Sequoia-Mineral King Loop, Day 2, Redwood Meadow to Hamilton Lakes

This is episode two of our backpacking trip on the Mineral King Loop in Sequoia National Park. It was about a 43 mile loop that we did over 5 days, 4 nights. On this day we started out at Redwood Meadow and ended up at Hamilton Lakes. Pretty challenging vertical gain. You may get the impression that there's a lot of exposed hiking on the cliffs of the High Sierra Trail, but it wasn't that bad. Much of it is protected by vegetation on your right so you don't realize the drop that exists to the right. There's a couple white knuckle spots though, but not for very long. Beware of the deer up at the lake. They're beautiful but act more like mountain goats. One nibbled at my trekking poles before I shoo'd him away and another stole the sock of one of our neighbors. I can't describe the magnitude of the views you get approaching the lake. The images, as always, rob you of the magnitude of the mountains.