🥾 Hiking to Crystal Lake Beneath Crystal Crag, Oct. 2024 ⛰️

October 24, 2024

Written by Barbara Levine

On the last of our four biking, hiking and touring trips to the Mammoth Lakes region in California during the summer and fall of 2024, Stan and I experienced our most memorable athletic adventure of the year when we hiked to Crystal Lake.

Ranger Gale, Stan & I on a hike to Mineral Falls in August

🥾 Preface ⛰️

Once our backpacking and horsepacking days ended in 1999, our trips to the Mammoth area in the non-skiing months have mainly involved biking activities. This summer was different when our friend Gale, who lives in Mammoth Lakes during the summer, led us on several hiking as well as biking adventures when we were there in August and September.

Stan skis with Gale during the winter months, and she knows all of the hiking and biking trails in the area. We have given her the nickname Ranger Gale.

While we frequently hike on our horse trails in Rolling Hills and on the hiking trails of the Palos Verdes Peninsula where we reside, we hadn't ventured into the mountains for hiking since 1999 until this past summer.

🥾 Hiking to Crystal Lake ⛰️

On our last non-skiing trip to Mammoth this year in October, Ranger Gale has left the area for her home in the Los Angeles area. Thus I become the tour guide for the two of us for our biking and hiking adventures.

Emboldened by all of the hikes that we had taken with Ranger Gale on our previous two trips, I spend our evenings studying maps and trail descriptions so I can lead us without any misadventures. I download the AllTrails app for my iPhone that Ranger Gale used.

I want to hike to a place that we haven't been to before. I have always been fascinated by a large granite outcropping in the Lakes District called Crystal Crag. I decide that we will try to hike the trail to Crystal Lake, which lies directly beneath this crag.

Topo map of the Lakes District southwest of Mammoth Lakes showing the trail from Lake George to Crystal Lake (on the lower left). Crystal Crag is to the lower right of Crystal Lake.

My AllTrails app shows me the details of the trail to Crystal Lake. We will drive to the Crystal Lake trailhead at Lake George where the elevation is 9,001'. The trail is steep and winds up to an elevation of 9,787'. There we will descend 166' to Crystal Lake at an elevation of 9621'.

The total round trip distance is 3.2 miles, which is a long way for me to walk on flat terrain at sea level – I need my hiking poles when walking any distance for stability and to support my limbs and torso after multiple body replacements and fusions.

The estimated round trip time is 1h 48m, not counting any stops. You have to realize that the time estimate is based on far younger hikers than us octogenarians!

On Thursday, October 24, we drive up Lake Mary Road to Lake George, arriving around 11 am. We want to be out by 4 pm when it starts getting dark at this time of the year.

The weather is perfect, although a bit chilly in the breeze at this high altitude. Fortunately, we have had 3 days to acclimate to the altitude. I am a bit concerned whether my fleece over a light shirt will be sufficient at higher elevations or if the weather changes.

Stan on the shore of Lake George with Crystal Crag in the background. Our trailhead is off the photo to the right where we have to hike up over a steep mountain and down to Crystal Lake.

I am standing by the signpost at the trailhead to Crystal Lake on the Mammoth Crest Trail.

Stan & I taking a short rest break partway up the trail

View of Lake George and Crystal Crag from our trail

Stan is a much faster hiker than I am, both in physical ability (I say he has longer legs) and lung power. I have to rest frequently to catch my breath and rest my joints.

Stan waits patiently for me to catch up.

Stan is waiting for me on the left on the trail above as two other hikers pass by him. Lake George is below. One reason that I am always the last one on hikes is that I can't resist stopping to photograph the gorgeous scenery.

Lake George is below and Lake Mary is in the background.

Stan is at the crest at an elevation of nearly 9800'. Below from the left are Lake Mamie, Lake Mary and Lake George.

I am at the top with Crystal Crag in the background. Only another quarter mile downhill to Crystal Lake.

On the shore of Crystal Lake at 1:45 pm, nearly 3 hours after we started at the trailhead.

A woman hiking by herself arrives at Crystal Lake just after we do and takes our photo by the lake in front of Crystal Crag.

We speak briefly with Kathy who took our photo above. She had driven up to Yosemite from Los Angeles with her mother's ashes so she could bury them there. Her mother had recently died at age 83 and had been an adventurous outdoors person. When I tell Kathy that I am the same age as her mother and that Stan is 87, she is surprised that we hiked up here by ourselves. When we tell her we are looking for somewhere to have lunch, she suggests that we follow the path further around the lake for a nicer place to sit and eat. We thank her and say goodbye.

A tree trunk near where we eat our lunch.

🥾 Hiking Out from Crystal Lake

At 2:30 pm as we are leaving Crystal Lake for our hike out, we run into Kathy again. She had started back but was worried about us and returned to make sure that we get out safely before dark.

Kathy posing in front of Crystal Crag on our hike out.

We hike out with Kathy, arriving back at our car by Lake George just before 4 pm as it is starting to get dark. It was a faster return trip because most of it was downhill. It took us five hours with a lunch break for the round trip of 3.2 miles – a hike done by most people in a couple of hours. BUT WE DID IT AND WE GOT OUT BEFORE DARK!!!

🥾 A Song to Go with My Missive ⛰️

I enjoy the song titled, "When the Sun Says Goodbye to the Mountains," by Susan McCann. The lyrics remind me of the end of my hike to Crystal Lake with my loved one. Click on the album cover below to hear Susan singing the song.

Lyrics:

When the sun says goodbye to the mountain

And the night says hello to the dawn

I'm alone with my dreams on the hilltop

I can still hear your voice, though you're gone

I hear from my door a love song in the wind

It brings back sweet memories of you

When the sun says goodbye to the mountain

I'm alone, and my thoughts are just for you

🥾 In Closing ⛰️

This hike to Crystal Lake was the most unforgettable one of the year for us, and possibly my most memorable ever. We are excited to explore more trails in the Mammoth area next summer that we haven't tried yet. I have a shortlist of three in mind.

🥾 The End ⛰️