The adventure began with kissing my wife goodbye, patting our dog, and setting off toward Lee Vining. I had said goodbye to my son, who recently moved home to become the Youth Director at our synagogue, the night before. The first stop was at a Starbucks, as a large coffee was needed for the long drive. I was meeting Rick to borrow a small tripod as both of the ones I ordered to replace the one I lost when hiking Sawmill were delayed in arriving. With Rick’s tripod now in hand, I began the drive north. Traffic was not too bad, and the podcasts passed the time.
My first stop was the Eastern Sierra Visitor Center in Lone Pine. I had a question about our upcoming permit to climb Mt. Whitney, and wanted to swap out a plastic Junior Ranger badge for a wooden one. Unfortunately, I arrived during their lunch break, and they were closed. I did, however, see some runners racing in the Badwater 135 and support cars were parked throughout the town.
My next stop was Manzanar National Historic Site, again to obtain a Junior Ranger badge. Sadly, due to staffing issues, the Visitor Center is now closed from Tuesday through Thursday. Ted and I will have to return when we come back for our Whitney attempt. I already knew that the Copper Top BBQ was closed, and found Mountain Rambler Brewery as a replacement for my lunch stop. After a fine burger and a tasty flight, I made a quick stop for gas and continued northward. As I neared Mono Lake, I saw a sign saying there would be a Ranger-led walk at 6 pm. I certainly had time for this, but after checking into the motel and unloading my gear, I drove over to the Mono Basin Scenic Area Visitor Center to confirm that the walk was still scheduled. The kind volunteer said it was. I also inquired about any Junior Ranger badges, and they indeed had one for the Inyo National Forest! I made the 15-minute drive back to the south shore of Mono Lake and waited on a bench.
Our walk was led by a staffer from the Mono Lake Committee, Ana. She had recently started working there and was full of enthusiasm about the lake. About 15 of us walked the Loop Trail, stopping at various points to learn about a wide range of topics. I left toward the end, as I was getting hungry and wanted a good night’s sleep.
Dinner was the “world-famous” fish tacos at the Whoa Nellie Deli. The mango salsa one was outstanding, and the ginger coleslaw was good as well. I watched the sun set on the lake and headed back to the motel. Earlier in the day, I made the 30-minute drive into Yosemite National Park to pick up my Wilderness Permit, as well as a Junior Ranger booklet. I figured I could work on it that evening in the motel, which I did. With that task complete, it was time to turn in for the night. Tomorrow would begin 6 days of backpacking through Yosemite’s backcountry.
Day 1: Tuolumne Meadows to Glen Aulin
After a fairly good night’s rest in the motel, I took my last shower for almost a week. I walked down the highway to Nicely’s for a good breakfast to start off this adventure. Given that the Tuolumne Meadows Visitor Center did not open until 9 am, I was not in a rush. I swung by the Whoa Nellie Deli again to grab a ready-made sandwich for my lunch. The drive back to the park was uneventful, except for the dead deer on the side of the highway. I pulled into the parking lot for the Tuolumne Meadows Visitor Center and stored my backpack in a nearby bear locker. I went in and presented my completed Junior Ranger booklet. After a little chat with the Ranger, I was sworn in as a Junior Ranger for Yosemite. On her suggestion, I opted to park back at the Wilderness Permit Station. I checked back in with the rangers there in case something had changed. They reported all was good, just a few mosquitoes at spots. With that, it was time to hit the trail. I stepped onto the PCT and followed it westward. The trail paralleled Tioga Road for a bit before crossing it and following the road to the Glen Aulin Trailhead. Along the way, I was stopped by a woman assembling her backpacking gear, and she had a question about the parking for Glen Aulin. I told her where I had parked, but I was planning on doing the whole loop. She thanked me, and we parted ways.
The first point of interest was Soda Springs. This is a naturally carbonated spring that sits on the edge of the meadow. You can take a taste, which I did. It was slightly fizzy, with a bit of a metallic tinge.
The trail was mostly downhill for the first day, and with 6 days of food on my back, I was thankful. I took a short break and watched the waters of the Tuolumne River flow past. There I met a lady day-hiking to Glen Aulin, and we hiked down the trail together. We crossed the first bridge over the Tuolumne and saw some PCT hikers grabbing a few photos. We continued on down the trail, chatting about the state of our parks and public lands.
