I first visited Thousand Island Lake in the summer of 1958 while on a two week backpack loop from Yosemite Valley. I visited it again in 1959, 1960, 1966, 1977, 1980, 1988, and 1991. Click here for a map. My routes of travel (which overlap in many places) are shown in various colors as identified below.
1958 Yosemite Loop Trip (red map line)
This was my first trip on the John Muir Trail. I covered the section from Yosemite Valley to Thousand Island Lake.
From the beginning of the John Muir Trail at Happy Isles in Yosemite National Park I hiked the Muir trail to Tuolumne Meadows, then south over Donohue Pass to Thousand Island Lake.
I then turned west on a cross-country route over Lake Catherine Pass north of Banner Peak and worked my way to the Merced River headwaters then followed the river back to Yosemite Valley.
1959 Silver Lake to Pine Creek Trip (green map line)
This was my second trip on the John Muir Trail. I covered the section from Thousand Island Lake to Hilgard Branch of Bear Creek.
I started at Silver Lake on the June Lake loop ... up the steep trail ... across the tramway used for the power company dams to camp at Clark Lakes near Agnew Pass. Beautiful sunset. Continued to Thousand Island Lake with continuously changing views of Banner and Ritter peaks.
I then hiked the John Muir Trail south to the Hilgard Branch of Bear Creek. I followed the Hilgard Branch up to Lake Italy, then out over Italy Pass to the trailhead on Pine Creek where I hitch hiked back to my car at Silver Lake.
1960 Banner Peak Climb (yellow map line)
In 1960 I climbed Banner Peak from Lake Ediza with a San Diego Sierra Club group. Although we didn't camp at Thousand Island Lake, we had great views of it from the top of Banner Peak.
1966 Yosemite to Red's Meadow Explorer Post 360 Trek (purple map line)
In August 1966, Explorer Post 360, of which I was the adult Advisor, backpacked the John Muir Trail from Yosemite Valley to Reds Meadow on our annual "Sierra Trek".
1977 Memorial Weekend Trip (white map line)
Some friends from Independence and I backpacked from Silver Lake via Agnew Lake, Spooky Meadow and Clark Lakes to Thousand Island Lake. We didn't have much trouble with snow and made good time. Thousand Island Lake was still mostly frozen. Part of the party climbed Mt. Ritter via Ritter Lake. Gordon Lee and I started out to climb Mt. Davis but ended up on a peak unofficially named "Mullberry Peak".
1980 Fourth of July Weekend Trip (white map line)
Jimmy White and I backpacked from Silver Lake to Agnew Lake, then took the Spooky Meadow/Clark Lakes route to Thousand Island Lake. There was quite a bit of snow around and Thousand Island Lake was still mostly frozen. We took it easy and enjoyed the solitude.
1988 Marie Lakes - Davis Lakes Loop Trip (blue map line)
In 1988 I did a nine day backpack from Agnew Meadows trailhead. I took the High Trail to Thousand Island Lake where I explored the area on two layover a days. Then hiked cross country to Island Pass and followed the John Muir/Pacific Crest Trail north toward Donohue Pass to the junction with a trail to Marie Lakes. On August 22, 1988 .. my birthday .. I arrived at the Marie Lakes located just southwest of Donohue Pass in the Ansel Adams Wilderness.
I stayed two days at Marie Lakes, exploring the upper lake and enjoying the solitude and scenery. Then I proceeded cross country parallelling the Ritter Range past Rodgers Lakes to Davis Lakes for two more nights. Then proceeded near Island Pass to the upper end of Thousand Island Lake and on to a small lake above Garnet Lake, eventually returning to my car at Agnew Meadows.
1991 Devil's Post Pile - Agnew Meadow Loop Trip (black map line)
Gil Beilke and I backpacked from Devil's Post Pile National Monument along the west ("back") side of the Ritter Range via Hemlock Crossing to Twin Island Lakes, then over Lake Catherine Pass to Thousand Island Lake and out at Agnew Meadows.
The following pictures are in the Thousand Island Lake area:
Click on image for full size view
The approach from Agnew Meadows on the Devil's Postpile road via the High Trail, which is also the Pacific Crest Trail (the John Muir Trail uses a different route here), offers views of Mt. Ritter, Banner Peak and Shadow Lake.
