TR: Agnew to Tuolumne mostly cross country 8/4/19-8/8/19

If you've been searching for the best source of information and stimulating discussion related to Spring/Summer/Fall backpacking, hiking and camping in the Sierra Nevada...look no further!
User avatar
maiathebee
Topix Expert
Posts: 470
Joined: Tue Jun 18, 2013 11:59 am
Experience: Level 4 Explorer
Location: Alpine Meadows, CA
Contact:

TR: Agnew to Tuolumne mostly cross country 8/4/19-8/8/19

Post by maiathebee »

I keep trying to pretend like someday I'll be caught up with trip reports, but somehow it's just always more fun to actually go on trips rather than write them up. I managed to get this one together, and you can also read it over on my blog if you want.

I want to say extra special thanks to @Wildhiker who provided me with some great route advice for the part north of Donahue Pass. THANK YOU! :)


Who: Just me!
What: Backpacking
When: 8/4/19-8/8/19
Where: Ansel Adams Wilderness + Yosemite, native land of the Me-Wuk and Numu
Mileage: 43 miles (24.5 on trail + 18.5 xc)
Elevation gain/loss: +10,500ft/-9,800ft
More photos: here
CalTopo: here


Ansel Adams Wilderness near Mammoth and Tuolumne Meadows in Yosemite are some of the most beautiful---and popular---areas in the Sierra. There's so much beauty that can be seen with relatively little effort and the JMT runs right through there, so many of the lakes have camping restrictions or become little villages of tents every night. The on-trail lakes, that is. I found solitude in this area by taking a mostly cross-country route, and speak to any other humans for 3 days. In fact, the only other person I saw was from a distance---a kayaker on Ireland Lake.




Day 0
Transportation logistics


I drove from Oakland to Yosemite, dropping my car on the side of the road not too far from the store in Tuolumne Meadows. I caught YARTS bus down to Mammoth and camped for the night at New Shady Rest campground.


Day 1
Agnew Meadows to Nydiver Lakes via Shadow Creek
6mi +1,550ft/-700ft on trail, plus 1mi +1,200ft/-0ft xc


I was a bit lazy getting going this morning but managed to make it out of the campground to stick my thumb out to hitch a ride from town. After about ten minutes or so, I was picked up by pretty much the type of ride I've come to expect hitching around the eastern Sierra... a kinda beat pickup driven by a friendly but shirtless middle aged man. He drove me up to the main lodge area where I rode the bus down to Agnew Meadows and started my hike. 


I hiked along the river trail in the warm sun and soon was turning up Shadow Creek towards the Ediza Lake area, which opened up some nice views back towards Mammoth.


Image


The hike up Shadow Creek was mellow and the sound of the cascades was soothing. I was excited to be returning to this area for the first time in a few years. I just adore this part of the Sierra. It's been a bit overused in recent years but my mostly cross country route would ameliorate many of the issues associated with overuse. 


Image


I arrived at Shadow Lake and stopped for a snack break with this view of Ritter and Banner. I'd be hiking around the right side, then up to Nydiver lakes.


Image


I left the trail between Shadow and Ediza at the spot that I roughly remembered coming down a few years back. There's an old use trail here that leads up to the lowest of the Nydiver lakes. It's easy to spot if you're paying attention. About halfway up there is a magical cave, with a waterfall in the background and the views of the Volcanic Ridge from the bench above are quite nice indeed. 


Image


Last time I was here fire smoke choked this view, so I was glad to see it.


Image


Image


The most difficult part of this route is the last bit to the lowest Nydiver lake. You can see its outlet cascading in the middle left of this photo. I ascended along the grassy rocks just to the right of the snowfield. There were a few class 3 moves, but nothing too scary or difficult.


Image


Image


Image


And when you get to the top, it's this. T_T


Image


Image


I continued around to the ridge between the Nydiver Lakes and Ediza, looking for a spot to camp. I was greeted with this view of the Minarets and Ediza. Iceberg Lake is tucked back in there, too, and you can see its frozen surface if you squint real good.


Image


I found what might be the best campsite on the planet earth, and puttered around marveling at just.. well.. everything. Look at where I get to sleep. L O O K


Image


I got water and set up for dinner, with a view.


