Yosemite National Park

with Timberline Adventures (www.timbertours.com)

(June 2004)

Introduction

Note: This is a continuation of a June trip that started with 4 and a half days in Yosemite with  my nephew. The two of us returned to Fresno on Saturday evening, and I met Timberline in Fresno on Sunday morning at 8 am and the six of us (2 Timberline guides and 4 clients) started driving to Yosemite. We had a long drive as we were going to drive all the way through the park and stay in Lee Vining on the eastern side of the park for three nights while we hiked on that side of the park. However, we stopped on the way for a short hike.  This was my third trip to Yosemite, if you want to see pictures of my 1994 and 2003 trips to Yosemite, click on the following link:  Yosemite. If you want to see pictures of my 2004 trip with Mark click on the following link: 04Yosemite1.

Yosemite National Park

The map below shows the various main areas of Yosemite. There are four entrances, and most people never go beyond the Yosemite valley. The double red lines extending from the Arch Rock Entrance are the northside and southside one-way drives in to and out of the valley which measures just 7 square miles out of the entire 1,169-square-mile park.  

In 1994 I entered the park via the Tioga Pass entrance and drove through the park to the valley. I stopped several times but did not take any hikes in what is called the high country of the park. Between the western boundary of the park and its eastern limits, one encounters five different life zones while ascending nearly two vertical miles from 2,000 feet in elevation to 13,000 feet on the summit of Mt. Lyell. The eastern side is accessible by automobile from roughly mid-June to early November. Tuolumne Meadows is the largest subalpine meadow in the Sierra. Erratics, boulders which fell onto the glacial ice and were transported as if on a conveyer belt until the ice melted, are perched in odd places, abandoned by the receding tide of ice. In many places the rock is polished smooth by the tremendous weight of the ice combined with Nature's brand of emery cloth, a fine grit called glacial flour. In other places, the glaciers clawed the rock, etching grooves in the polish. Unlike Yosemite Valley, where all hikes seem to require a 3,000-foot elevation gain, Tuolumne's broad green expanse is situated at 8,600 feet and hikers can wander for miles in all directions with little change in elevation. Thus, after my 2003 visit I was very interested in hiking on the eastern side of the park and started searching on the internet for a company that offered such a hike, and I found Timberline--4 of their 6 hikes on their 6-day Yosemite trip are on the east side of the park.

a map of the Tioga Road (Hwy 120) with the destination of our first hike--May Lake--shown about in the center, the Tuolumne River and Glen Aulin in the top center, and Clouds Rest in the bottom center 

pictures of Yosemite

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Mt. Hoffmann (10,850 feet) is the geographic center of the park

We did this hike late in the afternoon on our drive though the park from Fresno to Lee Vining. The trail to May Lake is an easy 2.4 miles round trip with only 500 feet of climb. The hike begins at the May Lake Trailhead at the end of May Lake Road or Old Tioga Road. From the parking area we went north through the forest and past a small pond. we saw Mt. Hoffmann to the northwest shortly after beginning the hike. The lake lies in the shadow of this 10,850-foot peak, which is considered the geographic center of Yosemite National Park.

A few minutes after beginning the hike we crossed some granite mounds and began to ascend more steeply. Past the granite the trail began to switchback. The total elevation gain was 500 feet.

When we reached the top of the ascent the trail split. The left trail led to a dispersed campground for backpackers and the lakeshore and a trail around the lake. The right fork led to the May Lake High Sierra Camp which consists of cabins with a backcountry feel. Reservations can be made for these cabins but should be made a year in advance.  An easy stroll east from the HSC and a scramble up some rocks took us to a dramatic view of the Sierra crest and the Cathedral range, with Tenaya Lake in the foreground.

the May Lake High Sierra Camp

Located high in the wilderness, obtainable only by foot or by saddle, are five unique hike-to camp complexes spaced 5.7 to 10 miles apart along a loop trail in Yosemite's beautiful high country--Glen Aulin, May Lake, Sunrise Camp, Merced Lake, Vogelsang. All lodging is in canvas tent cabins with dormitory-style steel frame beds with mattresses, pillows, woolen blankets or comforters; thus, on High Camp loop trips, you are free to hike at your own pace free of the weight of tents and multiple days' food and water. Overnights at the High Camps include full dinner and breakfast, served up family style in cozy dining tents. Box lunches for the next day on the trail are available at an additional cost and may be ordered the night before departure. The second picture shows several of the day's guests at May Lake engaged in a snowball fight.

