Muir Gorge or Tenaya Canyon Anyone?

[maverick]

Anyone from the Bay Area interested in doing either of these
this weekend Fri-Mon.
Muir Gorge from Ten Lakes or Tenaya Canyon from Tenaya Lake to
the Valley.

[cgundersen]

Hi Maverick,
If I knew anyone in the Bay area that moves as fast as you do, I'd encourage them to get in touch; perhaps, if you offered to be the "sherpa", it'd even the playing field? Still, after dodging sporadically smoky skies in Bear lakes basin last weekend, you may still have some problems with air quality, but otherwise it sounds like a great escape.
cgundersen

[maverick]

Hi CG

I had to bail on the trip due to illness in the family.
How was the trip to Bear Lakes Basin? Which lakes did you visit?
I hear you about the smoky skies, but they do make great sunset
photos.

[TonyC]

This is going to be a real "beginner" type question, but why does it say on the official Yosemite maps that it's not recommended to hike in Tenaya Canyon and that it's so dangerous? It makes me wonder about the terrain there.

Or is it like at the Grand Canyon where they say not to hike from the rim to the river and back again even though many people do it with no problem? Maybe they are just trying to scare the novices and the more experienced hikers/backpackers will ignore the warning and be fine?

Are there good trails in Tenaya Canyon or is it just off-trail hiking for the most part? When someone tells me not to do something, it makes me more curious and makes me want to do it, hence my questions...

[TehipiteTom]

There's a section that Roper rates as Class 4--well above my comfort level, anyway. I have explored the upper valley (above Pywiack Cascade and below Tenaya Lake), and it's lovely...in fact, this time of year is great for that, because there's some great fall color in the valley.

[maverick]

Hi Tony

If you plan on doing it than Sept is probably the best time to do it
and with the low water levels it is a plus because it allows you to follow
the direct route down which is fun, but requires alot of down climbing
and rappelling, which if you are no proficient in than do not consider
doing this hike!

[cgundersen]

Hi Maverick,
I tried to convince my wife to spring for a loop over Italy pass and into 2nd Recess via Gabbott pass so we could hit Mist Lake (never been there, but I like the name!), and then try to get over the hump and around to Hilgard Lake (never been there either, but her read of the topo map was that the Mist to Hilgard part looked too dicey for what she was keen to try on this trip).
So, instead we took the Granite Bear shortcut from Granite Park into Bear Lakes basin and stayed at Black Bear (actually, the tiny lakes just above it). As others have pointed out in other threads, the view of 7 Gables is stunning from just about anywhere in that basin. We continued over to La Salle and went from there to Aweetasal (in East Pinnacles drainage; the Merriam side of that notch isn't bad, but we were hyperventilating a bit on the Aweetasal side. From there we looped back to Royce Lakes, and because there were several other parties in the Royce basin (a bit of a surprise, because after the Honeymoon Lake branch going in we had only seen a couple of guys bagging Feather peak), we aimed for the tiny lakes on the northern margin of the Royce plateau (under the peak that has the "treasure" designation on it). Sadly, those lakes appear to have dried up quite a while back (then again, it's been 10 years since I last went up Pine Creek and was in the Royce basin; remarkably, the Pine Creek trail has been massively improved in the interim; definitely the work of an A team trail crew!). The sad thing about the diffuse haze that reached us is that it never really enhanced the sundown colors, it just muffled everything. I'm pulling for a couple of quick storms to clear things out up there (and a huge snow year!).
cg

[maverick]

Nice alternative trip with some great views. The Mist to Hilgard is
route class 2 with some route finding involved otherwise you can get
into some class 3-4 stuff.
Have you all been to Lower and Upper Mills Creek Lake(my favorites)?
The Turret Lakes and the lake east of The Pinnacles are pretty nice too.

[cgundersen]

Hi Maverick,
First, best wishes with respect to your mother-in-law; mine is really sweet, and she too is getting up there (80+), so I dread the day we get news like you got!
As for the Mills Creek area: it was a one-time pass through for me during a cold, blustery June in the early '90s (which is why I was keen for a repeat in more benign conditions). With your heads-up concerning the traverse from Mist, I'm sure we'll get out there some time. Those two leviathans (Gabb & Abbott) at the head of the canyon are decidedly imposing and that's why I've longed to crawl up to Mist to see how things look from there, too...
cgundersen

[maverick]

Thanks CG for the wishes we got some optimistic news this past
weekend that will give her a fighting chance.
I think Ill revisit that area next year again, its been awhile.