Welcome! Log In Create A New Profile Recent Posts
Yosemite Valley

The Moon is Waxing Crescent (44% of Full)


Advanced

Re: Muir Gorge

All posts are those of the individual authors and the owner of this site does not endorse them. Content should be considered opinion and not fact until verified independently.

avatar Muir Gorge
September 25, 2012 10:03PM
This baby has been on my list o things I wanted to do pretty much
ever since walking by it many years ago and then subsequently
reading about Muir's traverse through it with Galen Clark and
another companion in his "The Yosemite" book.
Been either rained/snowed out in previous years or other stuff
came up. Got my window to go last weekend.
The shortest way thru the gorge is only about 6/10ths of a mile.
(there is no need to take the bypass trail down to the river unless
you really want to)
There are not many dropoffs and most of the trek is fairly simple
boulder hoping. A couple of swim spots are present... and no
matter how much water is not flowing... there is one long swim
which is a good 100 yards with water probably 30-40 ft. deep.
I had my backpack and a couple of dry bags. It turns out dry
bags make your backpack into an excellent personal
flotation device. smiling smiley

Some photos for your enjoyment:
Muir Gorge from trail (looking east-ish):


Near Start (looking west):




First definitive "you are getting your flipper wet" spot:


Long swim section(looking west):


In 3D:


Looking back (looking east):


An improved trail around the Muir Gorge had been one of John Muir's greatest wishes. The Sierra Club installed a register
at Muir Gore prior to the improved trail being completed. I didn't stumble upon a registry. Probably it has been removed
and very unlikely that it was in the Gorge itself.

When Muir did the gorge with Clark they left their provisions and blankets behind after exiting the gorge and going further up canyon.
When they returned the next day they found their belongings intact, unlike myself. smiling smiley

I would do the gorge again. Hopefully someday can take the wife through it.

Have fun
Chick-on is looking at you!



Chick-on is looking at you!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/26/2012 07:25AM by chick-on.
avatar Re: Muir Gorge
September 25, 2012 10:14PM
Very cool! And all I did in Pate Valley last weekend was drink wine and hang out.
avatar Re: Muir Gorge
September 25, 2012 11:00PM
Cool!

Would it be possible, and a sensible (i.e. not a wacky idea or one that would pose a great challenge somewhere along the route) option to take a trail boat if hiking the gorge downstream (and not upstream as you initially did)?

.
avatar Re: Muir Gorge
September 26, 2012 07:12AM
Quote
plawrence
Cool!

Would it be possible, and a sensible (i.e. not a wacky idea or one that would pose a great challenge somewhere along the route) option to take a trail boat if hiking the gorge downstream (and not upstream as you initially did)?

.

Would it not be easier to walk on water than lug a trail boat into the canyon? Sorry, couldn't resist. I'm being bad.
avatar Re: Muir Gorge
September 26, 2012 07:35AM
Quote
plawrence
Would it be possible, and a sensible (i.e. not a wacky idea or one that would pose a great challenge somewhere along the route) option to take a trail boat if hiking the gorge downstream (and not upstream as you initially did)?
Sorry. I guess I wasn't clear. Day 1 I hiked down to the gorge and camped atop 5637.
Next day hiked over the next knobly using the trail after leaving my gear for bears
to steal in the saddle area. Just after the next knob where you start going downhill
(after you've hiked up the switchbacks up that knob... ) (heading towards Glena Aulin)...
you see the river and can easily hike down to it.
So... I hiked downstream... although I did take a peak upstream before going up to
5637... and saw one pool where my feet were gonna get wet.
Would a boat be any use? Well... probably not worth the effort to bring it...
although maybe if you wanted to take pix IN that 100 yard pool.
As you can see in the picture... you have to drop down quite a bit to get in there..
it's non-trivial to hike up it and w/o a rope... you're probably jumping into it hiking
downstream. Going upstream in a boat you won't be able to get out of the boat without
going fully in the pool yourself to then attempt to climb up.

So unlike Poopenaut Gorge (which has a 1/2 mile long lake in it) I'd leave the
boat at home...



Chick-on is looking at you!



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 09/26/2012 07:40AM by chick-on.
Re: Muir Gorge
September 26, 2012 06:32PM
Awesome. On a typical year how soon would you say the water is low enough to do this?
avatar Re: Muir Gorge
September 26, 2012 09:05PM
Good question. This year... mid-July I crossed the Tuolumne easily by around Glen Aulin
a couple of times after traversing Easter Falls Ridge. And Cathedral Creek was nothing
but a trickle then... so.. I'd guess it's quite possible then.
Typical year... probably around mid-August. That's my best guess.

EDIT: I take that back. I'd say September. Just looked at 2005 trip up GCT in mid-Aug..
and prob. still too much water to be safe unless serious canyoneering experience.



Chick-on is looking at you!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/26/2012 09:17PM by chick-on.
Sorry, only registered users may post in this forum.

Click here to login