Quotechick-on Have a great birthday party! Happy B'Day JKW aka...!!! Hope you are celebrating in style! It was great to see you guys earlier this month and thanks for sharing your adventures/tips/suggestionsby nwhkr - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
The main trail to Cathedral lakes and the spur trail to LC are both fine, should be straightforward by this time. There were a couple of muddy spots on the main trail 3 weeks back and they should be all gone by now. Even 3 weeks back, it was easy to sidetrack such spots. It was a very different story on Memorial day weekend (probably similar to last July), especially on the spur trail. Happy Traby nwhkr - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
Quotechick-on I haven't gone that-a-way. I've only gone up via the ridge from Upper Cathedral. Pretty much it's hands in pocketz. this ridge: https://mappingsupport.com/p/gmap4.php?ll=37.838204,-119.423525&z=15&t=t4 Nice! Thanks a tonne for the info, that totally makes sense. Yeah I had fun with the route with more than a few spots that required hands on the terra ferma . Last biby nwhkr - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
Very manageable at the TM campground. We were at the group campsite and they might be a bit more pesky if your campsite is close to water - lyell fork/Tuolumne riverby nwhkr - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
Great! Let me know if you need any other trail info. BE prepared for mosquitos during the hike as well as at the campsite.by nwhkr - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
Quotechick-on Yes that's 10,450 🙏🏼 Looks airy! That also means that I have some unfinished business . I was with some friends who weren’t comfortable and I am glad that they stopped lower down. I still had around 250’ to go from this spot. Do you lower down and approach it from the left-east side and then traverse to south side for that last 30’-50’?by nwhkr - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
Was at TM campground last weekend and did a couple of simple day hikes. Here are some pics and a follow-up question Conditions were perfect with balmy 60s during the day. Mosquitos were pesky on the Cathedral trail and unbearable on the approach to the lower Cathedral Lake. Water wasn't too cold for a quick dip From the west side of lower Cathedral lake Outlet of lower Cathedral lakeby nwhkr - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
I would recommend Lower and Upper Cathedral Lakes and then if you have time in the evening, check out sunset from Lehmbert Dome. Hike up to North Dome and Indian arch is also a fun one. I haven't been to May lake and Mt Hoffman though that might change this weekend.by nwhkr - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
Did Sunrise to Cathedral loop over two nights on Memorial Day weekend. We hit tonnes of snow at that time with solid post-holing on the way from Sunrise HSC to Upper Cathedral. By now, there should be no snow going up to the lower Cathedral lakes and maybe some snow patches from lower to Upper Cathedral Lake. I would expect more snow around Gaylor lake, especially after you drop down from theby nwhkr - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
Thanks! Just booked group sites for two weekends in June. Appreciate the regular posts and updatesby nwhkr - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Thanks for the info, that's awesome!! Just saw this and hoping for a mid-June opening of the TM campgroundby nwhkr - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
This is so sad, my condolences. As an aside, the weather forecast was for t-storms for past week or so around Tioga pass and even at Hetch Hetchy. Saw dark clouds rolling in several times at Hetch Hetchy last Saturday and could hear distant thunder a few times after 2pm.by nwhkr - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Quotechick-on Sorry if wasn't clear. Did Vernon loop last November. And then another trip around Hetchy area in April when Yosemite Valley was closed due to flooding... Boy Scouts were rescued in the April flood. Ahh ok...I thought you also did Vernon loop recently. I don't have a vivid memory, photographic or otherwise, like yours . Strawberry Festival sounds fun and thanks for the tip aboutby nwhkr - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
Quotechick-on Not the release points... Ha! I was gonna ask you about the spillway and then googled it instead. Google images just showed the release points. I did not notice the spillway and just asked my friend, she didn't notice it either. Her comments - No I don’t remember seeing any spillway overflowing. I don’t think the water level was that high That's funny in hindsight about yoby nwhkr - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
Quotechick-on Did we mention they had to rescue group of Scouts at Rancheria Falls in April? Wow! Didn't know about that one. Only knew about the guy from Oakland who was rescued after 4-5 days there. It's interesting how we all, even the experienced ones, can have blind spots. One of my friend, who is reasonably experienced and used to be a part of some guide service in college, was campedby nwhkr - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
