Sunrise to Happy Isles This Past Weekend

I wanted to provide a quick trip report as a way to pay-forward some of the great info provided on this forum prior to our trip.

Tenaya Lake Outlet - water very cold...slow flowing - on the plus side it was crotch deep (if, of course, you consider that a positive...).

Tenaya to Cloud's Rest - snow coverage was off and on - mostly snow covered though - but firm so very little post-holing. Camped near a small lake on way to Cloud's Rest - bare spots to sleep on, no mosquitoes. All stream crossing were either shallow or had logs you could cross over. Snow melting quickly - some places were a little boggy, but not too deep. Need GPS (might not want to follow our snowy footsteps, our GPS was all wacky and at times our meandering track will make you dizzy, tired, and probably angry).

Cloud's Rest - Mostly snowy on the approach w/some suncups. Final switchbacks to junction with short trail to summit are clear of snow, however, the short trail to summit was mostly snow covered - but passable on snow-free granite to left of snowy trail (saw tracks indicating somebody willingly chose to do the snow covered knife-edged ridge...no thank you...).

Cloud's Rest to junction of Cloud's Rest Trail & JMT - almost no snow, but on the switchbacks we did run into a very disgruntled chicken that wouldn't let us pass (no idea what it was, but it looked like a chicken - just meaner). Eventually the trail chicken mellowed and we ended up camping about .2 miles past the junction at a cool site with great open views of Half Dome/Glacier Point. Lots of thirsty mosquitoes, and 1 hungry (and apparently deaf) bear.

Half Dome was cool - very few people there before 10 AM on a Monday (conga-line formed shortly thereafter). Everything else all the way down was awesome - waterfalls were really, really flowing.

Thanks again to all that provided info that helped us make this trip possible.

Watch out for that chicken...

Thanks! Headed that way tomorrow w/ gps in hand and some shake and bake for chicken dinner.

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cjoz
Thanks! Headed that way tomorrow w/ gps in hand and some shake and bake for chicken dinner.

Please take a picture of the crossing if you can. I'd like to compare it to the one I took.

Ewe want one without da grey snow?

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Yo turkeys! Dat not a Chick-on!

(probably a Blue Grouse)

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eeek

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cjoz
Thanks! Headed that way tomorrow w/ gps in hand and some shake and bake for chicken dinner.

Please take a picture of the crossing if you can. I'd like to compare it to the one I took.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/29/2010 02:13PM by cjoz.

Thanks I be up that trail on July 6th

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RR1
I. . . snip . . .
Cloud's Rest to junction of Cloud's Rest Trail & JMT - almost no snow, but on the switchbacks we did run into a very disgruntled chicken that wouldn't let us pass (no idea what it was, but it looked like a chicken - just meaner). Eventually the trail chicken mellowed and we ended up camping about .2 miles past the junction
. . . snip . . .
Watch out for that chicken...

Sounds like a Psycho Grouse
dusky grouse Attack Leaves photographer with bloody lip ( view the photo gallery! )
Moose vs. Psycho Grouse
F Ridge and the Psycho Grouse



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 06/22/2010 09:26PM by qumqats.