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Highland Lakes from Tyron Peak on the Pacific Crest Trail Lake Tahoe to Mount Whitney: Your Backpacking Guide to the High Sierras Ebbetts Pass in the afternoon
Gardner Meadow Flowers blooming.
Highland Lakes
Gardner Meadow Flowers blooming
Ebbetts Pass

 

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Trail Guide
INDEX

Highway 4
to
Highway 108
Guide
to
TYT

Jenkins
Canyon
to
Highland
Lakes
Guide
to
PCT

Wolf Creek Pass
PCT
7.5
Topo Map

Highland
Lakes
to
Wolf Creek
Pass
30 min
Topo Map


Lake
Alpine
to
Saint
Marys
Pass
Lake Alpine
to
Saint Marys
Pass


MILES
AND
ELEVATIONS
ALL
TOPO MAPS

Lake
Alpine
to
Saint Marys
Pass

Resupply
North
Lake Alpine

Resupply
South
Kennedy Meadows

National Forest

Stanislaus

Ebbetts Pass
Weather

ALL
High Sierra
Weather

all
maps
index

Highland Lakes
via

Gardner Meadow

to
T
he Pacific Crest Trail
via
Wolf Creek Pass

Highland Lakes Trailhead, new Sign, '09.

This trailhead is the end of the Highland Lakes Road.

Highway 4 is seven miles to the Northwest.

Highland Lakes Trailhead

Between Trailheads

Hiking 6.46 miles up Highland Creek from the Jenkins Canyon trail junction brings us through the Highland Lakes Trailhead onto the Highland Lakes Road.

Exiting the Highland Creek Trail through the Highland Lakes Trailhead we find a well-maintained dirt road leading us past the first Highland Lake feeding Highland Creek, past the campground between the lakes, around the lower Highland Lake where the North fork of the Mokelumne River originates to the short spur road off the main Highland Lakes Road to the Gardner Meadow Trailhead.

We re-enter trail after our short 1.15 miles walk on Highland Lakes Road beside the lakes to the Gardner Meadow Trailhead. From Gardner Meadow it is a short hike to the Pacific Crest Trail at Wolf Creek Pass.

The Gardner Meadow Trailhead is 1.09 miles from Wolf Creek Pass on the Pacific Crest Trail.

The Highland Lakes Road continues Northwest past the Gardner Meadow spur road for about six miles out to Highway 4 just a bit West of Ebbetts Pass.

MAP

Miles and Elevations

Backpacker's Index

Highland Lakes Trailhead to Wolf Creek Pass via Gardner Meadow

MAP

On this Page

Start: Highland Lakes trail junction.

Highland Lakes Campground

Northeast Highland Lake

Hiram Peak

Gardner Meadow Road

Video
NONE

 

Gardner Meadow Trailhead

Wilderness Boundary

Arnot & Disaster Creek trail junction

View South towards Clarks Fork

Lower Gardner Meadow

Pacific Crest Trail
Wolf Creek Pass trail junction

Road Map
Highland Lakes Access from Highway 4

> Forum <

 

Basic Quick Facts
Miles Road & Sky Maps

Jenkins Canyon trail junction to

Highland Lakes Trailhead: 6.46 miles.

Campground: 6.77 miles.

Gardner Meadow: 7.61 miles.

Arnot-Disaster Creeks 8.7 miles.

Wolf Creek Pass: 9.73 miles.

TYT: Lake Alpine to Saint Marys Pass

PCT: Ebbetts Pass to Sonora Pass

Weather Forecast

Radar

Ebbetts Pass Ground Station

Highway 4 Road Conditions

Weather Page

Topo Hiking Maps

Jenkins Canyon trail junction

Carson-Iceberg Wilderness

Carson Iceberg Maps Indexes

Tahoe to Yosemite Trail

Pacific Crest Trail

click the red dots on the maps for that trail location.

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Hiking onto the Dirt Road

The Southwest Highland Lake.
Climbing to the top of the Highland Creek Trail we are rewarded by the relaxing beauty of the pure blue tones of Highland Lakes.

