Re: Medlicott Dome - intel needed

Hi,

After more than 3 years I will be able to return to beloved Yosemite. Due to unfortunate events and an ongoing medical issue in my family I didn't have many opportunities to spend time in the Sierra Nevada in the last 8 years.
But...I'm coming back now and I'd like to spend as much time outdoors as possible.

I will fly in from Europe to the US at the end of the month, drive from the bay area to the Mammoth area and stay there for a couple of days before I continue to Utah.

I haven't done any hiking in 3 years and I'm more or less out of shape but my willpower will carry me up. After approx. 15 hrs. flight and 6 hrs. drive I am arriving from sealevel and can't spend too much time on adjusting to heights as I have no time to waste.

One of the things I always wanted to do is hike up Medlicott Dome. I've read this thread (which is really nice with all of it's splendid pictures): https://yosemitenews.info/forum/read.php?17,91210,91210#msg-91210

I'd like to hike on top of Medlicott Dome the shortest way possible. I know there is a (climber) parking lot along Tioga Road but I don't exactly where it is. I don't think of the Cathedral Peak TH parking lot but one that must a short distance on the right side of the road when you come from Tenaya Lake. Can someone guide me there and also give me some intel how to approach Medlicott Dome? Again...it's hiking only. No climbing please.

Thank you!

HDH, I'm envious!

You can see the trail to which you refer on caltopo.com - try this and then zoom in and out as necessary. I'm sure Balzaccom and others can fill you in on where to park.

We just hiked Mendicott Dome three weeks ago, but we did it from Lower Cathedral Lake.

There are a few parking spots for climbers nears Pywiack Dome...you can't miss that dome. A few hundred yards further on you will see more. Just find a wide spot in the road and you will be fine.

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Check our our website: http://www.backpackthesierra.com/
Or just read a good mystery novel set in the Sierra; https://www.amazon.com/Danger-Falling-Rocks-Paul-Wagner/dp/0984884963

Ok.

Easiest is probably just, yeah, follow that trail.

Parking spot is almost exactly 2 miles from the Tenaya beach.
Take the trail to Lower Cathedral and up the slope from there... cross the outlet of that lake...
and atop Medlicott. If you go to the top you'll go ... "uh... ok... this is it?"
I have no idea why CalTopo has Medlicott marked on the dome it has.
But that's not really it... not that that is not a worthy destination. As are all the other domes
there... which are all pretty easy more or less. (imo)
You'll see a entering Yosemite Wilderness sign on that trail. And you'll look straight up
at Medlicott.
Have fun exploring that entire "Lakes of the Domes" area.

Obviously you should do up Dozier too... it's right there... and as difficult as the real
Medlicott...

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tried, and failed, the shortcut route last week.

yes, lot is very close to 2 miles from tenaya lake east end parking lot. beware an attractive candidate a little closer to tenaya lake (dozier dome approach lot?).

here's an excellent report:

http://tedmuller.us/Outdoor/Hiking/2016/160620-MedlicottLakes.htm

we got stopped by a jumble of car-sized boulders, tried several ways through (including the hard left mentioned in the above report). turned back, convinced that we took a wrong turn somewhere. both of we near-70's hikers were unwilling to try things that climbers (their trail, after all) might see as a warmup for the face itself. good luck, post a report, maybe I can figure out where we went wrong.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/18/2018 12:27PM by mkbgdns.

Alright, so where is the real Medlicott Dome? And please keep in mind that I haven't hiked in 3 years and arrive from sea level. So all hikes will be hard for me.
I remember the last time when I got a chance to visit Yosemite on short notice...long flight (20+ hrs), arrival from sea level the night before, 20 lbs. heavier than now plus a 35 lbs. backpack with photo stuff....choose Lembert Dome for "warmup". I wasn't even at the real TH when I thougt I must die. Made it (love Lembert Dome) but felt really exhausted. After a couple of days and more hiking I did Shadow Lake and it felt way easier.

Anyway...as my time is limited...do you recommend something else to get a good view and enjoy the landscape with the limited time and fitness I have?

I clicked on the link from Geezer... and saw the same thing mentioned in a couple of posts.

