Re: Sunrise Trailhead to Clouds Rest to Cathedral Lakes Trailhead

Hi. I'm planning on backpacking this June (or whenever Tioga Road opens) up to clouds rest, starting out from tenaya lake (sunrise trailhead). After summiting clouds rest, trekking back and camping below it. We'd like to spend the next day hiking back to the Tioga Road by a different route, cutting over towards cathedral pass and cathedral lakes, eventually ending at the cathedral lakes trailhead. I've heard/read conflicting info about doing this Bc it involves using the john muir trail from a different starting trailhead. Will this be an issue for us?

Main question is would be using cathedral lakes as an exit trailhead be ok if we are starting out from sunrise lakes trailhead. On our way out we don't plan on camping overnight near Cathedral Lakes or along the John Muir trail, just hiking out that way our second day after camping near clouds rest.

There is absolutely no issue with this.

The only issue with JMT is if you exit the park via Donahue Pass. You're not doing that...
so no problem with that exit TH.. and you can camp at Cathedral Lakes the 2nd night if you want.

Good luck getting Sunrise TH permit though. Quota is very low.

Have fun!

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Thank you, that clears it up more. fingers crossed that going early week opposed to weekend might help with procuring permits!

That's a great route...you will have fun!
As you get closer to the trip be sure to check in to the forum regarding trail conditions. The first thing you will encounter is the crossing of Tenaya Creek, where you may have to wade across the very cold stream. The annual posts about this crossing are always a fun read!

I'll be certain to post pictues and report on this crossing, set for the first week of June. We're very excited, having gotten permits for the Sunrise Lakes trailhead, in addition to Happy Isles to Sunrise/Merced, with 2 days in between to recover. I'd like to camp at Lake Matthes on our second night of our Tenaya Lake-Clouds Rest-Matthes Crest-Cathedral Lakes trek. I know that people camp at Echo Lake and Matthes Lake, but we're not sure about the elevation at Matthes as far as having a campfire is concerned, I know it's right on the cusp of 9600'. Do you know if fires are ok there?

Not ok. Matthes is 9623. There are no fire rings. As there should not be.

Nelson Lake, which is nearby, is explicitly permitted prohibited from having fires at too.

There shouldn't be any at Echo either. Sorry. (ok, I'm really not sorry)
And, yeah, there are no campfires allowed at Upper or Lower Cathedral.

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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/12/2017 01:09PM by chick-on.

No problem at all. We'll proceed with that knowledge in mind and jetboils in pack.

Quote
chick-on
Not ok. Matthes is 9623. There are no fire rings. As there should not be.

Nelson Lake, which is nearby, is explicitly permitted from having fires at too.

You mean prohibited, right? Nelson is at 9,605.

Doh! Yes... I mean prohibited!

If you get an overnight Nelson permit... It says right on it... No Fires...

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