Image


Image


I tried to capture the magic of this place as best I could with my camera. Here's a more zoomed in shot of Iceberg Lake, with Cecile in the empty space hanging above it. You can really see how treacherous that infamous snowfield along its eastern shore is---in fact someone died descending from Cecile to Iceberg a few days before I camped with this view, but I didn't know that at the time.


Image


Image


Day 2
Nydiver Lakes to Thousand Island via Ediza + JMT
7mi +2,100ft/-1,200ft, plus 3.5mi +300ft/-1,500ft xc


I woke early to an ethereal and ephemeral sunrise of cotton candy clouds over Ritter and Banner. The lingering snowpack is just like jewelry on these gorgeous babes.


Image


Image


The sunrise. My god. The rays creeped up from the east, setting the granite aglow inch by inch from the top down. I might have cried a little.


Image


Image


Image


Image


After a good breakfast of coffee, oatmeal, and crying about how we don't deserve this Earth, I headed around the south side of the upper Nydiver lakes towards Ritter and Banner, and looked up at Whitebark Pass (the low point on the ridgeline below) and thought about how I dragged an ex on his first time backpacking trip over there back in 2013. Oops. I just wanted to show him the beauty of this place, ok?


Image


Image


As I got closer, I got a good view of Whitebark Pass.


Image


I continued on roughly southeast around the upper most of the Nydiver Lakes, looking to climb over a saddle and then find the use trail that people use to climb Ritter, which would lead me down to Ediza. The going was a bit slow with the snow, but the scenery and solitude made up for it.


Image


I did find myself backtracking here and there in a worrisome mood, trying to figure out where to cross the saddle, since the snowpack had created quite a few hazardous tarns that I needed to make my way around. Breaking through the snow into one of these would be Not Fun, at best.


Image


Image


 


Image


Eventually I picked my way through and made it down into the valley below Ritter. I descended mostly on snow until I ran out of it, and then picked up a use trail alongside the snowmelt stream feeding into Ediza.


Image


I had a little break at Ediza. I guess I get why this is a favorite, a highlight lake.


Image


The usual crossing of Ediza's outlet in the valley below was washed away, so the route to get down this year is along the north rather than south side of the outlet stream. It's just a use trail, and definitely involved some scrambling.


Image[/url]


Image[/url]


Image


Image


I continued down and eventually met up with the JMT, where I turned to head back up towards Garnet Lake.


Image


It was your usual idyllic Sierra scene: hanging meadows, granite, distant peaks.


Image


Image


Descending to Garnet Lake gave me a view up towards the north side of Whitebark Pass. I had considered going that way when planning this trip, and looking at it from this side I was glad that I hadn't. It's not too steep, but the half-melted snow atop the loose and large talus would be tedious. Plus, going the long way round I got to hike that part of the JMT between Shadow and Thousand Island, that I hadn't hiked yet.


Image


I had lunch (and awkward timed selfies) along Garnet Lake's east shore.


Image


And soon enough it was time to continue on hiking past Ruby and Emerald Lakes and towards Thousand Island Lake, where I would camp for the night. I knew I was in for a crowd at Thousand Island, so I wanted to arrive at a reasonable hour to try to find a decent spot far enough from the ukulele crowd.


Image


Image


The view of Banner from the outlet of Thousand Island is just like.. the platonic ideal of a mountain. Look at it. Look.


Image


 


Image


I climbed a bit higher towards Thousand Island Pass and found myself a perch atop a ledge above Hostel Thousand Island. It was stupid pretty.


Image


Image


Day 3
Thousand Island to McClure Creek
7mi +1,800ft/-1,500ft, plus 1.5mi +300ft/-100ft xc


I got up early to tell this mountain to **** off. I mean, come on. It's just a little bit ostentatious, don't you think?


Image


Image


Image


And no worries if you didn't manage to wake up for sunrise, because it's just as gorgeous at literally any time of day. I packed up camp and started climbing towards Thousand Island and then Donahue Passes. My goal for the day was to cross Donahue into Yosemite on the JMT and then leave the trail for a cross country section up McClure Creek.


