Time off, summer, the Sierra. Where to go, where to go? As it turned out I really only had a week for hiking, mostly due to my son’s busy schedule. Owen is almost 16 and busier than I am these days. Between soccer tournaments, school scheduling, and another full family vacation with mom, we had to think shorter than we might otherwise. It would be just he and I this year as our regular hiking partners were out of the country and unavailable. I also wanted to avoid being overly ambitious. Those Harrison maps make it all look easy until you are out there in it. When planning from the comfort of the couch with an early morning cup of coffee it is easy to think big. Owen’s last trip in the Sierra was 2 years ago when four of us hiked South Lake to North Lake by way of Lamarck Col. It was a great trip and a great accomplishment for a 13 year old, but due to bad weather, we did not get much zero time to hang out in nice places and swim and fish. I wanted to build in some hang time on this trip should we desire it.
I have been into Yosemite’s Kuna Crest twice before quite a number of years ago, and it has been on my list of places to revisit. It is not so frequently visited as other regions of Yosemite, the off trail opportunities are huge, and it is hard to beat the scenery. To me it feels like an eastside trip in the southern Sierra but with a little less driving and overall effort. In addition, I wished to revisit Lyell Canyon which was the location of my first backpack trip almost 50 years ago. I have not rehiked the full length of that beautiful canyon since. Eventually, I decided on an itinerary which included about 25 miles. One half would be off trail along the crest, and we would return on the JMT from Donahue Pass back to Tuolumne Meadows. I had visions of warm summer days and refreshing swims in a few of those fantastic Lyell Fork cascades.
7/24 Day One
We left home and made the trip south and east to Groveland and the Big Oak Flat entrance to the park. Normally I like to take some time and stop along the way but this year, due to our limited time, we were in a hurry to get on the trail. One of the traditional stops is at Rainbow Pool for a swim, but as we left Groveland I noticed the burned forest, the low water this year, and the strange nature of the Tuolumne west fork – the water was murky due to runoff from the Rim Fire. The ranger at the entrance told us it burned over 400 square miles and about 10% of the park, and it was evident all along Hwy 120 until Yosemite Creek. We had a permit for the next day but easily switched it out for today as our trailhead is much less popular than Tuolumne Meadows. Another traditional swim spot, Tenaya Lake, was very busy. We arrived late afternoon at Mono/Parker Pass TH and started hiking. Our first goal was Kuna Lake and then over the crest at “Kuna Pass”. Well, we didn’t make it all the way over that first day. Our late start and the altitude conspired to stop us near Kuna Lake where we slept illegally on night one.
Kuna Lake
Kuna Lake looking northeast
7/25 Kuna Pass
On the way to the pass
Looking back at Kuna Lake
On top of Kuna Pass
We headed up and reached the pass which is just south of Mammoth Peak by late morning. Skies were blue and the sun was out. What a beautiful place it is with a tremendous view of that part of Yosemite. On my previous visits to the Kuna Crest I had gone in over Helen Pass which sits further south above Helen Lake. On one of those visits I had come out by way of our current proposed route in reverse. In my faded memory I remembered a long reasonably graded traverse consisting of granite benches and scree and easy walking all the way from Donahue. We started down, and after a short stretch of talus at the crest, the terrain matched my memory. We optimistically angled south and began our traverse. I was quite surprised at what we found as we rounded the first corner. Blocking any more easy walking was a steep drop off of huge boulders and stunted foxtail pines. Down was no longer an option. The only way to get to where we wanted to go was to climb back up the 500 feet or so we had descended and look for a route through higher up. It was some pretty tough bouldering, which tired me out quickly. Young Owen said, “Gee dad, this is fun”, and we finally found a way through and into the next mini basin. My memory had fooled us, however, if one were coming south to north, the way through would have been obvious. Even more likely is that on my previous visit I did not traverse this far north and probably crossed the crest earlier at the pass which leads east to Bingaman Lake. We stayed high through the next mini basin, through another rocky pass, and then dropped into the next drainage on a sandy scree-surfing path which was quite fun after all the bouldering. About halfway down I realized that Owen was no longer in sight and he was not behind me where I thought he should be. A few moments of panic followed in which I yelled, whistled, got no reply, dropped my pack and backtracked up towards our last spot together with visions of him injured and fallen down in between boulders. After a few long heart-pounding moments my view expanded and I spotted him way down near the stream at the bottom of the drainage. He had zigged where I had zagged. I headed down with dropping heart rate and told him how glad I was to see him alive and well. We headed down stream and found a beautiful little spot for food and a good foot soaking.
Lunch spot
The terrain was now as I remembered – one long traverse through granite benches alternating with small trees, meadows, and scree – easy walking, and we could now see our destination in the distance. We were both pretty tired, me more than him, and so we soon found a decent spot to call it a day complete with good water and a zen garden of flowers.
Zen garden
7/26 Kuna Creek
We got up with the expectation of moving on and reaching the lakes at the headwaters of Kuna Creek. I had thought we might get to Kuna Creek basin yesterday, but due to the complex route finding and backtracking, we did not cover as much distance as expected. The terrain and our lack of acclimatization had slowed us down, but we were in a beautiful isolated place, and today we both felt pretty good. Our camp was at about 11,200 feet and around 6 miles from the trailhead, midway between Mammoth Peak and the headwaters of Kuna Creek. During breakfast several noisy Clark’s Nutcrackers sat in the tree under which Owen had slept. The view was incredible and there was no one else here. Tuolumne Meadows and the Yosemite High country are to the north. Directly across from us was a view of Ireland Lake and the Vogelsang area, and to the south were Mts. Lyell, Maclure and Donahue.
Sleep tree
Morning view to Ireland Lake
Owen found an old battered enamel pot which someone had brought here in days past- definitely not lightweight. Unlike the higher scree and boulder fields of yesterday we were now down off the crest on a broad shelf of more easily traversed meadows and granite benches.
Easy walking now
We were there yesterday
The route here traverses south occasionally moving up and down a few hundred feet as the terrain dictates, rounding small ridges as it passes in and out of the scalloped drainages which make up Kuna Crest. Water was pretty consistently encountered given the dry year. On one of the ridges we encountered a broad flat sandy area which was filled with blooming lupines – quite a sight and they gave off a subtle perfumed odor.
Lupines
Entering the final drainage we stopped for lunch and a foot soak in the stream which feeds the bottom most lake. Quite some time was spent looking for a campsite and we finally settled on a spot near the lake outlet underneath some pines. There was an old fire ring, but otherwise the area is quite pristine. The afternoon was spent filtering water, observing frogs, and napping and reading in the shade. A friendly marmot came by and checked us out spending about 20 minutes with us in camp. About 4 we headed up basin to check out the upper lakes. This basin is a transition zone between granite and the metamorphic rock which makes up the crest here. There is an unusual dike of granite which spans the upper basin right where the color change occurs and we climbed it up toward the saddle which overlooks Lost Lakes. From here there is a good view of June Lake, Mammoth, and Ritter and Banner.
Hiking the dike
Lost lakes with Ritter, Banner, and Mammoth Mtn.
Enjoying the view
We were back in camp around 6:30. As were bedding down we heard some coyotes. They were on the top of the meadowed ridge on the west side of the lake and we watched them play around for a while – they appeared to be young pups and were very playful. We howled back at them and got them to take notice but they did not come any closer to investigate us and soon moved north and out of the basin. Owen bedded down under another tree and I slept out in the open. He had a bit of a time with several mosquitoes before it got colder and they stopped biting, and this caused me to wonder how the mosquitoes would be down in Lyell Canyon.
7/27 Donahue
We got up early and left camp by 7:30 which was a record as our usual departure is about 9:30. A possible climb up Donahue Peak had been discussed yesterday, but I wasn’t sure if Owen was really game or not. This morning was a little cloudy and there was smoke down in Tuolumne so it was good to get moving early in case of rain. After heading down the outlet stream of our lake and then climbing to the top of the grey cliff band to the south, it was easy rolling terrain all the rest of the way to Lake 11050.