About 5 miles in, we met a Ranger on patrol. We chatted a bit, and I presented my permit. She commented on how small my pack seemed. I replied that I was leveraging the bear lockers at each site, so I left my heavy bear can in the car and was storing my food in my new Adotec bag. She said it was perfectly fine, given that each site does have lockers. If I were adventuring elsewhere, then an approved bear can would be needed.
Soon, the sounds of a waterfall began to fill the air, and this meant we were drawing close to Glen Aulin. The bridge that crossed the Tuolumne River into Glen Aulin had been destroyed due to high snow a few years back, but thankfully had been rebuilt. Once across, we took a second bridge over Conness Creek into camp. She found a nice spot to have her lunch, and I did a quick tour of the backpacking site. The High Sierra Camps are built in two parts: the actual camp and its associated infrastructure, and a section for traditional backpackers. The camps were not open this year, so the various tents and other structures were not assembled. Continuing on to the backpacking area, I skipped the first collection of sites, as several spots were already taken, and continued on. I found a set of sites up on a granite ridge, all of which were unclaimed. I left my poles on a site that looked perfect, and returned down to also have my lunch with my hiking companion. When done, she headed back up the trail. I then tossed my food into the bear locker before making the short climb to my campsite. I decided to change which spot I picked upon closer inspection of the slope. Soon, I had my tent set up and was good for the evening. I wandered down to the river’s edge to fill my CNOC water bag, so I could filter some water later.
I found a nice shady spot and took a short nap. Once refreshed, I wandered around camp, including taking advantage of the composting toilet. I chatted with some of the other campers: a few PCTers, an Outward Bound group, and eventually the woman I met at the beginning of the hike. I sauntered down the trail that parallels the Tuolumne to explore some of the falls downstream for a bit. There I saw my first Marmot, but didn’t have time to snap a photo. I returned to camp to have dinner. I found a spot far enough away from my tent to make and eat my pasta. After cleaning up and storing the rest of the scented items, I turned in. I was tired from the day’s hike, and lying in my tent listening to my audiobook for a bit was just what I needed. A full moon would be rising soon, so that would put a damper on any stargazing or astrophotography. I turned my phone off to save some battery and drifted off to sleep. I forgot to mention, I did check in with Anita and let her know that I was safely at camp.
DAY 2: Glen Aulin to May Lake
Sleep was about what I expected. I was actually a tad too warm, but this is one of the lower elevation sites, so I might still want my better quilt at the other camps. I awoke at first light, but fell back asleep for another 30 minutes. I packed up my gear, made a pit stop, then gathered my food and scented items from the locker. I went down to the river’s edge and had my breakfast of oatmeal and a cup of coffee. I properly re-packed my backpack and set off. Today’s journey would be hiking about 8 miles up to May Lake. According to one guide I read, I would be gaining about 1,400 feet of elevation. While this would almost be trivial back home, I had a fairly full backpack and was starting at 7,880 feet.
I crossed back over the Tuolumne River, the morning light shining through the mists from the waterfall, and made the steep climb to the junction with the trail to May Lake. This trail heads mostly southward, first toward McGee Lake. The mosquitoes were out in force, so the bug net quickly came out. The trail initially worked its way upward through the forest. The views were stunning, and occasionally I would dart off the trail to explore a possible viewpoint. About 3 miles in, I took a break and, since I had a clear view of the sky, sent a check-in message back home. I shouldered my pack again and set off. There was very little breeze, so it was a tad warm.
Just after one steeper section, I took another break under the shade and to soak in the views. I then began a series of switchbacks, and after about 10 minutes, I went to grab the tripod, and it was missing! It must have fallen off my pack where I took my break, so I turned and hiked back. At the rest stop, it was nowhere to be found. Ugh! I gave up looking there and started back up the trail, and just after the first switchback, I spotted it on the trail. I had walked right over it on the way down. Crisis averted. I tightened the strap I had been using to hold it on my pack and kept climbing. This section was very sun-exposed, so I was feeling the sun’s rays upon me. I took another break and adjusted my socks and shoes. Before leaving, I again checked that the tripod was still secure. Soon, I crested a small saddle and began the short and gentle descent to May Lake. Its waters were a welcoming sight. I had forgotten to “camel up” before leaving Glen Aulin, so I drank more than I planned for during my ascent. I passed through the closed camp’s foundations and buildings before finding a spot for the night. It was only about noon, so I had a lot of time to kill.
