High Sierra Topix

Meeting up with a few good friends in Yosemite Valley for a grand backpacking adventure on the 15h. Got my maps and my ready backpack sits - now staring at me as I type. (Much like those Geico "eye" commercials.
Sitting here in Sacramento, doing nothing, I am seriously getting the hankering for a granite fix so...
Thought I would head up a few days early (9th or 10th) and try to find my mountain legs...(I know I left them up there last season.)
Thinking of either Glacier Point to Merced Lake and down, or Tuolumne, over the hill to Nelson then Mathes and wherever - fishing.
or? (All depends on what is open I guess.)
Any ideas?
Just dreaming away here.
Mark

If I were in Sacto, I'd also consider any of the day hikes in Desolation Wilderness---that's closer to you, and are good workouts. Lyons Lake is about 10-11 miles, and a good climb with a great destination...and there are a ton more out of Wright's Lake.

Indeed, if I was living in Sac, I head straight for Desolation Wilderness, especially after that post on Glen Alpine . An overnighter up to the mack lake via the goat trail from the Glen Alpine parking lot worked wonders for me as a warmup for my Kaweah Basin-Red Spur in 2003. That is the last time I wet a line in that lake, sadly. Anyhow that steep, short, scenic goat trail really gets the ascending gears going (and works out the 'shock absorbers' on the way down). It might also be worth checking out the Meeks Creek drainage, or simply going out of Eagle Falls to the Velmas. So many choices in Desolation that make great warmup trips. Down here on the west flank, there are still some access issues for quick hitters as I found out this past weekend, although the thaw is proceeding quickly and roads are coming open as I type.

Some west flank options for warmup:
1. Kibbie (too easy?)
2. Laurel (kinda hard for a warmup, but you'll be in tip top shape afterwards)
3. Seville L. area, S. Kings Cyn.
4. Jennie L., Jennie Lakes Wilderness
5. Lillian L. and vicinity, Ansel Adams wilderness (but you may not want to be so close to your next destination).
I think I'd still pick Desolation over all of those if I were in Sac. Laurel is the only one that might tempt me otherwise and I think this is a bit late for when I'd like to do Laurel.

While Desolation is certainly well explored and familiar territory, this Yosemite trip, (just so my 18-year-old son will have a car at home while I am off), I am availing myself of Amtrak this trip.
~$80 round trip Sacramento to Yosemite.

Thus, I will not have a car, just a backpack and a smile. Hence the warm-up hike question - restricted to Yosemite.

markskor wrote:While Desolation is certainly well explored and familiar territory, this Yosemite trip, (just so my 18-year-old son will have a car at home while I am off), I am availing myself of Amtrak this trip.
~$80 round trip Sacramento to Yosemite.

Thus, I will not have a car, just a backpack and a smile. Hence the warm-up hike question - restricted to Yosemite.

OK:
Howza 'bout;
easier range: Kibbie, Sunrises
moderate range: Grant Lakes (cut corner on this to make it shorter), Ostrander, Matthes the fun way (up along the outlet of Lower Cathedral from Pywiack/Tenaya--lots of options on this route to make trip short or longer)
more of grunt: Laurel
even more of grunt: Vernon

What about the northern side of 120 at Ten Lakes, or Polly Dome Lakes if you
want something closer.

Amtrack to Yosemite means further public transport will be needed if you want to hike out of Tuolumne, Glacier Point, Wawowna. Kibbie Lake is out because there is no public transport to Cherry Lake. I am not sure there are shuttles to Hetch Hetchy. All these shuttles have limited schedules and cost at least $20 and it takes lots of good logistics to be sure to get back in time to catch your Amtrack train out. Shuttle schedules are on the internet. And most shuttles do not get going very early in the morning or run very late at night. The bus to Tuolumne and bus to Glacier Point probably have the most frequent schedules.

Thus the simplest is to do a loop hike from Yosemite Valley. Get a crack of dawn start; it could be quite hot. But you quickly get up to the rim at 7,000 feet where it is cooler. North Rim Traverse reversed- Snow Creek Trail - camp high on snow creek - second day out via Yosemite Falls. This route can be done in a long day if you are really fit. Or, Four Mile Trail to Glacier Point and then come down the Pohono trail. Or go up to Merced Lake. Or climb Clouds Rest and camp on Sunrise Creek. This year you should have plenty of water sources still running July 15.

PS. Earlier this year I talked with two young fellows who used the Amtrack to Merced- bus to Yosemite public transport and they were very impressed at how nice and economical it was.

HOT! Predicted in high 90's this week - 97 Friday in Yosemite Valley. Maybe you should just sit in the Merced River!

I was with my son up in Tuolomne Meadows Wed, Thurs, Fri 7/7 - 7/9 of last week. It was BEAUTIFUL! The skies blue, the peaks still snow covered, the river flowing and the meadows green, green, green with abundant wild flowers. We just stayed for a couple of nights at the backpackers camp, wandered around the meadows, stuck our toes in the icy cold snow melt water of the Tuolomne, admired the alpen glow on Lembert Dome, ate a fine dinner at the lodge, and generally had a fabulous time. Go now, it's perfect!