Re: Favorite Hikes??? Check out my itinerary...

We will be staying at TM Campground for a week (yay) this coming Sunday, and after hours of researching the best day hikes, this is what I have come up with.

Day 1: Glen Aulin Trail
Day 2: Cathedral Lakes Trail
Day 3: Mono Pass
Day 4: Saddlebag Lake & 20 Lakes Basin (not yosemite, but oh so close)
Day 5??
Day 6??

I love to hike, but I'm not about to have my first backpacking experience be this intense, so I have decided to make the campground a base camp, and only take what I need for the day. Any great places that I missed? What should I make my first hike (only chose Glen Aulin because its the lowest elevation, and I'm pretty sure I'm going to need it to acclimate myself...)??

Give me your favorite hike (OR FISHING!) spot in the area. I'm happy to hear any advice!! Thanks

There's Mount Dana if you're up to it.

Mount Hoffman and Clouds Rest

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Old Dude

I would DEFINITELY add Clouds Rest to the itinerary.

Mount Hoffman, amazing views of the park, never had such a great view before.
Young lakes, great alpine lake. Elizabeth Lake is a good hike to start the trip off.
Clouds Rest gives some great views. While at Mono Pass go check out the old cabins and the mines.

Ten Lakes Pass:
Starting out at the Ten Lakes trailhead on the Tioga Road, the hike up to Ten Lakes Pass (immediately past Half Moon Meadow) is just about 10 mi. RT with a +2.2k elevation differential to the pass. Great overview of the Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne and surrounding ranges.
[Cresting Ten Lakes Pass is reminiscent of that scene from 'Close Encounters' where Devils Tower seems to rise from the ground as the protagonists reach the top of a hill after abandoning their car. The mountain ranges here are much more distant but the effect is similar.]

Indian Rock (natural arch):
Porcupine Flat trailhead. 7 mi. RT with a net elevation differential of +0.4k to the arch (about -0.5k & +0.9k over the route). Exquisite arch plus head-on, eye-level view of Half Dome face.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/23/2009 03:22AM by szalkowski.

If you go up Mono (not sure if 'needed' along with 20 lakes basin), go up to Parker Pass,
drop down to Parker Pass Lake, and the over to Helen Lake and down to Spillway and then
down Parker Pass Creek out. (there is trail from Spillway out)

If you go to Indian Rock you sure had better go to North Dome too.

Go to Upper Cathedral and then xcountry over to Budd Lake and out.

If you suck off trail then stay on the trail. It's all good. Enjoy!

I don't have a favorite... but Loch Tablae is near and dear to my heart.

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bill-e-g
If you go up Mono (not sure if 'needed' along with 20 lakes basin),

Not sure what you meant...

are you saying that if I'm doing the 20 lakes basin you would recommend doing another hike instead of Mono Pass?

Ten Lakes - the fishing in the lower lakes in the morning and evening is great, we got at least 15 good sized brookies (had to turn some loose). And we spent half an hour sitting at the top of the pass identifying peaks and enjoying the view.

North Dome is a great hike.

Including North Dome to the Indian Rock hike:
add an additional 3 mi. RT and -0.8k & +0.2k elevation change (loss & gain along the route) from the trail intersection leading up to Indian Rock to the top of North Dome.

Wow, thanks guys.

Looks like I'm going to have to figure out a way to spend an extra week

And I do suck off trail, pretty new at this...but I'm up for the challenge. I'll look them up and likely will have questions galore. Thanks again!!

Yeah, that's what I meant.

More points:
I wouldn't do only Mono Pass. I'd go up to Gaylor Lakes and the Great Sierra Mine instead.
Fairly certain you cannot see Mono Lake from Mono Pass... just can't remember for sure.

If you go to Young Lakes make certain to take the time and go all the way to the
upper lake or you will be missing out IMO.

Okay...figured out the game plan (for now, lol).

Cathedral Lakes, 20 Lakes Basin (Saddlebag), Glen Aulin, Mono Pass...and I'm stuck between:

North Dome & Clouds Rest. Would you guys say it would be worth it to do both, or is the end view mostly monotonous?

I think that the hike I'm willing to part with most is Mono Pass, and would prefer to do both north dome and clouds rest instead. Any thoughts?

I am mostly a day hiker myself and North Dome/ Indian rock is one of my favorites. Mono pass views are ok - you can see Mono Lake once you exit NP boundaries heading towrd Upper Sardine. I personally like the route to Spillway better (same trailhead). Saddlebag Lake is a good hike to begin w/ b/c there is little elevation gain - I chose to go counterclockwise.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/23/2009 03:27PM by quicksilver.

Clouds and North Dome are across the valley from each other, so they are completely different views. North Dome looks across at Half Dome...

I think anything you do in Yosemite is worth it!

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AlmostThere
North Dome looks across at Half Dome...

Half Dome, aka South Dome.

There is a pretty easy scramble up the surrounding peaks as you go through Mono pass as well. Great views similar to Dana there. The cabins are a pretty neat little side hike. The view of Mono lake with Upper Sardine in the foreground is pretty cool, too. (as mentioned, this is just outside the NP boundary).