TR: Cathedral Range July 7-16 2018
Posted: Fri Aug 10, 2018 10:17 pm
Hello Everyone,
This is the successful (!) version of the first half of the "epic fail" trip I took last year. My goal was to wander close to the crest of the Cathedral Range and add my little variation to Roper’s Sierra High Route by hiking through the Hutchings Creek and Lyell Fork drainages instead of the canonical Blue Lake Pass-Vogelsang Pass-Tuolumne Meadows route. I had completed a north-to-south version of the SHR to Humphreys Basin two years ago as part of a longer trip, and I wanted to see some of the more remote and hard to get to terrain I had bypassed.
As always, thank you to everyone who contributes to this forum, offers advice and writes up their own trip reports. This is a lovely, lovely resource and you are lovely, lovely people. For those who recall my gastro troubles on past trips and helped to troubleshoot that particular issue, I seem to have the upper hand for now with a revised diet and Daddy’s Little Helpers — lactase for mac & cheese nights, galactosidase for bean burrito nights, nothing extra (!) for TJ’s Harvest Grains and soup mix nights, acidophilus every morning, and calcium carbonate/anti-diarrheal if things start arumblin’. I also eliminated my Grape Nuts with Nido in the morning in favor of standard rolled oats (not quick) with golden raisins and dried dates — boring as hell, but it does give the stomach something substantial to work with for a while, and by adding enough brown sugar I managed to force it down each morning. Enough background and history — on to the good (?) stuff…
July 6 — Planes, Trains & Automobiles… and a Missed Bus, Too
My wife and youngest daughter drove me to the regional airport at the crack of dawn. Flight to Chicago uneventful. Slept much of flight to San Francisco. When I recovered my backpack at baggage claim it was apparent TSA had been through my food with a vengeance. It’s their new thing, apparently. They lost or confiscated my olive oil and left everything else in total disarray. Repacked in the baggage claim area. Took the Bay Area Rapid Transit downtown to the Transbay Temporary Terminal. The lunch time burrito from Senor Sisig truck was very good. Amtrak Thruway bus to southbound San Joaquins train at Emeryville uneventful, but they had a malfunctioning engine right out of the gate. Arrived late in Merced and Amtrak would not honor my YARTS ticket to YNP. If I had purchased the YARTS ticket through Amtrak they would have taken me to YNP by taxi as they did four others. Who knew? As it was, I spent the night at the Slumber Motel a mile and a half from the depot. $60.50 with tax tells you everything you need to know.
July 7 — Oof!
Up at 4:30 AM to walk to the depot to catch the first bus to YNP. The YARTS driver accepted my ticket from yesterday because he could not get the scanner to work to see if the computer would accept it. He saved me $14. A couple of Loud Talkers boarded at the first stop, so I got no catnap on the way up. Picked up my permit at 8:45 AM, thus not losing too much time versus having spent the night at the Backpackers Camp. Bought stove fuel and coffee and had some breakfast. On the trail by 10:00 AM. Incredibly difficult climb up Yosemite Falls Trail. Just brutal — I knew within 30 minutes this was going to be a different experience than any I had before. Not enough sleep? “Sudden” elevation change to 4000’ that morning? Pack too heavy at 43+ lbs with ten days rations? Aging? All of the above? Took four hours to reach the top, if you can believe that. Thirsty and winded the whole way up. I crashed and took a two and a half hour nap right on the rocks by Yosemite Creek — just laid my head on a pad and I was out. When I awoke and sat up, I scared the daylights out of a couple who had come up to sunbathe on a nearby rock in the stream while I was taking advantage of nature’s Slumber Motel — apparently I blend in well with the surroundings. Climbed to Yosemite Point and then down to 7000’ at Indian Canyon Creek where I made camp. Mosquitoes were not a problem.
July 8 — Ugh!
On the trail by 8:15 AM. Hiked to North Dome with nice views of Yosemite Valley, Half Dome, and Clouds Rest. Hiked Indian Ridge to the “Natural Arch” which is a seriously funny, tiny little thing. Banged cross country 1600’ downhill to Snow Creek in about thirty minutes, watered up, and then climbed to the ridge north of Mt Watkins with nice views of Clouds Rest and Tenaya Canyon. Not feeling the love of the altitude all day. Having real trouble uphill. Hiking right next to the Tioga Pass Road was not so great in terms of a wilderness experience. More good views of Clouds Rest, Half Dome and Tenaya Canyon from Olmsted Point. Camped at 8100’ off-trail on the west bank of Tenaya Creek.
