Sierra Nevada - Yosemite National Park
1958 John Muir Trail-Glacier Point Loop
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On August 16-30, 1958 I did a solo 85 mile (including 5 days cross-country) backpack loop out of Glacier Point including portions of the John Muir Trail in Yosemite National Park. This was my second visit to the Sierra Nevada.

I parked my car at Glacier Point with its tremendous views of the Yosemite Valley and Half Dome. My first day took me over a familiar trail past Illilouette Fall, Panorama Cliff to Nevada Falls where I made camp on the Merced River in Little Yosemite Valley next to a sandy beach.

Glacier Point Hotel and Half Dome at Glacier Point - Yosemite National Park 16 Aug 1958
Glacier Point Hotel and Half Dome at Glacier Point - Yosemite National Park 16 Aug 1958
Half Dome, Nevada Falls, Vernal Falls from Glacier Point - Yosemite National Park 16 Aug 1958
Half Dome, Nevada Falls, Vernal Falls from Glacier Point
Yosemite National Park 16 Aug 1958

Illilouette Falls - Yosemite National Park 16 Aug 1958
Illilouette Falls - Yosemite National Park 16 Aug 1958
Nevada Falls -  Yosemite National Park 16 Aug 1958
Nevada Falls - Yosemite National Park 16 Aug 1958

Nevada Falls -  Yosemite National Park 16 Aug 1958
Nevada Falls - Yosemite National Park 16 Aug 1958

Looking down Nevada Falls - Yosemite National Park - 16 Aug 1958
Looking down Nevada Falls - Yosemite National Park - 16 Aug 1958
Bridge at Nevada Falls - Yosemite National Park - 16 Aug 1958
Bridge at Nevada Falls - Yosemite National Park - 16 Aug 1958

Merced River at Sunrise Trail Junction - Yosemite National Park - 16 Aug 1958
Merced River at Sunrise Trail Junction - Yosemite National Park - 16 Aug 1958


625-629??


A rainy day took me up the long climb past the Half Dome side trail to Long Meadow which I had all to myself (now there is a High Sierra Camp there).

Storm over Long Meadow, John Muir Trail - Yosemite National Park - 17 Aug 1958
Storm over Long Meadow, John Muir Trail - Yosemite National Park - 17 Aug 1958
Long Meadow, John Muir Trail - Yosemite National Park - 17 Aug 1958
Long Meadow, John Muir Trail - Yosemite National Park - 17 Aug 1958

Long Meadow near camp, John Muir Trail - Yosemite National Park - 17  Aug 1958
Long Meadow near camp, John Muir Trail - Yosemite National Park - 17 Aug 1958
Long Meadow from camp, John Muir Trail - Yosemite National Park - 17 Aug 1958
Long Meadow from camp, John Muir Trail - Yosemite National Park - 17 Aug 1958

Long Meadow and the views as I hiked past the Cathedral Peaks over Cathedral Pass to Tuolumne Meadows were beautiful. I hiked across Tuolumne Meadows to the Sierra Club camp and Soda Springs, then turned back to the nearby car camp.


635-641??
Columbia Finger, John Muir Trail - Yosemite National Park - 18 Aug 1958
Columbia Finger, John Muir Trail - Yosemite National Park - 18 Aug 1958
Unicorn Peak, John Muir Trail - Yosemite National Park - 18 Aug 1958
Unicorn Peak, John Muir Trail - Yosemite National Park - 18 Aug 1958

Upper Cathedral Lake, Cathedral Peak from near Cathedral Pass - John Muir Trail - Yosemite National Park - 18 Aug 1958
Upper Cathedral Lake, Cathedral Peak from near Cathedral Pass - John Muir Trail
Yosemite National Park - 18 Aug 1958
Upper Cathedral Lake at Cathedral Pass - John Muir Trail - Yosemite National Park - 18 Aug 1958
Upper Cathedral Lake at Cathedral Pass - John Muir Trail
Yosemite National Park - 18 Aug 1958

Soda Spring at Tuolumne Meadows - Yosemite National Park 18 Aug 1958
Soda Spring at Tuolumne Meadows - Yosemite National Park 18 Aug 1958

Morning found me on the long flat Lyell Fork of the Tuolumne River. The day ended with a good pull up from lower - past middle - to upper Lyell Base Camp where I met an Explorer Post from the San Francisco area.

We also found a young boy in bad condition who had been left by his YMCA group when they proceeded over Donohue Pass. He was so sunburned he couldn't get in his sleeping bag. We finally were able to send a message with a hiker going to Tuolumne and a Ranger and horse came to evacuate him. I later received a thank you note from his parents.


The next morning one of the boys in the Explorer Post started off back down the trail toward Tuolumne and they had to chase him down and convince him to go on with them. We all finally hit the trail with wonderful views of Mt. Lyell and its glacier as we climbed over Donahue Pass and descended into the Rush Creek drainage.

