Linkies to the whole enchilada:
Intro and Days 1 & 2
Days 3, 4, 5
Days 6 & 7
Days 8 & 9 and finish
Plants & animals
Sun 7/21 – Day 3
Started the day with a glorious sunrise.
I felt much better, explored along the edges of the dome before we broke camp.
We then hiked out to the car, a quick stop at Olmsted Point, on to Tuolumne Meadows where we hiked up Pothole Dome.
From there, Mike headed back while Chick-on and I continued west through TM towards Glen Aulin, along the south side of the river.
We stopped for a 30-second gander at Little Devil’s Postpile. We were at the Twin Bridges by noon, at which point Chick-on turned back with a couple of domes on his mind to explore. I was solo from here on out.
I hung at the Twin Bridges for an hour, had lunch and watered up. Then hiked down as far as California Falls.
Tuolumne Falls:
And a couple of videos of Tuolumne Falls:
White Cascade at Glen Aulin:
Loved how these two rock faces are side by side but so different, one red the other blue...
California Falls
Came back upstream toward Glen Aulin a bit, watered up for the evening and soaked my feet.
Aaahhhh...
Chick-on turned me on to a great camping spot on a granite shelf about halfway between Glen Aulin and California Falls. Sitting up above the canyon-floor tree line, I had the entire canyon of the Tuolumne River seemingly to myself and one of the most glorious sunsets I have ever seen (otherwise I probably would have camped in the Glen Aulin backpacker’s camp with no views and pit toilets).
Instead I had this:
Mon 7/22 – Day 4
I hiked back up to TM, this time crossing at the Twin Bridges and coming up along the north bank of the river to TM.
Arrived at the TM grill at 12:00 on the nose, scarfed down a double burger, fries, ice cream, and 3-4 soda refills. Mailed off some post cards. Borrowed a cell phone from a stranger to call my family (mine did not get a signal anywhere near the park). I had a re-supply package at the post office I wanted to pick up, but it had a sign in the window “sorting mail, will re-open asap” for over 2 hours. It was fine, I was glad for a chance to just hang out and talk with some folks.
Finally the post office opened, I re-filled my bear can and changed clothes, and around 4:00 started up the JMT to Cathedral Lakes. As I neared the top of the ascent a big storm hit, heavy rain with lightning and thunder for about 45 minutes. Continued on, arrived at Lower Cathedral Lake around 7:15 and set up camp.
Around 9:30 another storm blew in, not much rain but incredible winds shrieking like a freight train. That lasted about 90 minutes, then the cold front settled in with lower temps and clouds. This was the night of the full moon, and a “super-moon” at that, but it was hidden. At least I got a nice break between storms to set up camp and eat dinner.
Tue 7/23 – Day 5
This was a cool, overcast day, great hiking weather but not so great for photos. Started with a drizzle that re-visited a couple of times that morning. Still, not a bad view to wake up to!
I explored Lower Cathedral Lake, went over to the west end to look down on Tenaya Lake.
Then, back up to the JMT and south. Wanted to loop around the Upper lake but the trail to the lake was closed for meadow restoration. I’m assuming there is another way to the lake but I missed it.
Tresidder Peak:
Cathedral Peak:
Then through the Cathedral Pass. I really thought this was the most beautiful part of the entire trip – the unique ring of mountains around the pass, the lush meadow, the wide-open views north to not-sure-which mountains (Virginia Canyon?) and south to the Clark Range. Wow.
Echo Peaks:
Matthes Crest:
Tresidder:
I found a viewpoint that I’m sure many of you know but I had not read about before, it is near the highest point of the trail through Cathedral Pass, right as it passes under Columbia Finger. Off the trail is a hill that rises only 50-100 ft above the trail, but it juts out into the pass itself (whereas the trail hugs the side underneath Columbia Finger). I didn’t carry a GPS but I looked it up on Google Earth when I got home, looks like 37.820633,-119.416409. Great 360° views from up there, plus even a little spot where 1-2 could camp.
A little video from that spot, then some pics:
Then down to Long Meadow, had lunch by the creek.
Passed through Sunrise HSC, bought a fresh peach. Juicy!
Then past the Sunrise Lakes. First (easternmost) Sunrise Lake:
Third (westernmost) Sunrise Lake:
Reached the junction of the Sunrise and CR trails around 4:30pm. The sky started to clear and it started getting hot again. Toddled out to the overlook down Tenaya Canyon west of the trail junction.
Passed the pond along the trail (Henry Lake?) and camped by the last creek before CR, not a scenic spot and too many widow-makers for my comfort, but good to have those miles behind me in order to head up CR the next morning.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/07/2013 06:07PM by JRinGeorgia.