Southwestern View

Turning around to look Southwest at the end of the Highland Lakes Road and the Highland Lakes Trail running down Highland Creek behind the trailhead sign towards the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail at Spicer Meadow Reservoir.
Departing Highland Lakes Trailhead.

Zero action at the trailhead, except me.

Roadmap

Upper Highland Lake

Hiking Northeast around the upper Highland Lake we are looking to our Northeast across the lake. Note that we are hiking around the Northwest side of both Highland Lakes.
Highland Lake.

Hiking to the Northern end of this first lake past the Highland Lakes Trailhead we will see a faint vehicle track heading off the main dirt road to our Right between the lakes, across from the car campground on our Left.

This dirt road leads to a few campsites under the forest between the Highland Lake.

These car camping sites are located out of view to the left on the far shore of the upper Highland lake in the image above.

I'm pretty sure that these sites are free, but I may be wrong. This is National Forest land, and camping is free in National Forests except where prohibited.

The National Forests generally prohibit free car camping near their pay car campgrounds, so I suspect this little area is the overflow for the official car campground.

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Car Camping in the High Sierra

Don't worry about free car camping at Highland Lakes. Keep your eyes open and you will see numerous free car campsites up and down the top of Highway 4 spanning from Lake Alpine to Pacific Valley, past Pacific Valley to well past Ebbetts Pass to the East.

Keep your eyes open where streams and creeks cross the road, and for little dirt tracks that briefly circle off the road, as well as the National Forest's finely maintained network of dirt roads through the forests. Any or all of these terrain features may be harboring a nice little car camping site.

Though you don't need a camping permit to car camp in National Forests, you do need a fire permit, even to use a camp stove in some National Forests.

Though I've been to Highland Lakes around 12 times, I've never driven there, so my car camping experience at Highland Lakes is limited. I've free car camped in the National Forests along Highway 4 three or four times, always finding a nice old car camping site each time.

If you have the skinny about the free car camping situation at Highland Lakes, post up your experiences and advice through either of the links below.

Each aspect of this trail guide is designed to incorporate the experience of all who care to share it.

Roadmap

Highland Lakes: Comments

Car Camping Forum: Highway 4

Highland Lakes Campground

I always look forward to walking past the Highland Lakes car campground because of the fine folks I've met there over the years.

I can recall an old couple spending a month of quiet camping there chatting me up, a fine father-son getaway camping trip who invited me into their campsite for a big steak dinner, a big family full of kids who were curious about the nuts and bolts of backpacking, and Ken.

I've met many neighborly folks camping up here at Highland Lakes over the years.

Stanislaus National Forest: Highland Lakes

Ken, a hell of a nice guy, entertaining the backpacker at Highland Lake Campground.
Ken, a hell of a nice guy, entertaining the backpacker at Highland Lake Campground.

I was sitting at a picnic table when I noticed Ken and we mutually said hello, and Ken asked if I liked beer.

Does a bee like honey? Ken had a selection of quality 22 ounce beers who's fine carbohydrates fueled my system as the alcohol eased the strains and pains of the day's hike.

Ken added excellent conversation, and it was a fine afternoon.

 

Sunset at Highland Lake Campground.
Sunset at Highland Lake Campground.
Red at Night is a Backpacker's Delight.

Highland Creek Water

The old school water pump at the Highland Lake Campground. These babies have a "trick" to them. You can't just pump it, first you've got to get it up to speed to draw the water up.
The old school water pump at the Highland Lake Campground.
I can't find my images of the bathroom at the Highland Lake campground, but there is one.

Highland Lakes Campground's Rules and Regulation

The rules, regulations, and fees at Highland Lake Campground.
The rules, regulations, and fees at Highland Lake Campground.

Driving past the lower Highland Lake you will see these boards announcing the presence of the campground behind.

Road Map

Stanislaus National Forest Information: Highland Lakes

 

Highland Lake Fees, 2009.
Highland Lake Fees, 2009: 8 Dollars.

