7 miles of hiking • 2000' elevation gain •
Ranger Station road conditions report via phone said the road to Ape Canyon was clear and open - very much NOT so, given the gate that is blocking the way. Those plans were thwarted, so back up bacame a loop starting from marble mtn sno park: Swift Creek - worm flows 4800' climbing line - Loowit - June Lk - Pine Marten - Car. For the 50,000,001 cars at the lot, I ran into very few people - small crowd at June Lake, but shockingly had the whole route to myself otherwise. (The Pine Marten trail gave me this eerie, back of the neck chill that gives me the creeps...ya know, like on Franklin Ridge?) Good day, though didn't get the mileage I wanted. Plus side: knee didn't hurt once, despite the 1.5mi boulder field!
