Trip Planning Questions, Tuolumne Meadows late August

[ScottG]

First, an overdue thanks to those who manage this site and contribute regularly. I've been lurking for a few years and enjoying living vicariously through those of you fortunate enough to enjoy the Sierra on a regular basis. I grew up in Southern CA and the eastern sierra was my playground, but live in TN now so only make it out there a couple of times per year.

Ok, planning a hike for a couple of old college buddies and myself for late August. We're all 50 +/- and I'm probably the most experienced of the group, but they have some hiking/backpacking experience as well; just not in the high Sierra. Pretty simple goals...just get-together for a mini-reunion and enjoy a few days in the wilderness. Based on a lot of research/reading here and my own experience in the TM area, this is my plan so far:

Sunday: Fly into San Jose to meet at friend's house
Monday: Drive to Tuolumne Meadows, pick-up permit and spend afternoon exploring TM; maybe fish a little; stay in BP campground
Tuesday: Rafferty Creek to Vogelsang Lake
Wednesday: Layover day at Vogelsang Lake
Thursday: Hike over to Ireland Lake
Friday: Ireland Creek to Lyell Canyon back to TM and drive back to San Jose

A few questions for those who can help:

1. I'm assuming Rafferty Creek will be dry this year by end of August. In case we're dragging on the climb day 1, where is the first reliable water source likely to be?

2. For layover day at Vogelsang Lake, looking for recommendations. Thinking going over the pass for lunch at Bernice Lake and return, or possibly climb either Vogelsang Peak or Fletcher Peak if we're all feeling good. For these peaks, thoughts on which one? We'd be fine with some scrambling but won't have any technical gear and I want to avoid too much exposure. Which peak has the best views?

3. For hike from Vogelsang Lake to Ireland Lake...should I just plan to stay on the established trail or do a short off-trail that is more direct? Leaving Ireland Lake, same question...can we just follow the creek down to join the trail, or do you recommend following the trail?

4. I may have missed it...has Yosemite made any decisions concerning the High Sierra Camps for this season? Selfishly, I'd be fine with them being closed.

Happy for any and all feedback, and answers to my questions.
Thanks,
Scott

[The Other Tom]

In a normal year, it's not that easy to get a permit up Rafferty to Vogelsang. I've had luck with the reverse trip, so be flexible. I don't know of any water sources between TM and Vogelsang. We usually take 2 - 2.5L of water and don't worry about it.

I suspect you'd get the best views from V. Peak as opposed to Fletcher but I can't speak from experience. Views are pretty good from V. pass as you head to Bernice, make sure you stop there and take it all in.

I generally stay on trails so that's what I would recommend, especially for first timers.
I hope everything is open by then. Good luck!

[balzaccom]

I agree with everything The Other Tom has posted here. this year looks like a dry one, so I won't hazard a guess about water in Rafferty Creek. I've never seen it without water, but I've never been up it in late August in a dry year.

I love the hike to Bernice--and you can add on by visiting Gallison Lakes nearby, or Townsley on the way back...

And I don't think I would try a direct route from Vogelsang to Ireland. But IF you are good at cross-country navigation, you might try the granite saddle between Evelyn and Ireland -- circling around a bit to the north -- always keeping in mind that safe is better than sorry.

Right now, I don't think any decision has been made about the High Sierra Camps. The park is closed, and they will probably wait until the park is fully open to make a decision.

Meanwhile, why this route? At TOT has noted, it is very popular, and if the HSC is open, it will be even more populated. We've stopped at Vogelsang to get water, but we don't like to backpack into the High Sierra Camps, because they are too much like the car camping grounds in the park...

[rlown]

Are you doing a walk up permit or do you have a permit reservation?
I have done Rafferty -> Evelyn Lk every other year for a long time and usually in September. Never had a water issue on Rafferty.

[wildhiker]

Hi ScottG,

I last hiked up the Rafferty Creek trail on September 1, 2016. That was a fairly dry year. Rafferty Creek was pretty much bone dry, but there were a few pools of water in the creek at the lower end of the high meadows. The first reliable water that time was Fletcher Lake.

If you camp at Vogelsang Lake, check out the sandy flats on the sparsely forested gentle ridge just southwest of the outlet - good views out over Fletcher Creek and through Tuolumne Pass to Mount Conness.

There is an easy class 1 cross-country route from Fletcher Lake to Ireland Lake. Take the use trail along the south shore of Fletcher Lake (the main trail stays further from the lake shore) to the inlet where it ascends the slope to Townsley Lake. Ascend the northeast slopes above Townsley Lake up to a broad meadowy plateau. Then head east across the meadows and up the broad sparsely forested spur ridge to the main ridge between Evelyn Lake and Ireland Lake, aiming for point 11,100 on the 7.5 minute topo. From here it is a lovely walk down alpine meadows to Ireland Lake. Best camping at Ireland Lake is among the small tarns along the outlet stream amidst groves of stunted whitebark pine. I like this cross-country route because it is mostly on open meadows with great views and is much shorter than the trail. On the other hand, the trail visits Evelyn Lake, which is quite beautiful and has a nice sandy beach, and the meadows along the trail north of Ireland Lake are also very beautiful with good views out to the Kuna Crest.

