Day 71: Lake Ediza - Iceberg lake - Garnet Lake (odd miles)

Eating birthday pie for breakfast with the morning mosquitoes.

Smiles' birthday pie does dual duty on Minus One's birthday - thanks to Smiles' dad for the pastry!

Minus One crosses a log over the Lake Ediza outflow.

Lunchtime at Iceberg Lake at the base of the Minarets.

Smiles delivers the coup-de-gras on the last of the birthday pie. 

Smiles and Minus One jam down the snowfield from Iceberg Lake back to Lake Ediza.

Mt. Ritter (L) and Branner Peak (R) provided a stunning backdrop for the descent. 

The last known photograph of both of Minus One's intact trekking poles.  

Smiles heads over a pass south of Garnet Lake, with the High Sierras visible in the background. 

Remembering the glory of the High Sierras. 

We had a late wakeup, followed by a breakfast of apple pie and pop tarts. The delicious pie was from Schatt's bakery, and provided by Smiles' dad for her birthday. Fatefully, it also survived long enough for my dad's birthday today, so it provided double-duty (though not an ultralight pie, the dual purpose was properly in line with ultralight philosophy). There were horrid amounts of mosquitoes, and we lived under the shrouds of our mosquito headnets. I detest headnets, too. Smiles said that mine looked like a burka. We day hiked to Lakes Ediza and Iceberg a few miles uphill of our campsite - two spectacular lakes at the bases of the massive peaks. I fished Ediza unsuccessfully, as the fish were not feeding at the surface midday and with good wind. We trailblazed  to iceberg lake, which was strikingly right beneath the minarets some 3,000 feet above. Eponymously, the lake was indeed covered with icebergs. All three of us ate a big lunch with the last of the pie & headed back downhill. Dads trekking pole broke during descent, which eventually led to his hiking name, Minus One. The Black Diamond Ultra Z-distance were too light of weight! We got back to camp and decided to press a little further up the trail, as it was still early and the mosquitoes were intolerable. We hiked up and over a small pass with great views south towards Red Slate Mountain and other familiar peaks about 20 mi south. Slightly farther north lay Garnet Lake at the foot of Branner peak, about 1-2 mi long. Just spectacular! We set up camp along the south side with clear views, and notably fewer mosquitoes than we experienced south of the pass. I tried the fishing whilst soaking my shin splints, but minimal action occurred on the evening bite. We cooked an alfredo pasta dinner, and the promise of getting near tuolemne tomorrow put us to sleep.