June 19, 2012, Tuolumne Meadows to Glen Aulin and McGee Lake

Title: June 19, 2012, Tuolumne Meadows to Glen Aulin and McGee Lake

Trail head: Lembert Dome

Hike Info:

Trail: Pacific Crest Trail

Destination: Glen Aulin/McGee Lake

Distance: 6.3 miles (lost the GPS track)

Travel Time: 4:15

Description:
Last night we went to bed, pretty late, actually almost in the morning. I woke up at 6, turned over and got up 45 minutes later. Everything in my pack was ready by 8. But we are having troubles with Sherri's. She is taking the food this time, getting everything in her pack, including the food canister. This was the half height, Bear Vault. But after struggling for over an hour, we did get everything in, including changing it out for our Garcia canister-it is thinner.



After gassing up, we left Fresno. Got our wilderness permit at Wawona for Glen Aulin. Inquired about the John Muir Trail—an early permit can be obtained at 11am, previous day—it is better to get the permit in the Valley—they had first priority over the Valley trails.




We get held up with road construction at Wawona Tunnel. Finally make it to Tuolumne Meadows at 1pm. That is a long drive. Andrea has a friend doing the PCT--Maya. We thought that she was approaching Tuolumne Meadows Wednesday. Turned out she was there a week before. Oh well. I did ask some PCTers who were lounging around the Tuolume store if they had heard of Maya. They had not, but now that I read her log, I can understand.



We get started at 2 from the Lembert Dome stables parking lot. Sherri has some new boots on. So I carry her old boots in case these do not work out. The trail is wide and splits off of the John Muir Trail, which goes past Soda Springs and Parson Lodge. Our trail follows the Pacific Crest Trail northwest ward. We break away from Tuolumne Meadows and climb a little ridge. Delaney Creek is just over the ridge. This creek has provided us much entertainment. The coupe of times we have gone a ways on this trail, this creek has been our ending destination. Glen Aulin draws many people who normally do not step into the alpine air of Yosemite. Consequently, they sometimes have issues with some of the simple tasks of of hiking—such as crossing a creek. Most accept help, many are scared of falling in, some try to cross on their own. It is an interesting study of human nature.



We make it across the creek by walking on stones—the creek is not very high and this is a drought year. Our travel continues. We shortly come back to the Tuolumne River. This time, if anything, it is more meandering and wider than around Tuolumne Meadows. The mountains in the background and the meadows by river, fair weather under warm blue skies—we could stay here forever.



We stop for a lunch break by one of the scenic spots—that is not saying much since they are all scenic. Enjoying 20 minutes or more of paradise. After lunch we cross some large glaciated granite. And then we cross the Tuolumne River, that is on a foot bridge. It would have been fun crossing this river by wading it.



We shortly start down a good slope, which we will continue till we reach Glen Aulin. As we look to the right, we see Tuolumne Falls cascading down. My comment—this is at least as good as Spokane Falls. Sherri's response—better, God made it.



As we continue down, we see the White Cascades—soooo good. This is a wondrous trail.



We get to Glen Aulin junction, about a quarter of a mile from Glen Aulin itself. The NPS would like us to camp a mile from Glen Aulin. So we have a decision to make: continue on the PCT and go up Cold Creek on the other side of Glen Aulin; go down the Tuolumne River for about a mile; or go to left to McGee Lake. At the end of the decision, we go to McGee Lake mostly because it is on our trail Thursday. On the map, it is rather uninviting, but it does have the virtue of cutting off a little distance Thursday. Also Wednesday we will take a day hike down the Tuolumne River and see the Falls.



So to McGee we go. For the past 20 minutes, we have been attacked by a swarm of mosquito’s. So out comes the repellant. Much better. Shortly we get to McGee Lake. We drop our packs and I search for a place to camp. There is a place close to where we dropped our packs, but it looks a bit infested with pests. So I go the length of the lake looking for a spot—we are alone at this lake. Finally after walking the full third of a mile of the lake I find a place. Returning to Sherri and the packs, I hear a voice calling me from on high. Not a mystical calling, but Sherri with a revelation. She had gone on a bathroom run and found a perfectly good camp spot just 40 yards from where we dropped the packs. It is on top of a rock outcropping, higher up than most misquotes are willing to climb. So here we stay, 30' above the lake. We drop our packs for the final time today at 6:15.



Dinner is lasagna-freeze dried variety. Tasty, but a bit liquidy. We put some Ritz crackers to firm it up. Its clean up time and then into bed to escape the flying pests. I read my current book, Dracula, for awhile and turn off the light at 8:30.