For a couple of years now, ever since I hiked to Glen Aulin,
I have wanted to complete the entire Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne trail in
Yosemite National Park. As I recall, the first section, which ends at Glen
Aulin, was one of the most magnificent hikes I had done to that point. It is
full of cascading waterfalls and sheets of granite, over which the Tuolumne
River runs. Mentioning this to some of my hiker friends at work, they were more than ecstatic to join me on the trail. Four of us, Bill, Van, Rich and myself, set
out on Friday Morning to backpack this popular trek.
Day 1:
Meeting up in southern Reno, we departed in two vehicles at approximately
5:15 AM. Van rode with me in the jeep, while Bill and Rich drove down in Rich’s
Rav 4. The two-and-half hour drive to Yosemite was mostly uneventful except for
finding a black bear on the side of the road near Topaz Lake, a victim of road
kill. We arrived moments before the highway maintenance crew. It’s such a sad
site to see a majestic animal such as this killed in such an undignified way,
but I suppose that is life in the Sierra Nevadas.
We meet at the Whoa Nellie Deli just beyond the junction of
US 395 and CA 120, which leads to Tioga Pass and the high country of Yosemite.
After grabbing some refreshment, using the facilities, and grabbing our final
supplies, we make our way to the Wilderness Permit Office. I had already made
the reservations and so it was just a matter of picking up the permits. We do,
however, have to wait in line for 30 minutes or so while others make their
arrangements. While waiting, Van and I start talking to a young lady in front
of us in line who got lucky enough to land permits to do the John Muir Trail,
something we both hope to accomplish at some point in time. She and a friend
are planning to tackle the high-elevation trail in 25 days, which is pretty
generous for 212 miles. However, she mentions that backpacking is a recent
activity for her and that coming from the coast, she is concerned about altitude
sickness. After she gets her permits, we wish her well and offer some encouragement.
She’ll need it, but I hope she is able to complete the trail. It is quite an
accomplishment.
Talking with the ranger who is issuing our permits, he
ensures we are aware of and practice ‘Leave No Trace’ camping methods and are
aware of how to deal with any black bears we may see on the trail. I appreciate
the fact that the rangers take the time to cover this information with
backpackers. In addition, he tells us that fires are allowed in existing fire rings
along the trail. Van and I both pleasantly shocked. With the persistent
drought conditions in California, we all assumed that it would be camp stoves
only, but the current campfire status is a welcomed sound. Who doesn’t appreciate a
nice camp fire in the woods? After wrapping up with the rangers, we drop Van and Bill off
at the Lembert Dome/Glen Aulin trailhead and make the 30 mile drive down to
White Wolf Campground to stage Rich’s car. We then make our way back in my jeep
to rejoin our friends.
With the vehicles set, we toss on our packs and start the
long trail, each one of us with a glint of wonder in our eyes. While the first
couple of miles are relatively uneventful, we start meeting up with the
Tuolumne River near mile marker two, and from there it’s on! We start by
crossing a massive slab of granite that looks as though it flows like liquid
from the dome above. Next, we make our way down a long series of granite steps
that parallel the river as it makes its way over waterfall after waterfall and cascades
over might sheets of granite. These are truly awe-inspiring sites, and they
come one after another after another. We make terrible time, as we are too busy
taking pictures of this amazing spectacle of stone and water, but no one really
cares. These moments and vistas are to be taken in and savored for all time.
At about 5.8 miles, we reach the waterfall named Glen Aulin,
and the high sierra camp of the same name. We take a few minutes here to
rest and get a snack. We don’t relax for too long though because “there are
miles to go before we sleep”. Just beyond Glen Aulin the canyon opens up to one
of the most magnificent views these eyes have ever seen. Had I known this was
only a few hundred yards beyond the camp when I visited here a couple of years
ago, I certainly would have hiked the additional steps, but not knowing, I had
turned around and headed back to my car on that trip. I’m so glad I didn’t do
that on this one. The valley here is beyond beautiful. It is the stuff of
legend. The Tuolumne cuts a small path towards the sun, was granite domes rise
on the left and right. The greenery of a lush pine forest carpets the valley
floor as the sun and clouds provide a divine back drop. Truly, words cannot
describe this view and if you are reading this, I can’t encourage you enough to
see this valley for yourself. I promise you won’t regret it.
After retracting our jaws, we continue on down the trail
towards are declared campsite for the night, Waterwheel Falls. Along the way,
we are rewarded with many more waterfalls and granite sheets bathed in river
water. Eventually, we reach a spot that Van notices that will make an ideal
campsite for the night. A large house-sized boulder should act as a wind-break.
I throw my tent up quickly and decide to scout for our best river access. After
a couple of non-rewarding rock scrambles, I find a fairly easy spot for us to refill
or water supply. We make camp, prepare some dinner, and then head over to a
nearby cliff overlooking the river to watch a colorful sunset. As we are still
at about 7k elevation, it starts getting cool fairly quick. I toss on a light
fleece as we share some vodka and tell stories of lost loves and roads not taken over a campfire. This is the life. We turn in shortly thereafter, and enjoy a
quiet, but slightly cool night in the Sierras.
