2010 Tuolumne Meadows to Yosemite Valley
After our spectacular backpack in 2008 – the South Lake to North Lake loop – we were ready to take on a new challenge. Together, five of us decided upon a route starting at Tuolumne Meadows. Our final destination led us down through the beautiful cascades along the Merced River Canyon and out at Happy Isles in Yosemite Valley.
Our preparations for the trip included the usual “packing party” to ensure we had all the needed food items and shared equipment. We met up at a campground in Yosemite and had the day before the backpack to do a warm-up hike.
Our backpack route led us first through Lyell Canyon with its streams flowing through green meadows and over polished granite before we headed uphill along Rafferty Creek to Vogelsang Lake. We camped in the vicinity of the Vogelsang High Sierra Camp, many others but still beautiful. The next morning, we headed over Vogelsang Pass and dropped back down into the Lewis Creek basin We found a small but scenic campsite near Florence Creek Falls and had time to reroute and improve our planned backpack.
The following day we headed down towards Merced Lake with views of Half Dome in the distance and wild flower displays. Our camp that evening was in the flats among the trees between Fletcher Creek and the Merced River. The Merced Ranger station was nearby and shared our campfire and the toasting of marshmallows with an off-duty ranger and her son. A bonus was her tip of a perfect secluded campsite along our route for the next day.
We assumed the next day would be an easy downhill to Bunnell Cascades, but our route often scrambled high upwards to bypass cliffs along the river canyon of the Merced. But the gleaming polished granite, rushing cascades and down-canyon views more than made up for the difficulties. Our campsite that evening was indeed perfect – near an idyllic pool amidst a great expanse of smooth granite and cascades just outside the forest edge where we pitched our tents.
The next day passed through stands of Sequoia, and a pause to avoid a bear on the trail. We stopped at the crowded campsites of Little Yosemite Valley, where we observed another bear roaming around and a curious deer.
The last day of our hike was along the John Muir Trail down to Happy Isles, past stunning views of Liberty Dome, Half Dome and of Yosemite Valley. From here, we got back to our cars at Tuolume Meadows via a shuttle bus. Definitely a backpack route worth repeating.
Saturday 7 August Tuolumne Meadows
Sunday 8 August Tuolumne Meadows to Fletcher Lake (7.7 miles)
Monday 9 August Fletcher Lake to Florence Creek Falls
Tuesday 10 August Florence Creek Falls to Merced Lake
Wednesday, 11 August Above Merced Lake to Bunnell Cascades
Thursday August 12 Bunnell Cascades to Little Yosemite Valley
Friday August 13 Little Yosemite to Yosemite Valley, Tuolumne Meadows
