Cathedral Range, Yosemite National Park, CA

[Bob Gross]

August 13-15, 2010
The Cathedral Range was particularly pleasant this time. There were no distant forest fires, no weather problems, no dried up water holes, almost zero mosquitos, and a modest wildlife population. Starting from a main trailhead, we covered the most ground cross-country, spending the first night at a lake with this fabulous view of the Matthes Crest.

In fact, I shot that one while still in the sleeping bag inside the tent. One day of mostly trail got us over to the New Secret Lake. Then more cross-country took us past Tressider Pk and back to the main trail to the finish.

Each night had us camped around 9500-9800 feet elevation, yet the temperature dipped to only 45F.

I had started with about 3 day's worth of food, and I finished with about 1 day's worth remaining. That explains a 5% body weight loss.

–B.G.–

[Tom Clark]

With a view like that it's a wonder you ever moved.

[Bob Gross]

(And then people asked me why I moved to California thirty years ago.)

That's Yosemite for you.

–B.G.–

[Frank Deland]

"Then more cross-country took us past Tressider Pk and back to the main trail to the finish."

Could you explain this a bit more, Bob. Were you climbing towards the peak off-trail?

It might help readers to change your title to Cathedral Lakes rather than Range.
The map shows the Cathedral Range running all the way over to the Mono Lake District. (I just happened to notice that when I was looking over your route)
BTW: Great photo!

[Bob Gross]

We were going cross-country from west to east past Tressider Peak at its shoulder.

Cathedral Range would be accurate, since we weren't closely around Cathedral Lakes much.

–B.G.–

[Frank Deland]

Thanks, Bob. I see where you might have been below the Matthes Crest near Edna Lake?

[Bob Gross]

Good Grief, No!

Edna Lake is at the south end of the Clark Range, probably twenty miles from the Matthes Crest.

Perhaps you meant Echo Lake. We went by it, but we didn't camp on that side of Matthes Crest.

–B.G.–

[Frank Deland]

Yeah, my map was worn at that spot between JMT and Matthes Crest. Indeed it is Echo Lake I was looking at. (National Geographic map of Yosemite)

[Bob Gross]

Most of the lakes of the Cathedral Range are used a bit, but as you get to the ones that have no trail, the usage factor drops off. Echo Lake is too close to the main trail, but others get better and better. Once you get beyond the normal passes (like Vogelsang), the usage drops off even more. If you get off the main circuit for the High Sierra Camps, it is better yet.

I like the lakes that are seldom mentioned at the permit station.

"I'd like a wilderness permit to go to Lake XYZ."

(Ranger) "Uhh, where is that?"

–B.G.–

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