[John Morrow]

Here are the pics, I'll elaborate in a few days. Right now gotta go back there! Saturday the 21st I drove through a snowstorm on the Tioga Road to Porcupine Flat Campground. Sunday, I got pulled over by a Park Ranger for driving a closed road. After being directed to leave my car in a pull out until the road crews cleaned it up (slick from refrozen snow melt), I had to choose Clouds Rest for my first hike. 15 miles RT through slushy snow but I wouldn't have it any other way!

Frozen and closed Tioga Road

IMG_5271

Clark peek

Starr King and Clouds Rest

Got granite?

Final push

Holy cow!

Clark Range

Merced Headwaters

1 label

Unreal granite under Clouds rest

Hoffmann and Tuolumne

Looking back

Monday I was tired and cold from the snow slogging so I paid a visit to "the Valley" and hiked the Mist Trail/JMT loop to Vernal and Nevada Falls:

Yosemite National Park, CA

IMG_5309

Liberty Cap behind

Nevada Falls and Doug fir

Yosemite Wilderness, CA

Above Nevada

Sequoia and Hemlock

Half Dome and Liberty

Yosemite Wilderness, CA Half Dome, Broderick, and Liberty Cap

Downvalley

Doug and Sequoia

Of course, I had to walk to the base of El Cap and strain my neck:

El Cap

I soloed it!....to here

Driving back to the campground I ran down to the Merced Sequoia Grove:

Merced Grove

Biggun'

IMG_5352

By Tuesday some snow had melted so I ventured to do a traverse of which ever Echo Peaks I could safely scramble non-technically. Echo Ridge 11,168'---Echo #8 10,880+, and the highest Echo Peak #3 10,960+

Budd lake primitive trail

great trail

Yosemite Wilderness, CA

setting behind Cathedral

Yosemite Wilderness

My traverse idea above

So awesome; Yosemite National Park, CA

looking back

slabs and blocks scrambling to Echo Ridge

Snow makes it slick

The Echo Peaks

Cathedral Lake to Hoffmann

Echo Ridge 11,168'

Awesome Class 2

Down valley amazement

Yosemite National Park, Yosemite Wilderness, CA

Tioga Pass region

Back at yesterday hike

Lyell portion of Cathedral Range

IMG_5419

Cold rock!

Echo #1, chimney ice stopped me

Echo #3 slab climbing

Great class 3

Fantastic solid exposed finish

Echo Peaks Traverse

Echo Peaks traverse

IMG_5447; Yosemite National Park

Yosemite National Park, CA

Windy! Echo #3 10,960+

Clouds Rest and, well.....

Snow makes it challenging

Felt like an accomplishment

Echo Peaks

Upper Cathedral Lake

Yosemite National Park backcountry

Tresidder Peak above

IMG_5482 Yosemite Wilderness, CA Looks stretched but it isn't, the tree is crooked!

[ree]

OMG, I love your pictures, and I love Yosemite!!! That dusting of snow made it challenging, but it also made for nice shots. Looks beautiful, and it looks like you kind of had the place to yourself. I wonder if Vernal Falls ever dries up. Snow in the Sierras - and we're not out of Sept.... pretty amazing.

[olderthanIusedtobe]

Cool! Worth a bit more driving time eh? I did Clouds Rest this summer, but without the dusting of fresh snow. Looks a bit different in your pics. Also did Vernal Falls Mist Trail/JMT loop, but I didn't go up to Nevada Falls. Several years ago I camped at Upper Cathedral Lake w/ my bro and tagged Cathedral Peak (4th class w/ a teeny bit of low 5th maybe ascending the normal descent route) and several of the Echo Peaks. Really fun scrambling up there. Looks like you had a great trip. There's a fun loop option from Upper Cathedral Lake. Go up on the plateau above the lake but instead of heading for the Echo Peaks aim a little to the left and hit Budd Lake, easy cross country travel. At the lake outlet find a way path, follow a nice creek almost back down to the road, you hit the main trail just a bit above the TH.

[RichP]

Wow! I wish I were there now.

[Snowdog]

Oh John- your timing couldn't be better, I leave in a week! I am stoked. We plan to do 1/2 Dome & Cloud's Rest, and one more.(we have 3 days) Suggestions? You think the snow is there to stay? Might I take spikes? Hadn't thought I'd need them quite yet.

[Abert]

Beautiful pictures. Thanks for your reports this year as the nwhiker on assignment.

[forest gnome]

NOW THAT'S HOW U DO YOSEMETIEEEEE...pay attention all you "what do i do in yo?......" classic vintage and timeless photos!!!!

[Gwen]

Super jealous, especially since I wouldn't even know where to begin in a place like Yosemite. Guess I need a guide.

[Gwen]

[puzzlr]

Very enticing pics. I thought I was done with Yosemite after many trips while I lived in SF. But these make me miss those wide granite landscapes.

[John Morrow]

Thanks so much for the comments everyone!