Yosemite and such in July

[audrey]

We're heading back to Mammoth Lakes for a week in July (no backpacking) and this time I figured we've got to spend some time in Yosemite and see what the hype's all about.

Since we usually hate crowds, I'm hoping that staying on the eastern side of Yosemite and doing some off-trail travel will give us some good options. As usual, wildflowers are as important to me as views are.

Here are some dayhikes we are considering:

Clouds Rest (for the views of Half Dome etc.)
Gardisky Lake/Tioga Crest to Dore Cliff
Young Lakes (out of Tuolumne Meadows)
A lakes loop from Bennettville, including Fantail, Spuller, etc.

Also, in the Bishop Pass area, Chocolate Peak & a loop through the many lakes there.

Finally, I have to throw in a desert peak on the other side of Rte 395. Mt. Patterson in the Sweetwater Range was a stunning hike. Any recommendations for something further south? White Mountain Peak sounds intriguing but also too long, too high, and probably a bit tedious if you're not peakbagging.

 

[Peakbagr]

Audrey,

Climb Dana Peak right out of Tioga Pass. All out in the open, one of the highest peaks in the park, spectacular views and not a huge ascent.

As to White Mt Peak, the area is fabulous. If you have time, stay in the Bristlecone area campground. I don't recall the name. You can wander all day looking at some of the oldest living things on the planet. And bring your camera. After spending time in the Yosemite high country, and a night up high in the White Mtns, White Mt Peak is a great destination. Its almost a 30 mile drive to the trailhead, almost all of it above the treeline. You park and start hiking at around 11,300' at the UC High Altitude Research Center gate. The hike to White Mt Peak is like walking the northern Presidentials. You see the cone of the peak in the distance and it keeps getting larger and larger. Before you know it, you're hiking up to the summit. The top of the peak is on the same range as Boundary Pk, Nevada's highest point. If you guys enjoy lots of above treeline walking WMP is a terrific destination. I've heard it described as the highest desert peak in the world. It might be the 5th highest 14er in the lower 48. I'd go to the Bristlecones all by themselves, but WMP is a long day as you mentioned.

 

[Trainwreck]

Jealous!
I second Dana Peak.
Tuolomne Meadows is one of my favorite places. Tons of non-strenuous hikes to georgous views.
If you have never been to Yosemite, I strongly suggest a trip to the Valley and see the sights. You will not be dissapointed, yes it is crowded, and you will see why when you get there. We can discuss this further next w/e. If you were considering a quiet place in Yosemite to spend the night, I highly recommend White Wolf. Wood stoves make your tent cozy and ward off chill.
I very much enjoyed our visit to Mono lake. A major change in scenery from the Park. There are also quite a few natural hot springs around there.

 

[WinterWarlock]

Audrey - I'm going to follow this closely, as I'm planning almost the same trip for July....planning to go to LA, drive to Mammoth for a few days, then up to Yosemite. Since it sounds like you've been to Mammoth before, any suggestions for something to do there before heading to Yosemite?

I was in Yosemite last winter...stayed at the Wawona. Even if you don't stay there, the restaurant is fabulous if you get a chance one night.

 

[pudgy_groundhog]

If you have never been to Yosemite, I strongly suggest a trip to the Valley and see the sights. You will not be dissapointed, yes it is crowded, and you will see why when you get there. We can discuss this further next w/e. If you were considering a quiet place in Yosemite to spend the night, I highly recommend White Wolf. Wood stoves make your tent cozy and ward off chill.
I very much enjoyed our visit to Mono lake. A major change in scenery from the Park. There are also quite a few natural hot springs around there.

I ditto this. Yes, the valley was crowded. But we found by getting up early and actually leaving the road, we lost a lot of the crowds. I think you need to spend at least half a day there just to see the famous sights.

I also second Mono Lake. Particularly at sunset. We hadn't planned on Mono Lake, but ended up there one evening and really enjoyed it. We also hadn't planned the ghost town at Bodie State Park, but it was a neat side trip. There are some pictures in here if you want to see: Yosemite

 

[audrey]

Our base camp will be a condo in Mammoth Lakes, which is what we did a couple of years ago and hiked north and south of there. Little Lakes Valley and McGee Creek Trail (both south of Mammoth) were standouts. I agree, Mono Lake was fascinating.

My least favorite day (relatively!) was taking the shuttle (required) down to the Devil's Postpile and spending the day hiking with the crowds to Upper and Lower Rainbow Falls and along the San Joaquin River. It was certainly splendid, but too many people, and there have been some serious wildfires and/or drought in there.

Too bad it's only for a week. I always feel as though I'm missing so much because I can't cram everything in.

