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Ready for Mather Pass
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And for three years in a row, Kings Canyon gets our Trail of Shame award for this totally unmaintained JMT section
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More than 20 trees needed to be climbed to get through this forest
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But the flowers are great
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Finally out of the woods and climbing to Palisade Lake
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The view back just below the switchbacks begin
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It is already hot before we hit the steep stuff
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Probably the most recognizable corner of the Golden Staircase section
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More water than usual again
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Break half way up
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Flower along the trail
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taking a closer look
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Why it's called the golden "staircase"
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Claire rests on one of the steps
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Using the last shade of the morning
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Lower Palisade Lake
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Looking west at Lower Palisade Lake
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Packing up to head up to Mather Pass
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Heading to the next lake
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The trail climbs well before the end of the lake is reached
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Mather Pass (notch on top right) is a gradual climb through the entire valley
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We can already see the upper Palisade Lake
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Fresh water from a clean stream
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Shoes off yet again
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This creek was too much for Claire to jump across
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But it takes only a few minutes for her to catch up
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Fast moving, and pretty deep even at this high elevation
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Mather Pass ahead
