Amazing. Climb…read more Probably one of the best multi-pitch rock climbs I have ever done. We started very late and ended up going down in the dark. I don't recommend this for one main reason: The descent is not straight-forward by headlamp. I found the description from SuperTopo to be a bit confusing, so here's my description (in case you don't heed my advice and try to roll this sucker late in the day): You are going to want to down-climb the last 10-15 ft of the summit pinnacle. The section you JUST climbed up to reach the tiny summit. Down-lead this (or better yet, just leave your pro in from the ascent) and build an anchor at the base. (I know this seems like a stupidly short "pitch" to build an anchor for, but, TRUST ME. The rope drag is heinous if you try to go around the corner and then anchor-in.) Then do a running belay/simul-climb around the corner (you are now going AWAY from the face you just climbed up). Once around the corner, go slightly right (skier's right). Once you've done this, just keep going left and down, gradually, on easy 3rd class terrain (we took the rope off at this point). When it starts to look easy to go right, traverse right until you pop out on the other side of the mountain. You'll probably do some minor bush-whacking, just try to keep hopping on those big granite boulders! The SuperTopo seems to say that you hook back right a lot sooner (after going down-left), the terrain there looked like very run-out/, 5th class slab (read: skeery), so we did not do this. OK, now that we've talked about the boring part (getting down), let's talk about the FUN part: climbing up. It's 5 pitches of 5.6-5.7 on glorious granite with ample spots for pro. You can run it out with ease, knowing there is always going to be a place to get your nuts in. This is the complete opposite of "Snake Dike" on Half Dome in that regard. We did the far-left (climber's left) variation. I think it's variation "A" in the guide book. We decided to simul-climb the first two pitches, this was a good call. The beginning of pitch 1 is very easy (low-5th and even 4th class) by the time it gets more difficult, the leader will already be at the 2nd anchor and the second can be belayed up. If you're a strong climber you could even keep going and link all three of the first pitches! Every pitch is fun, with great moves and great positioning. I'd make sure you are not wearing a pack or gear sling for the start of pitch 4, as the chimney is kinda tight in the beginning. Or maybe I'm just getting fat? I lead the last two pitches by headlamp, a new experience, and shockingly more fun that scary. If you do this, I'd start either insanely early or insanely late, in order to avoid the crowds. Have fun!

Cathedral Peak is arguably the most beautiful peak in Yosemite National Park. Despite its beauty,…read moreand despite the fact that the trailhead is at the edge of Tioga Road and easy to find, there are no crowds. During my hike on this 7 mile round-trip trail, I encountered, at most, only twenty other hikers. The trail is an easy hike for adults and for little kids. There are no cliffs near this trail. This means that, unlike some of the trails leading to or from Hawkins Peak at Pinnacles National Park and unlike the fabled Kalalau Trail in Kauai, there is no danger rocks falling from above, and no need to worry about tumbling over the edge of any cliff. Once you have reached the 3 1/2 mile mark, you will be rewarded with a splendid view of Cathedral Peak, which is photogenic from any angle, and which provides a variety of photogenic rewards at different times of day. Near Cathedral Peak is a meadow with little streams, and orange-colored bedrock near one of the streams. Also in this area, is an exposed granite dome, similar to nearby Lambert Dome. My photographs show: (1) Me posing on a granite dome located next to a meadow. This meadow is just to the south of Cathedral Peak, (2) The trail marker sign next to Tioga Road, (3) The orange-colored exposed bedrock, and (4) Two photographs of a little stream that winds its way through a meadow, with Cathedral Peak in the distance.

We didn't see 20 lakes in the basin but enjoying nine peaceful mountain lakes during a single day…read morehike was darn fabulous. Located outside the eastern entrance to Yosemite National Park, 2.5 miles of dirt road is crossed to reach the trailhead at the closed Saddlebag Lake Resort at 10087 Saddlebag Lake Road. As a former resort, the location has lots of parking but since the closed buildings meant no running water and an outhouse toilet. The often-closed Tioga Road (aka Hwy 120) must be open to get to Saddlebag. For a longer and harder hike, the basin loop can be reached by going up Lundy Canyon located north of Lee Vining and might be an alternative starting point if Tioga is closed. The loop can begin by heading left across the dam, but we went right around eastern side of Saddlebag Lake - the largest and only man-made lake of the hike. The western side is rocky talus while the eastern trail around Saddlebag Lake is longer but has a more comfortable walking surface that was preferred by people fishing in the lake. The remaining lakes appear at regular half-mile intervals with each having their own flavor. The first set of lakes were small and serene Hummingbird Lake, deep and eerie Odell Lake, and classically graceful Lake Helen. We then took a worthwhile and brief side trip down to Lundy Canyon to the cascading Lundy Canyon Falls. We resumed on the loop to see our favorite Shamrock Lake with multiple little peninsulas poking into the lake which was followed by narrow inlet-like Excelsior Lake, cliff-sided Steelhead Lake below the Sphinx-ish Shepherd Crest, unremarkable Wasco Lake, and meadowy Greenstone Lake before returning along the opposite side of Saddlebag Lake. Maps showed two trails between Steelhead and Wasco Lakes. The western trail is incomplete but also led to the best geology with bold green layered rocks. Our hike was 9.3 miles to circle around nine lakes and one waterfall. The elevation varied from 9,900' to 10,400'. Never steep, the terrain rolled up and down which felt like a 1000' elevation change hike. The paths were mostly exposed with few trees. Located in a true basin, the lakes were surrounded by peaks and ridges. Icy snow pockets that survived the summer ensured water flow through the creeks and lakes.

Hiked this as an overnight backpacking trip with 2 friends in late July, it was the most beautiful…read moreamazing hike I've done and seen in a very long time. Drove up from San Diego the night before and tried to get a camping spot at ~7K feet altitude to get adjusted but all the campsites were full, so ended up camping overnight at disbursed camping down the road (still up at altitude, just no facilities and no fires allowed). Woke up in the morning and made a quick stop at Whoa Nellie Deli to use the bathroom, fill up on water etc. And then drove the very rocky road up to the trailhead. I have a Subaru Impreza, all wheel drive but not a lot of lift, so it was doable, but would have definitely felt better in an SUV, although I also saw a Prius in the parking lot so any car can make it I guess. Parked in the parking lot, there are bear boxes there to leave everything from your car that you're not bringing with you on your backs (also bring a bear canister if you're doing overnight!). Then we headed out. We hiked around the north side of Saddlebag lake, which was beautiful, and a little more crowded as a lot of day hikers just hike that lake. We then took the turn off to the right to head up to the rest of the lakes. On day 1 we did about 6 1/2 miles. We kept passing beautiful lake after beautiful lake. There was a point where we were hiking down a pretty steep climb and it started hailing on us! I was relieved we were hiking down at that point and not up with our packs on. I'd recommend having alltrails map downloaded as there are literally no trail markers, there would have been really know what to know which way to go without it. So we kept hiking and climbing, up and down, around more and more lakes. And then we setup camp for the night around Greenstone Lake. Night 1 was Friday night and was very quiet, no other over-nighters around. Night 2 was a Saturday, and it got a bit more crowded. Nothing too crazy, but there were definitely others in sight and ear-shot. We setup for 2 nights, and then did a day hike the next morning up to Conness Lake which was actually possibly the most beautiful lake I've ever seen in my entire life. I even went swimming in the freezing water! On our last day we woke up in the morning, packed up, and hiked out the remaining 3ish miles back around the bottom of Saddlebag Lake.

Altitude: 4,657 ft. Lake Type: Reservoir…read morePrimary: Eleanor Creek Surface Area: 953 Acres Water: 26,100 acres ft Surface Elevation: 4,657 ft. The lake was formed in 1918 by damming Eleanor Creek as part of the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir system, constructed to supply water and power to the city of San Francisco. Lake Eleanor is situated on the site of a smaller, natural lake of the same name. The lake was named after the daughter of Josiah Whitney, leader of the California Geological Survey in the 1860s. The lake now provides opportunities for angling, hiking and camping. It's an easy 2 mile hike from Miguel Meadow. You will see two gushing falls from across the lake in May and early June. So beautiful. Words can not express the serenity and admiration it brings to one when exposed to such sight. The water is amazingly clear and the tiny islands in the middle of the lake evoked such curiosity in me.

Jackson Road/Nelder Grove/Big Sandy: 2026 July 21 (4 of 5)…read more No Access to Nelder Grove! Temperature: 78 F (We thought we'd hike before the temperature gets to 3 digits) Humidity: 51 (The air felt thick, sticky, and heavy and it felt hotter than what the temperature reads. We were not comfortable at all.) Air quality: The air smelled musty and damp, suggesting high pollutant in the air. Turning right from Jackson Road Trail, we followed the path into the forest. We wanted to see if the trail to Nelder Grove was open because it had been closed since the fire that killed 104 giant sequoias. The sign that was prominent for years was gone so we assumed the trail is open. It didn't take us long before the trail narrowed to half a foot wide and thickets of thorny brush lined both sides along the path. It was difficult to navigate so we turned around. We traced our way back and turned right towards Big Sandy, however, the humidity and air quality decided today is not the day for a long hike. All-in-all, we did only 5.64 miles. Overall, this wasn't a good hike day for us.