July 9 — D’oh!
On my way at 8:15 AM for a short cross country jaunt to catch the trail to Sunrise Lakes. Very slow going again when gaining elevation. Just no get up and go. Nothing in the tank. Whatever. Pass by the Sunrise Lakes and have lunch at Sunrise High Sierra Camp. On the way into the maze that is SHSC, a very belligerent man with his son wants to know where I came from. Water spigot not running, so I climb well above sites to get some tannin saturated water. The same man comes by a little later with his friend who I had seen washing his feet in one of the Sunrise Lakes and asks me if I know that I am sitting on the trail, which happens to run by the sitting area with a fire ring where I am having lunch. Is it the altitude affecting my perceptions, or are these people just nasty? Cannot wait to get further off trail and away from the masses later today. After lunch I am on the JMT going north for one half mile and then I go east on the Echo Creek trail after saying hello to a packer leading her empty train back down from the camp. Get a good breathing rhythm going up and over to the Cathedral Fork of Echo Creek. Then off trail up the outlet stream of Matthes Lake. Nothing technical, just a mix of rocks, slabs, and grassy slopes — Class 2 hiking all the way. Really struggling, though, so even though it is only 2:45 PM I throw in the towel and make camp near the lake at 9600’. Spent the afternoon and evening reading and laying around admiring Matthes Crest and the meadow where I am camped.
July 10 — Off Trail: Matthes Lake to Evelyn Lake
On my way relatively late at 8:45 AM. Winded and dizzy in camp even before setting out. The 200’ climb to the ridge east of Matthes Lake just about did me in. Don’t know what is wrong, but the short hike and extended rest yesterday didn’t do it’s hoped for magic. I took the same route down the other side of the ridge as I did last year, no problem. Stopped at Nelson Lake for water and second breakfast. Stopped at Reymann Lake, too. Once I was over the pass and on the saddle northeast of Rafferty Peak I could see Evelyn Lake across the valley. Went straight down the slope, encountering very old stacks of cordwood which struck me as weird. Bit of a struggle going up the other side, so when I got to the outlet of Evelyn Lake I took another nap — only 45 minutes this time. All off trail from Matthes Lake to Evelyn Lake was simple Class 2 hiking. I intended to go on to Ireland Lake via the trails, but I just couldn’t continue past the unnamed lake to the east of Evelyn at elevation 10440’. Called it quits at 3:45 PM. Broke the dang flushing syringe for my Sawyer Seize (oops, I’m sorry — Squeeze). Doesn’t matter, it doesn’t clean up right and the flow is painfully slow. I suppose this is my fault — after all, before I read the directions I did happen to look into the wrong end of it once. Going to toss the thing when I am done with this hike and save myself 6 oz. Drank unfiltered/untreated water for the rest of the trip without incident — kind of liberating. I had Aqua Mira as a backup in case I thought conditions warranted its use.
July 11 — Off Trail: Ireland Lake to Maclure Lake
On my way at 8:30 AM. Not having much luck getting going early. Was winded and dizzy again this morning in camp and had some trouble maintaining a decent pace on the trail. As I approached Ireland Lake things got a little better. A couple was camped at the lake and was just getting back from a morning hike, so I waved to them from a distance — they were the last people I would see for five days. It took me two hours to get to the ridge top south of Amelia Earhart Peak. About a mile and a half and 900’ elevation gain over Class 2 hiking terrain. Ridiculous. Had lunch at the top. Unfortunately it started to cloud over — little did I know that this was the first of many an overcast and stormy afternoon to test me in the days to come. The descent was also easy Class 2, and I dropped a little low as I tried to contour around to Lake 11275’. The views of Mt Maclure and its glaciers were impressive despite the cloudy conditions. I had reached the ridge above Maclure Lake and had decided to press on to Russell Pass when I heard thunder coming from the north. That pretty much decided against the attempt, so I descended to the lake and set up camp very early at 11450’ on the shore of Maclure Lake. Water from the snowmelt was too cold to even think about washing up with. Some light rain. I also decided to stop taking my blood pressure pill, finally making the connection between dizziness and blood flow to the brain.