the Sierra Crest

The Sierra Nevada is a mountain range that is mostly in eastern California. The range is also known as The Sierra. The Sierra Nevada stretches 400 miles, from Mount Lassen in the North to the Tehachapi Mountains in the South and are bounded on the West by California's Central Valley and on the East by the Great Basin. In the East-West cross section, the altitude gradually increases as you travel East, until you reach the crest, whereupon the altitude rapidly decreases. Thus, the Sierra crest runs along the eastern edge of the Sierra. The height of the mountains in the Sierra Nevada gradually increases from North to South. Thus, the crest near Lake Tahoe is roughly 9000' high, the crest near Yosemite National Park is roughly 13000' high, and the entire range attains its peak at Mount Whitney. South of Mount Whitney, the range quickly dwindles.

Cathedral Peak

Mt. Hoffmann

me with Mt. Hoffmann in the background

a marmot

(the groundhog is one type of marmot)

a tree hit by lightning

May Lake & Mt. Hoffmann

Mono Lake

Located in California's spectacular Eastern Sierra, Mono Lake is an oasis in the dry Great Basin

Tuolumne River & Falls Hike

The trailhead is in the Tuolumne Meadows area of the park at the Lembert Dome/Glen Aulin Trailhead. The route leads NW toward Soda Springs. We crossed small branches of Delaney Creek three times in about 1/2 mile. Within a mile we reached the Tuolumne River. At this point we were walking over large mounds of granite. The trail meandered along the river and crossed Dingley Creek, and its tributaries.

The trail followed the river for slightly more than a mile and began to descend more steeply. There were several small falls along Tuolumne River, but approximately four and a half miles from the trailhead we reached Tuolumne Falls where the water made a spectacular 100-foot drop. At the base of the falls the trail crossed the river on a bridge and a view of the cascade from a sandy beach was accessible.

After crossing the bridge below the falls the trail was on the same side of the river as the Glen Aulin High Sierra Camp. The HSC is a backcountry camp used mostly by backpackers. Hot meals are served with no reservations, but a tent site needs to be reserved. Take the second bridge to the right to enter the camp. 

The round trip was 10 miles with a descent of 400 feet on the way in and then a climb on the way out.

Cathedral Peak 

Belding Squirrels

Soda Springs

Jean Baptiste Lembert built the enclosure you see today to protect these springs from grazing animals about 1885.

Following Jean Baptiste Lembert's death, the McCauley brothers bought his land for pasture in 1897 and built this cabin. When the land was again put up for sale, Sierra Club members raised money to purchase it in 1912 to keep it uncommercialized. The Sierra Club opened a small campground, and summer after summer campers returned here to renew their connection with these meadows and mountains. In 1973, the National Park Service bought the Sierra Club property.

Parsons Memorial Lodge

As a guide for the early Sierra Club, Edward Taylor Parsons (1861-1914) led hundreds of people on high mountain adventures. He also campaigned with John Muir, without success, to keep Yosemite National Park's Hetch Hetchy Valley undimmed. In 1915, the Sierra Club built this lodge in his memory. Originally a meeting place and reading room, it continues to be a refuge from afternoon thunderstorms, as well as a center for exhibits and special programs.

a marmot

views along the trail

lupine

the trail crossed many large mounds of granite

Tuolumne River

Tin & Renee resting after lunch

Tuolumne Falls

The trail begins in Dana Meadows along Tioga Road approximately a mile and a half west of Tioga Pass. The trail follows a path established by Native Americans that was later used for mining activity. Cabins in various stages of decline represent the mining era of the late 19th century.

We started by going SE through Dana Meadows and crossed the Dana Fork of the Tuolumne River in the first quarter mile. About one mile from the trailhead we reached Parker Creek. The trail led along the eastern bank of this creek for nearly a mile. At this point Mammoth Peak became visible to the right as the northern end of Kuna Crest. Slightly more than two miles from Tioga Road the trail reached a fork. The right side lead to Spillway Lake following Parker Creek. We took the left fork to Mono Pass. Shortly beyond this junction the trail began to gain elevation, and in the next mile the trail gained 600 feet and reached another junction. Again, we followed the left ford to Mono Pass. 

At this point the trail leveled to the pass summit, which is 10,604 feet. Immediately before reaching the summit we passed Summit Lake, and a non-distinct trail lead southward from the eastern shore of Summit Lake to an abandoned mine site. We took this trail to view five restored cabins and see what was left of the the mine and the tailings pile. 

