FT2018 Day 44: Campsite near the Aucilla River (mile 734.2) to Ring Dike Campsite (mile 760.8)

Trail Day 64: Marie Lakes Junction (mile 926.9) to Glen Aulin High Sierra Camp (mile 948.3)

21.4 PCT miles

We thought we would have to start the day with a cold wade through the raging creek we camped next to last night. Thankfully,  the water level had decreased enough during the night that there was a large log above the surface that we were able to cross without getting our feet wet.

Dry feet was short lived though as we started the climb to Donohue Pass, the last high elevation pass we would be crossing on the PCT.  There was much less snow a couple miles out than the other passes, but the ground was soggy and sometimes flooded from snowmelt.

We eventually hit a snowfield right before the pass and put on our crampons/microspikes,  but didn't even get out our ice axes.

Approaching Donohue Pass.

Taking a break on the approach.

The pass itself was another gradual, wide pass. You could look back at the approach,  but then you had to walk across a wide saddle to get a view of the descent.

The Donohue Pass approach (looking back).

The descent looked beautiful. We were officially entering Yosemite National Park’s southern boundary and we could see lots of green trees and a lush meadow below. The snowline was pretty high so there would only be a little bit of snow travel on the descent.

The descent into the southern portion of Yosemite National Park.

We went down some traverses, hit a small body of water right at the edge of the snowline, then took a lot of switchbacks down into Lyell Canyon and Lyell Meadow.

A frozen lake early in the descent. 

Headed down the switchbacks. You can see the eadge of the snowline to the right.

Approaching the meadow. 

This meadow may be the most beautiful meadow I have seen. It was surrounded by snowy mountains; had a creek with clear, turquoise blue water running through it; had a waterfall running down into one section, and had a smattering of yellow wildflowers.

Lyell Meadow. 

Wildflowers in the meadow.

Whitewater waterfall flowing down into the meadow.

Clear stream flowing through the meadow 

This meadow extended for about nine miles, but it was flat, so we took it at a good pace to try and get some decent miles in today.

Part way across the meadow. 

The PCT.

The forest next to the meadow.

After the meadow, the trail ran next to Tioga Road. After being in the wilderness for so long, it was jarring to see cars drive by next to you. The trail crossed Tioga Road at the parking lot I had used to climb Lembert Dome last year.

We followed a gravel road and it took us to the trail around Tuolumne Meadow (the actual meadow and not the campsite), where we came across Soda Springs, an area where the water bubbles out of the ground carbonated. Songbeard filtered some of the water to try, and we all got a taste. The water retained its carbonation after it was filtered, so it was kind if like sparkling water. However,  it kept an iron taste after being filtered so it tasted like iron sparkling water.

Tuolumne Meadow.

Wood structure surrounding the main spring at Soda Springs.

Carbonated water springing up from the ground.

By this time it was late in the day, and I was really being bothered by foot pains, so I was going much slower than everyone else. I limped the two more miles to Delaney Creek, which was supposed to be a difficult crossing, with water potentially waist high. When we got there, I doubt it would have been much higher than our knees. There was a large log just upstream that was easy to cross, so we didn't have to wade through it anyway.

Next, I limped towards the junction for Glen Aulin, where we were going to meet and push a couple miles further to a campsite. This section changed dramatically in scenery and was very “Yosemite” to me.

We were walking next to the Tuolumne River and you could see large granite peaks and domes in the distance. We also crossed swaths of granite that were so wide that there were rock cairns placed for navigation.

Yosemite High Country. 

More Yosemite High Country (mountains slightly hazed out by smoke)

Cairns marking the way (up and to the right).

Large swaths of granite.

Eventually I came to the bridge that crosses the Tuolumne River. A few weeks ago, the water level was above the bridge, making it unusable.  I have no idea how the hikers that were going through navigated the trail during that time.

Bridge over the Tuolumne River.

The Tuolumne River. 

After the river crossing, the trail started to lead down. The sun was low in the sky and casting everything in a golden light. It was really pretty. I had to wonder why we were racing through all this to try to get “big miles” in.

Boulders marking the PCT route. 

The trail lead next to Tuolumne Falls, which was spectacular. There was such a high volume of water flowing through it. I stopped to take a picture, then went down the trail and found the rest of the group admiring the falls from a lower vantage point.

The upper part of Tuolumne Falls.

Tuolumne Falls.

Tuolumne Falls in action:

Looking downstream from the falls. 

As we rested, Songbeard quizzed the group about how they were feeling about campsites for the night. With my foot issues, my vote was for the next available site. It seemed like most of the rest of the group was also leaning towards being done for the day as well.

The sun setting a little further downstream from tge falls.

We continued down to the bottom of the falls and the junction for the Glen Aulin High Sierra Camp. Usually this is a reservation only campground, but it was not officially open, since the bridge had washed away from its foundation. There were log crossings to get over the stream, so we were still able to access it to set up our tents on the sand next to Tuolumne Falls.

The bridge to Glen Aulin.

Where the bridge to Glen Aulin used to be.

It was a beautiful spot, but the mosquitos were intense. I put on bug spray, my rain jacket, my rain skirt, and my head net to keep the cloud of mosquitos away while I set up my tent.

One last sunset photo, looking downstream from the Glen Aulin camp.