Yosemite Chronicles: Final Six Weeks of Hiking

For the last half of my trip, I upped the intensity and mileage of my hikes. I wanted to make the most of my time.

Sequoia National Park (Mineral King)
Cold Springs Nature Trail, 2.0 miles.
Eagle Lake, 6.8 miles (+ 2.3 miles off-trail exploration of the sinkholes and looking for possible caves), 2000 feet elevation gain
White Chief Canyon,10.8 miles, 2000 feet elevation gain (found some caves!)
Monarch Lakes and Black Wolf Falls, 11.5 miles, 2800 feet elevation gain
Paradise Ridge, 5.0 miles, 1000-ish feet elevation gain
Hockett Trail to East Fork Bridge, 4.0 miles, 500 feet elevation gain (on the way back)
Franklin Lakes, 13 miles, 2600 feet elevation gain


Yosemite National Park
Glen Aulin and Tuolomne Falls, 12.5 miles, 400 feet elevation gain
Lyell Canyon, 6 miles
Clouds Rest, 14 miles, 2300 feet elevation gain
Pothole Dome and Tuolomne River, 7 miles, 250 feet elevation gain
Cathedral Pass and Upper Cathedral Lake, 11.5 miles (from campground), 1000 feet elevation gain
Elizabeth Lake, 4.6 miles (+ 1.7 miles up Unicorn peak for a view), 1000 feet elevation gain
Mount Dana, 5.8 miles, 3108 feet elevation gain
Granite and Gaylor Lakes and Great Sierra Mine, 11 miles, 1255 feet elevation gain
Spillway Lake, Parker Pass, Mono Pass and Golden Crown and Ella Bloss Mines, 13 miles, 1600 feet elevation gain.
Inspiration and Stanford Points, 7.6 miles, 2200 feet elevation gain
Illilouette Falls, 4 miles, 1200 feet elevation gain (on the return)
Yosemite Point, 7.6 miles, 2800 feet elevation gain
North Dome and Indian Rock/Arch, 9 miles, 2040 feet elevation gain.


John Muir Wilderness
Midnight Lake, 13.6 miles, 1872 feet elevation gain
Lamarck Lakes, 8.0 miles, 1500 feet elevation gain
Ruwau and Chocolate Lakes Loop (+ Chocolate Peak), 8.7 miles, 1832 feet elevation gain


Molukumne Wilderness
Frog Lake, 2.0 miles

Mono Basin National Forest Scenic Area
Panum Crater Plug Trail, 2-ish miles


Inyo National Forest
Bennettville, 2.8 miles, 324 feet elevation gain
Saddlebag, Greenstone, and Steelhead Lakes, 6 miles


Hoover Wilderness
Lundy Canyon, 4.5 miles
Barney Lake, 8.8 miles, 1430 feet elevation gain


In the final six weeks, I hiked 227 miles and up 36,011 feet. The total for the summer was 399 miles and 67,785 vertical feet. I’m now safely home and normal outfit content will resume!