TR Yosemite High Country July 18-24
Posted: Thu Jul 25, 2019 8:11 am
Started off an easy first day by hiking a short 2 mile hike up to May Lake. Set up for the night then left gear and hiked up Mount Hoffman. The trail had no snow with only patches towards the top. This is an incredible hike with a view that is vast with a great view of all the surrounding snow covered peaks.
Day 2 was a 13 mi hike up to Clouds Rest for a great view of anything you wanted to see. It was incredible although somewhat like Disneyland due to the crowds, but understandable. Its hard to describe the vastness and enormity that you experience. We camped just off the Clouds Rest trail sign after finding a fire ring. A deer was there and would not leave us. She was very curious and walked around us for an hour or more. Very fun
Day 3 was a 16mi hike down through an old burn scar, past Merced Lake and Washburn Lake to an area by a footbridge that crosses the Merced Peak Fork river our elevation was about 8000'. It was a great hike, lots of mosquitoes though but not a problem. No one was on the trail.
Day 4 was a 11mi hike that ended in a big disappointment. After a climb up to an upper trail above the Triple Peak Fork Creek, almost 10,000', we dropped down, heading to Lewis Creek trail, into Lyell Fork Creek. The creek was raging and we were to tired to attempt to cross that afternoon. There are a few logs over the river about 100 yards down river from the trail we were told about. We didn't like the look of it because a fall would not have been survivable, not a chance! We decided to look at it in the morning when rested. By morning the waters had risen even more and the logs were wet and water was going over then at times. The flow increased during the night. We decided to turn back.
So Day 5 started by backtracking to Merced Lake which ended up being a 17mi day as we camped in the backpackers campground. Our original plan was to go up Lewis Creek after connecting from the upper trail we were on the previous day and head to Vogelsang Pass. Due to adding an extra day because we had to turn back Day 5 was 16mi and we just went direct to Tuolumne Meadows that ended our trip.
Overall it was an 82 mile hike that took us through some of the most beautiful meadows, mountains and valleys, creeks, rivers and beautiful skys. The weather was perfect with nights into the mid 40's I think and days in the 70's. I am glad the three of us decided to turn back from Lyell Fork Creek. It was a big disappointment but the right move. I should have looked at the flows more and asked more questions on this form. I think the info was there I just didn't interpret it right. I also should have talked to a ranger or someone familiar with that area of the hike as it was my first time up in that area. Overall the mosquitos were a 3 but Deet ruled the day. I have some great photos but haven't figured how to get them in. It says the picture file is too big. I'll keep trying.
Day 2 was a 13 mi hike up to Clouds Rest for a great view of anything you wanted to see. It was incredible although somewhat like Disneyland due to the crowds, but understandable. Its hard to describe the vastness and enormity that you experience. We camped just off the Clouds Rest trail sign after finding a fire ring. A deer was there and would not leave us. She was very curious and walked around us for an hour or more. Very fun
Day 3 was a 16mi hike down through an old burn scar, past Merced Lake and Washburn Lake to an area by a footbridge that crosses the Merced Peak Fork river our elevation was about 8000'. It was a great hike, lots of mosquitoes though but not a problem. No one was on the trail.
Day 4 was a 11mi hike that ended in a big disappointment. After a climb up to an upper trail above the Triple Peak Fork Creek, almost 10,000', we dropped down, heading to Lewis Creek trail, into Lyell Fork Creek. The creek was raging and we were to tired to attempt to cross that afternoon. There are a few logs over the river about 100 yards down river from the trail we were told about. We didn't like the look of it because a fall would not have been survivable, not a chance! We decided to look at it in the morning when rested. By morning the waters had risen even more and the logs were wet and water was going over then at times. The flow increased during the night. We decided to turn back.
So Day 5 started by backtracking to Merced Lake which ended up being a 17mi day as we camped in the backpackers campground. Our original plan was to go up Lewis Creek after connecting from the upper trail we were on the previous day and head to Vogelsang Pass. Due to adding an extra day because we had to turn back Day 5 was 16mi and we just went direct to Tuolumne Meadows that ended our trip.
Overall it was an 82 mile hike that took us through some of the most beautiful meadows, mountains and valleys, creeks, rivers and beautiful skys. The weather was perfect with nights into the mid 40's I think and days in the 70's. I am glad the three of us decided to turn back from Lyell Fork Creek. It was a big disappointment but the right move. I should have looked at the flows more and asked more questions on this form. I think the info was there I just didn't interpret it right. I also should have talked to a ranger or someone familiar with that area of the hike as it was my first time up in that area. Overall the mosquitos were a 3 but Deet ruled the day. I have some great photos but haven't figured how to get them in. It says the picture file is too big. I'll keep trying.