Re: Trail conditions

8 of us have permits for a hike from TM to YV June 27 to July 1. This is the tentative itinerary:

Day 1 - TM to Sunrise HSC
Day 2 - Sunrise to Clouds Rest
Day 3 - CR to Half Dome (camp at JMT and CR trail junction)
Day 4 - HD to YV

I'm concerned about trail conditions and stream conditions. The nps.gov/yose says the trail past cathedral lakes is 100% snow covered and streams may be difficult to cross.

Given the traihead permit we have, what possible back up plans would you suggest we consider? Any suggestions or advice would be greatly appreciated!

TIA!

Dan,
I wouldn't worry much. For your route you have what I would say are fairly simple stream crossings.
Cathedral (but close to the source), Long Meadow (small), and Sunrise Outlet.
Just bring extra socks to change into. Expect some snow and mud. Go with it.
Take your time and be safe... that sorta stuff is just part of the fun IMO.
If for some reason heading over to Sunrise Lakes you just get depressed about conditions
then just take the JMT down instead. You go up some more but once you start going down
(on the JMT) you'll be free and clear of snow. From there you can head east and go towards
Echo Valley. or.. you can just go east on the JMT and dayhike up HD and Clouds if you HAVE to
do those. If you go up to Echo Valley (take the high trail) ... and then drop down into Echo...
then the trail all the way down the Merced.. is spectacular... you can also dayhike or go over
to Merced Lake.
It's all good... just go... don't be fixated on going by Sunrise Lakes...
Have a great trip... Leave no trace purty please...

Hi Dan,

I'm planning a trip to Clouds Rest at about the same time, heading from Tenaya lake. If anyone has updates about the Tenaya crossing or the trail conditions from there it would be appreciated as well.

I'll take a picture of the Tenaya Creek crossing on Saturday for you.
Not heading up to Sunrise but I wanna see the creek anyway...

I was at southern-western end of Tenaya Lake on the trail to Sunrise in 2008 Aug-Sept and I don't even recall crossing a stream. Is there a bridge there? At most there was a swampy area, but no raging creek. Does the trail cross a swamp along that edge of Tenaya Lake?

---

The cure for a fallacious argument is a better argument, not the suppression of ideas.
-- Carl Sagan

No bridge.
That's the Tenaya Lake outlet. which is Tenaya Creek.
It's quite brisk early in the year. Picture to follow.
(It completely drys up later in the year)

nps.gov/yose site says: The trail from Tenaya Lake to Clouds Rest has 80 - 90% snow coverage on the switchbacks leading to Sunrise Lakes and has a knee to thigh high wade at the outlet of Tenaya Lake.

Last night it said 100% snow coverage and waist to chest high wade! That threw me back a bit.

I agree with you Bill, we'll go with it and will take our time. It would be part of the fun. Thanks for the suggestion with a plan b.

I'd be curious to see pics for the outlet!

Thanks for your help. Good luck on your trip this weekend!

These nps posts are usually updated using feedback from people that do a particular route.

It is considered good form to touch bases back at one of the permit stations and inform them of any changes/problems/etc. that you encounter different from what they may have told you prior to starting your trip.

Dan, when you said TM to Sunrise HSC I assumed that you were starting at Cathedral.

If you are going from Sunrise TH then just go to the first Sunrise Lake and stay there.
You can dayhike to Sunrise HSC and come back to camp if you really want to see Sunrise HSC area.
(It's about 4 miles from the first lake)

Just more options for you.

The only major crossing is Tenaya Creek in your route.
The other streams/creeks should be pretty simple. (there's not many)

Have fun

Anybody have any updates from this weekend?

We did the Tenaya Lake - Cloud's Rest hike on Friday June 19. Some snow patches up to Sunrise saddle, nothing too major. Stream crossing at Tenaya Creek about knee-deep, very cold but easily doable in tennies (the gravelly bottom has sharp rocks, so tennies recommended). Basically, a piece of cake all the way to Cloud's Rest :-).

Good news - thanks!