Dennis
This is the successful (!) version of the first half of the "epic fail" trip I took last year. My goal was to wander close to the crest of the Cathedral Range and add my little variation to Roper’s Sierra High Route by hiking through the Hutchings Creek and Lyell Fork drainages instead of the canonical Blue Lake Pass-Vogelsang Pass-Tuolumne Meadows route. I had completed a north-to-south version of the SHR to Humphreys Basin two years ago as part of a longer trip, and I wanted to see some of the more remote and hard to get to terrain I had bypassed.
As always, thank you to everyone who contributes to this forum, offers advice and writes up their own trip reports. This is a lovely, lovely resource and you are lovely, lovely people. For those who recall my gastro troubles on past trips and helped to troubleshoot that particular issue, I seem to have the upper hand for now with a revised diet and Daddy’s Little Helpers — lactase for mac & cheese nights, galactosidase for bean burrito nights, nothing extra (!) for TJ’s Harvest Grains and soup mix nights, acidophilus every morning, and calcium carbonate/anti-diarrheal if things start arumblin’. I also eliminated my Grape Nuts with Nido in the morning in favor of standard rolled oats (not quick) with golden raisins and dried dates — boring as hell, but it does give the stomach something substantial to work with for a while, and by adding enough brown sugar I managed to force it down each morning. Enough background and history — on to the good (?) stuff…
July 6 — Planes, Trains & Automobiles… and a Missed Bus, Too
My wife and youngest daughter drove me to the regional airport at the crack of dawn. Flight to Chicago uneventful. Slept much of flight to San Francisco. When I recovered my backpack at baggage claim it was apparent TSA had been through my food with a vengeance. It’s their new thing, apparently. They lost or confiscated my olive oil and left everything else in total disarray. Repacked in the baggage claim area. Took the Bay Area Rapid Transit downtown to the Transbay Temporary Terminal. The lunch time burrito from Senor Sisig truck was very good. Amtrak Thruway bus to southbound San Joaquins train at Emeryville uneventful, but they had a malfunctioning engine right out of the gate. Arrived late in Merced and Amtrak would not honor my YARTS ticket to YNP. If I had purchased the YARTS ticket through Amtrak they would have taken me to YNP by taxi as they did four others. Who knew? As it was, I spent the night at the Slumber Motel a mile and a half from the depot. $60.50 with tax tells you everything you need to know.
July 7 — Oof!
Up at 4:30 AM to walk to the depot to catch the first bus to YNP. The YARTS driver accepted my ticket from yesterday because he could not get the scanner to work to see if the computer would accept it. He saved me $14. A couple of Loud Talkers boarded at the first stop, so I got no catnap on the way up. Picked up my permit at 8:45 AM, thus not losing too much time versus having spent the night at the Backpackers Camp. Bought stove fuel and coffee and had some breakfast. On the trail by 10:00 AM. Incredibly difficult climb up Yosemite Falls Trail. Just brutal — I knew within 30 minutes this was going to be a different experience than any I had before. Not enough sleep? “Sudden” elevation change to 4000’ that morning? Pack too heavy at 43+ lbs with ten days rations? Aging? All of the above? Took four hours to reach the top, if you can believe that. Thirsty and winded the whole way up. I crashed and took a two and a half hour nap right on the rocks by Yosemite Creek — just laid my head on a pad and I was out. When I awoke and sat up, I scared the daylights out of a couple who had come up to sunbathe on a nearby rock in the stream while I was taking advantage of nature’s Slumber Motel — apparently I blend in well with the surroundings. Climbed to Yosemite Point and then down to 7000’ at Indian Canyon Creek where I made camp. Mosquitoes were not a problem.
July 8 — Ugh!
On the trail by 8:15 AM. Hiked to North Dome with nice views of Yosemite Valley, Half Dome, and Clouds Rest. Hiked Indian Ridge to the “Natural Arch” which is a seriously funny, tiny little thing. Banged cross country 1600’ downhill to Snow Creek in about thirty minutes, watered up, and then climbed to the ridge north of Mt Watkins with nice views of Clouds Rest and Tenaya Canyon. Not feeling the love of the altitude all day. Having real trouble uphill. Hiking right next to the Tioga Pass Road was not so great in terms of a wilderness experience. More good views of Clouds Rest, Half Dome and Tenaya Canyon from Olmsted Point. Camped at 8100’ off-trail on the west bank of Tenaya Creek.