Image


Image


Image


The route up gives more ridiculously gorgeous perspectives on Banner, and now Ritter in the background.


Image


There were a few log crossings, nothing too crazy. It's the JMT after all.


Image


Image


Image


Image


Ascending towards Donahue Pass, the trail is somewhat deceptive... it appears closer than it is, though there's not too much elevation to ascend, it still takes a bit of time to reach the top. Once there, you go down. Wow! Imagine that. I'll spare you the details since this is the JMT, a literal hiker highway.


Image


Image


Image


Image


On the descent I did spot one kindred spirit, doin' a li'l chirp chirp from under his rock perch. Hey pika!


Image


As the JMT descends down Lyell Canyon, you get amazing views up into the high country.


Image


Image


 


Image


I followed the JMT along a shoulder and then cut southwest before reaching Maclure Creek.


Image


The cross country terrain was easy until I arrived at the large talus field, which looked rather annoying but was not too terrible after all.


Image


Image


Midway through the talus I had magnificent views down Lyell Canyon.


Image


After the talus, there was some gentle valley walking, a stream crossing (of Maclure Creek), and then some really chill hillside walking to reach the bench where I planned to camp.


Image


Image


Climbing up the other side of the creek, views began to open up. I love the way snow accents the granite.


Image


Image


Once atop the bench, I had my choice of idyllic campsites. I chose to head all the way back to the northeastern most tarn so that I could get a view both across Lyell Canyon and also back up towards Maclure and Lyell.


Image


Image


After making my little home for the night, I headed to a tarn nearby for a swim and some water gathering. I came across some mountain lion poo. Perfect for easing the ol' solo cross-country anxiety. Yep. Just what I wanted to see.


Image


But well worth it for this as my private little lake. I swam, then warmed myself on some rocks, filled up my water and returned to camp for dinner and rest.


Image


Day 4
McClure Creek to Townsley Lake
7.5mi +1,700ft/-1,700ft xc


I made myself crawl out of my tent early enough to catch some of that eastern Sierra sunrise alpenglow. It's generally worth it close to the crest since the height of the mountains plus the severe drop to the Owens Valley means that the sun's rays flow through lots of atmosphere before painting the granite peaks.


Image


The cool thing about backpacking by yourself is you can set your own schedule and go back to bed for a bit after the alpenglow ritual. I started back towards Lyell across easy granite slabs, avoiding meadows so as to minimize my impact on the plants.


Image


Image


My plan was to walk up the granite ramps, first to the left and then to the right, up to the wide saddle, where I'd find some tarns to navigate around before reaching the pass south of Ameila Earheart Peak.


Image


Image


Image


I walked up granite slabs from near the trees on the right, diagonally up to the left, where I tried to connect with some grassy ramps I'd heard would bring me back up to the right above the steep cliff face.


Image


Image


Image


I got a little tangled in a maze of ramps, but spotted this young buck along the way.


Image


Soon enough I found the grassy ramps I was looking for.


Image


And I followed them all the way up.


Image


I took a short snack break and surveyed the next part of my route. I went across between the tarns and then crossed the snowfield in a narrower, less steep part. Then it was chunky slab walking all the way to the ridge.


Image


Image


Image


Image


The arrival of more clouds did make for an interesting texture to the sky, but they also signaled afternoon thunderstorms. Although the views up there were absolutely spectacular, I didn't linger atop the pass long before picking my way down towards Ireland Lake.


Image


Image


Image


Image[/url]


This had been a big snow year, and you know what they say about big snow years---big sun cups. Some of these were as deep as my thighs.


Image


Looking back towards the ridge from where I'd come. I picked my way between snowfields until I was down in the flats and I couldn't avoid them.


Image


The terrain in here was a little convoluted and required some micro routefinding to get down to Ireland Lake. I don't remember exactly where I went, but I do remember that I had to backtrack a couple times after arriving at something too steep or too filled with snow.


Image


Image


From my vantage point high above Ireland Lake I spotted a kayaker! Now that's dedication. Hiking in a kayak. Wow.


Image[/url]


Image[/url]


Once down at the lake, I crossed its outlet stream and then had another little break. I hemmed and hawed about what to do, with the clouds building. My next destination was over a little saddle just north of Peak 11,480, a shortcut avoiding the trail that would get me to Fletcher Lake. But my did it look barren up there. Not really a great place to be if the weather decided to get grumbly. 


