Planning a 3 day trip late August, permits for Ten Lakes trailhead. We will be camping at one of the Ten Lakes the first night, but have no plans after that. I am looking for some advice and suggestions on going from Ten Lakes with an exit through either May lake or Murphy Creek trail.

- Any suggestions on which of the Ten lakes to camp at? Any favorites? Is there good fishing?
- For the second night, would like to camp near a water source and hike ~8 miles. I was thinking of either camping around the South Fork of Cathedral Creek or by the tarns near Tuolumne peak. Any information on campsites around these areas?
- Suggestions for trail exit (May Lake, Murphy creek, other)?
- How is the water situation throughout the trail on such a low year? Is it limited to the lakes and the creek?

Thanks,
elicali

If I camped at a lake I'd camp at #1. Pretty sure it's #1.
It's the one just west of Grand. Go up Grand for a Grand view.
Lots of fish in many of the lakes. I think the only lake that doesn't have fish is #7.
I guess a few complain about the SF Cath trail... well... ya.. they sorta
put it not in the greatest spot for views all the time... but was just thru there
last weekend... and I gotta say.. well.. you can guess... I thought it was really nice.
If you want stellar views and some great stuff... I'll throw you a bone
and highly recommend you hike from 9636 to 9048 ... on your way down to the SF.
You'll have water in the SF and at the Tarns... you wanted 8 miles... so you
should prob. just camp there...

Have fun (you should be getting a TR from HikingMano soon from this area)

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chick-on
[...] Have fun (you should be getting a TR from HikingMano soon from this area)

Yep, just got back yesterday. Long drive with the 140 detour due to the Rim Fire...

Anyway, when are you leaving? Takes me a lil to sift through pics for a TR, but I can post a few pics and notes for an abridged version. I can't provide any info east of the biggest lake in the basin, didn't get to venture that way on this trip. But I definitely second chick-on's suggestion for spending a night at the northern upper lake in the basin, the one just west of Grand Mountain. It's an easy xc hike from the lake up to the top of Grand Mountain (what we ended up doing, instead of bigger loop I had planned). I had wanted to do a night at upper Grant Lake as well, but didn't get to find a good site before weather got iffy, so bailed to lower lake. Would recommend north or east end of lower lake if you do go there. It can get a but busy there, and I couldn't even pack out all the trash folks had left behind at the lower lake, grrr. Basilbop's water report from the Ten Lakes TH is spot on, saw the same. Taking water out of the lakes was good enough for me for that end of the trail, though would have filled up at stream just below Halfmoon Meadow if I had needed to before Grant or the Ten.

Thanks for all the suggestions. Now I am debating exiting through May Lake versus spending an extra day exploring Grand Mountain and all the different lakes... I guess can't go wrong either way.

Chick-on - By hike from 9636 to 9048, do you mean hike slightly north from the trail between those two markers on the USGS topo map? Also, how are the lakes numbered?

HikingMano - I will be there over Labor Day Weekend. And I always love pictures.

Hope they get the Rim Fire under control soon.

Quote
elicali
Thanks for all the suggestions. Now I am debating exiting through May Lake versus spending an extra day exploring Grand Mountain and all the different lakes... I guess can't go wrong either way.

Chick-on - By hike from 9636 to 9048, do you mean hike slightly north from the trail between those two markers on the USGS topo map? Also, how are the lakes numbered?

HikingMano - I will be there over Labor Day Weekend. And I always love pictures.

Hope they get the Rim Fire under control soon.

Don't think you can go wrong either way. I would have opted to do a loop up there, and Basilbop's exit recommendation sounds excellent, but I was with the GF and she wanted some time to lounge around at the lakes and soak up some sun. Managed to get some good relaxation time in before the afternoon/evening thunderstorms hit. We were up at the lake west of Grand Mountain the second night, but with lightning striking within a mile we decided to move to WL8947T the next day for better tree coverage. Was a good choice, it stormed harder that night, hail and all.

I wanted to hike from peaks 9636 to 9048 (yes, he means hike off-trail down from 9636), but we didn't get up that way. Ended up just heading up Grand from the lake to get the views then come back down to move camp before the afternoon storm showed up.

I'll get a few pics up for ya, then post a longer trip report in a seperate thread later .

The pyrocumulus cloud from the Rim Fire was crazy on our exit. Incredible, looked like a volcanic eruption. We had picked up a hitchhiker who was out peak bagging at the end of Lyell Canyon for a week, the guy worked at Camp Towunga and was returning. Bit of a surprise for him when we discovered 120 closed and the camp evacuated. Ended up bringing him back to the bay with us so he could crash with friends.

edited to add: I hope the evacuated folks have a good outcome. It's a bad situation.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/22/2013 08:38PM by HikingMano.

Started a TR in another thread, you can see it here, elicali

Last weekend, heading towards Ten Lakes, there were puddles at the White Wolf spur junction, but nothing flowing. Water was still flowing just below Half Moon Meadow, and there was water in a small tarn near the Grant Lakes junction. It was dry, but there were a few surprises. I wouldn't rely on them.

I'm not the best authority on Ten Lakes (we went a different way last weekend...)--I remember that Lake 8947 was decent (we camped near the outlet) and had ample camping all around it, but that was maybe 15 years ago. You'd probably need to choose one of the lakes further from the trail if you want to get away from the crowds that frequent Ten Lakes.

The pink bird should be able to comment on South Fork, but I'd expect it to be fairly low. After that, the Tuolumne Peak tarns are your next best reliable water, and probably the last until May Lake or Tenaya Lake. There are several campsites near both of the tarns--including a few decent ones just off the trail below the lower one, but if you like views, you might want to haul water and camp on the ridge that the trail ascends just past the tarns.

As for how to exit, I'd recommend up and over Tuolumne Peak, down to the "Mystery Trail Saddle" (see the second day here), then down the Mystery Trail to May Lake. If you prefer to stay on maintained trails, Murphy is the easiest, since you'll have to climb a few hundred feet back up to May Lake along the trail. However, the views going to May Lake are better.

I was just at Ten Lakes in June. I told myself that I would like to camp around lake 9021 (as you are coming to the lakes, just before you cross the stream, go right, great meadow next to the lake). I am not sure what the Lake is called. Actually, all the lakes had great places to camp. Great place, I can't wait to go back and explore! Have fun!

For those who have been to the area recently, how bad is the smoke in the park north of 120? Just read White Wolf is closed due to smoke, and am worrying about the air quality during our trip next weekend.

I think Ten Lakes area is now closed.

Rick M.

Our trip will have to wait until another time, after this massive wildfire is back under control. I am having a hard time grasping the size of it, and wonder how long it will take for the damaged areas to recover enough to be open again to trail travel.

Wishing for success in these containment efforts... very very soon.