Upper Lyell Base Camp from Donahue Pass Trail - John Juir Trail - Aug 1961
Upper Lyell Base Camp from Donahue Pass Trail - John Juir Trail - Aug 1961
Mount Lyell from Donahue Pass Trail - John Muir Trail - Yosemite National Park - Aug 1958
Mount Lyell from Donahue Pass Trail - John Muir Trail
Yosemite National Park - Aug 1958

Lyell Fork Canyon from Donahue Pass - John Muir Trail - Yosemite National Park - Aug 1958
Lyell Fork Canyon from Donahue Pass - John Muir Trail
Yosemite National Park - Aug 1958
Top of Donahue Pass - John Muir Trail - Yosemite National Park - Aug 1958
Top of Donahue Pass - John Muir Trail - Yosemite National Park - Aug 1958

Island Pass to Lake Catherine map
Island Pass to Lake Catherine map
Waugh Lake from near 1000 Island Lake - Ansel Adams Wilderness - Aug 1958
Waugh Lake from near 1000 Island Lake - Ansel Adams Wilderness - Aug 1958
Lakes on way over Island Pass - Ansel Adams Wilderness - Aug 1958
Lakes on way over Island Pass - Ansel Adams Wilderness - Aug 1958

Banner Peak, Mt. Ritter, Banner/Davis Pass, Mt. Davis - Ansel Adams Wilderness - Aug 1958
Banner Peak, Mt. Ritter, Banner/Davis Pass, Mt. Davis
Ansel Adams Wilderness - Aug 1958
Thousand Island Lake from route to Banner/Davis Pass - Ansel Adams Wilderness - Aug 1958
Thousand Island Lake from route to Banner/Davis Pass
Ansel Adams Wilderness - Aug 1958

At Thousand Island Lake I left the trail and proceeded cross-country toward a pass and Lake Catherine just north of Banner and Ritter Peaks. The lake still had an icy snowbank on its edge. In-route I passed a grave of someone who apparently died while on a trip in the area some years ago.

Near top of Banner/Davis Pass - Ansel Adams Wilderness - Aug 1958
Near top of Banner/Davis Pass - Ansel Adams Wilderness - Aug 1958
Thousand Island Lake, Island Pass ridge from near Banner/Davis Pass - Ansel Adams Wilderness - Aug 1958
Thousand Island Lake, Island Pass ridge from near Banner/Davis Pass
Ansel Adams Wilderness - Aug 1958

Mt. Ritter and top edge of Banner/Davis Pass - Ansel Adams Wilderness - Aug 1958
Mt. Ritter and top edge of Banner/Davis Pass - Ansel Adams Wilderness - Aug 1958
Lake Catherine from top of  Banner/Davis Pass - Ansel Adams Wilderness - Aug 1958
Lake Catherine from top of Banner/Davis Pass - Ansel Adams Wilderness - Aug 1958

Lake Catherine from below  Banner/Davis Pass - Ansel Adams Wilderness - Aug 1958
Lake Catherine from below Banner/Davis Pass - Ansel Adams Wilderness - Aug 1958

Route to west side of Mt. Ritter from Lake Catherine - Ansel Adams Wilderness - Aug 1958
Route to west side of Mt. Ritter from Lake Catherine - Ansel Adams Wilderness - Aug 1958
Banner Peak from Lake Catherine - Ansel Adams Wilderness - Aug 1958
Banner Peak from Lake Catherine - Ansel Adams Wilderness - Aug 1958

The cross-country route down the North Fork of the San Joaquin River headwaters was spectacular and exciting. There are a series of shelves and you keep worrying about ending up on top of a cliff - but a break always appears at the last minute. Evidence of mining operations add interest.

Toward the end of this day's hike I had to be careful in making the proper right turn up Bench Canyon. Two canyons joined the river at a point close together and I wanted to make sure I ended up in the right one. I over did it and missed them both by going down the left side of an "island" and made camp at Hemlock Crossing about 5 miles below my intended canyon.

Drop into North Fork San Joaquin from below Lake Catherine - Ansel Adams Wilderness - Aug 1958
Drop into North Fork San Joaquin from below Lake Catherine
Ansel Adams Wilderness - Aug 1958
Water cascading from Lake Catherine - Ansel Adams Wilderness - Aug 1958
Water cascading from Lake Catherine - Ansel Adams Wilderness - Aug 1958

Water cascading from Lake Catherine - Ansel Adams Wilderness - Aug 1958
Water cascading from Lake Catherine - Ansel Adams Wilderness - Aug 1958
Waterfall below Lake Catherine - Ansel Adams Wilderness - Aug 1958
Waterfall below Lake Catherine - Ansel Adams Wilderness - Aug 1958

Looking down cliff on descent from Lake Catherine - Ansel Adams Wilderness - Aug 1958
Looking down cliff on descent from Lake Catherine - Ansel Adams Wilderness - Aug 1958
North Fork San Joaquin from below Lake Catherine - Ansel Adams Wilderness - Aug 1958
North Fork San Joaquin from below Lake Catherine - Ansel Adams Wilderness - Aug 1958

