High Sierra Topix

Hi folks,

I’ve got a trip planned for 6/15-16 out of Wawona, planning to go out to Buena Vista Pass and then circle back around. The map is at https://caltopo.com/m/LPUE5.

When Yosemite reviewed my permit they warned me about early season conditions, but I’m curious to the opinions of this forum. What snow/ice gear would you recommend, if any?

Thanks in advance.

I would carry a single trekking pole. Maybe.

That route isn’t particularly high, and doesn’t have any mandatory steep sections. If you encounter snow I’d just walk over it.

The crossing of Chilnualna creek at 6600’ would concern me a little. But you can take the trail on the North side of the creek if you find it impassable.

For Alder Creek on the return, you can likely just bushwhack a bit where the trail crosses the creek & then immediately crosses back to avoid the two crossings around 6000’. But usually by June, these lower elevations are long past peak flow.

Looks like a good early season trip, two waterfalls en route :-)

Great, that's what I thought and part of the reason why I decided to go from Wawona instead of somewhere higher up (the other part being that it's half as far from Fresno as Tuolumne). Thanks for the tips on the creeks!

eversonrosed wrote: ↑Sat May 18, 2024 7:24 pm Great, that's what I thought and part of the reason why I decided to go from Wawona instead of somewhere higher up (the other part being that it's half as far from Fresno as Tuolumne). Thanks for the tips on the creeks!

Yeah, check Sentinel Hub when you get close to the date for more snow information. But I doubt you’ll have issues with a month of melt to go.