Clark Range

Experience hiking part of the Clark Range without doing the 40 mile loop in entirety? Is it worth it/possible to hike part of it as an overnighter and backtrack a different route XC?

The Clark Range is fairly far from almost any trailhead, so while it's technically possible to do an overnighter and touch it, I'd really want to spend more time there (and have in the past, and will gladly do in the future).

Some ideas:

- A strong hiker could do an in-and-out to the Clark Canyon/Obelisk Lake area from either Happy Isles or Glacier Point/Mono Meadows. Very strong hikers have day-hiked Mt. Clark.
- A similarly strong hiker could reach the Merced Pass Lakes if not Ottoway Lake in a day, either from the Ostrander Lake area via Buena Vista crest, or via the Ilillouette Creek trail from Mono Meadows.
- A third option would be to approach the Merced Pass area from the Quartz Mountain trailhead near Chiquito Lake.
- A few other possibilities: from Mono Meadows, you could reach the Starr King Meadow or Grayling Lake areas in a day.

The problem with all these ideas is that they all miss Red Peak Pass and the wonderful country to the north of this pass, around Red Devil Lake and the headwaters of the Grey/Red/Merced/Triple Peak forks.

All of the ideas above involve some cross-country travel. This year, expect lots of late-season snow and downed trees--even on trail--slowing down your progress.

Thank you. Most of us are active and fairly avid hikers, in early to mid 30s so not too afraid of some distances. We are having to switch gears preparation wise as 120 appears it won't open buy June 7. Want to find a couple over night backpacks outside of just the valley and off glacier point road that will be somewhat lesser tracked.

You seem a bit confused. Clark Range is in the SE section of the Park and reached mostly from trailheads staring in the Valley, off Glacier Point Rd or outside the Park's southern border, as Basilbob listed. Tioga Rd (120) does not have to open by that date for you to access the trailheads. Glacier Point Rd "should" be open by then. If you only have a single night to backpack, I would personally look else where.

Quote
jizdepski
Thank you. Most of us are active and fairly avid hikers, in early to mid 30s so not too afraid of some distances. We are having to switch gears preparation wise as 120 appears it won't open buy June 7. Want to find a couple over night backpacks outside of just the valley and off glacier point road that will be somewhat lesser tracked.

That's why he asked.

Where would you go?

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We're spending 7 nights, 8 days in the park. i mentioned the tioga road and switching gears because we had already mapped out the first 3 nights doing clouds rest, sunrise lakes, Matthes crest and cathedral lakes. Those hikes will have to be replaced, and wed rarther go to other trails not solely centered in and above the valley as we've already done pohono, 4 mile trail, yos falls etc. We plan to have an open day to recover in the middle, then do happy isles to LYV to Merced lake at the end.

Holy snikeys...

I had forgotten...

April 12, 2015





Things to keep in mind:
a - Illilouette crossing for Mono Mdws will be probably ill advised this year for a long time...
b - there will be about 900 times mores snow now (there is)
c - if you haven't done the trail then... maybe stay to the trail
d - it's all good
e - regarding a - the other ottoway crossing will be difficult at best also

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Yeah I imagine that illilouette creek is gonna be very high, and admittedly it's gonna be a good idea for us to avoid high crossings as much as possible, I've only done a few later in the season, and in much drier years. Would there be potentially similar issues with crossing bridalvail creek on the way to Ostrander lake? Looks like getting there and exploring the Horse Ridge to maybe Edson lake isnt that far for a day plus with only perhaps 2 creek crossings.

We talked about Mono Meadows Creek crossing last year:
http://yosemitenews.info/forum/read.php?17,85173,85173#msg-85173

The picture in there that I posted (the 2nd one) ... is from an Ostrander / Hart / Edson trip...
where we did not cross The Illilouette on account it was raging... this was in June...
It will be probably worse this year for a longer time...

From Ostrander Trailhead you don't have to cross Bridalveil...
and there is a bridge over Lost Bear Meadow creeklet...
However... ANY stream / creeklet has the possibility of having high snowbanks
on both sides... and could be deep... but ... with persistence...
should not provide too much problem .... depending on desire and whatnot.

Ostrander and environs will be 100% snow covered...

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A la:
http://yosemitenews.info/forum/read.php?3,38691,38691#msg-38691

(if pix links don't work... and u want to see... just say... and I can try to fix)
(I quit doing pix sets ... and most TRs... on account... it's too much work)
(and I'm lazy)
(and I'm not in my 30s)


Have fun!

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Thank you so much! Great photos and reports as well. This is all very valuable info and I think we'll proceed with more anticipation of limited access given the current snowpack...but also with hopeful spirits. Looking forward to a beautiful trip.