I use the Highland Lakes campground as it fits into my schedule. If Highland Lakes are near the end of my day's hike I may plan on staying here to use the picnic table, water, and bathroom facilities in conjunction with their fairly flat tent spots.

If I pass by during mid-day I will use still use Highland Lake's facilities, but continue hiking after lunch or a good break.

Views Northeast from Between Highland Lakes

Walking the road just after sunrise towards Northeast Highland Lake and Gardner Meadow beyond.
Road towards East Highland Lake and Gardner Meadow behind.

Highland Peak in background Left.

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Hiking past the upper lake to the larger lower Highland Lake, visible through the trees.
Approaching the larger East Highland Lake.

Approaching the larger Northeast Highland Lake. Peak 10082 is capped by the protruding feature, Highland Peak is the large mountain in the background. The ridgeline on left side of Peak 10082 runs West towards Tyron Peak.

MAP

Road Map

The PCT passes over the low point in the gap between Tyron Peak and Peak 10082.

 

Highland Lakes

Car Campground, Highland Lakes and Gardner Meadow Trailheads

Mileage

Highland Lakes Map

Highland Lakes Geography

Highland Lakes sit wedged between Folger Peak to their Northwest and Hiram Peak to their Southeast.

Highland Creek drains Southwestward out of the upper Highland Lake. The North Fork of the Mokelumne River flows out of the lower Highland Lake, first to the Northeast, then Northwest, as it begins its great turn Southwest.

The North Fork of the Mokelumne River flows Northwest along the Highland Lakes Road for a while, then turns Southwest following the great arcing channel it cut through these mountains, crossing over to the North side of Highway 4 flowing the very opposite direction it began out of lower Highland Lake.

The North Fork of the Mokelumne is flowing almost directly South where it flows along the Western foot of Mount Reba where we forded it a couple of days ago at Camp Irene on our way Southbound along the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail to Lake Alpine.

Now our alternative route up to the Pacific Crest Trail from the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail at Jenkins Canyon has brought us to Highland Lakes, the source of the North Mokelumne River.

To the North of Highland Lakes sits the Sierra Crest, straddled by Tyron Peak and Peak 10082. To the East of Highland Lakes we approach Gardner Meadow, where the trails along Arnot and Disaster Creeks run 7.11 miles and 7.02 miles, respectively, down to the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail along the Clarks Fork of the Stanislaus River.

Highland Creek Trailhead

At the End of the Highland Lakes Road past both Highland Lakes

Highland Lakes to Jenkins Canyon on the TYT: 6.46 miles.

Highland Lakes to Silver Valley Trailhead, Lake Alpine, TYT: 17.84 miles.

 

The Gardner Meadow Trailhead

Off the Spur road North of Highland Lakes

Gardner Meadow Trailhead to Bear Tree Meadow trail junction to Tyron Peak: .27 mile.

Gardner Meadow Trailhead to Arnot-Diaster Creek trail junction: 1.09 miles.

Gardner Meadow Trailhead to Wolf Creek Pass on the PCT: 2.12 miles.

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Hiram Peak

Hiram-peak over the South shore of lower Highland Lake. The upper Highland Lake sits under the shadowed side of Hiram Peak.
Hiram-peak over East Highland Lake.
To the Right of Hiram Peak we can see where the ridge line drops down into the valley holding Highland Creek.

Hiram Peak

Detail of Peak.
Hiram Peak detail.
On the Left or East side of Hiram Peak Arnot Creek flows down to the Clarks Fork of the Stanislaus River while on the West or Right side Highland Creek flows down to Spicer Meadow Reservoir.

Getting Bombed at Lower Highland Lake

I was hiking Northeast at the position pictured below towards the Gardner Meadow Trailhead to hook up with the Pacific Crest Trail at Wolf Creek Pass. I heard a terribly loud mechanical screeching and sound of metal straining that was deepening and intensifying into the sound of powerful motors straining for all they were worth, echoing off all the mountains around me. but loudest to the Northeast of my position.

The sound coming from the Northeast of my position was quickly moving closer. I separated the echos off the surrounding mountains from the source of the sound and observed a large two-engine aircraft losing elevation quickly while turning to fly parallel with the ridge line to the West of Bull Canyon, which you can see in the middle distance past the end of the lake.

The plane was dropping down into, and turning around the mountain tops to fly within the valleys between them, but even these daring maneuvers did not explain the terrible straining sounds the plane was emitting as it dropped elevation and turned between the ridges and mountaintops.

As soon as the plane leveled and straightened out running parallel with the distant ridgecrest it immediately executed a turn West towards me at the Lake, and began another dive, which again increased the screaming pitch of the sounds of straining engine and airframe, and their accompanying echos off the surrounding mountainsides.

I though, "what the hell is this guy doing?" as I observed the plane finish turning but continue its dive towards the Lower Highland Lake. The plane's speed was increasing in it's dive as I saw the pilot was turning the nose of the plane up, but this did nothing to change the plane's direction. The engine's screaming reached a fever pitch as the plane continued to dive.

When I was sure the plane was going to crash right between the two Highland Lakes I began to trot away from where I estimated the impact zone would be, trying to judge if I could use a tree for shelter from potential shrapnel, or if I would have to crouch behind my pack.

At that moment the bottom of the aircraft opened up and I saw what looked like an ocean wave sized body of water enter the atmosphere, full of what could only have been a school of totally freaked-out trout, burst out of the bottom of the screaming airplane.

The airplane shot upward, now following its nose as it was relieved of the weight and dreadful momentum of its load of water and fish. The sound of its motors instantly shifted tone from deadly straining to powerful acceleration.

My jaw dropped onto my chest as the water and fish splashed dead-center into the lake.

Looking Northeast towards Gardner Meadow and Wolf Creek Pass across the larger Northern Highland Lake.

There are two ridgelines visible in the distance. The first is the lower ridge separating the upper reaches of Elder Creek at Wolf Creek Pass from Bull Canyon. This lower ridge is dappled with a shadow. Behind the low ridge in the foreground we can see the Eastern flank of Highland Peak behind.

Looking Northeast towards Gardner Meadow and Wolf Creek Pass across the larger Northern Highland Lake.

This is were I watched the plane making hard and heavy turns setting up his run between mountaintops and along the river drainages to dive-bomb his load of fish into the lower Highland Lake.

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Gardner Meadow Turnoff

Walking up to the turnoff to Gardner Meadow from Highland Lakes.
Turnoff Highland Lakes Road to Gardner Meadow.

The Gardner Meadow Trailhead is down this very short spur road on the North side of Highland Lakes.

Roadmap

Gardner Meadow Trailhead Road Sign

Gardner Meadow trailhead road sign.
Gardner Meadow trailhead road sign.
Walking everywhere makes it easy for me to take pictures of the roadside attractions...

Gardner Meadow Trailhead Parking

Gardner Meadow trailhead parking.
Gardner Meadow trailhead parking.

This trailhead gives easy access to the Pacific Crest Trail, as well as the top ends of the Arnot and Disaster Creek Trails down to the Clarks Fork.

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Road Map

Highland Lakes Access from Highway 4.

Zoom out to see other backpacker resources along Highway 4.

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Gardner Meadow Trailhead

Gardner Meadow Trailhead.
Gardner Meadow Trailhead.

Gardner Meadow is known for effusive blooming during Spring and early Summer.

Roadmap

The Gardner Meadow Trailhead

Off the Spur road North of Highland Lakes

Gardner Meadow Trailhead to Bear Tree Meadow trail junction to Tyron Peak: .27 mile.

Gardner Meadow Trailhead to Arnot-Diaster Creek trail junction: 1.09 miles.

Gardner Meadow Trailhead to Wolf Creek Pass on the PCT: 2.12 miles.

