Backpack - Yosemite -- Cathedral Range Loop

Leader's notes

These notes are also on my website at [AlpineRover] Cathedral Range Loop – 09-02-2013 to 09-09-2013.

Join us on a 6 day journey through the Cathedral Range in Yosemite National Park. This looping trip samples everything the Cathedral Range has to offer, from sweeping vistas from 10,000-foot passes to the deeply glaciated Merced River Canyon to forested side streams with secluded campsites. There’s plenty of good fishing, too.

• On Day 1 we begin at the Cathedral Lakes TH and hike a short 3.7 miles to Upper Cathedral Lake to setup camp and acclimate to the high altitude.
• On Day 2 we will hike about 10.1 miles along the John Muir Trail to Sunrise Creek.
• On Day 3 we will day hike a 9.9 mile loop over Clouds Rest. For those interested, leave early and add 5 miles to your day hike to summit Half Dome as well.
• On Day 4 we will depart our Sunrise Creek camp, pass Merced Lake and hike 9.7 miles to Florence Creek.
• On Day 5 will hike 5.3 miles over Vogelsang Pass to camp at Boothe Lake.
• On our final day we will hike out 7.4 miles to the Lyell Canyon TH.

We will maintain a leisurely pace (7.67 average miles per day, max 10.1 miles).

Itinerary

	Date	Time	Trip Mileage	Daily Mileage	Elevation Gain	Total Elevation Gain	Hiking Time (hours)
Leave Cathedral Lakes TH	4-Sep	11:00am	0
Arrive Upper Cathedral Lake	4-Sep	3:00pm	3.7	3.7	1050	1050	4
Leave Upper Cathedral Lake	5-Sep	10:00am	3.7
Arrive Sunrise Creek	5-Sep	4:30pm	13.8	10.1	700	1750	6.5
Depart Day Hike to Clouds Rest	6-Sep	9:30am	13.8
Return Clouds Rest to Sunrise Creek*	6-Sep	5:00pm	23.7	9.9	1900	3650	7.5
Depart Sunrise Creek	7-Sep	9:00am	23.7
Arrive Florence Creek	7-Sep	5:00pm	33.4	9.7	1990	5640	8
Depart Florence Creek	8-Sep	10:30am	33.4
Arrive Boothe Lake	8-Sep	3:30pm	38.6	5.2	1470	7110	5
Depart Boothe Lake	9-Sep	10:00am	38.6
Arrive Lyell Canyon TH	9-Sep	2:30pm	46	7.4	150	7260	4.5
*Those opting to add Half Dome to the Clouds Rest Day Hike on the 6th, add an additional 5 miles, 2036 ft gain (5 hours, depart 6:00am, return 6:30pm)

All transportation arrangements have been made and reserved (except airfare).

You need to book your own airfare between Seattle & Reno.

• Southwest flight 209 September 3rd, departs Seattle @ 10:15 AM and arrives in Reno @ 11:55 AM (nonstop)
• Southwest flight 471 September 10th, departs Reno @ 4:10 PM and arrives in Seattle @ 5:50 (nonstop)
• Alaska airlines also flies to Reno. A flight arrives in Reno at 9:45am on September 3rd and departs from Reno at 5:05pm.

We’ll be staying both nights, the 3rd & 9th, in Lee Vining. We are within walking distance of Mono Lake, a very interesting place. And we are at 7600 feet, so we will get a little acclimated on that first day. Here are the rooms that were booked. We went with 2 large units, it was cheapest and the most flexible. I think there are enough beds and separate bedrooms that we can work out something with any party makeup.

• Lake View Lodge - We are in cottages 48T and 51T for the night of the 3rd
• Yosemite Gateway Motel - For the 9th we are in the family unit and suite at the bottom of the page

Rich DuBois has reserved everything. You need to send him a $261.52 check by July 16th:

Rich DuBois 149 149th Ave NE Apt D Bellevue, WA 98007

Costs

Date	Item	Group Cost	Price per Person
3-Sep	Lodging	492.80	61.60
9-Sep	Lodging	479.36	59.92
	Bus to/from Reno		74.00
	Taxi to/from Yosemite *		66.00
	total		$261.52
	‘*’ – based on 8 people and includes a 10% tip

References:

• USGS Merced Peak
• USGS Tenaya Lake
• USGS Vogelsang Peak
• Sierra North, Backcountry Trips in California’s Sierra Nevada, by Kathy Morey & Mike White, No. 53 Cathedral Lakes Trailhead to Lyell Canyon-PCT/JMT Trailhead
• 100 Hikes in Yosemite National Park, by Marc J. Soares
• Yosemite National Park, National Park Service

2.2 mile car shuttle between Trailheads

To assist members in making carpooling arrangements, contact information including email addresses and phone numbers of all participants will be shared prior to the activity date. If you wish to be excluded from the sharing of carpooling contact information, please contact me by email.

Meeting place and time 12:30 PM at Reno-Tahoe International Airport, Reno, NV