) Shadow Lake from high trail to Thousand Island Lake ... Minaret Range with Mt. Ritter and Banner Peak to the right |
) Looking toward Agnew Pass from the High Trail |
Instead of taking the High Trail from Agnew Meadows you can take the trail to Shadow Lake ... then north on the John Muir Trail ... you can also get great views from the top of Banner Peak which dominates the area.
There is a saddle between Mt. Ritter and Banner Peak which can be ascended via a snow slope from either Lake Ediza on the south or Lake Catherine on the north.
) Mt. Ritter on left, Banner Peak on right from Shadow Lake |
) Minaret Range from Lake Ediza |
) San Diego Sierra Club group approching the Ritter-Banner saddle to climb Banner Peak |
) Mt. Ritter on left, Banner Peak on right on the approach from Lake Ediza to the saddle. The route is on the snow through the notch on the right side of the saddle |
) Bill Paine, John Butler, John Paine and the rest of the San Diego Sierra Club group check out the route to Banner Peak |
) San Diego Sierra Club groups takes a breather on the way to climb Banner Peak |
) Dick Pasek, John Butler and John Paine climbing the snow field to the Ritter-Banner saddle |
) John Butler follows John Paine, practicing rope work while climbing Banner Peak |
) John Butler follows John Paine, practicing rope work while climbing Banner Peak |
) Looking down the route from Ritter-Banner saddle |
) Looking down the north side from the Ritter-Banner saddle at Lake Catherine |
) Mt. Ritter from the top of Banner Peak |
) Garnet Lake from Banner Peak |
) Thousand Island Lake from Banner Peak |
) Nydiver Lakes and Lake Ediza from Banner Peak |
 from Banner Peak','610','430','#7FFFD4')) Iceberg Lake and the Minaret Range (on the right) from Banner Peak |
) Banner Peak and saddle from top of Mt. Ritter |
) Banner Peak from the top of Mt. Ritter |
The route from Silver Lake, on the June Lake Loop road, via Clark Lakes is usually the only reasonable access early in the season .. Memorial Day and Fourth of July weekends.
) Mt. Ritter and Banner Peak from Clark Lakes |
) Banner Peak from stream below Thousand Island Lake |
) Outlet stream below Thousand Island Lake |
) Banner Peak from stream below Thousand Island outlet |
) Banner Peak from stream below Thousand Island Lake |
 and Banner Peak from near Clark Lakes','610','430','#7FFFD4')) Mt. Ritter (left rear) and Banner Peak from near Clark Lakes |
 and Banner Peak from near Clark Lakes','610','430','#7FFFD4')) Mt. Ritter (left rear) and Banner Peak from near Clark Lakes |
) Banner Peak from below the Thousand Island Lake outlet |
The John Muir and Pacific Crest Trails lead from Tuolumne Meadows in Yosemite National Park south over Donohue Pass and Island Pass to Thousand Island Lake. Banner Peak is the pointy peak in front, Mt. Ritter is behind.
) Banner Peak from meadow near Island Pass |
) Island Pass Lake and Banner Peak |
) Thousand Island Lake from above Island Pass |
) Banner Peak over Thousand Island Lake from above Island Pass |
) Banner Peak, Mt. Ritter, Mt. Davis in the Ritter Range from near Island Pass |
, the pass to Lake Catherine, Mt. Davis (right edge) from Island Pass','610','440','#7FFFD4')) Banner Peak, Mt. Ritter (in back), the pass to Lake Catherine, Mt. Davis (right edge) from Island Pass |
 and Banner Peak from near Island Pass','610','435','#7FFFD4')) Mt. Ritter (in back) and Banner Peak from near Island Pass |
You can approach Thousand Island Lake from the west via a trail that goes north from Hemlock Crossing to a meadow below Twin Island Lakes. A low grade trail and "ducked" route, left over from early days when there was a mine claim in the area, leads up to Lake Catherine from which a pass leads to Thousand Island Lake. You can also climb to the Ritter-Banner saddle from here.
