TR 11-12 May 2021 NW Yosemite: Opener for the "Ages"

[sekihiker]

I realized that the time spent conditioning more than pays itself back in increased energy and productivity during the slightly reduced time devoted to professional and other duties.

Holy Cow! Amazing dedication.

[Harlen]

John, apparently you are just performing the muscle-up clap in front of your body? That's okay if you feel good about it, but I always understood that the clap should be done behind the back. That's way Greek heroes do it anyway.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=85u9vlblR6s

*Now you have a new goal, eh? This one may require some of that post-workout IPA therapy.

[balzaccom]

Nice report. We've been in that area a couple of times, including once hiking down the granite slabs from Jack Main Canyon to Vernon. And your experience with blisters rings true. We now always carry a pair of Crocs for crossings, keeping our socks and shoes/boots dry. that downhill from the Miguel Meadows junction to Hetch=hetchy always seems longer than it looks on the map...and it is steep enough my feet were so in sympathy with your report...

[giantbrookie]

John, apparently you are just performing the muscle-up clap in front of your body? That's okay if you feel good about it, but I always understood that the clap should be done behind the back. That's way Greek heroes do it anyway.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=85u9vlblR6s
*Now you have a new goal, eh? This one may require some of that post-workout IPA therapy.

Funny you mention that. I was just thinking of that being the "next step" yesterday evening because I hit the last 5 front clap versions easily and followed the last three with a 2nd muscle up. Getting set for a 2nd one is hard on that set up because this is on handle loops of a funky play structure instead of a regular pull up bar, and I only had a perfectly centered regrip on one of the 3 reps. The behind the back thing has long been part of my enhanced push up routine (have done "triples"= front-back-front). I'll need to ramp up to more elevation before attempting the behind-the-back clap muscle up--late summer, perhaps?

In the meantime, the topo maps are still out on a table to daydream over, and I'm trying to find gaps in my schedule for more early season trips (but not solo ones). My next hiking trip will be for geologic purposes near Lake Berryessa to get one of my students started on their research area. Yesterday for lunch I had the last of those delicious rainbows, which ended up covering two dinners for 4 (W, Th), one lunch for 3 (Th), and another lunch for me (Fri).

[Wandering Daisy]

Thanks for the report; I am going there next week. I wondered if it were too early for fishing and I guess not! I have 6 days with many options. Jack Main Canyon is one goal (would that be too high elevation for good fishing?). I was in Yosemite when you were out and there were few if any mosquitoes at any elevation up to Merced Lake (as well as no snow and very dry). I wonder if mosquitoes are yet to come, or have already come and gone?

Your report on Frog Creek crossing was VERY helpful. One option for return is off-trail down Frog Creek. Is that a good plan or not? It looks like it could be mosquito hell in the wrong conditions. Otherwise interesting granite slabs with a bit of bushwhacking between. Would there possibly be fish in the pools along the way? Also, two options- down to Edyth or Vernon Lake? After your report I am leaning towards Vernon Lake. I have been to Edyth before early season and my guess is that late Fall would be a better time.

That was some intensive hiking and fishing! More done on one overnight trip than I would do in four days.

[giantbrookie]

Thanks for the report; I am going there next week. I wondered if it were too early for fishing and I guess not! I have 6 days with many options. Jack Main Canyon is one goal (would that be too high elevation for good fishing?). I was in Yosemite when you were out and there were few if any mosquitoes at any elevation up to Merced Lake (as well as no snow and very dry). I wonder if mosquitoes are yet to come, or have already come and gone?
Your report on Frog Creek crossing was VERY helpful. One option for return is off-trail down Frog Creek. Is that a good plan or not? It looks like it could be mosquito hell in the wrong conditions. Otherwise interesting granite slabs with a bit of bushwhacking between. Would there possibly be fish in the pools along the way? Also, two options- down to Edyth or Vernon Lake? After your report I am leaning towards Vernon Lake. I have been to Edyth before early season and my guess is that late Fall would be a better time.
That was some intensive hiking and fishing! More done on one overnight trip than I would do in four days.

A few answers and speculations. I suspect, but could be wrong, that I was in fact a bit early for full-blown mosquitoes. I'm certain that they have not come and gone at those elevations. I suspect Jack Main will be good fishing. Falls Creek itself would probably be running high enough so that fishing it would be difficult. There are lots of mini-lakes/ponds and such (as well as Wilma L), though that would probably be pretty darned good. As for return off trail via Frog Creek, would this be Frog from somewhere from Bearup to somewhere around Laurel? If so, I'd say that would certainly be viable, but I don't know the level of brush along a lot of that. I've done a short section of Frog Creek early season (mid May 1992) from S the gap to Edyth (stream elevation ~7280) to Bearup and that section was pretty nice, especially the steep section right where I joined. I haven't tried the section downstream to the Laurel area. The pond downstream of Bearup had outrageously good fishing but the name we gave it tells you something about our mosquito experience--we named it "Bug Cloud Lake". As far as the Edyth vs Vernon alternative goes that would depend on what you wanted. For fishing Edyth offers no advantages over Vernon, but for scenery and wildness, Edyth is incomparable. Any trip to Edyth, however, is a serious undertaking, owing to the brush.

[Wandering Daisy]

Thanks for your reply. As for "bucket list reasons" I have already done Edyth. We did an overnight in and out not spending much time. I always wanted to go back and stay a few days. Did not fish the lake. Then I looked down it from the top of Nance Peak. It is a very enticing lake from that perspective. But probably not this trip because I hesitate to do it solo. Glad to hear good fishing at Vernon Lake. I will "play it by ear", that is the buzz or lack thereof in my ear from mosquitoes! Soggy Edyth, sitting a a bowl, could be mosquito hell.