Re: Cathedral lakes

Hello,
I'm new to the list and will be hiking to the Cathedral lakes area this coming Wednesday. I'm a photographer and will be carrying a tripod and about 10lbs of gear. I read on another forum that there is a climbers trail at the bottom of Medlicott dome that the NFS also uses that goes up the dome and is an easy and shorter approach (1.2miles 1200ft elevation gain) to lower Cathedral lakes. Do you experts think the trail is doable with my gear and if so could you describe where the trail originates at the bottom of Medlicott. I don't believe the trail is marked on any topo maps. Perhaps marking the trail on a topo if not too much trouble.
Thanks

Haven't taken it but certain it is a well traveled route.
It's on my list o things to do.
There is a rather "large" gravel parking lot you will more
than likely see cars in just east of the dome.

Something like this: (I know this way is doable)
You realized the real TH trail is less than 3.5 miles?



If you don't like this... then find the SuperTopo Tuolumne Free Climbs book
and check out the maps in there.... they are nice for finding other trails even
if you don't climb.

---

Thanks for your post Chick-on. I'll give the route and your suggested book a try! If I get some good shots, I'll post a few on my return.

That book actually shows the trail as a park service trail on pg. 27.
The trail looks like it starts a bit N of where I put it on the pix above.
But just find that parking spot and you should be good to go.

Typically if you have a very heavy pack you want to take the gentler way
but I likey your tinking.


Good luck

---

Thanks again Chic-on! I'll be giving it a go tomorrow.

No go?

It was pretty much what I said:

Medlicott from the trail:

---

Chick-on
We did go up to Cathedral Lakes, but the trip was delayed until the 28th. At the base of Medlicott, the trail went both to the right and left, and having read that the trail up to Cathedral went up the western edge of Medlicott, we went right. It appeared we were on a bench at first, but soon it was apparent we were really on the base of Dozier. Not wanting to retrace our steps back to find the real Medlicott bench, we instead proceeded up the Lower Cathedral Lakes outlet stream, then up the granite face of northwestern Dozier, and up to Lower Cathedral. It wasn't really a bad route, but I would say it more closely followed what I've read is the fisherman's route to Cathedral. I would take that route again, but the proper route up Medllicott's bench looks to be shorter and less steep. I'll get another chance though because we're planning another trip this coming Tuesday if the snow melts and the weather holds up. Instead of taking the regular trail from lower lake to upper lake this time(it goes way north east then back south west), we plan on going up the ridge between the lakes at the east end of the ridge. I think that should be an easy route mostly on granite(about 300 ft elevation gain) and shorten the distance by about half. I'm hoping to get to that ridge in less than two hours. From there a 180 degree panoramic should include both upper and lower lakes as well as all of the domes and peaks to the north, east, and south.
Panoman

Hmm.... me tinks you shoulda went straight. If you are at the BASE of Medlicott... you're looking up at
a good 500ft. vertical cliff. You probably ran into the main trail going from Tenaya Lake to the Meadows.
At the very beginning you should have ran into a "Wilderness" sign... then crossed this trail.
The trail was very very very simple to follow .. only place it was very well worn was when it went over
granite.

Here's the route from my GPS:


The ridge is fairly simple... good fun... you probably want to go up to BM. 10,450 for the best view.
Here's lower from the ridge:

---

Chick-on
Thanks for the map and photos again! I think after our first error that we'll find the correct route this time. I might think about getting a GPS if I continue doing more of this off trail hiking. Your route up the ridge between the Cathedral lakes is almost exactly what we planned. By the way, what is BM? (I'm new to the area remember). I like your shot of lower lake from up on the ridge and also the ones from last week's snow. What camera are you using? Thanks again.
Panoman

Panoman,

Chick-On is probably referring to a "Benchmark" when he states BM 10450. It is located due south of lake 9286 and northwest of Tressider Peak. Look for an "X" on the topo.

Cheers!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/10/2010 12:40PM by Catalonian Burro.

Ya. I was talking about the x 10450 on the map.
Using Panasonic DMC-ZS7 to take photos. Some of the photogs stuff makey my head hurty.
I just point and clicky.

---

Quote
chick-on
only place it was very well worn was when it went over granite.

The granite was very well worn and everything else wasn't?

Quote
eeek

Quote
chick-on
only place it was very well worn was when it went over granite.

The granite was very well worn and everything else wasn't?

Me saw da typo daze ago... figured not worth fixin.

---