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Re: Tour de Tuolumne Peak

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Tour de Tuolumne Peak
July 02, 2013 08:49PM
Last weekend my wife, a few familiar forum faces, and a new friend all hiked to the Tuolumne Peak tarns to escape the heat wave.

Nursing a bit of an ankle sprain, my wife and party proceeded to the tarns via the May Lake Mystery Trail while I followed the pink bird on a rambling route to the same destination via the area north of Mt. Hoffmann, several unnamed lakes, and the South Fork of Cathedral Creek. After a wonderful swim, dinner, and balmy (for almost 10,000') night at the tarns, we birds and Larry returned via Tuolumne Peak (with an obligatory lake detour) while my wife and Old Dood proceeded directly to the swim-worthy Tenaya Lake.

Apologies for an abbreviated TR; it's a short week, and we need to pack for our next trip...

Climbing above May Lake:


Lake north of Hoffmann:




Sometimes you don't know if it goes all the way down, and sometimes you get lucky:


Metamorphic roof pendant goodness--in other words, rocks that don't look like they belong in Yosemite:




Chick-on, Larry, and me:


Crossing over into South Fork Cathedral Creek:


Looking across at the saddle south of the south peak of Tuolumne Peak, where we'd be tomorrow (the lake we visited is behind the peak to the right):


Another one of those "will it reach the bottom" descents. Spoiler: our luck held out:


The meadows at the headwaters of the South Fork. Not depicted: the hoards of mosquitoes attacking us. Still, a beautiful little valley surrounded by tall peaks just a few miles upstream from the trail:


Avalanche site and Tuolumne Peak's many summits:


This was the subject of a photo ID challenge awhile ago, a nice small tarn just before the trail drops into South Fork (heading west):


View from camp: clouds forming at sunset. We stayed warm and dry:


More sunset-view-from-camp-goodness:


Next day: the Tuolumne Meadows area from Tuolumne Peak:


This is what we went down the previous day:


New lake. You just know we had to touch it:


The buck didn't stop here:


Small tarn, south summit of Tuolumne Peak. This is the saddle we looked across at the previous day:


This lake was too cold for swimming:


Cathedral Peak, Clark Range... lots of Yosemite goodness. Stay tuned next week for some close-ups :-)


Obligatory dome shot:


May Lake Mystery Trail. Not on any map:


Oh, May Lake HSC is open, has been around since 1938, steak is for dinner, and water usage is restricted:


The HSC guests may have had a better dinner, but our view was much better...

More Pictures



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/02/2013 08:50PM by basilbop.
Re: Tour de Tuolumne Peak
July 03, 2013 09:26AM
Awesome. Thanks for the pics. Where exactly did you guys cross over into S Fork Cathedral? I remember seeing that wall on the west side of the canyon when doing the Ten Lakes loop and wondering if there was a way down. That is such a nice canyon, feels like you are really out in the middle of nowhere. My wife and I got harassed by a momma grouse who was trying to protect her babies when we were there. Now that I look at the map, I am curious if you could exit via Cathedral Creek all the way to McGee Lake... or even better, the east half of Falls Ridge.

We climbed the NE Ridge of Hoffmann last year which you guys walked right past (it's the skyline in your first photo.) Supposedly (according to Bob Burd) you can traverse all the way from Hoffmann to Tuoulumne Peak while staying on the ridge. At the time we wanted to climb Hoffmann's Thumb so we took the direct approach from May Lake. Been meaning to go back and do that whole traverse.
avatar Re: Tour de Tuolumne Peak
July 03, 2013 10:27AM
I've also been wondering about McGee Lake to Cathedral Creek. Remember looking down on the lake north of Hoffmann. Cool to see it closer up. Another great report that shows ever more possibilities.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/03/2013 10:39AM by yosemitejim.
avatar Re: Tour de Tuolumne Peak
July 03, 2013 10:44AM
The lake north of Mount Hoffmann.

Re: Tour de Tuolumne Peak
July 03, 2013 12:45PM
Quote
AndrewF
Where exactly did you guys cross over into S Fork Cathedral?

We crossed at the easternmost notch along the ridge between lake 9566 and the SF Cathedral headwaters--on the Tenaya Lake topo map it's between the "E" in TUOLUMNE and second "A" in MARIPOSA, just west of Peak 10633. The Hoffmann side is mostly straightforward granite ramps and ledges, but the SF Cathedral side is basically a chute with steep, loose rock--and probably snow in a normal to wet year.

There's a second saddle that from the Hoffmann side looks like a "dam" of white, tree-less rock (probably another roof pendant...). Chick-on has climbed this "white" saddle, but on the SF Cathedral side it looked like it would be easy to cliff out.

I think if crossing from SF Cathedral I'd check out some alternatives to the west that looked gentler.

Quote
AndrewF
Now that I look at the map, I am curious if you could exit via Cathedral Creek all the way to McGee Lake... or even better, the east half of Falls Ridge.

You'd have to ask chick-on about that--he's poked around that area a good bit.