PCT Miles and Elevations

Gardner Meadow Lupines fill sections of the trail leading to Gardner meadow.
Gardner Meadow Lupines fill sections of the meadow.
This is a very lush area during Spring deep into Summertime.

 

Gardner Meadow Lupines.
Gardner Meadow Lupines.

The colors here during the Spring bloom are breathtaking.

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View Northeast down to and across the North Fork of the Mokelumne

Hiking East through the Gardner Meadow Trailhead brings you through a zone of fragrant bloom that smells as pretty as it looks. I took the image below because the colors and smells of the bloom were overwhelming.

This image also takes in a section of the Sierra Crest Line itself where the Pacific Crest Trail is coming South to meet us at Wolf Creek Pass.

The ridge in the middle distance is the Sierra Crest dividing the East and West drainages off the Sierra Crest. We can see Highland Peak peeking over from the East side of the Sierra Crest. On the Left side of Highland Peak Silver Creek flows East, and on Highland Peak's Right, Wolf Creek. On this side of the Sierra Crest Line we can see the Western-draining North Fork of the Mokelumne River at the base of the valley below, beyond the blooming flowers.

Hiking East we are approaching the Sierra Crest Line and the Pacific Crest Trail at Wolf Creek Pass.

Gardner Meadow Flowers in bloom.

The North Fork of the Mokelumne River runs below us through the foreground valley, Peak 10082 is the top of the Sierra Crest Line ridge running across the middle foreground of the image above, with Highland Peak sitting on the Eastern flank of the Sierra beyond.

Tyron Peak, where the PCT crosses over the ridge in the middle foreground, is out of view to the Left along the ridge in the middle foreground.

The PCT route between Tyron Peak and Asa Lake runs across the lightly forested area below the top of the Sierra Crest Line ridge in the middle foreground.

Flowers Above, Flowers Below, Flowers all around Gardner Meadow

Gardner Meadow Flower, Fuchsia?
Gardner Meadow Flower, Fucsia?
High Sierra Wildflowers.

 

Around North side of Hiram Peak.
Around North side of Hiram Peak.

The trail makes its way around rocky volcanic terrain tumbling off the North side of Hiram Peak.

The silhouetted jagged crest line in the background is the West side of Arnot Peak and its ridgecrest. Between our position here at the foot of the North side of Hiram Peak and Arnot Peak sits Upper Gardner Meadow and Half Moon Lake.

Half Moon Lake is the source of Arnot and Disaster Creeks, both of which have trails that follow these creeks down to both the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail and the Clarks Fork of the Stanislaus River.

Note the sharktooth structure sticking up along the Left side of the Arnot Peak Massif.

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Peak 9578 on the Sierra Crest line East of Tyron Peak and Peak 10082. Bull Canyon.
Peak 9578.

Elder Creek starts in the valley to the right of Peak 9578.

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Carson Iceberg Wilderness

Wilderness Boundary.
Carson Iceberg Wilderness boundary sign, Gardner Meadow.

Just past the Arnot Disaster Creeks trail junction we re-enter the Carson Iceberg Wilderness.

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Alternative Route Options and Local Loops

The Northern Arnot and Disaster Creek Trail Junction

The Arnot and Disaster Creek trail junction is a "Twofer."

A short ways South down this trail the Arnot and Disaster Creek trails split at Upper Gardner Meadow to follow their parallel drainage valleys down to the Clarks Fork of the Stanislaus River where both trails intersect with the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail route.

MAP

We can see from the map that the Arnot and Disaster Creek Trails really open up our backpacking loop options between the Gardner Meadow Trailhead at Highland Lakes and the Arnot and Disaster Creek Trailheads along the Clarks Fork Road.

Looking closely at the map we can see that just a bit further South along the Pacific Crest Trail that the Disaster Creek trail links up to the PCT at Golden Canyon, and even further South down the PCT that the Boulder Lake Trail directly links the PCT to the TYT just South of the end of the Clarks Fork Road.