Image


I headed partway over there anyway, into some low scrubby trees and pitched my tent. I ate Reeses Pieces and chatted with a marmot while I waited to see what the storm would do.


Image


It did this, so I was glad for my caution.


Image


Image


But, as is often the case in the Sierra, it blew on through after throwing some lightning at the peaks to my south and thoroughly soaking the meadow near Ireland Lake. In the after-storm clear, I climbed over the ridge and down the other side through magical hanging meadows. There was a bit of hmmm where should I cross this wide pond-y creek, but before long I was bootskiing down loose sandy gravel to Townsley Lake.


Image


Image


Image


Image


Image


Camping down at Fletcher Lake isn't allowed, so I snagged this nice little ledge spot to call home for the night. I ate dinner as the sun sunk behind the ridge southwest of Rafferty Peak and bathed my little home in all its warm glory.


Image


Image


Image


Day 5
Townsley Lake to Tuolumne via Johnson Peak + Elizabeth Lake
4.5mi +500ft/-1,300ft, plus 5mi +1,100ft/-1,800ft xc


I woke to a few scattered clouds, had breakfast, and headed down to catch the JMT near Fletcher Lake. The plan was to hike north just over Tuolumne Pass---barely a pass though I guess the trail does go up and then down---and then leave the JMG and hike up the shoulder of Rafferty to a small hanging valley before crossing over the ridge south of Johnson Peak.


Image


Image


Image


Image


Image


I got a little distracted and side tracked by acres of thigh high lupine.


Image


Image


Image


As I climbed a helicopter was making trips back and forth to Vogelsang, perhaps bringing supplies for a trail crew. I don't know. It didn't seem like a rescue operation, though.


Image


I continued to climb up grass and ledges, though I was going perpendicular to their flow so the going was somewhat annoying walking up and down when the spot in front of me was too tall to hoist myself up.


Image


Image


The views back towards Vogelsang got better and better as I climbed.


Image


And then I crested the ridge and saw this absolutely spectacular little hanging valley. This would be an amazing place to camp in the future. I continued on, down relatively easy grassy gullies and across the meadow towards the trees in the distance. I would climb through them, then up to the left to reach the ridge.


Image


Image


Image


The broken granite slabs below Johnson Peak were knit through with heather in full bloom.


Image


Image


At the saddle I ditched my pack, bringing just a bit of water and a snack to climb the Class 2 route up to Johnson Peak, a few hundred feet above me to the north.


Image


The view from the top is like a who's who of Yosemite---you can see just about every famous Tuolumne area peak since you're standing atop one of the lesser-known ones. There's Rafferty, Vogelsang, Fletcher, Florence Lyell, Maclure...


Image


Kuna, Blacktop, Donahue...


Image


Ragged, White, Conness...


Image


Image


Unicorn, Cathedral, Cockscomb...


Image


Image


The Matthes Crest and just... wow.


Image


Image


After opening and closing my mouth a bunch both to express awe and also to eat snacks, I started scrambling back down. I went a slightly different and more annoying way. There were trees choking large boulders and I definitely got myself in some awkward positions.


Image


Image


Image


I grabbed my pack and walked down easy granite slabs to the west, then down past some incredibly endearing tarns.


Image


Image


I used the tarns outlet streams as a handrail and followed ramps down into the forest. I knew that if I kept not too far from the creek, it would take me down to Elizabeth Lake where I could pick up the trail down to Tuolumne.


Image


Image


Image


I saw a tree with a butt.


Image


And a weird bloody smear on a rock.


Image


And then a lake. And LOTS of people for the first time since the kayaker on Ireland Lake.


Image


Look at how huge this trail is! I hoofed it on back and made it to the Tuolumne Meadows Store around 1pm for lunch and a relaxing adult beverage before returning to my car for the journey home.


