Pictures
Conditions: Tenaya Creek was crotch-deep (34" or so) when we started. Persistent snow didn't begin until about halfway up the switchbacks to the Sunrise/Clouds Rest junction. 100% snow coverage continued from the middle lake until north of the "pass" between Sunrise Lakes and the High Sierra Camp. At the top of the pass the snow was 3 feet deep or so. The camp itself was flooded and snow was still present on several cabin pads. Long Meadow had significant snow fields and was flooded in places. The creek flowing into the meadow (en route to the "Dolly Domes" ) was running swift and deep.
Cathedral Fork Echo Creek, on the other hand, was mostly snow-free. Echo Creek was running high, as was the Long Meadow outlet, and flooding the trail in portions, but most crossings could be done on logs. We had Merced Lake to ourselves when we arrived--we briefly heard sounds from a crew stationed at the nearby ranger station, and another party arrived later and camped in the camp near where, when open, they serve coffee and hot chocolate to the camp guests. We had a small fire and slept soundly that mild night.
The next day, we returned to snow near the Emeric Lake outlet/Fletcher Creek confluence. The big meadow on Fletcher Creek had large snow fields and was flooded in places. The crossing near the Emeric/Booth Lakes junction was running deep and swift, so we worked our way upstream--with some difficulty--to a log that my dad found on a trip maybe a dozen years ago. Snow was surprisingly light to the Vogelsang camp, but was 100% coverage with sun cups until well down Rafferty Creek.
Just before the Rafferty Creek falls, we met two volunteer rangers who checked our permit. We "of course" had one, but apparently the threesome not too far down the trail didn't--they hadn't wanted to wait until the permit station opened. The volunteers were escorting them out. Later, we passed a real ranger who was hiking in, presumably to cite these backpackers.
At the falls (always a favorite break spot), we realized we were on no pace to make it to Glen Aulin (much less May Lake) that day, so we decided to bail at Tuolumne Meadows. Just past the twin bridges we saw a rock that didn't look quite right; a few nearby stones fixed that. A nice couple visiting from the Netherlands drove me back to the Sunrise trailhead to fetch the car.
(believe me... I do the same thing!)