Quotehikerchick395 Tradition! That is awesome!!! Thanks for sharing. Nice pic as well!by nwhkr - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
With Tioga pass road still closed to backpackers, went for an overnight trip to Rancheria Falls. First time ever around Hetch Hetchy and it is gorgeous, even if it's getting borderline too hot for me to backpack with the daytime high of 70. Camped at the dome here below Le Conte Point - hat tip to basilbop - as mentioned in this post https://yosemitenews.info/forum/read.php?17,83825,83831#msgby nwhkr - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
Ha! I was thinking the same. Love Ansel Adams Wilderness and haven't even ventured around Palisades yet.by nwhkr - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
Nice clicks guys!! Thanks for sharing...by nwhkr - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Quotergliebe I don't recall what year it was closed, but it was sometime in the 1990s before they started requiring bear canisters in certain areas of the park. Thanks for the follow-up historical perspective, that's helpful and makes sense. It also helps to know how different park/ranger initiatives are working .by nwhkr - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
Congrats Kevin!! This is awesome! Thanks for the TR and pics too. Nice clicks!by nwhkr - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
QuoteDavidSenesac http://cdec.water.ca.gov/cgi-progs/snow/COURSES 178 Tenaya Lake 8,150 24-APR 18.5 10.5 57% 31.8 33% Thanks David! appreciate the info and the link. That's a great reference point. Btw saw your sunset pic of Cathedral peak (from Tresidder ridge I believe) on summitpost, that's a great shot!by nwhkr - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
Quotehikerchick395 And Highway 120 opens from Hwy 395 to the Tioga Pass eastern entrance gate tomorrow at 8am Awesome! Thanks for the heads up. In case you end up going that way, maybe you can find info about tioga pass rd opening date. I am hoping to go for a quick backpacking trip to Cathedral lakes next weekend.by nwhkr - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
http://thepinetree.net/new/?p=58477 SONORA PASS/SR-108 IN TUOLUMNE COUNTY OPENS TUOLUMNE COUNTY — The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) has removed the winter snow, cleared the debris, made necessary repairs and opened State Route 108 (SR-108)/Sonora Pass at 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, May 3, 2018. Caltrans manages three trans-Sierra passes in the Central Sierra that arby nwhkr - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Quotechick-on Have fun and sorry if this is useless. Not useless or "use less" at all. Conditions will probably be very similar to your last year's trip with maybe a bit less of snow. Yup, no campfires as it's not allowed and also, I am getting more bought into the principle of no campfires anyway as it leaves a scar... Great tip about 10450. Will see if it's doable as I'll only caby nwhkr - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
Thanks rgliebe, that's very helpful. Great point about mosquitoes too as I was thinking that they won't join the party until mid-July or so. With the current conditions and high winds around the pass, as you mentioned, we will stick around lower cathedral. Just spoke to wilderness line and camping is allowed around lower and upper cathedral now. Yes, will have GPS handy as the trail is probablyby nwhkr - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
Hi all, Any suggestions from Yosemite connoisseurs for early season camping spots around Cathedral Lakes? I've heard about the west of lower lakes and northeast of upper cathedral, with the later supposed to be a good spot for sunset and sunrise views. Not sure about camping around upper cathedral at this time of the year if it's mostly covered in packed snow/ice. We will be a group of 6-8 peoby nwhkr - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
Great, thanks for the heads up. Keeping my fingers crossed as there could be a slight dusting of snow in the coming days. I was hedging my bets for the May 12th weekend. Thanks to eeek as well for all the regular updates, those are very very helpful.by nwhkr - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
Happy B'Day Ck-on!! Hope you are having a blast!! Thanks for sharing your love for the outdoors and Yose!by nwhkr - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Quotecalberry Let me start by saying I have been camping in Yosemite since I was a toddler (my parents had a super 8 video). My earliest memories are probably from when I was 5-6. Steve Steve - This is awesome! Thanks for sharing your story including the drive from SoCal in those days. Also hats off to your perseverance! You might get some more spots opening up with the not so sunny weathby nwhkr - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion