Mid July I did a loop over Red Peak Pass from Glacier Point. I had received encouragement from this forum that in a light snow year mid-July was not to early to go over the Pass.
I started out headed up Illilouette Creek . The first day is always hard for me, so I found a nice campsite about seven miles in and called it a day.
The next day I headed to Lower Ottoway Lake. The day clouded up, and I had the mosquitos for company as I headed up the hill. Spent a lovely evening at the lake.
Day 3 dawned cloudy and I had some concern that thunderstorms might hit just as I reached the pass.
.
After stalling a bit, the weather looked better and off I went, hitting Red Peak Pass mid day
Heading down the north east side, Red Devil Lake looked inviting.
I had seen almost no one since just beyond Glacier Point
Red Devil Lake made a fine third night camp, which happened to be my birthday.
Continuing down my personal empty Yosemite trail I spent night four along Triple Divide Fork ,
to continue on day 5 past the cascades where the Merced Peak Fork joins the Trip Divide Fork.
I was relieved when I got gone to the main Merced River. I had heard about the bridge being out
and the piles of blowdown. This went on for at least half a mile.
That's a lot of trail work. The ranger at Merced Lake said they were up there for over a month.
To be continued...................