We're off on our first day hike of the trip, to May Lake. This is Mt. Hoffman, which towers over the lake.©http://backpackthesierra.com
May Lake, with Hoffman in the background. We drove up the same day, so the 9,000 elevation is noticeable!©http://backpackthesierra.com
Nice Lake--with lots of people. It's a popular day hike, and there is also a High Sierra Camp as well...and a backpacker's campground.©http://backpackthesierra.com
©http://backpackthesierra.com
So we decided to wander up towards Mt. Hoffman...just to see how far we would get. Here is M pointing to her namesake peak, Mt. Clark. We were up there last year about this time!©http://backpackthesierra.com
The view of May Lake from the newly renovated trail up to Mt. Hoffman.©http://backpackthesierra.com
Just a short walk up from the lake, we came across this lovely meadow...and Mt. Clark in the background©http://backpackthesierra.com
And as we climbed higher, both Cloud's Rest and Half Dome appeared over the horizon.©http://backpackthesierra.com
So we kept going up...©http://backpackthesierra.com
And each new turn in the trail gave us new views.©http://backpackthesierra.com
By now we have decided to go to the top...but these switchbacks up the ridge were brutally steep. This is a "brand new trail" in Yosemite... and it still needs some work.©http://backpackthesierra.com
That's Tenaya lake in the background...and the High Sierra behind it.©http://backpackthesierra.com
This amazing tower is just below the summit...Half Dome far below in the distance.©http://backpackthesierra.com
M scrambling up the last summit pitch. It was very steep and required hands and feet. That's my shadow on the left...©http://backpackthesierra.com
This lovely lake was just over the north face©http://backpackthesierra.com
and many more Lakes to the west. Just the beginning of a truly amazing view.©http://backpackthesierra.com
The fire in the Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne...and the peaks of the northern part of the park beyond.©http://backpackthesierra.com
That's Mt. Dana on the horizon..and Mt Gibbs. And Tuolumne Meadows is that forested part in front of them.©http://backpackthesierra.com
From right to left: Half Dome, Mt. Star King, the huge granite face of Cloud's Rest, and the Clark Range on the far left horizon.©http://backpackthesierra.com
The peaks of the Yosemite High Country--Donohue et al.©http://backpackthesierra.com
It was getting late, so we headed down the mountain. The light was really lovely this late in the day...©http://backpackthesierra.com
One of the lower summits of Mt. Hoffman...©http://backpackthesierra.com
M working her way down from the top. A tough climb. Final elevation was 10,850.©http://backpackthesierra.com
P at the base of the summit dome, with Half Dome in the background.©http://backpackthesierra.com
This notch in the ridge allowed us one last glimpse of the north part of the park. The face just beyond the snow is about 1000 of vertical rock.©http://backpackthesierra.com
with those lovely lakes below.©http://backpackthesierra.com
Heading back down over the high meadow on Mt. Hoffman. I couldn't resist this photo...©http://backpackthesierra.com
Or this one©http://backpackthesierra.com
M coming back down the steep ridge. It wasn't a lot easier in this direction©http://backpackthesierra.com
That's not the summit, by the way. The summit is taller and further west©http://backpackthesierra.com
Back to the meadow©http://backpackthesierra.com
Sunset on the ridges of Mt. Hoffman©http://backpackthesierra.com
This section of trail is just a short walk above May Lake.©http://backpackthesierra.com
The last descent to the lake©http://backpackthesierra.com
That's Mt. Conness on the left...with the snow©http://backpackthesierra.com
This grouse just would not move off the rock. So I took it's picture. We also saw tons of marmots at the peak...but they were less interested in photography.©http://backpackthesierra.com
M on her way down the trail to the grouse©http://backpackthesierra.com
The northwest face of Mt. Hoffman©http://backpackthesierra.com
May Lake at sunset...©http://backpackthesierra.com
