I wasn't sure if my last blog entry would be my last because my final hike of the trip was on a trail that I have posted pictures in the past which is why I said my previous blog entry was probably my last. When I arrived at the trailhead I initially was going to leave my camera behind to save weight but I am really glad I brought my camera along. While I have hiked the San Joaquin Ridge trail many times before I have never seen it so alive with wildflowers. The hillsides were literally carpeted with yellow, pink, purple, and red. It was in another words, a wildflower bonanza.

The wildflower bonanza was unexpected because generally by this time of the yellow the wildflowers have already peaked but I had forgotten that this has been a very, very, late spring and summer. Also, this was a very wet winter which contributed to the abundance of wildflowers.

Although there are many other hikes I could have ended my trip with I am now really glad I ended my trip with this particular hike. I have hiked all over North America during my lifetime and seen some incredible beauty but The Minaret Mountain Range near Mammoth Lakes California is as good as it gets. I have been coming up here now for almost 40 years and I never get tired of this area...so...while I have done this hike more times than I can remember I am glad I ended my trip here, otherwise, I would have missed the beautiful wildflower bonanza.