Re: Ledge Trail to Glacier Point?

Does anybody know anything about the Ledge Trail which heads to Glacier Point from Curry Village? Is it still passable or is the trail closed?

It's been talked about before in this forum:

http://yosemitenews.info/forum/read.php?f=1&i=2743&t=2743

and even more here:

http://www.yosemite.ca.us/forum/viewtopic.php?t=124&sid=eab4ccc1a1788fe09c04184a14055824

It's on my list of things to do... or ways to die....

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Everything I know I learned from

Probably the most dangerous "old" valley trail, from what I know. At one time I thought it would be nice to try, but since reading about it, I've decided that I don't wanna know that bad 8^).

Plus, staying at the campground and listening to the 'crack' of rockfalls in many seasons, coming from that area (or looking behind Curry Village), makes it even less tempting.

If you do decide to venture up there, let us know your impression.

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Gary
Yosemite Photo Galleries: http://www.pbase.com/roberthouse/yo

My son and I went part way up - it is still traversible, and it is not hard to find. Having said that, it looks and feels incredibly dangerous - steep slopes downward, large ledges of unstable-looking overhanging rock with rockslides at their bases - and I will not go up there again.

Interestingly, there is a sign up there that says, "Trail Closed - Go Back" or something like that, and it is at that sign where the trail begins to look exceptionally frightening. We felt really exposed at that point, and so we headed back down for some hot chocolate (it was January at the time).

For similar but less dangerous adventures, consider the Sierra Point Trail or even the Sunnyside Bench/Fern Ledge ramble. In fact, this time of year, start thinking about climbing Mt. Dana up at Tioga Pass - that's a *great* semi-offtrail walk that provides enormous rewards.



Post Edited (07-16-08 21:32)

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Wilderness forever,
Bruce Jensen

I worked in Yosemite Valley from 62 to 67 and climbed the ledge
trail one evening after work with my tent mate. I think there was a
sign back then that said the trail was closed. The trail is pretty much
straight up and we got to Glacier Point fairly quickly. There was one
spot with a lot of sand and decomposed granite where it seemed
like you would slide back two steps for every step that you took forward.
There is also a small waterfall that flows across the trail, but as I remember it, there was barely any water coming down when we crossed
it. The trail goes up to the West and about 3/4 of the way up it cuts
back to the East toward Glacier Point. We stayed to see the firefall
and then caught a ride with some tourists back down to the valley so
we would be ready for work the next morning. Seen some pictures
of the trail on the web and it looks like the upper 1/4 of the trail has
really grown up a lot of brush and trees that you would have to make
your way through. As a sidenote, Florence Hutchings was the first
white child born in Yosemite Valley on August 23, 1864 and she died
on September 26th, 1881 at age seventeen. She had been climbing
the ledge trail and had been struck by a large falling rock that had
been loosened by one of her friends up ahead of her on the trail.



Post Edited (07-17-08 17:09)

Richard,

Thanks for the historical sidenote re. her demise - I don't think that I've ever come across that info. before.

She is buried in the Pioneer Cemetery. Here is a link to a book dealing with the residents:
http://www.yosemite.ca.us/library/pioneer_cemetery/

P.S. Typo: 1864



Post Edited (07-17-08 17:42)

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THE YOSEMITE POST
Voice of the Rocky Marmot Empire

Mount Florence was named for Florence Hutchings. You can see it from Glacier Point and Sentinel Dome. It's in the east, near Lyell and McClure.

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Doug Parr

I may end up trying this. I read this route report and it doesn't make it sound too bad, as long as you're wearing a helmet for protection from falling rocks. I don't know, I'm 50/50 right now.

http://www.summitpost.org/route/158060/ledge-trail.html

Reading from "Death in Yosemite" (paraphrased), the less than 2-mile Ledge trail represents over 10 percent of ALL fatal hiking and scrambling falls in Yosemite (not Yosemite Valley, Yosemite). Despite being closed to all downhill travel in 1952, despite Curry's policy of firing any employee who even used this trail, and despite its complete closure in the early '60's. Despite that, there were fatal incidents in 1965, 1970, 1972, 1976, 1993, and possibly 1998.

It's the third most fatal 'entity' in Yosemite, behind El Cap and the Merced River. That says a lot for a trail under 2 miles long that's been closed and off the maps for over 50 years. The four-mile trail was constructed due to the extreme danger of the Ledge trail.

Reading that some time ago, and some other accounts, plus knowing what that section of the wall is like as far as rockfall etc. is what made me decide to leave that one off my list a while back; your mileage may vary, but at least you know. Going up is safer than going down, as people tend to run right off the edge going down.

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Gary
Yosemite Photo Galleries: http://www.pbase.com/roberthouse/yo

Okay, thanks for posting. I have too much respect for life to try it, I'm now 0/100. It's just that I read that other report and some fat dude was walking up the Ledge Trail so I figured how hard could it be.