Cathedral Peak from the trail.. as we head back to the car and back to camp. The whole trail was six miles, and climbed about 2,000 feet.©http://backpackthesierra.com
THe next day...off to Lyell Canyon for a ten mile out and back hike©http://backpackthesierra.com
We wanted something less strenuous, so we headed up Lyell Canyon on the John Muir Trail, which is all pretty darn flat.©http://backpackthesierra.com
The river is really lovely through here©http://backpackthesierra.com
And once we got out of the forest, the views were also lovely©http://backpackthesierra.com
That's Mammoth Peak©http://backpackthesierra.com
I loved this vew of the trees and fallen timber©http://backpackthesierra.com
The broad stream of the river winds its way through the meadows©http://backpackthesierra.com
And at times the view opens up to the towering mountains at the head of the valley©http://backpackthesierra.com
Mammoth Peak again, from the south©http://backpackthesierra.com
This canyon leads to Ireland Lake...but we were taking it easy, remember? We didn't go that far.©http://backpackthesierra.com
In fact, we sat around, fished, and generally took life easy before heading back down the valley©http://backpackthesierra.com
In the late afternoon the light gets even more wonderful©http://backpackthesierra.com
Back near Tuolumne Meadows, this is Mammoth Peak. I climbed it years ago..and then foolishly came down the north face (left in photo) to get home.©http://backpackthesierra.com
Little children playing in the stream a mile from the lodge©http://backpackthesierra.com
The drive back to our campground took us past Tenaya Lake and Olmsted point..and some wonderful photos.©http://backpackthesierra.com
Half Dome from Olmsted Point©http://backpackthesierra.com
Cloud's Rest©http://backpackthesierra.com
Day Three...M has blisters, so we try a new shoe combination, and decide to take some shorter hikes. This one is to Polly Dome Lakes...about five miles total, some of it cross country©http://backpackthesierra.com
Lovely granite on Polly Dome©http://backpackthesierra.com
The first of the Polly Dome Lakes...and it turns out that there is a VERY well marked use trail.©http://backpackthesierra.com
The largest of the Polly Dome Lakes...no fish, but a cute (if wary) family of ducks. And quite a few backpackers©http://backpackthesierra.com
Yes...that's Mt. Hoffman. We're just a couple of miles from May Lake at this point. And by the time we get back to the car, M announces her new shoe solution is working great....where shall we go next?©http://backpackthesierra.com
How about a drive up to Saddlebag Lake? We stopped here for lunch...this is the east face of Mt. Conness.©http://backpackthesierra.com
Lovely valley and the Conness range.©http://backpackthesierra.com
There are also a series of lakes up behind the first ridge...but we had other plans.©http://backpackthesierra.com
Mt. Dana...Looking very steep. It's actually a pretty easy climb, if you have the lungs for it.©http://backpackthesierra.com
We drove to Mono Lake to wander around the tufa...©http://backpackthesierra.com
Don't touch the tufa!©http://backpackthesierra.com
Does this look tropical? It was very warm and humid here. And smelled very much like shrimp!©http://backpackthesierra.com
The tufa in front of Mt Dana..which gave us an idea...©http://backpackthesierra.com
Yep. Back in the car to drive into Yosemite and hike to another series of wonderful lakes...©http://backpackthesierra.com
This trail climbs straight up from the entrance station at Tioga Pass...©http://backpackthesierra.com
Giving stunning views of Dana, Gibbs, and the Dana Fork of the Tuolumne.©http://backpackthesierra.com
Mt. Gibbs©http://backpackthesierra.com
Dana, with brighter sunlight, looks less red. It's not.©http://backpackthesierra.com
And just over the ridge was Middle Gaylor Lake©http://backpackthesierra.com
It sits in a shallow meadow overlooking the Cathedral Range©http://backpackthesierra.com
We never tired of these views©http://backpackthesierra.com
Almost a horizon pool, Middle Gaylor also has two exit streams...although one is less obvious...©http://backpackthesierra.com
We walked to the west edge of the lake to catch more of the Cathedral Range©http://backpackthesierra.com