Old mining tools on descent from Lake Catherine - Ansel Adams Wilderness - Aug 1958
Old mining tools on descent from Lake Catherine - Ansel Adams Wilderness - Aug 1958
Trail on left from lunch at top of waterfall below Lake Catherine - Ansel Adams Wilderness - Aug 1958
Trail on left from lunch at top of waterfall below Lake Catherine
Ansel Adams Wilderness - Aug 1958

August 1955 quartz mining claim marker on route down from Lake Catherine - Ansel Adams Wilderness - Aug 1958
August 1955 quartz mining claim marker on route down from Lake Catherine
Ansel Adams Wilderness - Aug 1958
Waterfall from along the trail down from mine claim area - Ansel Adams Wilderness - Aug 1958
Waterfall from along the trail down from mine claim area
Ansel Adams Wilderness - Aug 1958

Looking upstream on North Fork San Joaquin - Ansel Adams Wilderness - Aug 1958
Looking upstream on North Fork San Joaquin - Ansel Adams Wilderness - Aug 1958
Looking upstream on North Fork San Joaquin - Ansel Adams Wilderness - Aug 1958
Looking upstream on North Fork San Joaquin - Ansel Adams Wilderness - Aug 1958

Looking downstream on North Fork San Joaquin - Ansel Adams Wilderness - Aug 1958
Looking downstream on North Fork San Joaquin - Ansel Adams Wilderness - Aug 1958
North Fork San Joaquin below Bench Canyon - Ansel Adams Wilderness - Aug 1958
North Fork San Joaquin below Bench Canyon - Ansel Adams Wilderness - Aug 1958

The next day I proceeded along the steep valley slopes into Bench Canyon. As I approached its upper end it appeared that I was in a box canyon with no exit - but again, a break opened in the cliff and I made camp in good shape.

Looking up Bench Canyon - Ansel Adams Wilderness - Aug 1958
Looking up Bench Canyon - Ansel Adams Wilderness - Aug 1958
Looking toward Minarets from bench in  Bench Canyon - Ansel Adams Wilderness - Aug 1958
Looking toward Minarets from bench in Bench Canyon
Ansel Adams Wilderness - Aug 1958

Blue Lake near Foerster Peak Pass - Ansel Adams Wilderness - Aug 1958
Blue Lake near Foerster Peak Pass - Ansel Adams Wilderness - Aug 1958
Looking across Blue Lake toward North Fork San Joaquin from Foerster Peak Pass - Ansel Adams Wilderness/Yosemite National Park - Aug 1958
Looking across Blue Lake toward North Fork San Joaquin from Foerster Peak Pass
Ansel Adams Wilderness/Yosemite National Park - Aug 1958

The next day involved crossing a "bouldery" pass next to Forester Peak and I took it slow. The views were great. Over the pass I dropped down toward the Merced River. Here I came upon a plateau which dropped off steeply to the river so I followed along the plateau until I intersected a trail near Lewis Creek where I made camp on some flat rocks after a tiring day.

Minarets from Foerster Peak Pass - Ansel Adams Wilderness/Yosemite National Park - Aug 1958
Minarets from Foerster Peak Pass
Ansel Adams Wilderness/Yosemite National Park - Aug 1958
Looking over Foerster Peak Pass toward Merced River - Yosemite National Park - Aug 1958
Looking over Foerster Peak Pass toward Merced River - Yosemite National Park - Aug 1958

I was beginning to tire of the lonesomeness of this trip so I charged on for sixteen miles the next day. Part of this was spent with some other hikers I met in-route as we passed Merced Lake and made camp in Little Yosemite Valley.

Harriet Lake - Yosemite National Park - Aug 1958
Harriet Lake - Yosemite National Park - Aug 1958

Merced Lake - Yosemite National Park - Aug 1958
Merced Lake - Yosemite National Park - Aug 1958
Merced Lake - Yosemite National Park - Aug 1958
Merced Lake - Yosemite National Park - Aug 1958


714-727 ????

The last day took me back up the familiar trail to Glacier Point. Having completed my hike early, I took time to visit Sentinel Dome, the Wawona Tunnel and then drove the old one lane Tioga Pass Road (now replaced by a modern paved highway). This was a pleasant drive through scenic country including Tenaya Lake. I descended the narrow winding Tioga Pass road to U.S. 395 and proceeded to Mammoth Lakes and Devil's Postpile which I explored including a visit to Rainbow Falls before heading for home.

THERE SHOULD BE SOME PICTURES FROM SENTINEL DOME, WAWONA TUNNEL and GLACIER POINT
Merced Canyon from Sentinel Dome - Yosemite National Park Aug 1958
Merced Canyon from Sentinel Dome - Yosemite National Park Aug 1958
Half Dome from Sentinel Dome - Yosemite National Park Aug 1958
Half Dome from Sentinel Dome - Yosemite National Park Aug 1958

Devil's Postpile - Devil's Postpile National Monument Aug 1958
Devil's Postpile - Devil's Postpile National Monument Aug 1958
Devil's Postpile - Devil's Postpile National Monument Aug 1958
Devil's Postpile - Devil's Postpile National Monument Aug 1958

Rainbow Falls - Devil's Postpile National Monument Aug 1958
Rainbow Falls - Devil's Postpile National Monument Aug 1958