The John Muir Trail; Mammoth to Yosemite with Mule Support
Mammoth to Yosemite Hiking with Pack Stock Support
It's all about the swimming.
August 23-31
Guides.; Larry Gumina, SP Parker
Trip Members; Susan Pitts, Loretta Low, Collette Gaal, Lisa Whitescarver, Pam Arnold, Katie Knick, Gina Lockwood
Packers; Sara Bucholtz, Alison Aanerud
Written by SP Parker
As a guide for many years, I know that some trips go well, some have complications and some go perfectly. This trip was one of the perfect ones. A great group who got along fabulously, wonderful weather and the rain we had was a blessing in a dry summer. Even the mules said that they had a good time and their loads were not too heavy.
This was an open trip, not a specific women’s one but somehow we ended up with an all women group and two male guides.We did offer to wear dresses, but we were accepted without them!
A hearty breakfast burrito from our friends at Reds Meadow Resort set us out on the trail past Devils Postpile to camp at Laura Lake. This section is the lowest of the trip and is always warm but Laura Lake soon offers cool, but shallow swimming. This group was very much a swimming group and any opportunity was taken to jump in. Next morning we set the tone to follow for the rest of the trip with a quote from John Muir and a stretching circle to get us limbered up for the day.
Next day’s lake was Gladys Lake, hidden of the JMT and rarely visited. Quite peaceful with spectacular views back down to the San Joaquin river.
Shadow Lake has one of the best swimming and sunbathing rocks anywhere. A clean slab of granite with perfect bench seats and deep water right off the end. Impossible not to stop here and spend plenty of the morning lolling in the sun before making the climb up to camp at treeline above Rush Creek. Once again this camp is little used and is off the main trail. Great views to the south with the Sierra stretching into the blue haze.
High elevation means chilly nights, even in August but it also means no bugs and this trip was blessed with zero and no need for skin dissolving chemicals. A layover was planned here for the following day and some folks hung out and enjoyed the high alpine, others climbed up to Marie Lakes well above treeline. Swimming here was more of a quick dunk in frigid waters.
Donohue Pass is always a steady climb but the high camp made it shorter and after a great discussion of Sierra glaciation at the top it was down into Yosemite National Park. Thunderstorms were rolling in and rain started at the top of Lyell Canyon, but a big tarp that we always carry in iffy weather gave lunch shelter. The descent down Lyell is always long and relentless. Best to take it slow and use hiking poles to reduce knee wear.
The hike from the Lyell Packer Camp to Cathedral Lakes is 14 miles and the longest of the trip but is overall flat until the final two hours of the day. A swim in the Tuolumne River, a short detour to the Tuolumne Store for essentials (cold drinks, ice cream, salty snacks), a resupply brought in by Reader and a walk in the light rain to camp at Upper Cathedral Lake completed the day.
This trip had several rest days built in and while it makes the trip longer we have never had anyone complain about too many layovers. They are the way to make the most of time in the mountains. You can be active, climbing up Tressidder Peak for views of the Yosemite High Country or stay in camp reading, writing or wandering slowly. You are on vacation so do what you please.
It is all downhill to Yosemite from Cathedral and the trip slowly wound down. Part of the second to last day’s hiking is through an old burn scar from 2014. Damage remains but it is also clear that the land will heal and recover if given a chance. The day ended with a nice camp below Half Dome.
Our final day was the final descent into Yosemite Valley. Yosemite’s Mist Trail was designated a UNESCO World heritage site in 1984 and is well deserving of this label. The flip side is the gross overcrowding by visitors. This year traffic has been reduced some by the Mist Trail being closed for trail improvement but a loop via Nevada Falls and back to the JMT is possible. This section is truly stunning and one has to look beyond the people and the Park “improvements” to see what Muir saw in 1868. But despite our distaste for crowds and civilization, the pizza and beer in Curry Village sure did taste wonderful.
Both Larry and myself thank everyone who made this trip exceptional. Our fantastic hiking companions, our superb packers Allison and Sara, Claudia at Reds Meadow and most of all the incomparable Sierra Nevada for granting us a visit to the best mountains in the world.
"I am well again. I came to life in the cool winds and crystal waters of the mountains..." –John Muir (written during his first experience in Yosemite)
Thanks for reading, and we will see you in the mountains,
SP