That's Cathedral Peak on the right...©http://backpackthesierra.com
And directly west is Mt. Hoffman. The true summit is on the left.©http://backpackthesierra.com
Mt. Dana from below the lake©http://backpackthesierra.com
The Cathedral Range©http://backpackthesierra.com
In the far distance is Red Peak from the Clark Range©http://backpackthesierra.com
We headed cross country to Granite Lakes, under the supervision of Mt. Dana.©http://backpackthesierra.com
This is lower Granite Lake...a lovely setting. We stopped and I fished for a bit..without seeing a fish.©http://backpackthesierra.com
We loved the alpine flora here©http://backpackthesierra.com
And the dramatic sky©http://backpackthesierra.com
Me not catching fish. But getting great practice fly-casting.©http://backpackthesierra.com
Middle Gaylor from the ridge overlooking Granite Lakes.©http://backpackthesierra.com
M walking back, late in the day. Despite our concerns for her feet...we ended up doing three hikes today, including a short one at Mono Lake...and ten miles!©http://backpackthesierra.com
Middle Gaylor looking south©http://backpackthesierra.com
Looking West as we climb up out of the plateau.©http://backpackthesierra.com
The top of the ridge, late in the day.©http://backpackthesierra.com
Mt. Dana©http://backpackthesierra.com
On top of the ridge©http://backpackthesierra.com
Dana Meadows by Tioga Pass from the ridge.©http://backpackthesierra.com
Mammoth Peak...around to the right is the Lyell Fork that we walked yesterday.©http://backpackthesierra.com
Shadows in the forest and the peaks in bright sunlight©http://backpackthesierra.com
This lovely tree is right at the trailhead©http://backpackthesierra.com
And M liked this little stone building©http://backpackthesierra.com
On the way back to the campgroud, we took this shot of Mt. Hoffman in the evening.©http://backpackthesierra.com
Day Four--we are off on a new adventure...this is Sentinel Dome on the south side of Yosemite Valley...and we are walking to North Dome...on the north side.©http://backpackthesierra.com
Antoher shot of Sentinel Dome. This trail spent a lot of time in the forest...but there were occasion nice views.©http://backpackthesierra.com
The Clark Range from Indian Ridge. That't Mt Clark on the left, then Grey Peak, Red Peak and Merced Peak...©http://backpackthesierra.com
And we were pretty darn close to Half Dome here...©http://backpackthesierra.com
Indian Rock has a beautiful stone arch...©http://backpackthesierra.com
It's really quite delicate.©http://backpackthesierra.com
Me posing for scale©http://backpackthesierra.com
Yosemite Valley lies just over the ridge behind me...©http://backpackthesierra.com
Half Dome and the Clark Range...with dramatic clouds©http://backpackthesierra.com
The trail down to the final climb up North Dome was very steep and slippery.©http://backpackthesierra.com
Yep--that's the trail.©http://backpackthesierra.com
Once out on North Dome, the views were captivating©http://backpackthesierra.com
Mt. Starr King©http://backpackthesierra.com
Yosemite Valley©http://backpackthesierra.com
Cloud's Rest and Tenaya Canyon©http://backpackthesierra.com
There were lovely trees here, struggling to live in the bare rock.©http://backpackthesierra.com
M pointing out the sights (and sites) in Yosemite Valley©http://backpackthesierra.com
The old man of the mountains.©http://backpackthesierra.com
M and Cloud's Rest©http://backpackthesierra.com
Half Dome. M. The Magic Boots.©http://backpackthesierra.com
Walking to the top of North Dome©http://backpackthesierra.com
That's Sentinel Dome...and on the far right, Cathedral Rocks. Not related to Cathedral Peak.©http://backpackthesierra.com
The trail back down off North Dome...and up that ridge in the background.©http://backpackthesierra.com
A cairns on the horizon...with unidentified hiker.©http://backpackthesierra.com
Half Dome and tree©http://backpackthesierra.com
That's North Dome, from the ridge above it.©http://backpackthesierra.com
A lovely tree on the trail back up to Tioga Road©http://backpackthesierra.com
Looking over North Dome at Half Dome and Starr King...after which we headed back home for showers.©http://backpackthesierra.com
