Big Meadow Creek from Slide Canyon?

[NorCal_Hiker]

Hi all,

I’m planning a long XC-trip in Hoover/Yosemite area. Likely up Little Slide down into Slide, then up to Rock Island lake via Crazy Mule gulch. I’m quite familiar with the area (I’ve done many previous trips in this part of the sierra) and I have seen a couple trip reports on that particular loop. I’m considering adding onto this trip by looping up Big Meadow creek to the base of Doghead Peak and then down Camp Creek back to Slide Canyon. Very much off the beaten path, but wondering if anyone has tried that excursion? Thanks in advance for any thoughts.

[Wandering Daisy]

I have done a loop that dropped from Rock Island Lake into Slide Canyon walking down rock slabs. I have also eyed Crazy Mule Gulch, but never done it. I bet you would have to do it late season at low water. I would be most concerned about impenetrable brush. Thus, walking right in the streambed may go whereas banks on each side may be impossible. You really need the freedom to jump back and forth and walk in the streambed. If you do it, please write a trip report! The route looks amazing.

PS: mosquitoes are horrific in Slide Canyon. Another good reason for a late season trip.

[NorCal_Hiker]

Thanks. Yes, I should have been more clear. I’m planning to go up the slabs north of Bath mountain and down into the upper part of that valley not go through the lower gulch itself.

[lvray]

Been through Crazy Mule Gulch twice - very nice area. If climbing the slabs north of Bath Mountain, the easiest location is just north of the ephemeral creek that flows out of the upper part of the Gulch down into Piute. Class 2 to easy class 3 (see pics). I have also hiked down the full length of Crazy Mule and climbed down to Piute creek and back up to Doe Lake. The down out of CMG was class 3 and required we take the packs off in spots and do some partner assisted down climbs. I'm sure you could go up this way too. The easiest spot is way east of the creek out of CMG, just before the meadow area (just visible in the far right of the 2nd pic). Piute Creek is indeed very brushy & narrow in this part. We were just crossing the creek and even that was annoying. Would not want to do this with any real flow. I have pics of this area I can dig out if you want to see them.

[NorCal_Hiker]

@Ivray thanks for the pics and the tips. From your comments and everything else I’ve read/seen I think my plan of sticking to the slabs north of Bath will be more enjoyable than tackling the lower part of CMG.

[Silky Smooth]

What a beautiful granite apron in a such a wonderful setting. Looks like sooo much fun to climb! Seeing it makes me want to go. I'm a sucker for a good apron, chicken-head's and glacier erratics ! Thanks for sharing

[erutan]

I've gone from the bottom of slide to doe > tallulah, then traversed above 10k across camp creek and dropped into upper big meadow and into upper matterhorn. It was all pretty straightforward.

CMG is a cool spot, I dropped into it via rock creek and came back over a wide saddle E of rock island lake with no real issues in July, though I haven't dropped all the way down to slide that way - there'd a few tight spots to negotiate iirc.

[wildhiker]

I've gone from the bottom of slide to doe > tallulah, then traversed above 10k across camp creek and dropped into upper big meadow and into upper matterhorn. It was all pretty straightforward.

What was it like dropping down into upper Matterhorn Canyon from upper Big Meadow Creek? It looks pretty steep on the topo.
-Phil

[erutan]

A lot of traversing with slight elevation wiggles here and there until it unsteepens into a more moderate descent around a seasonal drainage.

More straightforward than it looks on topo as long as your routefinding holds up.

I've actually been debating adding it in as an unofficial pass.

[Ballpeen]

Last summer we went all the way down CMG to Slide Canyon, then up out of Slide Canyon to Big Meadow, then over into Matterhorn Canyon, then over into Spiller Creek watershed. Going down CMG to Slide was not difficult, but a bit of a bush whack at times. No class 3 for us; maybe we got lucky. The bonus on entering Slide that low is some very nice pools nearby (upstream) in Piute Creek. Going up to Big Meadow from Slide Canyon was straightforward; just a workout. The saddle from Big Meadow to Matterhorn was a pretty standard class 2 mix of ramps, benches, and rocky outcroppings.