If the Vogelsang area seems too crowded for you, take your layover day at Ireland Lake instead. There is an easy class 1 cross-country walk up the drainage south of the lake to a broad pass just south of Parsons Peak, and then up to the top of Parsons Peak itself.

I have descended directly down from Ireland Lake cross-country, not by following the creek, but rather descending the more open broad ridge to the west of the creek. I did this with my children (in 1991) and don't remember any difficulties. They were anxious to get home and I recall that we made it from Ireland Lake out to the Tuolumne Meadows trailhead in 3 hours. I repeated this route (this time all on trail) last summer by myself and did a much more leisurely pace.

As others have said, wilderness permits for the Rafferty Creek trail are in high demand and you should try to reserve. The Other Tom suggests doing the route in the reverse direction as a backup. The problem with that is the hike up the Ireland Creek trail from the John Muir Trail is a relentless fairly steep uphill. The Rafferty Creek trail is much better graded and doesn't climb as high on the first day.

It's fun to plan a trip like this and I hope society has re-opened enough from the COVID-19 shutdowns to let you do it this year.

-Phil

[ScottG]

Great feedback from all of you, as I expected; thank you. Yes, I grabbed a permit right at the 168 day mark, so no problem there. I presented the guys two other options (Kennedy Meadows TH in Emigrant, and Bubbs Creek to East Lake in SEKI) and let them choose; they picked Yosemite. Emigrant is the back-up plan for fires, etc. in Yosemite. If any of you have recommendations for a better trip with similar experiences but fewer people, happy to hear them. I was assuming that even if Vogelsang HSC is open, going past it to Vogelsang lake would thin out the crowds; maybe wrong? I also considered the same start point but then following the Merced back down to LYV...but not sure I want to add the additional logistics challenges of a one-way trip, or deal with the crowds in the valley.

[rlown]

I'll just say it.. I wasn't impressed at all with Ireland lk. I like my base camp on the NE side of Evelyn. I can get to Townsley and Hanging Basket, but my goal was always fishing. Fletcher peak is accessible from the backside of HB as well. I never went to Vogelsang lk just because there were no good fishing reports for that lake. I actually avoided the HSC by cutting up to the left off the Rafferty trail right onto the plateau which holds Evelyn.

Either way, it will be a great trip for you guys! It has been my "go to" trip for my old hiking buddies since '91 every other year.

[c9h13no3]

I also considered the same start point but then following the Merced back down to LYV...but not sure I want to add the additional logistics challenges of a one-way trip, or deal with the crowds in the valley.

LYV is a skip. It's an okay campsite close to the river, with a big fancy toilet, but I hear the crowds are terrible. Not really the reason I go backpacking.

If you've never been to the valley, you should probably go. Pick a week day, arrive super early, and at least hit up tunnel view and do a half day hike around the valley. Or come back in April-May when it's not so darn crowded.

[Wandering Daisy]

I also was not that impressed with Ireland Lake.

I have camped about half a mile off the trail, on the north shores of Townsley? lake (the smaller lake over the ridge from Evelyn Lake) about half way down the shore. It was pretty and no crowds. But it does stay in the shadows in the morning. I have also camped just across the outlet of Volgalsang Lake, on a rib with scrub timber. It was also peaceful, but not sure if it would fit a group of people.

If they keep the Vogalsang Camp closed I do not think you will have many crowds. When the camp is open, a lot of people do the camp-to-camp hike down to Merced Lake camp. It is quite possible that all the Yosemite backcountry camps will be closed this year.

Have you thought about 10 Lakes Basin? It would be less crowded.

[wildhiker]

I don't think that 10 Lakes Basin will be necessarily less crowded than the Vogelsang-Ireland loop. I backpacked there the weekend of July 29-31, 2016, and every lake had multiple parties camped around it. It was a beautiful area, but quite crowded, and not as spectacular as the Vogelsang-Ireland area, in my opinion. On the other hand, on my night of Sept 1, 2016 at Vogelsang Lake, I saw a few dayhikers from the High Sierra Camp in the afternoon and then had the lake basin to myself until a couple of men backpackers showed up late coming from Vogelsang Pass, but they camped far from me. Of course, there were lots of HSC hikers and others on the main trail during the day. I've camped several times near Ireland Lake with no evidence of others nearby (can't be sure because it is such a huge basin). My last camp there was on September 1, 2019 (Labor Day weekend). I arrived early and only saw one other party arrive to camp. The crowds at any one spot in Yosemite depend a lot on current conditions.
-Phil