Re: Eagle Peak via Eagle Creek?

Looking at topo maps of Yosemite Valley and also at Google Earth, I was wondering if there is an unmaintained climbers, mountaineer, or old indian trail that goes up from the valley floor via the Eagle Creek watershed between El Cap and the Three Brothers that will eventually meet up with the El Cap to Upper Yosemite Fall Trail along the backside of Eagle Peak? And if there is, has anyone gone up or down it.

I only know of a climbers trail that rock climbers use to get down from El Cap, but that trail doesn't really go deep into the Eagle Creek watershed.

Does anyone know of any other unmaintained trail in that general vicinity?

Great question. I have looked for a route up myself, both up the creek bed and from the top of the climbs at Manure Pile Buttress. But I didn't try very hard, because I was alone and because the place is an absolute oven in the summer.

However, my 1960s climbers guide lists a number of climbs on the Three Brothers, for which there had to be an easy approach route or he would have mentioned it. Unless those climbs are now completely out of fashion, there should still be a use trail up there somewhere. Or else you are supposed to ascend via the creek bed, which is very steep at the bottom and would require some bushy scrambling to get around some boulders at the bottom.....

If you go to http://www.xrez.com/yose_proj/yose_deepzoom/ (you'll also need to install the silverlight plugin) and zoom in on the Taft Point camera there's an excellent view of the Eagle Creek drainage. I couldn't spot any sign of a trail but it does look like you might be able to walk up the creek bed, albeit with some thrashing here and there. Interestingly, if you zoom in on a tiny little ridge right in the middle of the last major fork of the creek, about three quarters of the way up in the picture, you can see a person (far from any trail) who looks like he himself is taking a picture back across the valley. I'm referring to the uppermost area of dark gray rock in the creek valley itself and the guy is standing on the left side of the open area next to a tree. I'd post a screen shot but it would probably violate some copyright.

The whole set of Yosemite deep zoom pictures is a great resource for exploring the valley, IMO.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/12/2011 04:50PM by druid.

Druid-

Great site. I am a frequent viewer of Google Earth but xrez for Yosemite Valley is a great resource. Looks like there are only 4 national parks on xrez--am I mistaken?

I don't know, but there are a lot of similar images including many of various parks at http://gigapan.org/.

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Jalan
Druid-

Great site. I am a frequent viewer of Google Earth but xrez for Yosemite Valley is a great resource. Looks like there are only 4 national parks on xrez--am I mistaken?

Gotta love how Sierra Point is advertised...

I thought the same thing. Ever since eeek brought it up, I've been wanting to get on a plane and take a detour from the mist trail.

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druid

If you go to http://www.xrez.com/yose_proj/yose_deepzoom/ (you'll also need to install the silverlight plugin) and zoom in on the Taft Point camera there's an excellent view of the Eagle Creek drainage. I couldn't spot any sign of a trail but it does look like you might be able to walk up the creek bed, albeit with some thrashing here and there. Interestingly, if you zoom in on a tiny little ridge right in the middle of the last major fork of the creek, about three quarters of the way up in the picture, you can see a person (far from any trail) who looks like he himself is taking a picture back across the valley. I'm referring to the uppermost area of dark gray rock in the creek valley itself and the guy is standing on the left side of the open area next to a tree. I'd post a screen shot but it would probably violate some copyright.

I think I spotted him. But what's that pink thing on top of his shoulder?

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druid

The whole set of Yosemite deep zoom pictures is a great resource for exploring the valley, IMO.

They are.

In fact that same Taft Point pano has a nice clear and sharp view of the El Capitan Alcove (near the base of El Cap) that some people were asking about in the "Alcove Swing" discussion thread.

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plawrence

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druid

Interestingly, if you zoom in on a tiny little ridge right in the middle of the last major fork of the creek, about three quarters of the way up in the picture, you can see a person (far from any trail) who looks like he himself is taking a picture back across the valley. I'm referring to the uppermost area of dark gray rock in the creek valley itself and the guy is standing on the left side of the open area next to a tree. I'd post a screen shot but it would probably violate some copyright.

I think I spotted him. But what's that pink thing on top of his shoulder?

Here's a screen shot of that man near the upper portion of Eagle Creek (I'm using it for fair use commentary, so it shouldn't be a copyright violation):

Those are either some really short trees or a really tall person...I think it's a play of the light...saw another place where it looks like someone is standing in a tree

Hard to say for sure. If it's a person, though, the place where he's standing is about ten feet above the base of the tree to the left, which appears to be about 8x the height of the "person," which wouldn't be all that unusual of a tree height.

There's no trail. It's a make your own. Was actually gonna do end of May this year...
but instead shoed the Pohono (wanted to get atop OLD Inspiration)...
another major factor in my decision was I wanted to be able to hike in the creekbed...
which may have been quite the endeavor in late May this year.

It's gonna be major brush. Consider coming down it instead.

Some beta on coming down it is here:
http://www.snwburd.com/bob/trip_reports/el_capitan_2.html

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chick-on
There's no trail. It's a make your own. Was actually gonna do end of May this year...
but instead shoed the Pohono (wanted to get atop OLD Inspiration)...
another major factor in my decision was I wanted to be able to hike in the creekbed...
which may have been quite the endeavor in late May this year.

It's gonna be major brush. Consider coming down it instead.

Some beta on coming down it is here:
http://www.snwburd.com/bob/trip_reports/el_capitan_2.html

Thanks for the link. I think I'm going to try it going up since I usually find that going uphill is easier for me when I'm dong a cross-country hike. I usually also find it easier to plot of successful couse going up a hill than down it for the first time.

You've been warned. Are you looking to earn your "Chick-on Honor Badge" ?

(I'd recommend wherever's Tree Chute and going to top o Upper Cathedral first)

Good Luck (you better do it now)

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chick-on
You've been warned. Are you looking to earn your "Chick-on Honor Badge" ?

(I'd recommend wherever's Tree Chute and going to top o Upper Cathedral first)

Good Luck (you better do it now)

Do it now? It's too hot right now. I was thinking more in mid or late October, schedule permitting.

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plawrence
Do it now? It's too hot right now. I was thinking more in mid or late October, schedule permitting.

Do not try this on a sunny day in August. That place is worse than the Yosemite Falls Trail for holding the heat, and the bushwhacking will be tough. Stick to the shady side of the Valley until October.

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wherever

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plawrence

Do it now? It's too hot right now. I was thinking more in mid or late October, schedule permitting.

Do not try this on a sunny day in August. That place is worse than the Yosemite Falls Trail for holding the heat, and the bushwhacking will be tough. Stick to the shady side of the Valley until October.

That were exactly my thoughts.

By now I just meant that you better do it now.
I mean now that you asked about it you better do it now.
Now, you should do it.
Now what I mean?

(Ok, um... do it now means that you should do it)
(when you do it is up to you)

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chick-on
By now I just meant that you better do it now.
I mean now that you asked about it you better do it now.
Now, you should do it.
Now what I mean?

(Ok, um... do it now means that you should do it)
(when you do it is up to you)

Now the chikin has given himself a headache... again.
(SeeTheFirstAidKitLinkNowly Yours)
The Marmots