High Sierra Topix

Is anyone familiar with a good overnight spot along Lewis Creek between Bernice lake and the upper cutoff to Isberg Pass in Yosemite. I’m thinking of staying at Bernice Lake overnight but if not I wouldn’t mind pushing down towards the cut off a little. Thanks

What date? Itinerary would be good as well.

Florence Falls is a great spot. There are a couple of other spots as well, but as rlown said, it would help to have more trip details.

fpb56 wrote: ↑Sat Dec 14, 2019 6:49 pm Is anyone familiar with a good overnight spot along Lewis Creek between Bernice lake and the upper cutoff to Isberg Pass in Yosemite. I’m thinking of staying at Bernice Lake overnight but if not I wouldn’t mind pushing down towards the cut off a little. Thanks

I haven't been over that trail between the High Trail and Vogelsang, but I have hiked the High Trail. You don't want to start up the High Trail toward Isberg (south) at the very end of a day...it was a dusty, sandy, dry trail coming up out of Lewis Creek. So you are right to look for a stopping point ahead of that.

On the other hand, if you could organize your trip so you could stop further along at the Lyell Fork off of the High Trail that would be ideal--but such a stop is probably not a full day's journey from Bernice and even less from Lewis Creek. So as the others have said, a lot has to do with your overall itinerary.

- Usually stayed at Bernice but over the years, this (in-the-past), great fishing stop has slowly changed from a lunker lake into a stunted Brookie haven. Great lake for beauty, and/or if you want to want to make sure everyone catches multiple 8 - 10" cookie-cutter Brookies.

- Florence Falls (as mentioned above) nice, but right on the trail. Suggest ascending (north side of falls/ Florence Creek) to visit lower Florence Lake. (not the first small marshy lakes but the big lake just above.)

- Cony Crags area (or just past) has good water and a great views looking down, across - Southward.

- Lyell Fork (at the bottom) has nice areas...just before the big 1500' up the next day.

I'm shooting for going over Volgelsang Pass on July 18th. 2020. Thanks

Last year we were stopped by high water flow at Lyell Creek on the upper trail. Last year we came through Merced and past Washburn and up around to the upper trail before having to turn back at Lyell. This year Im shooting to go over VG pass and down to Bernice for a night and then on up towards Lyell and beyond. Not completely sure yet but the options you gave sound great. thanks

Well its not exactly overnight, but I went from Merced Lake a bit south of Washburn lake to the Indian Falls, which were very nice. Then more south and then west to the Red Devil Lake(s) below Red Peak, which was exceptional. Then east towards Isberg, the junction of rivers at Triple Peak Fork is a very pleasant place. You could then circle back north on the higher trail and take your chances with Lyell again. Trip report here:
https://www.trailnamebackstroke.com/yosemite and here: https://www.trailnamebackstroke.com/yos ... 015-part-2. I love the Clark Range area and will return again soon.

If being stopped by stream crossings is a concern, be careful about putting those crossings near the end of the trip when you have only a day or so food remaining, unless you have a quick exit plan if you are unable to cross. You would have to figure out the miles required to retreat back to Tuolumne if you could not get across. I have crossed Lyell Creek upstream from the trail, but not sure it was during very high water. I just ended up there because I came down from Hutchings Creek (beautiful upper drainage, well worth a side-trip). There was a bit of bushwhacking to get to the trail once I was across the creek. I have also dropped directly down Lyell Creek to the lower trail, but that was late season. It has a lot of slab walking, which would likely be too wet to do early.

Still to far away to predict, but the NWS long term forecast shows normal to a bit less than normal snowpack this winter.

Wandering Daisy wrote: ↑Thu Dec 19, 2019 9:07 am Still to far away to predict, but the NWS long term forecast shows normal to a bit less than normal snowpack this winter.

Wasn't that the same long-term forecast this time last year?