Re: Gaylor/Granite Lakes

OD Mikey and I hiked these Lakes on Saturday.
Just gorgeous. First time we'd been there.
Here's Middle Gaylor and Lower Granite. Very Highly recommend.
(someone needs to explain to me why It's Lower Gaylor and not Lower Granite though)

I was there Sunday!

Very nice, great panorama view of peaks, beautiful lakes with trout in. One of the best short hikes in the park and 99% of the folks drive right by the trailhead.

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AlmostThere
I was there Sunday!

When we were eating burgers and flies at the TM Grill kinda looky for you in the off chance u walk by.
Dew any fish-on in Tuolumne?

Found out that all 5 lakes used to be all Gaylor Lakes.
The two Granite Lakes were renamed as suggested by a Yosemite Naturalist
and the Sierra Club.
(the lowest Gaylor Lake is fed by the stream coming from Granite Lakes not
Middle and Upper Gaylor)

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I was fishing but there were tourists instead of fish in the water. Somewhere out in Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne a flipflop (black, boy-sized) floats on toward Hetch Hetchy... the boy who came down river after it did manage to escape that fate.

We drove by on the way out of the park around 3 pm or so, didn't stop for burgers til Happy Burger, but maybe some other time.

We made it up there on July 3. Nice to see how much of a difference a week can make!

Very Cool

Only upper Granite had any ice on it to speak of. Maybe 1/4 covered.

Summer has finally arrived... ?

Gaylor Lakes is one of my favorite day hikes in the TM area. Here's some pics from July last year



Still some snow. Don't ask me who the old geezer is in front of the snow. He's just there to add perspective.




Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/12/2010 06:21PM by The Other Tom.

love those pictures! There was a lot of snow up there but not ice in the lakes.

There was a fly guy (fly fisherman, I mean) at the lakes walking around catching trout. There were tons of brookies swimming in the middle lake. Didn't see any in the Granite lakes but that doesn't mean anything, the wind was chopping up the water pretty well.

Just when we arrived things were still, and I managed a couple of good ones.

If you do the hike from the entrance gate parking lot to Gaylor Lakes I would urge you to take the detour up to the top of Gaylor Peak. From the pass, instead of going down to the valley towards the lakes, follow the ridge line to the north to the top of the peak. Follow the ridge peak all the way north till it starts going down again. Look to the sides and see what's new that's come into view. I consider this one of the finest vistas in the park. And quite easy as peak bagging goes.

Gigapan: Looking out across Tioga Pass, Dana Meadows, Gaylor Lakes, Tuolumne Meadows and the High Sierra peaks from atop Gaylor Peak


Click on the link/photo to go to Gigapan.
Double click or use your mouse wheel to zoom in.
Mouse drag to pan around.
Full screen mode recommended.

I'm looking forward to going back this summer and taking a new improved version of this shot.

When was the granite name added? I have done that hike a couple times and never seen the name granite on a map or sign. It has been a few years, though.

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hotrod4x5
When was the granite name added? I have done that hike a couple times and never seen the name granite on a map or sign. It has been a few years, though.

It was changed in 1962.

If you look at the trailhead map you'll see "Granite Lakes" on it.
Take a look next time (I'll spare you me putting a picture up)

Nice reflections.

It was supa dupa windy when we were there..

Here's Upper Granite with some ice on it still: