Mt Conness to McCabe Creek?

Hey there Yosemite people,

I'm a Yosemite greenhorn and am currently planning a backpacking trip for the 12-16th of August in Tuolumne Meadows. I was just wondering if it was possible to get from Mt Conness to McCabe creek using some sort of trail system - if not, what's a good 5 day trip to do in that general region?

Keep fightin' the good fight and get outside!

Hmmm. You can certainly hike cross-country from about the 10,000 foot level due South of Conness and just contour around past Roosevelt Lake and then to Lower McCabe Lake..and McCabe Creek. Is that what you mean? There is no trail there, but except for some crummy talus on Conness, that's a relatively straightforward route-finding exercise. Nice hike, too.


So your route could be from TM to Young Lakes, then day two climb Conness and head over to Roosevelt Lake. Day Three gets you to McCabe Lakes--maybe Upper McCabe, since you'll have plenty of time, and then days four and five on the Pacific Crest Trail to Glen Aulin and back to Tuolumne Meadows.

But if you want to stay on a trail, that's not an option.

Do you have a permit already? For which trailhead?

If you want a loop hike, there are more options going SOUTH from Tuolumne Meadows, mostly heading over to Merced Lake and then back again, via Rafferty Creek, Lyell Canyon, Cathedral Lakes...Go in via one trail and back out via another trail, and you've got your loop.

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Ah, wonderful! Yeah, I was looking at that and it seemed a little traverse-y... thank you so much for confirming that!
Happy trails!

Or...
Starting Saddlebag - (can take ferry to backside) - and head up past Greenstone and use the Conness Lakes route. After seeing Conness, down again the way you came up - to trail - north to above Steelhead - Hess Mine - Secret Lake - up and over Shepherds Crest. (see TOPO).
Important, when at the top of the SC ridge, go north to the head-wall... (at the top, south route from there looks easier initially but soon you will be cliffed out going down to McCabe)... and, when just before that head-wall, a 2 class trail (and signage there - Welcome to Yosemite) leads down west to Upper McCabe. Easy down from there - follow a "use trail" to Cold Canyon, Glen Aulin and TM.