i'm a huuuuuge Yosemite National Park fan along with my friends Erin S. and Sandyann G. we did a…read more3-day, 30-mile backpacking trip along the reservoir 2 years ago and another 4-day hike around the Smith Peak area over Memorial Day 2009. we couldn't stop being impressed by the beauty of the park but we really did have some requests/complaints. 2 years ago the thick, thorny brush had grown up so high over the (10-mile) switchback portion of reservoir trail that we had to close our eyes and push through head-high thorny brush that brutally scratched and scarred any exposed skin. we pushed on bleeding and bruised on our legs, arms, and faces and tried to stay on the trail that was in danger of being grown over. hopefully that trail has been maintained because i'd hate for someone to give up on backpacking or hetch hetchy based on an overgrown trail. over memorial day weekend, we encountered the SAME overgrown thorn brush by the smith peak area. this brush was just as unforgiving and thorny as 2 years ago, but thankfully only waist-high so we got scratched on mostly legs. the thorns also ripped up my sleeping mat too! grr! we were doubly disappointed to be stopped in the afternoon of our third day by a bridge that was out b/c we had not been forewarned by a ranger or by any posted sign over 20+ miles. just after being briefly followed by a frighteningly big bear we saw firefighters working to contain a forest fire. props to those firefighters! it looked like an awfully hard job. and they're all oh so cute!! to sum it up: trail maintenance is needed and some updated maps and sign posting would help. someone could easily get hurt or lost on those trails.

I enjoyed Hetch Hetchy but it wasn't my favorite part of our Yosemite trip. I did like it because…read morewe didn't see any other people aside from park rangers. We ended up hiking the lookout point trail. Unlike all the other trails in Yosemite this one is not well marked. We were walking for awhile without seeing any signs and I was convinced we were lost. Also unlike many of the other trails in Yosemite this one does not have any shade so make sure you pack the sunscreen. Lastly we saw a sign alerting on mountain lions in the area. I read somewhere that mountain lions won't attack you if you act confident. I walked the entire trail pretending I was Beyoncé and I was not attacked. You might want to consider it.

This is an awesome and underrated hike in Yosemite…read more Not very many people come up to the Toulumne Meadows area. It was way less crowded than any other hike we did. It also had some of the best views, so you really shouldn't miss it. You go past May lake at the start of the hike. The hike to May Lake is fairly easy. The trail is not well marked at all. Once you get to May Lake take the trail on the left side of the lake to continue on to Mount Hoffmann. After May Lake the trail gets very rocky for a pretty long stretch. It's not well marked and hard to figure out if you're going the right way. Then the rocks go away and it's not as steep of an incline for a bit. Don't be fooled though because this is right before the rock scramble. To get to the summit, it's one big rock scramble which I was slightly terrified of. It's not at all marked so try to find the easiest way to the top. There are great views on the entire hike after the lake. They get better the higher up you get and there are 360 degree views at the summit. It's supposed to be a 6 mile round trip hike, but it felt way longer than that. It took us about 6 hours to finish. We hike pretty often and this one was fairly strenuous for us. It's definitely doable, but be prepared for a challenge, especially with the rock scramble at the end. The views are incredible and absolutely worth the challenge!

One of the greatest peaks in Yosemite National Park. The scenery from the top (10,845 feet (3,305…read moremeters)) is just gorgious. BEAUTIFUL. This route goes through May Lake. May Lake is beautiful, too. It is high altitude, so the air is thin, but not very long way. Also the last part to the top is not really easy. Need to climb rocks but no problem for 154 cm, very small girl with short legs! (=me)

Oct 2015, I hiked up to Mt.Conness from Young Lake side. It is the easiest route to the top. From…read morethe trailhead in Tuolumne to Young lake is about 6-7 miles. No official trail from there to the top, but there is a used trail basically all the way to summit. Some portion is not clear, though. Some portion is scree and some scrambling but not so difficult. We started 2:30 pm and summited 5, then back to Young lake (camped) around 6:30 p.m. The view was stunning. Just beautiful. It is worth climbing.

The vast majority of people that visit Saddlebag Lake never get more than a mile or two beyond its…read moreshores, but if you're willing to put in some extra effort you can reach the summit of 12,590 ft Mt Conness. The summit can be reached by a number of technical and non-technical routes, from the Class 2 S Slopes (from the E) to the classic 10c Harding Route (SW Face). The N Ridge/W Ridge (5.6) link-up is highly recommended and along with Matthes Crest, is one of my favorite early season climbs. The S Slopes approach technically starts/ends from Sawmill Campground, but if you've parked at the lake to access the N Ridge you can cross-country to save yourself the pavement trek. Note that the road generally opens after Tioga Pass, so call ahead or expect some extra miles. Details on routes can be found here: http://www.summitpost.org/mountain/rock/150473/mount-conness.html

This is a series of loop trails to Stockton Reservoir. Stick to the main path as you enter or you…read morewill have a steep decline to the creek on an alternative trail. Mild flow for is in April 2025. Easy to cross the stream. This is a relatively moderate trail depending on which path you choose. Some are flat and wide roads. Other paths can be steep and are much more strenuous. You will be around 3000 feet in elevation so not too bad. The reservoir itself is uneventful but a good turn around destination.