These four connector trails between the Tahoe to Yosemite and Pacific Crest Trail give you a lot of interesting loop options from both the Gardner Meadow and Highland Lakes Trailheads as well as the trailheads along the Clarks Fork of the Stanislaus River.

 

The North end of the Arnot and Disaster Creek Trails.
The North end of the Arnot and Disaster Creek Trails.

From this junction it is 7.96 miles South along Arnot Creek to the Arnot Creek Trailhead.

From this junction it is 7.02 miles South along Disaster Creek to the Disaster Creek Trailhead.

Both the Arnot and Disaster Creek Trailheads are located on the Clarks Fork Road.

MAP

Roadmap

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View South

View South between Hiram and Arnot Peaks. Hiking off the trail through the meadow and forest towards our Left will bring us to Half Moon Lake.
View South between Hiram and Arnot Peaks.
The unified Arnot-Disaster Creek trails are running North-South through the forest on the right side of the image.

 

Upper Gardner Meadow Creek.
Upper Gardner Meadow Creek.

Note the flatness of the terrain. We don't have to worry about fording this creek during the Spring Thaw, as this whole meadow works to move water down-mountain , taking the pressure off the creek.

In other words, this whole area is a quagmire during early Spring.

 

Looking Northwest towards North Mokelumne River.
Looking Northwest towards North Mokelumne River.

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Lower Gardner Meadow

Lower Gardner Meadow.
Lower Gardner Meadow.
On the far side of the meadow we can see the beginnings of the metamorphic rock formations that pop up here and there along the Pacific Crest Trail down to the South end of Golden Canyon.

 

Metamorphic rock on the Northeast side of Gardner Meadow.
Rock on the Northeast side of Gardner Meadow.
Closer inspection indicates it is metamorphic, rather than granite or volcanic. Nifty.

 

Approaching the Pacific Crest Trail through Lower Gardner Meadow.
Approaching the Pacific Crest Trail through Lower Gardner Meadow.

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Wolf Creek Pass

Wolf Creek Pass on the Pacific Crest Trail.
Pacific Crest Trail at Wolf Creek Pass junction with Gardner Meadow Trail.
Asa Lake is North of Wolf Creek Pass.

Wolf Creek Pass on the Pacific Crest Trail

Pacific Crest Trail Guide Location

Wolf Creek Pass

 

Pacific Crest Trail Guide Page

Tyron Peak to Murray Canyon

 

Hike North on the Pacific Crest Trail
Ebbetts Pass

Hike South on the Pacific Crest Trail
Sonora Pass

Nearby Access
Gardner Meadow Trailhead

PCT
Topo Map

PCT
Miles and Elevations

To the TYT
Jenkins Canyon to Highland Lake

Backpacking Trail Guide

Southwest to the TYT via Gardner Meadow and Highland Lake:

Up This Page

Southwest to the TYT:

Jenkins Canyon
via
Highland Lakes

Directions from Wolf Creek Pass to PCT and TYT.

Backpacking Trail Guide

PCT North
 Tyron Peak to Murray Canyon

PCT South
To Murray Canyon

North PCT: Tyron Peak to Murray Canyon                                       South PCT: Murray Canyon to Boulder Lake junction

Highland Lakes
to the
Pacific Crest Trail

Lake Alpine to Saint Marys Pass

H

THIS PAGE IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION: STAY TUNED FOR MUCH MORE!

COME ON BACK NOW, 'YA HEAR?

Maps

7.5 min Topo Hiking Map
Highland Lakes Area Map

30 min Topo Hiking Map
Lake Alpine to Saint Marys Pass

Miles and Elevations

Trail Guide

South PCT
Murray Canyon to Boulder Lake junction

North PCT
 Tyron Peak to Murray Canyon

Highland Creek to
TYT at Jenkins Canyon

 

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Lake Alpine to Saint Marys Pass
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Highland Lakes

North PCT: Tyron Peak to Murray Canyon                                       South PCT: Murray Canyon to Boulder Lake junction
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