Statistics:  mileage 9 miles  ascent 2500′  descent 2500′ (in and out hike)

Most summers (every summer?) California experiences at least several devastating fires and this year the fire nearest our cabin was the Ferguson fire threatening Yosemite Valley.  On the day we chose to hike into 4th of July Lake, smoke from this fire was visible on the horizon, but not nearly the heavy smoke which had obscured the nearby mountains in previous days.   We began this training hike to 4th of July Lake from the Woods Lake Trailhead near Carson Spur on Highway 88.   Several other lakes are “on the way” and easily visible.caples20180811_102054

View of Caples Lake as we near the end of the first ascent.

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The trail continues up to Round Top Lake and skirts around the shoulder of Round Top.

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This hike to Round Top Lake is a great training walk with an average amount of mileage, good, sustained climbing and a beautiful path with tremendous views! I was joined by Deborah Kulisch (a Silver Lake neighbor) and Nancy Whyte (a veterinarian and friend from the SF Bay Area).

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We left Round Top Lake after a brief rest and our trail then dropped down to the beautiful 4th of July Lake.

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