Day 2:
Awaking before the sun rises, I crawl out of my sleep bag
and tent to greet a cool morning. My first order of business after find a tree
a few yards away from camp is to get some water boiling for my morning earl
gray – got to have some caffeine, and the hot water is not a bad thing either,
as the air temperature is probably around 40 on this brisk morning before the
sun rises. Van, Bill, and eventually Rich begin to stir and break camp. We prepare
some breakfast, refill our water, break down camp, and hit the trail once more.
The first part of our second day is much like our first, but
with less hikers. The first section, to Glen Aulin, is a very popular day hike
and rightfully so, but beyond Glen Aulin the human population disperses. The
truth of the matter is that day-hikers outnumber backpackers many times over. That’s
fine by all of us, as we all appreciate the peace and quiet out here. In fact,
it is one of the reasons we seek these adventures out. We continue past one
waterfall after another, each at least as magnificent as the previous.
Eventually, we reach a clearing overlooking a nice swimming hole. There are
other backpackers here, with whom Van and I talk about the trail and possible
campsites ahead. Most people do the Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne from west to
east, but as I had made our reservations accordingly, we are doing it east to
west. The advantage of this is that hikers we pass traveling in the opposite
direction are able to provide us valuable insight in what is to come with
regard to water, elevation, and potential campsites. While this particular spot
is very nice, it lacks any form of shade and as we have dropped down below 5k,
the temperatures are rising. The girls we talk to warn us of a somewhat brutal ‘up-and-over’
coming up. We decide to push on and get this out of the way.
Using the word ‘brutal’ to describe this climb is pretty
accurate. The trail alternates between forest and exposed granite as we gain
elevation at an alarming rate. It’s challenging, but we eventually all make it
to the top. Bill and I start down, while Van waits for Rich to make it up. The
trip down is even steeper, and while it doesn’t require nearly as much effort,
it does tear up the knees. I can see the trail several hundred feet below us.
We continue on. Finally reaching the bottom, we are rewarded with another
granite knob to climb over . . . or so we think. Instead, we get to pass behind
this one. An noteworthy site back here is a small pool surrounded on three
sides by 30 foot granite walls and a small waterfall feeding it – very cool.
After we reach the bottom, we start looking for campsites.
Quickly, we find an adequate site. As before, we quickly put up our tents and
get some dinner cooking. After dinner, I head down to the river, just below us,
and wade out into the icy cold water. I had intended to swim a bit to wash off
some of the sweat and stink, but the water is so cold, I can’t bring myself to
go all the way in. I splash the frigid water onto myself, doing my best to wash
off the dirt. I then, quickly get out of the water and put on some dry clothes.
While the air temperature here is pretty warm, that water is just . . . brrrr.
. . .
I hit the sack just after sunset, actually falling asleep in
my sleeping bag with a shirt on. I awake quickly to discover my mistake. My bag
is so warm that I’m sweating like a dog. I strip off my shirt and try to fall
back asleep. It doesn’t take long. I generally fall asleep pretty fast when
camping, but I awaken several times during each night. I think it is because my body parts go numb laying on just a sleeping pad and I need to re-position my
weight and allow feeling to come back to those areas.
Day 3:
Again, I awaken before sun up and start my daily ritual of
breaking camp and preparing my morning tea. We break camp a bit early today and
start the long trek to the Pate Valley, several miles ahead. Again, we are
greeted with multiple waterfalls, but after a mile or so, the terrain changes a
bit and enters a thick and lush forest. I’m leading the way, followed by Bill,
Van, and finally Rich. Perhaps 5 minutes separates each of us.
Approaching a particularly lush area of the forest, I am
greeted with a young dark-pelted black bear right on the trail. Based on his
size, I would estimate that he is only two or three years old, but still large
enough to do me some damage. Luckily, I know how to handle myself around bears.
Grizzlies are one thing, as they can be very aggressive, but the black bears
that populate the park are generally pretty timid. The recommended way for
handling them is to try to make yourself look bigger by raising your arms and
yelling at the bear. I begin do this, but then I consider that my hiking
partners may have not seen a bear before. Bill catches up and joins me in
trying to ward off the bear. He complies and allows Bill and I to move on
without incident.
About a quarter of a mile further, Bill and I see two fellow
backpackers filling their water supply near a cascading waterfall. We stop to
chat with them and warn them of the bear. They offer good information about upcoming
camp sites and the terrain we should expect. Van arrives and we ask him about
the bear, which he didn’t see. The other hikers depart and a few minutes later,
Rich joins us. Rich did get to see the bear, but was a little intimidated by him.
Eventually, the bear wandered off into the wood and allowed Rich to pass.
