Have you hiked in the Yosemite Falls, Yosemite Creek, May Lake, Sunrise Lakes, Cathedral Lakes area recently?
If you have been in this area please contact the National Park Service at 209/372-0311 or 209/372-0522.

MISSING PERSON: BEN WONG

WONG started his hike on 8/18/09. His intended route began from the Yosemite Falls trailhead to Yosemite Creek, Yosemite Creek to May Lake, May Lake to Sunrise Lakes, ending at the Cathedral Lakes Trailhead in Tuolumne. WONG planned to exit the backcountry on 8/21/09 (Friday). WONG had a Dark Green/Black Backpack, a Wenzel Pinon Dome Tent, and a Nikon D500 camera.

Age: 18
Height: 5 ft 9 in
Weight: 160 lbs
Hair: Dark Brown Frizzy
Hair Eyes: Brown
Complexion: Tan

In order to do that hike in four days, I'm guessing that his proposed route was along the "unmaintained trail" (a portion of the old Tioga Road) between Yosemite Creek and Porcupine Flat on his way to May Lake. (Rather unlikely that he could expect to go through Ten Lakes from Yos. Creek to May Lake in that time frame... assuming that he has any idea of what he is doing.)

That route is not trivial since the trail (very loose usage of the term applies here) is obliterated in quite a few places, necessitating detours and reacquiring the route. It is very easy to get disorientated and lost there if one is not constantly vigilent.

Last I heard that "trail" wasn't all that hard to follow. But skills do vary.

Was he alone or did he get seperated? I have scouts that hiked out friday and some today that I can check with.

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ScoutMom
Was he alone or did he get seperated? I have scouts that hiked out friday and some today that I can check with.

It sounds like he was alone. But you have everything I have right now.

Forgot to include the picture:

Ben Wong was found alive due to a tip from a hiker!

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eeek
Ben Wong was found alive due to a tip from a hiker!

Nice to hear that it turned out well.

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eeek
Last I heard that "trail" wasn't all that hard to follow. But skills do vary.

There are only a few spots where you can still find some asphalt chunks from the old pavement. At any rate, the road was only about 6-8 ft. wide (think Model T) and threaded between trees and rock outcroppings. Most of it has returned to nature. There are 15-20 ft. tall trees growing in some sections. Rockfalls, slides, and fallen trees have totally obliterated and made impassable some of the route in several stretches of up to 0.3 mile (est.), usually in an area where you have to bypass by traversing around a hill or ridge and then root around to find vestiges of the route again. In short, large portions can be best described as something intermediate to a rarely used "use trail" route (don't expect to find a beaten path or bare soil) and bushwhacking. It takes at least twice as long to cover the milage as you might think.

Most importantly, there are a couple sections where the old route takes an unexpected turn that you would not anticipate from the local topography.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/23/2009 10:32PM by szalkowski.

Here's some pictures: Been on it twice. Fun. But I like this kinda crap.

Now the "trail" from Porc. Pine Crk Campground to "North Dome" trail... uh... that is non-existant IMO.
Couple of times gone that way just said... I'll make my own trail... thank you very much.

http://picasaweb.google.com/dale.dekeyser/OldTioga

Regarding his route. Not too surprised. Purty much you can say you are gonna go from
Happy Isles to Post Peak Pass on day 1. And they will just say "ok, here ya go, now
make sure to carry out your toilet paper and go ahead and make a fire, you know you can,
right?"
Glad he is ok. I feared for the worse when we heard about him Sunday hiking out.

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bill-e-g
Now the "trail" from Porc. Pine Crk Campground to "North Dome" trail... uh... that is non-existant IMO.
Couple of times gone that way just said... I'll make my own trail... thank you very much.

Yes, I didn't even see this trail connection when I did the North Dome hike. Wasn't really looking for it but there were certainly no signs for it either.

Jim