Re: Lower Cathedral Lake and 10,450?

Was at TM campground last weekend and did a couple of simple day hikes. Here are some pics and a follow-up question

Conditions were perfect with balmy 60s during the day. Mosquitos were pesky on the Cathedral trail and unbearable on the approach to the lower Cathedral Lake. Water wasn't too cold for a quick dip

From the west side of lower Cathedral lake


Outlet of lower Cathedral lake


View from close to the top of peak 10,450


Is this peak 10,450 or the north side of Tresidder? I had to turn back from this point as the other two hikers were waiting 500' down. They were getting eaten by mosquitos and more importantly, I had told them that I'll be back in 45 mins. Did end up at some class 3 on the way up and coming back was almost all class 2.


Sunset from Lembert Dome




Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 06/19/2018 01:24PM by nwhkr.

Yes that's 10,450

---

Quote
chick-on
Yes that's 10,450

🙏🏼
Looks airy! That also means that I have some unfinished business . I was with some friends who weren’t comfortable and I am glad that they stopped lower down. I still had around 250’ to go from this spot.

Do you lower down and approach it from the left-east side and then traverse to south side for that last 30’-50’?

Quote
nwhkr

Quote
chick-on
Yes that's 10,450

🙏🏼
Looks airy! That also means that I have some unfinished business . I was with some friends who weren’t comfortable and I am glad that they stopped lower down. I still had around 250’ to go from this spot.

Do you lower down and approach it from the left-east side and then traverse to south side for that last 30’-50’?

I haven't gone that-a-way. I've only gone up via the ridge from Upper Cathedral. Pretty much it's hands in pocketz.

YMMV

i.e.
this ridge:
https://mappingsupport.com/p/gmap4.php?ll=37.838204,-119.423525&z=15&t=t4

ez pz

Though I like what you went for.

Looks ez from here.

---

Quote
chick-on
I haven't gone that-a-way. I've only gone up via the ridge from Upper Cathedral. Pretty much it's hands in pocketz.
this ridge:
https://mappingsupport.com/p/gmap4.php?ll=37.838204,-119.423525&z=15&t=t4

Nice! Thanks a tonne for the info, that totally makes sense.
Yeah I had fun with the route with more than a few spots that required hands on the terra ferma . Last bit of my approach was slightly exposed, especially as I was solo at that time. Might try your route at the end of the month. Debating whether to do 10,450 and give it a shot to Tresidder or do Hoffman and Tuolumne as I haven't even been to the May lake. I'll be at B on the last weekend of June.

Heading up to TM for two nights this weekend with my youngest two kids so glad to see everything looks clear. Goals are Elizabeth Lake (Fri), Dog Lake and Lembert Dome (Sat).

Great! Let me know if you need any other trail info. BE prepared for mosquitos during the hike as well as at the campsite.

Were the mosquito really bad in TM campground? Manageable?

Very manageable at the TM campground. We were at the group campsite and they might be a bit more pesky if your campsite is close to water - lyell fork/Tuolumne river

My son and I just got back from TM last night after a two night stay. We did Elizabeth Lake on Sunday. Every time that I had been there before, mosquitoes chewed me up. This time, only a couple of bites(I wore shorts).

For Monday's hike, we chose Mono Pass over Lower Cathedral lake. After hearing about the mosquitoes, I'm glad we chose that way. It was my first time doing Mono Pass. That was really a nice hike. My son(age 20, +1day) loved it.

Thanks for the nice pictures.

I am really concerned that the Sierra Nevada already looks bonedry.

I am following some hikers on Youtube that are on the PCT and although there is some snow on the passes in the section between Kennedy Meadows and Tuolumne Meadows it looks really bad (and of course nothing compared to last year).
One of the hikers just was on top of Mt. Whitney a few days ago and the 360° view show mostly bare rocks and little snow on top of the highest peaks.

Can you describe the condition of the trail from the trailhead and the spur trail to lower Cathedral? There was quite a lot of water last July. Thanks.

The main trail to Cathedral lakes and the spur trail to LC are both fine, should be straightforward by this time. There were a couple of muddy spots on the main trail 3 weeks back and they should be all gone by now. Even 3 weeks back, it was easy to sidetrack such spots. It was a very different story on Memorial day weekend (probably similar to last July), especially on the spur trail.
Happy Trails!

Thank you!