Leaving Kuna Creek Headwaters
Today's route-Mt. Lyell center, Donahue to the left
Kuna Creek dropoff, smoke in Tuolumne Meadows
Kuna Creek Headwaters basin
Owen wanted to give Donahue a try so we stashed our packs and started up the west ridge at about 9:15. It is mostly class 2 with a little 3 here and there and the top was reached by 10:45. We took in the view and snapped a couple of summit shots, and then signed the register which had no other entries for 2 weeks prior. We got a weather station report which indicated that monsoonal moisture was moving back in and the skies confirmed this. This was Owen’s first 12000 footer and the exposure off the south side gave him a slight case of the heebies, but he did well and I was excited to share the summit with him.
Our campsite from the summit
On top
Our descent down the north side was much easier leading to a contour back around to Lake 11050. Owen graciously hiked up a couple hundred feet to retrieve our poles which had been left at the start of the bouldering on the way up. Lake 11050 is nestled in a small basin right on top of the crest here, and when you are on the shore you can’t really see out. There is a fantastic little beach which called for a swim even though the sun was in and out of the clouds. A pair of heavy duty scissors with red handles was just lying in the grass which seemed really odd way out here.
Lake 11050
11050 with Donahue Peak
After our break we contoured around the last mile to just below Donahue Pass where the first other people since the trailhead were encountered. This was expected but it was kind of sad to leave the complete isolation of Kuna Crest behind us.
Nearing Donahue Pass with Kuna Crest traverse in background
Moving along the JMT it felt good to be on a trail. The skies continued cloudy with a few sprinkles here and there. After descending to the first stream outlet from the Lyell/Maclure region, which I believe is referred to as Lyell Basecamp, it was time to look for a place to camp. I was reluctant to keep going too much further as I wasn’t really ready to leave the alpine environment. It seems that every trip has a campsite which just doesn’t feel good for some reason and we found ours tonight. After poking around in the small canyon nothing felt quite right. We finally settled in a flat rocky area and set up our tents for the first time this trip in anticipation of a rainy night. There are few trees here and we were within view of the trail. Owen said that he felt a bit homesick and did not like all the people going by. I broke out my IPod and we listened to some Science Friday and RadioLab podcasts which helped cheer him up. A Dipper entertained us while visiting the stream for water.
Lyell Basecamp
Campsite near JMT
7/28 Lyell Canyon
I let Owen sleep in and I did an early morning look around down trail. I found some better campsites up in the granite ridge to our north which sits just above the trail. There is a beautiful meadow near there where I observed some obsidian flakes which had been worked for arrow points. Before leaving camp we made a quick side trip up and into the basin to our south which is on the route to get to Mt. Lyell. The trail was a good one today, and our moods lightened as we walked. We descended to the next basin which looks like a popular layover area. It has a small lake and some bigger trees. There were a fair number of people already on the trail which provoked us to start a count of today’s encounters. The trail travels down through thick trees, and it started to rain pretty consistently, so we stopped for a snack, put on our rain gear, and continued down, soon arriving at the iconic footbridge which crosses the river.
Footbridge in the rain
Some of the people encountered today were very interesting, and many of them were Whitney bound. One couple had started at Kennedy Meadows, come all the way north to Tuolumne, and were now headed back to Mammoth where they had shuttled a car. 285 miles! Another father and son team was headed for Whitney. When I said I was envious, the son said he was envious of us as we were headed for cheeseburgers. We soon bottomed out into Lyell Canyon proper and began our level stroll through the meadows of Lyell Canyon alongside the Lyell Fork.