I again stashed my food in a locker, filtered some water, and under the shade of the trees, ate my lunch. I drank some electrolytes to replace those that I sweated away. I then found another shady spot and took a well-earned nap. My tracker recorded the climb as over 1,930 feet of gain. Quite a difference from what I had read eariler. That would explain the tightness in my calf. I certainly was hiking faster than I would have had I done a better job in understanding this section of the trip. I explored the area some more, stretching the calf, trying to get some relief. I went back down the water’s edge and soaked my feet in the cool waters. I opted for a second nap, because why not? I started considering my options. The next day’s hike was listed as “very strenuous” with about 1,600 feet of descent over 3 miles, followed by an ascent of almost the same amount but in just over a mile. The following day was a long descent, and then the day after that was the climb over Vogelsang Pass. If my calf worsened, I would be in for some long days. Knowing I had plans to attempt Mt. Whitney later in the month also weighed on my mind. I sat under the shade and considered my options. I took my phone out of Alpine mode and discovered that I had two bars of signal. I guess we had a line of sight into Yosemite Valley. I spoke with Anita, and I decided to let the descent tomorrow be the judge. If the calf felt ok, then I would continue my trek. If not, I would cross Tiagoa Road and should be able to get a hitch back to my car. With a plan in place, I cooked up my dinner and watched the sun dip behind the mountains.
Day 3: May Lake to Sunrise Trailhead
I awoke just after 5:30 and quickly packed up. The calf did not cramp overnight, but I could still feel it as I broke camp. Instead of making breakfast, I tossed a few bars into my hip belt pocket and set off. I figured the sooner I got to the road, the better I might find a hiker driving in for a day hike.
The descent went smoothly, and from time to time, I could see Half Dome in the distance. When the grade was steep enough, I could feel the tightness in my calf, validating my decision to end early. I reached the first May Lake Trailhead and tossed the trash I had been carrying. From there, I continued on the High Country Highway, according to the information sign. Bits of the asphalt were visible as I hiked along.
I did spy a bear print in the sand, just a reminder that there is a reason for all those warnings. Upon reaching the road, I crossed over and cruised on toward the Sunrise Trailhead. I figured I would have a better chance getting a hitch there than just on the side of the road with no place to pull over. This section was nice and flat, and my calf was thankful. I was bummed not to be continuing, as, except for that issue, everything else was going pretty well. The parking lot was filled with cars and hikers getting ready to head out. This is the primary trailhead for Cloud’s Rest, an epic hike that takes you to a view of Yosemite Valley from the east end. It is one that is on my list as well. I stood with my thumb out, and after a few cars drove past, two ladies in a Jeep pulled over and offered me a lift. Turns out they were backpacking down to Glen Aulin, so I filled them in with everything I just did. They dropped me off at the Lambert Dome parking area, and they headed down the side road to find parking. I cruised back to the car. Once back at the car, I tossed my backpack in and was going to stop off at the permit office, but the line was out the door.
I had tickets to see Alison Krauss and Union Station back in San Diego that night, so I was on a timetable. I purchased those tickets before I won the lottery for this trip. We had been trying to sell them, but had no luck. I stopped off at the small market and bought a cup of coffee to go with another bar I was eating. At the Tuolumne Meadows Visitor Center, I took advantage of the real restroom to change out of my hiking gear and into something comfortable to make the long drive home. Since I did not get my Yosemite patch when I was at the Visitor Center on Wednesday, I had to wait for them to open at 9. Once they did open, I grabbed my patch and a couple of other items, paid for them, and hit the road. I fueled the car back up in Bishop. Unfortunately, I would be passing through Big Pine too early to stop at Copper Top BBQ, so I would have to settle for something quick in Lone Pine. I did make another stop at Manzanar and got both my Junior Ranger badge and an Eastern Sierra Pear that was grown nearby. The rest of the drive was as exciting as you might imagine. I made it home in time to shower and make it to the concert, which I enjoyed, and my wife tolerated. Now to let that calf recover for a few days, then keep focusing on Mt. Whitney!
I am an avid peak bagger, sometimes backpacker, and former sea kayaker living in San Diego. In 2019, I became the third person to complete the San Diego 100 Peak Challenge. Not stopping with that accomplishment, I set my sights on the harder San Diego Sierra Club 100 Peak list, which I completed in 2021. In addition, I have conquered several Six-Pack of Peaks challenges (SoCal, San Diego, Central Coast, and both the Arizona-Winter and Arizona-Summer). Beyond attempting the San Diego Sierra Club 100 Peak list a second time, I am looking forward to exploring new summits and new adventures across the southwest.