 

[Peakbagr]

"I second Dana Peak. Tuolomne Meadows is one of my favorite places. Tons of non-strenuous hikes to georgous views."

We spent a week camping at the TM campground. Busy campground, but gorgeous country a few min away. Small domes, trails into the scenic backcountry, terrific hiking to bigger mountain all up there. We acclimatized at Tuolomne, hiking higher each day and then up spectacular Mt Dana at 13,061'. Might be the 2nd highest in the Park.

Spent part of one day down in the Yosemite Valley. Got up early for the long drive downhill. There is only 1 road and its very busy and takes a lot longer to drive down and back to TM than it might appear on maps. I'd avoid the Valley on weekends and holidays, and get an early start. We walked around, gawked at the big walls and waterfalls, but after the Yosemite high country solitude, it was a jangling experience to be jostled by the crowds and traffic in the Valley. After half a day of wondering how wonderful it would be without the crowds, we headed back to TM.

Our goodbye to Yosemite was the drive down from Tioga Pass to Mono Lake. We spent a few hours there. Its gorgeous, special and odd to have the smell of salt water and seagulls high up in the mountains.

We then scooted off to the White Mtns, a day in awe in the Bristlecones, a day climbing White Mt Peak, and then a drive down to Bishop for a climb of Mt Whitney. We packed a lot of hiking into 2 weeks, and wished we could have spent another month going to places we bypassed.
I'd love to go back some day. What a great trip you have in front of you.

Alan

 

[Kevin Rooney]

Don't forget to do Glacier Point. I've a hiker friend who claims it's got the best views in the US, and he's lived out here (I live about 3-4 hours south of Yosemite) for about 40 years.

The name of the campground Peakbaggr mentioned in the Bristlecones is Grandview, although since you've done White Mtn it may not be on your itinerary.

If you haven't been there already, plan a day to wander around in Bodie. Really neat ghost town. Used to be a goldmine or some such there, and spend a few hours at nearby Mono Lake. Mono is just north of Lee Vining, the portal for the eastern entrance to Yosemite. And Brodie is north of that.

 

[Snowflea]

A few more nice destinations on the eastern side of Yosemite:

-- Tuolumne Falls, on the PCT near Glen Aulin High Sierra Camp, are spectacular and would make a great destination, especially on a hot day.

-- The Mt. Conness-Alpine Lake area from Saddlebag Lake is lovely, with lots of wildflowers when I was there in July.

-- Lembert Dome is a fun, scrambly "mini Half Dome"--but a lot easier & less scary than Half Dome--that you can do in a couple of hours.

Outside Yosemite:

-- There are some beautiful day loops you can do in the Agnew Pass area which can be accessed from the June Lake Loop Road, a few miles north of Mammoth. Some refer to this area as the Ansel Adams section of the JMT. There are dozens of spectacular alpine lakes, and Mts. Ritter, Banner and the Minarets looming beyond.

-- Chocolate Peak is a nice destination, but if you have the time, continue on to Bishop Pass. Absolutely spectacular country!

-- Same for Piute Pass. Compared to Bishop Pass, it doesn't take as long to get to this one, and the Humphreys Basin area just north of the pass is just amazing. (I keep meaning to get back there and do some exploring!)

-- Another shout out for the Bristlecone Pine Forest, home of THE oldest living things on Planet Earth. On the way to the Visitor Center is an overlook with a GREAT (the best??) expansive view of the eastern Sierra Nevada!

I could keep going but will stop now.

Edit: One more thing... Make sure you have dinner at the Whoa Nellie Deli located at the Mobil station at the bottom of Tioga Pass Road. I recommend the fish tacos. And they have live music there a couple of times a week.

 

[Peakbagr]

You guys are making me daydream for another trip out there. We wandered all over the high country around Tioga Pass including the spectacular Saddlebag Lake area.

Kevin, you're killing me with envy over where you live. When we were up at Whitney Portal, the store served pancakes that actually hung over the edge of dinner plates. I remember having 3 plus homefries and toast the morning after we got back from Mt Whitney. Still open and serving?

Groundhog, loved your photos.

I gotta get back there or stop reading threads like this.

 

[WinterWarlock]

You guys are making me daydream for another trip out there. We wandered all over the high country around Tioga Pass including the spectacular Saddlebag Lake area.

Kevin, you're killing me with envy over where you live. When we were up at Whitney Portal, the store served pancakes that actually hung over the edge of dinner plates. I remember having 3 plus homefries and toast the morning after we got back from Mt Whitney. Still open and serving?

Groundhog, loved your photos.

I gotta get back there or stop reading threads like this.

I can't wait til summer now...this is helping cement our plans too.

Alan - sounds you need to hit Sweet Sue's for your pancake fix.

 

[Kevin Rooney]

Kevin, you're killing me with envy over where you live. When we were up at Whitney Portal, the store served pancakes that actually hung over the edge of dinner plates. I remember having 3 plus homefries and toast the morning after we got back from Mt Whitney. Still open and serving?

Yup, it's still the way they serve them. The burger and fries is huge also. Bigger than life, in a way, but that's who Doug Thompson is in a way. About 2 years ago he opened the Whitney Hostel in Lone Pine (just south of the stop light, east side of street). $20/night - it's a bargain and he and his son did a great job restoring the place.

Last weekend I did a hike with Doug. Here's a picture looking back at Whitney from the Alabama Hills:

 

[Bob]

Half Dome is a nice day hike.

 

[LivesToHike]

one of my favorite national parks...

Audrey -
My brothers and I were car-camping in Yosemite this past August 2009.

Mt Dana is definitely worth doing. It's not a particularly long hike - maybe 6 miles and probably alittle over 3K of elevation gain. The views are spectacular. I wish I had done it many moons ago on my last camping trip out there.

Half Dome is a great hike (bring alot of water and leather gloves for the cables), as is the hike up to the top of Yosemite Falls and Yosemite Point. And I agree with one other poster: get up to Glacier Point for the views, even if you just drive up there. You'll never regret it. Sentiel Dome is a 4 mile roundtrip hike off the Glacier Point road too.

Don't forget to see some of the giant Sequoias in Mariposa Grove, or the two smaller groves in the park.

Enjoy!
Mike

PS Just thought of a couple other things:

- Clouds Rest looks like a great hike without the crowds of Half Dome. I haven't done it but would do in a heartbeat if I got back to Yosemite.

- Puppy Dome is a tiny dome opposite of Lembert Dome, behind the Backcountry Permits office in T. Meadows. Nice after dinner hike. There is rock climbing there as well that my brothers tried (with the proper gear).

- Behind Lembert Dome and Dog Dome is Dog Lake - an easy hike after doing Lembert Dome.

- Dish Pan dome is another tiny Dome on the far end of T. Meadows - West on Rt 120. A very easy stroll with good views.

 

[Cymbidium]

After peakbagging I highly recomment traveling to Mono Lake for some great phtot ops and lunch at the the Whoa Nellie Deli at a gas station near Tioga Pass in Lee Vining outside the park. Do not miss it!!

 

[audrey]

I don't know why I ask these questions here. <sigh> Don't y'all know how hard you make it to decide what to do? BTW, if anyone's looking for a great hiking guide, "California Hiking" by Stienstra and Brown describes 1000 hikes and is spot on with advice and directions. No maps, but Tom Harrison Maps has beauties.

Kevin - do the Alabama Hills go brown in July? I have read they are a killer destination for wildflowers in the spring.

LivesToHike: Dog Lake is on the way to the Young Lakes, so that one's covered. However, I think I'll enjoy looking at Half Dome from Clouds Rest!

Stinkyfeet: Mt Conness is definitely a contender, or at least as far as the start of the ridge scramble.

Pudgy: thank you for the pics. I have to put on a bib whenever I start thinking about this trip.

Peakbagr, you may have convinced me about White Mt Peak! Sounds like you owe yourself a trip out there.

 

[Peakbagr]

STOP IT! You guys are killing me with the descriptions, reminders and the cruelest cut of all was Kevin's photo.
The Alabama Hills are all those huge roundish boulders. Many of the older cowboy movies and TV shows were filmed there.

Keep posting and I'm going to have to block this site from myself.

ps Love it, thanks.

Alan

 

[Kevin Rooney]

Kevin - do the Alabama Hills go brown in July? I have read they are a killer destination for wildflowers in the spring.

They're mostly brown, tinged with a pale green. There's quite abit of water flowing from the base of the range out into the valley floor just below the surface. But, the Owens Valley is still a high desert valley, with rainfall in the valley itself somewhere in the 4-6" range.

One more picture - the one below was taken late in the afternoon, same day as the one above. This one captures high winds aloft creating spindrift off Langley, the 14'er a miles south of Whitney.

 

[sierra]

dana

I once climbed MT.Dana after a snow, standing on the summit under blue calm skies looking out over Yosemite, in my top 3 days in the mountains.

 

[mtruman]

I'm going to be hanging on this thread as well. We're going to be in Yosemite for 6 days at the end of June (followed by a week in SF to ease back into civilization). Already some great suggestions here. Mt Dana is quickly moving to the top of my list!