Day 5, 8:28 AM - Entering Lower Palisade Basin - Overlook
Return to day page View previous item South rim of Palisade Basin at sunrise Looking down into Palisade Basin Looking South into Palisade Basin... Before the big drop into Lower Palisade Basin Outflow from P. Basin - Source of Palisade Creek Entering Lower Palisade Basin - Overlook Descending the Golden Staircase The hazards of growing over granite White water break by the Kings River Subject on Day 5 (he's a rocker!) Outlet of Devils Washbasin, Kings River Inflow to Devils Washbasin Slot canyon in Devils Crags Fire haze hangs over a hot, dry canyon Sun setting behind Devils Crags View next item

WHOA. Eloquence fails when one is confronted by a vista of this magnitude. That is one big valley - Lower Palisade Basin. I'm way up here but my path lies at the bottom of that glacial gouge, at the bottom of the Golden Staircase, the bane of many a hiker coming the other direction. For, is it not written, "Thy pack shall be born up in sorrow?" Well, it should be. I wasn't going to be much better off, with Boots by Iron Maiden. I knew the routine by this time: Tighten 'em up and move out.