Ten Lakes Backpacking Trip

Last weekend we joined two couples of friends through Kate's soccer team for a backpacking trip out of the Tuolumne Meadows area of Yosemite NP. Tuolumne is higher elevation than the more famous Yosemite Valley, and is more known for its open high-country peaks and mountain passes and lakes (as opposed to the quintessential valley with all the waterfalls and domes). Kate and I went up early Friday with Bill and did a day-hike to Cathedral Lakes, right below spectacularly jagged Cathedral Peak. We had to brave a swampy meadow teeming with mosquitos to get out to the lake, but as you can see, the views from out there made it worthwhile.

Mosquitos! Run!


Hiking along the shores of Cathedral Lake


Looking back over Cathedral Lake at Cathedral Peak

That night we were joined by three others (Roe, Igor, and Petra) at the campground after happily making s'mores and watching the stars around the fire left by the nightly ranger talk. Even later, our little corner of the backpacker's campground was paid a visit by a pretty tame bear who was curious enough about the contents of one of our neighbor's backpacks to loudly eviscerate it (the backpack, not the neighbor) at 3am maybe 15 feet from my head. I guess he was after an overlooked packet of Crystal Light or something. Fortunately the backpack owners got up and scared the furry beast off, then we put their packs into one of the metal food storage lockers. Good thing too, because he (the bear) came back around dawn and sniffed around again at the very locker where their packs were.

The next morning we got on the trail to Ten Lakes, a cluster of seven (yeah, I know! not ten - weird) alpine lakes north of the main road through Yosemite. This being the introduction to backpacking for a couple of the other folks with us it wasn't too strenuous of an adventure - maybe 6-7 miles in - but it was a nice trail and offered some great vistas upon reaching Ten Lakes pass.

Our group at Olmstead Point before starting our hike


On the trail: Kate, Roe, Petra, Igor

Hiking through the meadow: Tom, Kate, Roe, Igor, Petra



The view from the pass NE towards North Pk, Conness, White Mt.

On the steep drop down into Ten Lakes Basin

We found an amazing lake-front campsite a little ways off the trail and spent the afternoon swimming (brrrrr!), exploring the other lakes and streams, pumping water, collecting wood for a fire, eating smoked salmon, and drinking wine. What? You guys don't eat smoked salmon and uncork a nice bottle of Cabernet on your backpacking trips? I guess you need to go with Roe and Igor and Bill and Petra more often. The wine (packed in by the other boys, I must confess) was a nice touch as Kate and I were actually celebrating our 1000th day of being married to each other, a nice milestone I took note of in an imitation of my Uncle Larry, who has celebrated both his 1,000th and more recently 10,000th days of marriage to Aunt Carol! Thanks for the idea, Toledos.

Our campsite by the lake



Nothing beats a good swimming spot after a day of hiking in the sun.


The lakeside view


Petra and Bill make pancakes! We ate pretty gourmet this trip...


Igor celebrates going downhill on the way out

After our hike out we went down to the valley to take in some of the sights and swim in the Merced River, which was refreshingly almost as cold as the alpine lake the day before! Brrrr... Anyways, a good trip and scenic location - always nice to take advantage of some of the beautiful country we have in our extended backyard out here in California.

Here are the photos I took, and there are some others by Bill here if you're curious.

Happy Independence Day!