Started last Tuesday a week later than planned and boy am I glad for that because the weather this last week was phenomenal! Left
Berkeley and arrived at the valley wilderness center at 12:30 where I was issued a permit for that very day (!). Hiked the mist trail to Little Yosemite valley and since there weren't many people I camped there. The next day I hiked in to Merced Lake, seeing no one. There was no snow or water at all but many downed trees, althought nothing that's much more than a nuisance. The next day I day-hiked up to just past the Babcock Lake junction; the creek that flows from Emeric was just too fast for me to feel comfortable fording it to see Babcock Lake. The Clark Range is snow covered of course and quite stunning from the viewpoints climbing up the trail .Again that day and night I saw no one and had Merced to myself . Then on Friday I took the high route back to LYV campsite, again not seeing anyone until the junction with the Half Dome trail. I did watch two people coming down Half Dome on the laid-down cables; ants on a melon--one humungous melon! From my vantage point the exposure seemed tremendous. Oh, the high route is completely snow free but again there were about a dozen downed trees on the trail. This is a really pretty hike with no real boring parts; in my opinion this is a great time to hike it because of the lack of other people and the snowy views and plentiful cascades.
The Moon is Waxing Gibbous (79% of Full)
Re: Happy Isles to Merced Lake and environs report
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May 13, 2012 02:27PM |
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