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Yosemite Point, September 4, 2008 - David and Bill left home in the SF Bay Area early, drove to Yosemite Valley, and hiked up the Yosemite Falls Trail to Yosemite Point. David got as far as the falls overlook, and Bill pressed on to the Point.
It was a more tiring trail than we expected--not nearly as well-graded as the Four Mile Trail on the other side of the valley that we hiked in 2007.
(distance: 10 miles; climbing: 3400 feet)
Horseshoe Lake, September 5, 2008 - After a day of relaxing and napping and recovery from the prior day's events, Ron Bobb and I started from our rented condo near the Eagle Chair lift and rode up Lake Mary Rd. to Horseshoe Lake to watch the sun set, then rode back down the hill.
| Bike Ridden: | Power Gold Rush |
|---|---|
| Distance: | 40 miles |
| Cumulative climbing: | 4000 feet |
Reds Meadow, September 6, 2008 - Ron Bobb and I started from our condo near the Eagle Chair lift and rode up to Minaret Vista, then down to Red's Meadow. After an extended break, we rode back up to Minaret Vista, then down into town where I proceeded to buy a new water bladder. After our shopping stop (and a stop at the local Starbucks) we rode up Old Mammoth Rd., then down Lake Mary Rd. and back to the condo.
Cathedral Range, September 7, 2008 - Ron, David and Bill started from the Cathedral Pass trailhead in Tuolumne Meadows. We hiked the John Muir Trail toward Cathedral Pass and stopped for lunch at Upper Cathedral Lake.
After lunch we climbed cross-country up the slope to the Cathedral Plateau, traversed around Echo Peaks to the "ski run" up to Echo Ridge. David waited at the bottom of the ski run while Ron and Bill climbed up to the top of the ridge to view the Matthes Crest and points south.
After regrouping at the bottom of the ski run we hiked down to Budd Lake for another break. Then we hiked the well-worn use trail down Budd Creek back to the John Muir Trail and the Cathedral Pass trailhead.
(distance: 8.3 miles; climbing: 2400 feet)
Earthquake Fault, September 8, 2008 - Ron, Bill, and David toured the Earthquake Fault just uphill from the Village at Mammoth Lakes.
Mammoth Mountain, September 8, 2008 - Ron, David and Bill took the gondola to the top of Mammoth Mountain to enjoy the view.
Rainbow Falls, September 8, 2008 - Ron, David, and Bill started from the Rainbow Falls Trailhead and hiked the 1.3 miles to the upper falls and then back. The hike took us through a portion of the forest that had burned in 1992 in what was called the "Rainbow Fire".
Attempt on Mt. Starr, September 9, 2008 - David, Ron, and I got an early start. We drove up to Mosquito Flat, hiked up to Mono Pass, and made a direct assault on Mt. Starr via the well-worn use trail.
Turns out the use-trail is pretty useless as it goes about halfway up the slope of the mountain and ends on steep gravel-covered slabs. Apparently alot of other people have tried this. We had to descend a couple hundred feet, then traverse to the south to gain the ridge before tacking back to the north toward the summit.
By the time we reached the ridge, we decided to stop and enjoy the magnificent view of Little Lakes Valley and eat lunch. After lunch the sky clouded up and we decided to head down and try for the summit on another trip.
(distance: 7.2 miles; climbing: 2500 feet)
Attempt on North Peak, September 10, 2008 - Dad and I got a moderately late start and drove to the Saddlebag Trailhead. We thought of taking the water taxi, but in the end decided not to wait, so we hiked around the west side of Saddlebag Lake and Greenstone Lake and up the use trail to the Conness Lakes basin.
From the upper Conness Lake we climbed the steep, loose slope up to the south ridge of North Peak. We didn't get to the top on account of an approaching storm. We turned back but we still got skunked. Fortunately, we had wet weather gear, although Dad's poncho was useless in the wind, as one can see from one of the pictures.
The precipitation at the Conness Lakes was snow, but it turned to showers lower down, enough to slicken the rocks, but they dried out quickly once the storm passed and the sun came out.
(distance: 7.0 miles; climbing: 1500 feet)
Birds at Tenaya Lake, September 11, 2008 - David and Bill stopped to eat lunch at Tenaya Lake on our drive home. While we ate lunch, we were visited by many birds.
Tuolumne Grove, September 11, 2008 - David and Bill stopped at Crane Flat on the way home and took the 2.5-mile round-trip hike down into the Tuolumne Grove to see the giant sequoias.
Miscellaneous, September, 2008 - Various photos that are interesting but cannot be categorized in the usual manner.
All web site content except where otherwise noted: ©2024 Bill Bushnell
Background texture courtesy of Iridia's Backgrounds.
Please send comments or questions to the .