Re: White Wolf to Aspen, Pate, Smith Advice Please

Can anyone tell me about the hike out of White Wolf to any of these 3 areas? We are thinking about going at the end of August.

Thank you,

LJK

White Wolf is closed, at the gate on the Tioga Road. August will be very hot in Pate....

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Balzaccom

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The trail from White Wolf to Smith Meadow is very overgrown, to the point that it doesn't really exist at times. Unless you want to do a lot of bushwhacking, I would advice against it.

White Wolf to Aspen Valley is the old Great Sierra Wagon Road. Not well traveled. Mostly forested and follows the Middle Fork of the Tuolumne for much of it. Not sure if you are planning an out and back or a loop, but the trail over Bald Mtn is not much better than the trail to Smith Meadow.

That leaves the trail to Pate Valley. Some great views and access to the Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne, but 4,000 t elevation loss.

I was there about four weeks ago. As said the access road is closed. The downhill hike from 120 to Pate is long. Allow about 8.5 hours. I actualy think I could have gone faster doing it it the uphill direction as it gets steep. In either direction take a minimu of 2 liters of water, three if you can at there is water only at the 1/2 way point that might be dry now.

Some day however I'm going to hike down there and just hang out for a few days. It can be hot but there are endless good swimming holes.

I did not want to walk on the old road so I took the route that could head up to 10 Lakes. While it was nice to avoid a road, at points I had to look for the trail and there is a burnded out area with black trees. But I like to look at how forests recover from fire