Lyell Canyon with Kuna Crest above
Kuna Creek cascade
Looking back-Mt. Lyell obscured by smoke and clouds
The high use of this area is evident from the multi rutted trail, the number of hikers one actually passes, and from the many areas which are signed as restoration areas/keep out. But, despite the high usage, it is an incredibly beautiful area. It rained most of the day but did lighten up toward dusk. Passing the Ireland Lake junction we noticed many camp sites were filling up, and we elected to put in another mile or so. We eventually came to a granite bench just off the trail which had fire rings and good sandy flat spots to pitch our tents. Our count of people encounters was now in the 90’s and topped out at 101 just before bedtime. As this was now definite bear territory we set up our kitchen well away from sleeping. Owen enjoyed some more podcasts while we cooked and ate, and we even started a fire tonight. I had worried that the mosquitoes would be out in full force at this elevation, but they were really quite few and far between.
7/29 Headed for the barn
We woke up late and waited for the sun as there was a lot of condensation here and we wanted to let things dry out. We had feelings of sadness knowing this was our last camp site but we also felt the pull of the end. Owen was ready for a bed and a shower and some real food. The trail leaves the river for much of this stretch and then rejoins after Rafferty Creek. I had been looking forward to some good swim holes on the way out, but as we walked it clouded up again and sprinkled so swimming was not a priority. Nonetheless, I pulled over at a good spot just after the Rafferty junction and went for a refreshing swim in one of Lyell Canyon’s beautiful pools. Had it been a warm sunny day I would have spent more time, and maybe one more night, to swim and explore.
Good swimming
There is a remarkable decline in the quality of the trail after Rafferty due to the pack animals used to supply Vogelsang, and we soon came to the busy campground and reentered civilization by walking through the camp to get to the store and the grill. Grilled chicken sandwiches were on the lunch menu as we sat at the tables outside and watched all the goings on. It was strange to experience the activity of America on vacation after our days of solitude. Since our car was still 5 miles away I hitched a ride back to the trailhead leaving Owen in the meadow with our packs. We then drove east and stopped at Tuolumne Lodge to see if we could get a tent cabin for the night. They were full so we made our way down to Lee Vining and secured a room for the night. After showers, dinner consisted of a trip to the MoMart which included a cold Mammoth Epic IPA which was so good. We had some time before bed so we visited the county park boardwalk and took in some Mono Lake vistas at days end. We both appreciated the luxury of a night in our motel room after our time on the trail.
7/30 The drive home
We drove back through the park to return home. Owen had never seen giant Sequoias so we planned a visit to the Tuolomne Grove. A large fire was burning on the western edge of the park which prompted a stop at the visitor’s center for a report- the grove was open for business. We stopped by Tioga Pass Resort for breakfast. This is one of my favorite places ever to eat breakfast. It brings back so many previous trips and good times, and the food is excellent. The area around Tuolumne Grove had burned during the Rim Fire and it was smoky today so it was kind of eerie walking down to see the trees. The last time I was here you could still drive down and through the tree.
Big tree
The last leg of the drive was longer than expected. The planned route was to head north from Crane Flat and travel back through Groveland, but just as we got to the junction our route was closed and traffic was rerouted south into the valley and out Hwy 140. This added an extra 2-3 hours to our day.
This was a great trip and it was so gratifying to share it with my son. He was a trooper and had a great time overall. He had a few moments of homesickness here and there, and I can remember having similar feelings while backpacking when I was his age. It is not always easy to spend time alone away from all the demands and stimulus of daily living especially at age 15. Even though he and I get along very well, I know from past trips that he also likes having others along to help provide additional stimulus and entertainment.
I loved this trip. For me it had it all. We had high altitude off trail hiking with some route finding challenges, along with pleasant forested trail walking. We had clear sunny days and we had rain. We had solitude and we experienced how the JMT can be somewhat social. I was hoping for more hang time in Lyell Canyon but the weather just didn’t cooperate this time. Maybe next year….. The best part of all for me was spending quality time with my son in the mountains away from all the distractions of daily life. My hope is that taking him on backcountry trips will instill in him a desire to go on more, with me for as long as I am able, and then with friends and family of his own as he grows older. So let’s see, time off next summer. Where to go, where to go?
