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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.

Thursday  2/6  Snow, mainly after 10am. The snow could be heavy at times. Patchy blowing snow. High near 26. Wind chill values as low as -2. Windy, with a south southwest wind 20 to 30 mph, with gusts as high as 55 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. Total daytime snow accumulation of 16 to 22 inches possible.
 
Thursday Night 2/6  Snow before 1am, then snow showers between 1am and 4am, then snow after 4am. The snow could be heavy at times. Some thunder is also possible. Areas of blowing snow. Low around 18. Wind chill values as low as 1. Windy, with a south southwest wind around 40 mph, with gusts as high as 65 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New snow accumulation of 27 to 33 inches possible.
 
Friday 2/7  Snow, mainly before 4pm. The snow could be heavy at times. Patchy blowing snow before 7am. Temperature falling to around 16 by 5pm. Wind chill values as low as -2. Windy, with a south southwest wind 25 to 30 mph, with gusts as high as 60 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New snow accumulation of 4 to 8 inches possible.
 
Friday Night 2/7  A 20 percent chance of snow before 10pm. Partly cloudy, with a low around 5. Wind chill values as low as -7. West wind 5 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
 
Saturday 2/8  Sunny and cold, with a high near 23. West southwest wind around 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
 
Saturday Night 2/8  Mostly clear, with a low around 3. West wind 5 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 15 mph.
 
Sunday 2/9  Sunny and cold, with a high near 24. West southwest wind 5 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 15 mph.
 
Sunday Night 2/9  Mostly clear, with a low around 4. West wind around 5 mph, with gusts as high as 15 mph.
 
Monday 2/10  Sunny and cold, with a high near 22. West southwest wind 5 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 15 mph.
 
Monday Night 2/10  Partly cloudy, with a low around 5. West southwest wind around 5 mph.
 
Tuesday 2/11  A 20 percent chance of snow. Mostly sunny and cold, with a high near 16. West southwest wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.
 
Tuesday Night 2/11  A 40 percent chance of snow. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 6. West southwest wind around 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.
 
Wednesday 2/12  Snow likely. Partly sunny and cold, with a high near 19. West southwest wind around 15 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

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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