Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne/Ten Lakes Basin TR Days 7&8
Posted: Wed Aug 20, 2008 9:50 pm
We wake up at lake 9298 on day seven in absolutely no hurry whatsoever.
We were originally going to spend the whole day hanging out here in Ten Lakes Basin and then hike the whole way out tomorrow (10.3 miles) but decided that instead we would hang out here for the morning and move on to the Ten Lakes trail junction in the afternoon. That will give us 4.8 today and an easy 5.5 tomorrow, allowing us to have a nice burger at Curry Village and a visit with my friends who are assistant camp hosts at upper pines, and still allow us to get back to Fresno early.
We spend a relaxing morning enjoying the lake.
Then lake off towards lake 8947
Cindy and I drop off John and our packs here and head upstream toward Lake 9229 to have a swim and lunch. Along the way we pass more flowers…
…butterflies…
And more flowers.
Passing this un-named lake we save someone’s tent from the lake, as the wind was about to send it out to the middle.(I guess the never heard of tent stakes). We put it back and toss some rocks on it to hold it down. That held it in place at least until we came back.
The skies were just an amazingly dark blue today.
This made water of lake 9229 the bluest I may have ever seen.
We spent about an hour swimming and enjoying lunch before heading back down to grab John and head on out of Ten Lakes Basin. Climbing quickly we soon leave the Basin behind.
True to form things changed quickly and the top of the climb and we found ourselves in a high desert area.
It was amazing how hard and clod the wind was blowing here.
Then just s fast as it changed, it changed again.
Half Moon meadow.
We find an overused campsite just before the Ten Lakes junction. It was big and comfortable, but very dirty.
The creek was small with barely enough water to rinse off. It was however, very cold which did wonders for the ankle I mildly turned earlier in the day.
So, off we go for the hike out (5.5 miles of easy downhill). The funny thing is that although we have been out 3 days longer than we ever have, we are not that exited about burgers and cold drinks. We would rather we could re-supply and go back out again. We are making plans to do the JMT in five years when Cindy retires.
We lost the trail for the first time in 8 days when it took a turn into this chest high meadow.
What beautiful flowers…
…and more butterflies…
…including this white one.
With about a half a mile, this dear showed up to give us a grand send off.
Then just that fast we are back at the trailhead not nearly as clean as we were a week ago but our spirits are refreshed.
I have just one last thing to say about this hike,
YOU MUST TAKE THIS HIKE!
ken
We were originally going to spend the whole day hanging out here in Ten Lakes Basin and then hike the whole way out tomorrow (10.3 miles) but decided that instead we would hang out here for the morning and move on to the Ten Lakes trail junction in the afternoon. That will give us 4.8 today and an easy 5.5 tomorrow, allowing us to have a nice burger at Curry Village and a visit with my friends who are assistant camp hosts at upper pines, and still allow us to get back to Fresno early.
We spend a relaxing morning enjoying the lake.
Then lake off towards lake 8947
Cindy and I drop off John and our packs here and head upstream toward Lake 9229 to have a swim and lunch. Along the way we pass more flowers…
…butterflies…
And more flowers.
Passing this un-named lake we save someone’s tent from the lake, as the wind was about to send it out to the middle.(I guess the never heard of tent stakes). We put it back and toss some rocks on it to hold it down. That held it in place at least until we came back.
The skies were just an amazingly dark blue today.
This made water of lake 9229 the bluest I may have ever seen.
We spent about an hour swimming and enjoying lunch before heading back down to grab John and head on out of Ten Lakes Basin. Climbing quickly we soon leave the Basin behind.
True to form things changed quickly and the top of the climb and we found ourselves in a high desert area.
It was amazing how hard and clod the wind was blowing here.
Then just s fast as it changed, it changed again.
Half Moon meadow.
We find an overused campsite just before the Ten Lakes junction. It was big and comfortable, but very dirty.
The creek was small with barely enough water to rinse off. It was however, very cold which did wonders for the ankle I mildly turned earlier in the day.
So, off we go for the hike out (5.5 miles of easy downhill). The funny thing is that although we have been out 3 days longer than we ever have, we are not that exited about burgers and cold drinks. We would rather we could re-supply and go back out again. We are making plans to do the JMT in five years when Cindy retires.
We lost the trail for the first time in 8 days when it took a turn into this chest high meadow.
What beautiful flowers…
…and more butterflies…
…including this white one.
With about a half a mile, this dear showed up to give us a grand send off.
Then just that fast we are back at the trailhead not nearly as clean as we were a week ago but our spirits are refreshed.
I have just one last thing to say about this hike,
YOU MUST TAKE THIS HIKE!
ken