Hoping that Eeek, Chick-on, or someone else can help me. On some of my topo maps, there is a trail that goes from Harden Lake down into Long Gulch and then connects with a trail to Aspen Valley. Long Gulch is called a "restricted area." But on other maps this trail does not show up.
So 1: Does this trail still exist?
2. Are there restrictions on that area? What are they?
3. Does the trail cross the creek...and are there bridges?
We're looking at this as a spring trip...when much of the rest of the park is hard to access...
And of course, with the Hetch-hetchy road closed, this area might be hard to access too...
Balzaccom
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Re: Long Gulch trail
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February 03, 2013 08:35PM |
What you are looking at is Old Tioga Road
All the trails in that area are in excellent condition. (Z Old Dood and I just hiked them last Sept)
If you go early good luck getting over Middle Tuolumne. The bridge is long gone.
I've been stymied once going that way in May... another time found logs to cross...
but that was way off trail. Way off trail.
Old Tioga ran from Aspen Valley all the way to White Wolf btw.
All the trails in that area are in excellent condition. (Z Old Dood and I just hiked them last Sept)
If you go early good luck getting over Middle Tuolumne. The bridge is long gone.
I've been stymied once going that way in May... another time found logs to cross...
but that was way off trail. Way off trail.
Old Tioga ran from Aspen Valley all the way to White Wolf btw.
February 04, 2013 08:19AM |
Just a comment or two. By Long Gulch I immediately thought of the trail that runs from
Aspen along Long Gulch to where Long Gulch runs into the Middle Tuolumne.
So maybe that is why no one else is commenting on the old road.
I was pleasantly surprised at how nice the trail from Aspen to Middle Tuolumne was...
although I did it on a very pleasant fall day.
The old road is... an old road... it's interesting but isn't for everyone.
There's a myriad number of ways to get to this area... Smith Meadow, Mather,
Base Line, Tuolumne Grove, Aspen Valley Road, Tioga Rd, and, of course White Wolf.
There's lots of great stuff off trail. And there used to be a Pioneer Cabin at and trail
to, East Meadow... It's pretty darn hard to find where exactly these cabins were
precisely located though. But good fun to poke around.
(and if it's not obvious... HH road closed is only a minor inconvenience)
(although it puts the kabosh on me finally pulling the trigger on my "Boatin Benson" trip)
O well... lots of other stuff to do
Have fun whatever you do
Aspen along Long Gulch to where Long Gulch runs into the Middle Tuolumne.
So maybe that is why no one else is commenting on the old road.
I was pleasantly surprised at how nice the trail from Aspen to Middle Tuolumne was...
although I did it on a very pleasant fall day.
The old road is... an old road... it's interesting but isn't for everyone.
There's a myriad number of ways to get to this area... Smith Meadow, Mather,
Base Line, Tuolumne Grove, Aspen Valley Road, Tioga Rd, and, of course White Wolf.
There's lots of great stuff off trail. And there used to be a Pioneer Cabin at and trail
to, East Meadow... It's pretty darn hard to find where exactly these cabins were
precisely located though. But good fun to poke around.
(and if it's not obvious... HH road closed is only a minor inconvenience)
(although it puts the kabosh on me finally pulling the trigger on my "Boatin Benson" trip)
O well... lots of other stuff to do
Have fun whatever you do
February 04, 2013 09:40PM |
Well... spring starts March 20th.
I've done the loop and/or been up to Smith about 6 times in May.
Only ever seen people at Smith Meadow. Before mid-May or, if heavy year,
expect snow covered trail around 7500 until Memorial Day-ish.
It's a good climb from Smith Mdw TH. 4250 to 7750. Great dayhike too.
If you go from Smith Mdw TH you can do a nice 2-3 day-er by camping at
Smith Mdw and then hike up Smith Peak and maybe go check out Harden.
If you only go that way then there's only snow in question.
On your way in ... before Dimod O CG.. you go over the Middle Tuolumne
so you'll know what you're dealing with. Have never had much issue with
crossing Cottonwood if you go from Mather.
You cross Middle twice if you are trying to do a loop.
I've done the loop and/or been up to Smith about 6 times in May.
Only ever seen people at Smith Meadow. Before mid-May or, if heavy year,
expect snow covered trail around 7500 until Memorial Day-ish.
It's a good climb from Smith Mdw TH. 4250 to 7750. Great dayhike too.
If you go from Smith Mdw TH you can do a nice 2-3 day-er by camping at
Smith Mdw and then hike up Smith Peak and maybe go check out Harden.
If you only go that way then there's only snow in question.
On your way in ... before Dimod O CG.. you go over the Middle Tuolumne
so you'll know what you're dealing with. Have never had much issue with
crossing Cottonwood if you go from Mather.
You cross Middle twice if you are trying to do a loop.
February 04, 2013 09:56PM |
This is Old Tioga where it crosses the Middle Tuolumne.
On this one... I said... no way... and headed back up to Harden and Smith Mdw.
I've also come from the other way in April... and it was just as delicious.
It's a good 3 ft. deep.
I despise ice cold water. On a diff trip where crossed it near Bald...
it was up to my dingle balls... and I had to sit on a rock for about
15 minutes getting the feeling back.
Have fun
On this one... I said... no way... and headed back up to Harden and Smith Mdw.
I've also come from the other way in April... and it was just as delicious.
It's a good 3 ft. deep.
I despise ice cold water. On a diff trip where crossed it near Bald...
it was up to my dingle balls... and I had to sit on a rock for about
15 minutes getting the feeling back.
Have fun
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