After returning to the main trail and reaching the pass we continued a short ways beyond the pass which means we left Yosemite National Park and entered the Inyo National Forest in order to see the view from Bloody Canyon. (10 miles, 900 feet ascent)

Mammoth Peak

an avalanche area - they occur on a regular basis here and the trees get wiped out

Dana Meadows

one of the reconstructed miner cabins

there was a lot of snow here for late June

Mono Pass

Bloody Canyon with Mono Lake in the background

Tim is using the rocks to cross the stream while others wait their turn

Renee & I and Len & Norma are sharing two Miners Madness desserts

(two brownies with 2 scoops of ice cream and chocolate syrup and whipped cream on top)

This trail begins from the Tenaya Lake Trailhead along Tioga Road. We followed the access road across the outlet of Tenaya Lake to a trail junction and went right at this junction toward Sunrise Lakes, Sunrise High Sierra Camp and Clouds Rest. Within a half mile of the junction this route descended slightly to cross the outlet of Mildred Lake. Shortly beyond this crossing the trail crossed the outlet creeks of upper, middle and lower Sunrise Lakes.

After leaving the third creek, steep rocky switchbacks began and the trail climbed 800 feet to another junction. We followed the trail leading right. From this junction the trail descended slightly then leveled for a quarter mile as it reached a small pond. It passed the pond and continued descending slightly to three more stream crossings. Beyond the third stream crossing the trail began to ascend slowly and reached another trail junction. We followed the Clouds Rest Trail to the left. This trail ascended steadily to the final summit approach of Clouds Rest. Upon reaching the final ascent the trail ended and we simply ascended the northeast ridge of the peak. The final climb was along a natural granite staircase with plenty of exposure. The views from the summit are worth the climb.

view of Clouds Rest & part of the Basket Dome from the North Dome

general view from the trail

first view of Clouds Rest from the trail

closer view of Clouds Rest

small part of the trail 

view on the way up

this picture & the next 6 are views from Clouds Rest

valley

Clark Range

Tenaya Lake

Half Dome & Yosemite Valley

as you can see it is getting dark and it was thundering so we got off the exposed granite quickly and delayed lunch until we reached the timberline

beautiful view on the way down

after I crossed a stream I saw 2 deer, then 1 more entered the scene, then 1 more, and finally 1 more to make a total of 5 deer

final view from Clouds Rest hike

Panorama Trail

I did this hike last year last year, but I it is such a beautiful trail I was looking forward to doing it again and was not disappointed. 

The trail begins at Glacier Point and descends to the Happy Isles area of Yosemite Valley. The trail is eight and a half miles long one way with a descent of 4,000 feet and a climb of 750 feet for a total elevation change of 3,250 feet.

As soon as we left Glacier Point the trail started descending rapidly and the beautiful views started. About 2 miles from Glacier Point the trail reached Illilouette Falls which lie along Illilouette Creek which eventually drains into the Merced River.

Below the Falls the trail crossed the creek and we began the 750 feet climb as we traverse around Panorama Cliff and climbed up to Nevada Falls. Views of natural features within the Merced River valley came into view along this stretch. Because the trail elevation is above the valley, we could look down into it and pick out many waterfalls and domes.

At Nevada Falls we could hike down the beautiful, but rugged downhill Mist trail past Nevada and Vernal Falls or the gentler and one mile longer Muir Trail which provides some views of Nevada Falls at the beginning of the trail and only one of Vernal Falls at the bottom. We went down the Mist trail, and I strongly recommend the Mist Trail for its beauty; however, it does have steep dropoffs and a lot of rocky steps as it passes Nevada Falls and over 600 granite steps as it passes Vernal Falls.

Tim, Renee, Norma, me, and Len at Glacier Point (Skyler took the picture)

Panorama Trailhead

(it's hard to read but it's 5.2 miles to Nevada Falls)

Vernal Falls

Liberty Cap, Nevada Falls, & Vernal Falls

Half Dome

Illilouette Falls

Half Dome from Illilouette Falls 

Basket Dome

Yosemite Valley

Yosemite Falls

Royal Arches, Washington Column, Basket & North Dome

back of Half Dome

Nevada Falls

Vernal Falls

Vernal Falls & the Merced River

Yosemite Lodge Registration Area with Yosemite Falls in the background

deer I saw as I walking between the Yosemite Lodge and the Village

Lupines in Ahwahnee Meadows & Half Dome

This was my third trip to Yosemite, if you want to see pictures of my 1994 and 2003 trips to Yosemite, click on the following link:  Yosemite. 

If you want to see pictures of the first half of my 2004 trip with Mark click on the following link: 04Yosemite1.

for pictures of other vacations return to the Vacation Photos page