) Lake Catherine from top of pass between Banner Peak and Mt. Davis |
) Banner Peak and Lake Catherine |
) Looking along the north side of Mt. Ritter from Lake Catherine. A frozen Ritter Lake is visible through the rocks. This is one route for climbing Mt. Ritter |
) Mt. Ritter over frozen Lake Catherine. The snow slope leads up to a saddle between Banner Peak and Mt. Ritter from which Banner Peak is an easy class 3 climb ... Mt. Ritter is a technical climb from that saddle |
) Looking across frozen Lake Catherine toward the route via Ritter lakes around the north side of Mt. Ritter to climb the peak. Part of our party completed that climb |
) Looking across frozen Lake Catherine at the snow slope leading to the saddle between Banner Peak on the left and Mt. Ritter on the right |
) Gordon Lee looking across Lake Catherine at Banner Peak on the left and Mt. Ritter on the right and the snow slope leading to the saddle |
![](javascript:popitup5('sn_var_thousand_island_lake/snb05_45banner_ritter_1000island1977g170w580s502525hq.jpg','Sierra Nevada - Thousand Island Lake - Various Years','Gordon Lee looking at Mt. Ritter. We were headed for Mt. Davis but ended up on "Mulberry Peak" instead','610','440','#7FFFD4')) Gordon Lee looking at Mt. Ritter. We were headed for Mt. Davis but ended up on "Mulberry Peak" instead |
![](javascript:popitup5('sn_var_thousand_island_lake/snb05_48banner_ritter_1000island1977g170w580s502525hq.jpg','Sierra Nevada - Thousand Island Lake - Various Years','Banner Peak and Mt. Ritter from "Mulberry Peak"','610','430','#7FFFD4')) Banner Peak and Mt. Ritter from "Mulberry Peak" |
![](javascript:popitup5('sn_var_thousand_island_lake/snb05_49banner_ritter_1000island1977g160w580s502525hq.jpg','Sierra Nevada - Thousand Island Lake - Various Years','Frozen Thousand Island Lake, frozen Garnet Lake and the White Mountains from "Mulberry Peak"','610','440','#7FFFD4')) Frozen Thousand Island Lake, frozen Garnet Lake and the White Mountains from "Mulberry Peak" |
![](javascript:popitup5('sn_var_thousand_island_lake/snb05_50banner_ritter_1000island1977g160w580s502525hq.jpg','Sierra Nevada - Thousand Island Lake - Various Years','Mt. Davis from "Mulberry Peak"','610','430','#7FFFD4')) Mt. Davis from "Mulberry Peak" |
![](javascript:popitup5('sn_var_thousand_island_lake/snb05_51banner_ritter_1000island1977g160w580s502525hq.jpg','Sierra Nevada - Thousand Island Lake - Various Years','Kuna Peak, Koip Peak, Mt. Woods and Mono Lake from "Mulberry Peak"','610','430','#7FFFD4')) Kuna Peak, Koip Peak, Mt. Woods and Mono Lake from "Mulberry Peak" |
) View of the Ritter Lakes from Lake Catherine. This route around the northwest side of Mt. Ritter is one route to climb it |
) Gil Beilke views Lake Catherine and Banner Peak. The snow slope at the right leads to the Banner-Ritter saddle |
) Banner Peak over Lake Catherine with the Ritter-Banner saddle |
) Thousand Island Lake from near Lake Catherine pass |
At Thousand Island Lake there are many fine views of the lake and Banner Peak.
 Stitched panorama of Banner Peak over Thousand Island Lake, Mt. Davis, Rogers Peak, Mt. Lyell |
) Banner Peak and Thousand Island Lake with saddle to Lake Catherine on the right |
) Banner Peak and Lake Catherine saddle over Thousand Island Lake from campsite. |
) Sunset over Banner Peak and Thousand Island Lake |
) Frozen Thousand Island Lake and Banner Peak. You can see the sloping route on the right leading to the Lake Catherine pass |
) Banner Peak on the left and the Lake Catherine pass in the center from camp as the gang gets ready to leave |
) Banner Peak - enroute to the Lake Catherine pass |
) Banner Peak over Thousand Island Lake |
) Looking across to the Garnet ridge from near camp at Thousand Island Lake |
) Banner Peak from camp at Thousand Island Lake |
) Banner Peak reflection in Thousand Island Lake |
) Banner Peak and reflection in Thousand Island Lake |
) Banner Peak and camp at Thousand Island Lake |
) Camp at Thousand Island Lake |
) Near the top of the pass to Lake Catherine between Banner Peak/Mt. Ritter and Mt. Davis |
) Banner Peak and Thousand Island Lake. The pass to Lake Catherine is on the right |
) Banner Peak with the Lake Catherine pass on the right |
) Banner Peak from camp at Thousand Island Lake |
) Reflection of Banner Peak in Thousand Island Lake |