Northern Yosemite route advice (Twin Lakes loop / horse / matterhorn)

[maiathebee]

Greetings backpacking buds! It's been a while since I posted. Hope you're all doing as well as can be expected in "these unprecedented times." I've turned my life upside down by moving to Tahoe since I can work remotely for at least 2 years. Exciting! But it means that I haven't gotten to sleep in a tent at all yet this summer, what with the schlepping my stuff from the bay to my new house in Alpine Meadows and exploring around here on day hikes.

I'm planning a solo 4 night trip to Northern Yosemite. I have a permit for Horse Creek this coming Tuesday 7/21. I'll be driving down in the morning from Tahoe and then hiking. I hope to make it over the pass to camp but with a fully loaded pack, 3600ft to climb, and this being my first trip of the season, I guess I'll see how it goes.

I've done some poking around trying to decide what to do for my route and I'd love y'alls feedback.

I'd like to camp at the tarns on the NW side of Burro Pass but I'm having trouble making the mileage make sense. Going down Spiller canyon and then up Matterhorn is like 16 miles from Horse Creek Pass, which is doable I guess but I prefer to keep my mileage around 12, especially if there is cross country. So I am considering Matterhorn pass. I haven't seen any reports of people crossing it from Spiller to Matterhorn. I assume this might make it easier to find the class 2 notch, but does it make it harder to do the west side? Am I likely to get cliffed out easily over there? Or should I put up with the long day because going down Spiller and up Matterhorn is so spectacular? Or is there somewhere nice to camp in the upper reaches of Matterhorn that I could do instead of the tarns on the other side of the pass?

On my 3rd day I plan to go over Mule Pass and then maybe up to camp in the Rock Island Lake area to camp. Then on the last day over to Peeler Lake for my 4th night. I was looking at Little Slide Canyon instead but some of the trip reports have me freaked out about it! Given that this is my first trip this season, and I'll be by myself, idk. I'd love your advice.

Since you may or may not remember details about my experience: I'd say I'm a solid Level 3.5, comfortable with Class 2 / easy Class 3 depending on pack fullness. I've done a few cross country solo trips before: Center basin / Junction Pass / Rockwell Pass, Lonely Lake / Pterodactyl / Tablelands, Agnew to Tuolumne via Nydiver / Donahue / Amelia Earhart / Johnson Peak, and some with friends including Humphreys Basin / Puppet / Bear Lakes Basin, Circle of Solitude via Harrison.

[stephen_sd]

You may of seen my post on the other Spiller Creek question today. I crossed between Matterhorn and Spiller canyons over the southern shoulder of Whorl Mt. This would be about 2.5 miles south of Matterhorn pass and less than half the distance of going down to the PCT and back up. I camped on a small plateau on Whorl at ~10300'.

The east / Spiller canyon side is steep but the route had solid rock and ledges to walk on. Would call it class 2/3? You can see the route down on one of the photos I posted.

The west / Matterhorn Canyon side is not technically challenging but be warned the trees and brush are thick and in places and the dirt is loose. More of a thrash-hassle than a risk. I can probably find a photo if it helps.

I did not go over Matterhorn Pass but the Matterhorn Canyon / Burro Pass side section looked to be class 2 (for what that is worth!).

Can't help much on your exit route as I used 'big' Slide Canyon on that leg.

[maiathebee]

Thanks Stephen! I did notice your post on that other thread.

I camped on a small plateau on Whorl at ~10300'.

Did you dry camp, or did you find water? Looks pretty dry up there, especially given this season's snowpack. More out of curiosity since even if I cross over there I doubt I'll be camping.

[stephen_sd]

Thanks Stephen! I did notice your post on that other thread.

I camped on a small plateau on Whorl at ~10300'.

Did you dry camp, or did you find water? Looks pretty dry up there, especially given this season's snowpack. More out of curiosity since even if I cross over there I doubt I'll be camping.

I checked the photo and it was July 17, 2019 (what changes a year brings). So there was plenty of running water as snow was still melting out in many places. That said, I was only up there long enough to eat, sleep, and hit the trail again so dry camping would of worked. Interested to see what route you take as it is an amazing area that I want to revisit and I've only accessed it from the Yosemite Lembert Dome trailhead.

[wildhiker]

Hi Maia,
Matterhorn Canyon is scenic the whole way up from the PCT with excellent campsites in the alpine basin at the head. Actually, there are beautiful open meadows all along the canyon with views of sheer walls and upper peaks and you could camp at multiple locations going up the canyon. I haven't been to Spiller Canyon yet (maybe later this summer, so looking forward to a report when you finish your trip), but other reports on HST make it sounds very scenic also. So I would personally hike the full lengths of both canyons (that's what I'm hoping to do later this summer). Your trip plan has difficult and long days at the beginning and much shorter and easier days after that. You could re-arrange to spend more time in Spiller and Matterhorn Canyons. You can always reach the Rock Island Lake and Peeler Lake areas easily on trail up Robinson Creek at a later time. Spiller and Matterhorn Canyons are more remote.
-Phil

[maiathebee]

Thanks Phil!

I think my plan will be loose. I'll go up over Horse Creek Pass, camping on either side the first night, then meander down Spiller Creek and back up Matterhorn Canyon, then hang out in the high spaces for the night, possibly taking a day hike gander over at Little Slide, and just see. I appreciate all y'alls input! Of course I'll (as always) leave a detailed plan with all possibilities with my loved ones.