Posted: Wed Mar 17, 2010 10:41 pm
I've day hiked a ways up Lyell Canyon and overnight hiked to 1000 Island and Minaret Lake on various occasions by different routes (1000 at least), but oddly never by the JMT. Still, the whole area's so scenic, it's pretty hard to go wrong. You may want to tag Banner along the way. Re Lyell Canyon: I know a lot of people climbing Lyell camp on the north side of Donahue Pass where Lyell Creek intersects it, and that's supposed to be nice.