If you zoom in more... a. la.
https://caltopo.com/map.html#ll=37.8561,-119.42502&z=16&b=mbt

then you can see Medlicott. It's the west (left) one. thus the comment about the you'll be super like
"huh... this is it?" "this is the top?"

for whatever reason I guess people are calling the east (right) one Medlicott. I'd say then why not the
one here:
ok, wow. Google sux. gmap4 no longer available. wow. just wow

Anyway. the one SW of Mariuolumne Dome

Anyzoo. really it doesn't matter. Dozier is a fine destination. I wouldn't worry about it.
heck, Yosemite themselves have called "Helmet Dome" Moraine Dome. there was
some SAR instance there and they said it occurred on Moraine Dome... and it was
um... not... so... I'm like ... ok, let's just call if 2/2 Dome.

Please be aware about those "trails" on CalTopo. I looked around and they are
pretty loose with drawing trails ...
one example nearby is ... why no trail to Fairview?
Anyway, there is a trail as you see. You may want to use GaiaGPS or such
... everyone has a cell phone nowadaze... and thus a GPS.
Why you wouldn't use ... I dunno.

Ok, well. have fun. It's not far. Go slow.

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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/19/2018 10:15AM by chick-on.

It is a bit interesting that the Fairview use trail isn't shown. But they have a couple of trails for Tenaya Peak - didn't realize those existed, even if unofficially.

Thanks guys...you are the best! I appreciate all the infos and feedback - nice.

The caltopo drawn route from SR120 that is just sw of Low Profile Dome on the north side of the road that then passes through a slot east of Dozier Dome is reasonably accurate except at the crux. And that is where people are most likely to get lost especially when climbing back down and instead end up in class 3 slabs. Until it reaches the slabs, much of it looks like a well-used use dirt surface route trail though is not always easy to follow as it crosses a trail and other use routes. I've met on that route park backcountry rangers that check people at Cathedral Lakes, that use that route to get there. Like me they have had a good laugh talking about how the route is too tricky for most to follow haha. Climbers use the route most.

After shooting warm sunset light on Cathedral Peak, I've done the route down in late dusk and that is a neat feat. At the steep slabby crux one cannot see signs of a trail and people like me are likely to knock off ducks anyone piles atop boulders. (: The crux passes by a spot with a steep drop off where one needs to fit between modest boulders then scamper up a short easy slab section into dense forest. That route section is not a straight line as the map shows but rather zigs zags. The problem on descent is where one needs to leaves the Medlicott Mariuolumne dome walls to cut through trees and brush is not easy even during the day. Oh there are signs of a foot path but then there are a lot of such use paths below those walls.



https://www.summitpost.org/cathedral-peak-summits/229956/c-150524

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http://www.davidsenesac.com



Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 09/23/2018 11:10AM by DavidSenesac.

Once more...thanks guys! I've decided to skip Medlicott Dome as it doesn't seem easy to get on top/find the right trail and I don't want to waste my few precious hours in Yosemite after such a long wait getting lost or scrambling up the wrong route (I don't mind scrambling if it takes me to the right place ).

I've got GaiaGPS with all the maps but I have rarely used GPS before and I know you should take some practice beforehand. Unfortunately I live in a highly urbanized area where I can't do much practice. Remote places in Europe are far and between.

So probably I skip Yosemite altogether which is disappointing but I'd like to see something new this time. I wouldn't mind spending time to explore and pathfinding except this time I need to play it safe.

Um. Ok.

Seriously... I rec. this trail to a co-worker. She never been. She took her kids.
She loved it. So I dunno. She pretty smart. I dunno.

Anywho.

I took this pix yesterday. Maybe it clearer what dome is what...



There weren't many cars at that unofficial / official TH Thursday... but it was full Sunday.

Anywho.. here's the key and a the trail, etc. … how I went up once.



ymmv

have fun and b safe

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Does (a) = Drug Dome?

Quote
Ohnivy-Drak
Does (a) = Drug Dome?

No, that's not Drug. Drug is due North of Mariuolumne. follow the line up from (b) and it's about in line with the "11".

