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THE ANSEL ADAMS WILDERNESS spans an area of 231,533 acres. Elevations within the wilderness range from 3,500 ft at Hells Half Acre along the Middle Fork San Joaquin River, to 13,157ft at the summit of Mt. Ritter. It is arguably some of the most beautiful landscape to be found anywhere in the world.

The wilderness was renamed from the Minarets Wilderness to honour the famous landscape photographer and environmentalist by the 1984 California Wilderness Act. The 1984 law also more than doubled the size of the Minarets Wilderness, extending it south from its original southern boundary in the vicinity of Hemlock Crossing and Devils Postpile all the way to its current extent near Lake Thomas Edison.

Mt. Ritter and Banner Peak along with the Minarets are awe inspiring for climbers and outdoors men of all types. John Muir considered the alpine beauty in this area to be unsurpassed by any other terrain in all the range. He also considered Ediza Lake to be the most beautiful of all the multitudes of lakes in the Sierra.

The below report is at the 10,591 ft level. It will give you a good idea of the weather conditions at camping spots such as Thousand Island Lake, Garnet Lake, and Ediza Lake.

Friday  4/26  Snow showers likely before 8am, then snow likely between 8am and 11am, then snow showers after 11am. Some thunder is also possible. High near 25. Wind chill values as low as 6. Breezy, with a west wind around 25 mph, with gusts as high as 40 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. Total daytime snow accumulation of 1 to 3 inches possible.
 
Friday Night 4/26  A slight chance of snow showers before 8pm, then a slight chance of snow between 8pm and 11pm. Some thunder is also possible. Partly cloudy, with a low around 15. Wind chill values as low as -2. Blustery, with a north wind 15 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
 
Saturday 4/27  Sunny, with a high near 34. Wind chill values as low as zero. West northwest wind around 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
 
Saturday Night 4/27  Partly cloudy, with a low around 21. Wind chill values as low as 11. Northwest wind 10 to 15 mph becoming west southwest after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 20 mph.
 
Sunday 4/28  Sunny, with a high near 38. West southwest wind 5 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
 
Sunday Night 4/28  Mostly clear, with a low around 24. West southwest wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
 
Monday 4/29  Sunny, with a high near 43. West southwest wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
 
Monday Night 4/29  Mostly clear, with a low around 28. West wind around 10 mph, with gusts as high as 15 mph.
 
Tuesday 4/30  Sunny, with a high near 44. West southwest wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.
 
Tuesday Night 4/30  Mostly clear, with a low around 27. West northwest wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
 
Wednesday 5/1  Sunny, with a high near 45. Southwest wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
 
Wednesday Night 5/1  Mostly clear, with a low around 29. West southwest wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
 
Thursday 5/2  Sunny, with a high near 41. Southwest wind around 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.

Above Weather Report Powered by the National Weather Service

Shasta Lake Helen

Photo shows North Side of River Trail

Psalm 8:3-9
When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him? You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor. You made him ruler over the works of your hands; you put everything under his feet: all flocks and herds, and the beasts of the field, the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, all that swim the paths of the seas. O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!


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