I won’t be back for Chris Stevens’ memorial dinner at our law school. My thoughts however, are with my law school mates, especially three members of my class and 2 friends who entered this wilderness area in September 1993 for a 5 day backback trip. We hiked up the PCT from Agnew Meadows to Thousand Island Lake, under Mount Ritter and Banner Peak. We hiked down from there on the John Muir Trail, passing pristine lakes and The Minarets, named in 1869 for their resemblance to Islamic towers. These jagged saw-toothed pinnacles jut up from smoother terrain below. Formed during the Ice Age, moving glaciers and rocks eroded around the spires, leaving them intact. Although we saw few hikers, we know it must be a busy trail in season, as a big, fat (stealthy!) marmot snuck up behind me and grabbed a sandwich from my hand. Clearly, he had some practice! After a final night at Rosalie Lake, we climbed down Minaret Creek to Devil’s Postpile and up the Soda Spring Trail to the vehicles. The Ansel Adams Wilderness runs from Tioga Pass south to the Middle Fork of the San Joaquin River near Mammoth Pass. This may be one of the most dramatic loop trails in the Eastern Sierra. Oops, I think I have said that before about other trails!