Quote
AndrewF
We climbed the NE Ridge of Hoffmann last year which you guys walked right past (it's the skyline in your first photo.) Supposedly (according to Bob Burd) you can traverse all the way from Hoffmann to Tuoulumne Peak while staying on the ridge.

Yeah, that ridge traverse seems do-able, dropping to the east as needed to avoid obstacles. The west side is generally steep cliffs.
avatar Re: Tour de Tuolumne Peak
July 07, 2013 08:37AM
Ridge:
No problem... well... other than the Knife Edge above the round lake.
There's some photos here if interested:
https://picasaweb.google.com/103089501068510688008/TuolumnePeak
(route came about b/c of "Yosemite Named Lake Tour" ) (Wegner ... check)
There's another "thumb" of interest...

Now the thing is... how about up from Porc/ND TH... past Coyote to ridge...
and then traverse from there all the way to Tuolumne Tarns...
def gotta do that.

Dropping down:
There's a number of opportunities for fun... only done from near tarns
down... but been eyeing the ridge for a couple of years now... def. do-able..
Circumnavigate Falls Ridge is also on the "must do" list...
There's a map in here of the way we went:
https://picasaweb.google.com/103089501068510688008/FallsRidge

o... following SF Cath all the way down... pretty sure do-able also...
and much more...

lot's of granite fun out there.

Have fun



Chick-on is looking at you!
Re: Tour de Tuolumne Peak
July 03, 2013 11:21AM
Lovely stuff. Thanks.



Check our our website: http://www.backpackthesierra.com/
Or just read a good mystery novel set in the Sierra; https://www.amazon.com/Danger-Falling-Rocks-Paul-Wagner/dp/0984884963
avatar Re: Tour de Tuolumne Peak
July 03, 2013 01:03PM
Quote
basilbop

View from camp: clouds forming at sunset. We stayed warm and dry:

Wow, this is such an amazing photograph!

I hope you make a huge (16" x 20" ) print of it, frame it, and hang it in your living room. It's a stunner!


And thanks a million for all the other photos and the trip report too. Never get tired of viewing and reading them.

.
avatar Re: Tour de Tuolumne Peak
July 11, 2013 02:39AM
I though the same thing. That is frame worthy! Thanks for sharing the pictures with us
Re: Tour de Tuolumne Peak
July 03, 2013 07:58PM
Damn! As if my Yosemite bucket list wasn't long enough already! eye popping smiley Seriously, though...that whole area looks absolutely beautiful and kudos on capturing it so wonderfully in pictures...really wonderful! Thanks for sharing!
avatar Re: Tour de Tuolumne Peak
July 04, 2013 08:10AM
Quote
DavidK42
Damn! As if my Yosemite bucket list wasn't long enough already! eye popping smiley Seriously, though...that whole area looks absolutely beautiful and kudos on capturing it so wonderfully in pictures...really wonderful! Thanks for sharing!

Ditto. The list grows.eye rolling smiley
avatar Re: Tour de Tuolumne Peak
July 07, 2013 08:25AM
Bowing to his greatness

Tanks for Z Good Times (it was all good btw)



Chick-on is looking at you!
avatar Re: Tour de Tuolumne Peak
July 10, 2013 09:57PM
One picture I took from the trip before I busted yet another camera.
(backpacking is expensive)
(luckily the accommodations are free)



Fly like a Perret?



Chick-on is looking at you!
avatar Re: Tour de Tuolumne Peak
July 12, 2013 01:24AM
Quote
chick-on
(luckily the accommodations are free)

How much are you spending on gas?
avatar Re: Tour de Tuolumne Peak
July 12, 2013 06:57AM
Quote
eeek
Quote
chick-on
(luckily the accommodations are free)

How much are you spending on gas?

Price of gas during "work" week : zero
Price of gas to drive up to Yosemite / Sierra : same as everyone else paying to stay at the TMHSL
Price of sleeping with this view : priceless
Price of getting to see this : priceless
(I have no idea how he made it across w/o hiking stick btw)

tongue sticking out smiley



Chick-on is looking at you!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/12/2013 06:58AM by chick-on.
Re: Tour de Tuolumne Peak
July 12, 2013 08:46AM
Again, entertainment budget.. smiling smiley

I love this photo of BB! Awesome, thanks! He has his poles, doesn't he? It looks like he's using them...
avatar Re: Tour de Tuolumne Peak
July 12, 2013 09:07AM
Quote
chick-on


One picture I took from the trip before I busted yet another camera.




Karma at work?

wink
avatar Re: Tour de Tuolumne Peak
July 12, 2013 11:06AM
Wutt did I do?



Chick-on is looking at you!
avatar Re: Tour de Tuolumne Peak
July 12, 2013 11:50AM
Take a less than flattering photo of a fellow bird???

.
avatar Re: Tour de Tuolumne Peak
July 12, 2013 01:26PM
Quote
plawrence
Take a less than flattering photo of a fellow bird???
Really? I love this photo. Ok... so I took away his hiking poles...
and I was ready with the camera if he went sploosh and all...
but other than that...
I'm innocent



Chick-on is looking at you!
Re: Tour de Tuolumne Peak
July 10, 2013 11:15PM
Inspiring! Really stellar pictures too. Spectacular.
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