You can see it marked on http://www.closedcontour.com/

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Quote
chick-on

Quote
Ohnivy-Drak
Does (a) = Drug Dome?

No, that's not Drug. Drug is due North of Mariuolumne. follow the line up from (b) and it's about in line with the "11".

You can see it marked on http://www.closedcontour.com/

Got it. Never heard of closedcontour, but I'm liking it already. I think it's the only map where I've seen Althuski named. Clearly shows the sandy/rocky gully that I went up (also contains a snow patch that likely never melts away), around the north side of Elizabeth.

I thought (d) was Chickuolumne Dome...



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/24/2018 01:38PM by FatFlatlander.

Quote
FatFlatlander
I thought (e) was Chickuolumne Dome...

I'd be for that.

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So does that mean that "d" on your map has no name at present? Or ?

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Check our our website: http://www.backpackthesierra.com/
Or just read a good mystery novel set in the Sierra; https://www.amazon.com/Danger-Falling-Rocks-Paul-Wagner/dp/0984884963

"d" should be the real dome, about 200 feet higher. "c" doesn't make sense IMO.

Quote
Ohnivy-Drak
"d" should be the real dome, about 200 feet higher. "c" doesn't make sense IMO.

tell that to USGS

ugh... just search for Medlicott Dome ... find it in USGS

it's
Elevation:
9685/2952

Dozier isn't much of a dome either when you are on top of it.

I didn't name them.

I have no real issue with Medlicott. It's an amazing wall.

I kinda like "Court House Rock"

Mount Medlicott? hmmm

Anyway, it's just a name.

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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/24/2018 03:59PM by chick-on.

I know it's officially "c". But they should at least name the others. And what a great resource closedcontours is. Love seeing DODA. Never heard of the ones to the west, Dark Side and Lava. Loving the map.

USGS: until they put the Eagle marker back, they should be defunded.

Quote
balzaccom
So does that mean that "d" on your map has no name at present? Or ?

That is my understanding. It's not named on the climbing map that you can get from Yose wilderness office.
I haven't seen any name for it.

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Tposa dome it is, then! Can't have the other letters in Tuolumne and Mariposa feeling left out...

My long awaited return to the US has not been under good stars. I have only been briefly to Yosemite and even had to cut my stay short 4 days to return to Europe.

Some of you maybe remember my thread about Skyrock near Bishop and I have been to it 4 times now. During my brief visit I took the opportunity to look for more rockart as the Eastern Sierra Nevada is full of traces of the ancient people.
So this time I got lucky and found what most people refer to as „13 Moons“ - a nice rockart panel also on the Volcanic Tablelands near Bishop.

I‘m not sure if I will be able to return anytime soon but this will be nice memory.





Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 10/05/2018 01:39PM by Half Dome Hiker.

That is an amazing photo of really interesting rock art.
Thank you

Neat. We kinda have all our thoughts on BBQ when we go to Bishop.


tanks fur sharon

We gotz this view this last Saturday... Medlicott is … well.. it's there...

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I understand your thoughts on Bishop. My visit to Holy Smoke BBQ was one of the very few highlights of my trip. Big Bubba + 1/2 rack of ribs. As we have nothing like this here (and I haven't fired up my smoker in 3 years due to the current circumstances) I enjoyed so much after this long waiting.

However...Bishop and surroundings has really a lot to offer if you like to enjoy a bit of ancient history. The BLM office has a little brochure about the well documented petroglyphs along Fish Slough Road. There are 3 major sites and although not as impressive as Sky Rock or 13 Moons they are easy to access. The first site still contains a lot of interesting stuff like where the ancient people were grinding their food and if you wander around the vicinity you might find a few flakes here and there that are remains of their tooling process (e.g. making arrowheads, knives etc.).

We went to Bishop last Thursday... and it didn't disappoint.
It actually far exceeded again...

Personally I was wondering "could it really be that good?" … answer "uh, yes, why did you doubt?"

Anywho. Thanks for the info. There's really too much to do.

Bristlecones, White, and all of Eastern Sierra Mountains... every trail we dooz… we pretty much love

Have fun (I'm trying)

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