We continue on and arrive at the Pate Valley, which is not
much more than a trail intersection in the forest. A sign here indicates that White
Wolf, where we left the other car, is only 8.4 miles ahead. This seems a bit
low, but knowing we have a grueling climb to get out of this canyon, we push
on. Crossing a couple of foot-bridges, we see some very nice campsites, but
push on even further.
We eventually start the relentless switchbacks that indicate
we are making our way out of the canyon and up the cliff-side towards the high
lands of the park. It’s hot, very hot, and a small dry pond reminds me of our
water situation. We had intended to refill our water supply before leaving the
river, but it’s too late for that now. Looking at the map, it appears a small
creek cross the trail a couple of miles ahead. After catching up with Van and
Bill, we discuss and agree on this course of action.
Eventually reaching the dribble of a creek, we refill our
water. I go first and while waiting on the others, I decide to scout out some
of the granite domes above us, looking for an acceptable clearing to pitch our
tents for the night. As luck would have it, I stumble across an ideal spot – though
not immediately. I had to do a fair amount of rock scrambling and jumping until
finally finding an open clearing with nice shade and a fantastic view of the
Hetch Hetchy Valley to the west. I return to the others and tell them of our accommodations
for the evening. We make our way up the trail and begin to make camp. Dinner,
water, etc.
A few other hikes pass by, waving and offering greetings,
while we relax. Eventually, a young lady with blonde dreadlocks stops by and
asks if we mind if she and some friends that are a bit behind her head out through
our camp to the cliff and watch the sunset. We voice our agreement and a short time
later her four friends arrive. As the sun begins to set over the reservoir, we
join them on the cliff. It turns out they are all park employees, food service
mostly, who are just on their weekends. Wow, what a life! I’m jealous that I
didn’t get to do this twenty years ago. As the sun sets and winds kick up the
group departs with our well wishes. They intend on hiking in the dark to White
Wolf, which they believe (us as well) to be only four or so miles ahead.
We head back to camp and call it a night. It’s cool, but not
cold here tonight and I awake a couple of times. As we are set up out on a
granite knob, we have a magnificent view of the heavens. I take the opportunity
to unzip the door of my tent and absorb some of the starlight, as well as get a
great view of Hera’s Milky Way.
Day 4:
We awake especially early this morning and after breaking
camp, hit the trail before seven. We’re all anxious now for a fresh meal and a
shower. The first two miles or so are brutal as we gain hundreds of feet of
elevation. My knees feel it, but eventually, I reach an area that levels out.
The trail continues on through a lush forest. Van and I comment on how
difficult it must have been to hike through this dense vegetation in the dark,
as our young friends must have done a few hours before.
The signage is somewhat confusing as the math doesn’t quite
add up correctly. It seems there is about a two mile discrepancy between an
earlier sign for the distance between Pate Valley and White Wolf and a sign we
are seeing now. Ah well, it’s early and we have the entire day to make our way
back to the car.
We pass Hardin Lake, which is mostly dry. The trail
eventually intersects with a park service road and we follow this another two
or so miles into the White Wolf Campground. Rich’s car is a welcomed site, and thankfully
he gave me his car key so we can get in. Van had planned accordingly and
stashed a styrofoam cooler of beer and ice in the car. We didn’t have much hope
that it would be cold, but thought it at least might be cool. To our amazement,
there is still a fair amount of ice in the cooler. We crack open a nice cold
beer and toast our accomplishment. Who cares that is 10 AM?
As we await Rich’s triumphant completion of the trail, we
notice two of the young girls we had watched the sunset with last night on a
park bench right by the car. We start talking to them and discover that their
blonde friend had gotten separated and lost. As they make a missing person’s
report to the ranger, we do our best to assist with the map and trying to
pinpoint locations. Other groups of hikers join in the discussion offering
their experience and lack of siting’s on the trail. Moments later, she arrives
undamaged. She had taken a wrong turn and ended up bedding down for the night. We
wish them luck and offer them some left over food, as they were out, and then they
are on their way.
Just a few minutes later, Rich finally arrives. We greet him
with a cold beer and allow him to relax for a bit. Another group of young
hikers arrive at the trail head just five minutes after the bus they had
intended to catch had departed. While we don’t have much room, we offer to
drive one of them back to their car, which is at the same location as my jeep.
These guys had done the exact same trail as us. They weigh their options, but
eventually decide to go another route. They thank us multiple times for the
offer as we depart. Hikers/Backpackers are a tight community and we all go out of
our way to help each other when we can.
For now though, me and my three stinky friends are on our
way home. We stop off to get my jeep and then meet-up again at the Whoa Nellie
Deli for a well-deserved burger. With the confusing signage, I’m not completely
confident in our mileage, but I believe the hike was about 32 miles total,
which is a pretty short distance over four days. However, we had agreed at the beginning
that this was to be a relaxing trip, which it was. I love getting out there and
taking in all that nature has to offer. Each trip is unique and this one was
certainly among the great ones of my life.