July 9 — D’oh!
On my way at 8:15 AM for a short cross country jaunt to catch the trail to Sunrise Lakes. Very slow going again when gaining elevation. Just no get up and go. Nothing in the tank. Whatever. Pass by the Sunrise Lakes and have lunch at Sunrise High Sierra Camp. On the way into the maze that is SHSC, a very belligerent man with his son wants to know where I came from. Water spigot not running, so I climb well above sites to get some tannin saturated water. The same man comes by a little later with his friend who I had seen washing his feet in one of the Sunrise Lakes and asks me if I know that I am sitting on the trail, which happens to run by the sitting area with a fire ring where I am having lunch. Is it the altitude affecting my perceptions, or are these people just nasty? Cannot wait to get further off trail and away from the masses later today. After lunch I am on the JMT going north for one half mile and then I go east on the Echo Creek trail after saying hello to a packer leading her empty train back down from the camp. Get a good breathing rhythm going up and over to the Cathedral Fork of Echo Creek. Then off trail up the outlet stream of Matthes Lake. Nothing technical, just a mix of rocks, slabs, and grassy slopes — Class 2 hiking all the way. Really struggling, though, so even though it is only 2:45 PM I throw in the towel and make camp near the lake at 9600’. Spent the afternoon and evening reading and laying around admiring Matthes Crest and the meadow where I am camped.
July 10 — Off Trail: Matthes Lake to Evelyn Lake
On my way relatively late at 8:45 AM. Winded and dizzy in camp even before setting out. The 200’ climb to the ridge east of Matthes Lake just about did me in. Don’t know what is wrong, but the short hike and extended rest yesterday didn’t do it’s hoped for magic. I took the same route down the other side of the ridge as I did last year, no problem. Stopped at Nelson Lake for water and second breakfast. Stopped at Reymann Lake, too. Once I was over the pass and on the saddle northeast of Rafferty Peak I could see Evelyn Lake across the valley. Went straight down the slope, encountering very old stacks of cordwood which struck me as weird. Bit of a struggle going up the other side, so when I got to the outlet of Evelyn Lake I took another nap — only 45 minutes this time. All off trail from Matthes Lake to Evelyn Lake was simple Class 2 hiking. I intended to go on to Ireland Lake via the trails, but I just couldn’t continue past the unnamed lake to the east of Evelyn at elevation 10440’. Called it quits at 3:45 PM. Broke the dang flushing syringe for my Sawyer Seize (oops, I’m sorry — Squeeze). Doesn’t matter, it doesn’t clean up right and the flow is painfully slow. I suppose this is my fault — after all, before I read the directions I did happen to look into the wrong end of it once. Going to toss the thing when I am done with this hike and save myself 6 oz. Drank unfiltered/untreated water for the rest of the trip without incident — kind of liberating. I had Aqua Mira as a backup in case I thought conditions warranted its use.
July 11 — Off Trail: Ireland Lake to Maclure Lake
On my way at 8:30 AM. Not having much luck getting going early. Was winded and dizzy again this morning in camp and had some trouble maintaining a decent pace on the trail. As I approached Ireland Lake things got a little better. A couple was camped at the lake and was just getting back from a morning hike, so I waved to them from a distance — they were the last people I would see for five days. It took me two hours to get to the ridge top south of Amelia Earhart Peak. About a mile and a half and 900’ elevation gain over Class 2 hiking terrain. Ridiculous. Had lunch at the top. Unfortunately it started to cloud over — little did I know that this was the first of many an overcast and stormy afternoon to test me in the days to come. The descent was also easy Class 2, and I dropped a little low as I tried to contour around to Lake 11275’. The views of Mt Maclure and its glaciers were impressive despite the cloudy conditions. I had reached the ridge above Maclure Lake and had decided to press on to Russell Pass when I heard thunder coming from the north. That pretty much decided against the attempt, so I descended to the lake and set up camp very early at 11450’ on the shore of Maclure Lake. Water from the snowmelt was too cold to even think about washing up with. Some light rain. I also decided to stop taking my blood pressure pill, finally making the connection between dizziness and blood flow to the brain.
Dennis