Lake ridgetop
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pano2 EASTward view from Em. Lake ridgetop
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pano3 EASTward view from Em. Lake ridgetop
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pano4 EASTward view from Em. Lake ridgetop
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closeup of lichens growing on our lunch rock
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beautiful, elegant old snag
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so graceful looking!
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puffy clouds rising over large granite boulders
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cool rock
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checking out a Foxtail Pine
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Emerald lake through the trees
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struggling to measure diameter in a thicket of Chinkapin
