High Sierra Topix

Happy Wednesday all!

My buddy and I are planning a trip mid July from TM to the Valley. Looking at driving up and arriving at TM late night Thursday and taking 4 days to the valley. Hoping to make it in the AM and ride the shuttle back and head out by noon back to Orange County.

I would love some advice on route, camping spots, as well as fishing. (Searched and did not find much specific to a 4 day trip..)


What level of backpacking experience do you have?

Level 2- Some backpacking trips, using trails

What terrain are you comfortable/uncomfortable with?

-(light) Class 2 terrain/pass/x-country


What is your main interest?
- Lakes
- Forests
- Big Mountain scenery
- Photography
- Fishing


How many days/nights is your trip, not including travel to trailhead?
4 days 3 nights

How many miles did you want to do a day, any layovers?
8-10 no layovers

Do you have a route logistics preference: loop, out and back, point to point (which
may require 2 vehicles or hitchhiking)?
point to point


Will you be hiking with a dog? No

TM to the Valley you ask...on trail...with decent fishing? (BTW, normally I would not get too specific but since this is mostly a freeway trail...)
Having been through this area once or twice, that still leaves a few possible route options -

Many variations for good views/hiking but for fishing...suggest start - TM - up Rafferty Creek - Tuolumne Pass (and your first option here...),
1) Fletcher Creek Route... Boothe - Emeric trail, easiest but... small Brooks and 'Bows at Boothe, iffy at Emeric, Babcock a bog...your choice... eventually down to a Y junction just above Merced Lake, near the Ranger quarters.

2) At Tuolumne Pass, up to Voglesang HSC area and camp either Fletcher (sardine size fish), Evelyn (spotty but can be good), Townsley (some rather nice past success) and/or maybe Hanging Basket (always worth a shot). Next day Voglesang Pass route...Voglesang Lake is fishless but just over the scenic pass, Bernice makes a fine next-day destination camp, little off the main trail but with plenty of 10+ inch Brookies available for dinner. Next continue down to same Merced Lake junction as mentioned above. (see TOPO?)

Here, at the Y, you can go west, .9 miles...camp at Merced Lake - A little boggy but a BP area w/ toilets, (a HSC awaits there - a shower - ask there too about possible open dinner slots?)
BTW, Merced Lake holds 'Bows and Browns but chitty access. Suggest, instead at above junction go east and 2.1 ~level miles up and camp at Washburn (a favorite). Stay there - 'Bows and Brooks - some Browns too in the exit stream...(FYI, One of the 7 Sacred Pools - 1/4 mile just above Washburn!)

Next day follow Merced River trail down and stay Moraine Dome waterslide, (good camp/wilderness... Brooks and 'Bows in stream) or 2 more level miles further and LYV camp - a zoo (HD staging area) with a 2-story crapper. If time permits, the HD cables are available - ask for free HD permit (needed to do HD) available when picking up your wilderness permit - or just down the Mist. Stay Valley BP camp and/ or Yarts up to car in Tuolumne - 5:00 PM ($8) or 8:30 AM (~$13)...(for that extra $5, you get witty patter from the driver.)

Markskor,

Fantastic detailed advice, much appreciated! leaning towards option 2, as far as scenery I am lugging around a heavy DLSR which option would you say is more scenic?

BTW have yet to land a Brown so I'm all over that!

Route 2! Views from Vogelsang Pass are incredible!

Mike

Marks Route 2, but my preference would be to take the High Trail instead of the Merced Lake Trail which can get a lot of
traffic, and the scenery from above the Merced corridor is fantastic.

maverick

that makes it a lot of hiking for a 4 day trip!

Mike

Thanks everyone, would like to keep it to a manageable amount of miles and make that 8:30AM YARTS bus on Monday! Although some things are worth it, nothing like having a nice beverage after a long day....

I would suggest putting the car at the end point instead of trying to make it out in time for a bus. We did it the other way once going from Yosemite to Reds Meadow - if we had it to do over again, the bus ride would have been at the start. The timing doesn't have to be exact that way.

Does anyone know what exactly got burned last fall in the fire? I think it was the JMT. Did the fire get down to Merced Lake?

The last update on last year's fires is at http://www.nps.gov/yose/blogs/Yosemite- ... ate-26.htm

Don't think it got as far as Merced Lake.