Image
Last edited by maiathebee on Tue Apr 13, 2021 2:26 pm, edited 1 time in total.
oh hey! you're reading my signature.
that's nice. want to check out my blog?
here it is: plutoniclove.com
ig: @plutonic_love
User avatar
gregw822
Topix Regular
Posts: 115
Joined: Wed May 06, 2009 3:46 pm
Experience: Level 4 Explorer
Location: Eugene, OR

Re: TR: Agnew to Tuolumne mostly cross country 8/4/19-8/8/19

Post by gregw822 »

Great post with some fantastic shots. Thanks!
User avatar
druid
Topix Regular
Posts: 137
Joined: Mon Aug 08, 2011 12:50 pm
Experience: N/A

Re: TR: Agnew to Tuolumne mostly cross country 8/4/19-8/8/19

Post by druid »

Thanks for taking the time to write this up. It's always a real treat to read your trip reports. You hiked though some gorgeous country and your photos of it are terrific.
User avatar
markskor
Founding Member - RIP
Posts: 2442
Joined: Fri Oct 28, 2005 5:41 pm
Experience: Level 4 Explorer
Location: Crowley Lake and Tuolumne Meadows

Re: TR: Agnew to Tuolumne mostly cross country 8/4/19-8/8/19

Post by markskor »

Kudos on a great trip report!
So many places previously visited, my backyard...nice photos too, thanks for the memories. My only next route suggestion, camp backside 1000 Island, just below the Banner block...very Lion King-ish.

"Follow the Green" - a valuable adage learned years ago...especially useful on cross-country meanderings.
Really nice job!
mark
Mountainman who swims with trout
User avatar
c9h13no3
Topix Fanatic
Posts: 1323
Joined: Tue Sep 18, 2018 1:19 pm
Experience: Level 1 Hiker
Location: San Mateo, CA

Re: TR: Agnew to Tuolumne mostly cross country 8/4/19-8/8/19

Post by c9h13no3 »

:drool:
"Adventure is just bad planning." - Roald Amundsen
Also, I have a blog no one reads. Please do not click here.
User avatar
acorad
Topix Regular
Posts: 149
Joined: Wed Aug 14, 2013 9:40 am
Experience: N/A

Re: TR: Agnew to Tuolumne mostly cross country 8/4/19-8/8/19

Post by acorad »

Stunning. Simply stunning.
User avatar
sekihiker
Founding Member
Posts: 956
Joined: Sun Dec 18, 2005 2:47 pm
Experience: Level 4 Explorer
Location: Fresno
Contact:

Re: TR: Agnew to Tuolumne mostly cross country 8/4/19-8/8/19

Post by sekihiker »

What a trip! The lighting and the clouds were captured beautifully in your photos, taken with the usual skill.
Thanks for posting.
User avatar
davidsheridan
Topix Regular
Posts: 221
Joined: Thu Jul 10, 2014 2:56 pm
Experience: Level 3 Backpacker

Re: TR: Agnew to Tuolumne mostly cross country 8/4/19-8/8/19

Post by davidsheridan »

Maiathebee, what a beautiful TR and amazing solo venture! Helped me revisit some places I have been and inspire me to places I haven't.

Thanks for taking the time and sharing!
User avatar
wildhiker
Topix Fanatic
Posts: 1109
Joined: Tue Jul 26, 2011 4:44 pm
Experience: Level 4 Explorer
Location: Palo Alto, CA
Contact:

Re: TR: Agnew to Tuolumne mostly cross country 8/4/19-8/8/19

Post by wildhiker »

Thanks for a wonderful trip report with gorgeous photos! I'm impressed by how much snow there was still in early August that year. On my various adventures in the same areas, I've never seen that much. I came through the Donohue Pass - Maclure Creek - Ireland Lake route myself at the end of August in 2019 and the snow was pretty much all gone, except high on the peaks. After seeing your photos, I need to get to Nydiver Lakes! And what a sight to find a kayaker on Ireland Lake! Inflatable, no doubt, but still a lot of weight to pack all the way up there.
-Phil
User avatar
frozenintime
Topix Regular
Posts: 295
Joined: Tue Aug 18, 2015 8:06 pm
Experience: N/A

Re: TR: Agnew to Tuolumne mostly cross country 8/4/19-8/8/19

Post by frozenintime »

amazing as always maia :)
Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Bing [Bot], Google [Bot] and 125 guests