2025 Yosemite
Tuolumne Beginners Hike
It was a plan that had many changes along the way… I wanted a gentle start to the 2025 hiking season and I wanted to plan a hike with friends that normally don’t backpack. The goal was for enough days that it was a real hike, gave everyone a chance to see if they like backpacking and to get a good start to the season for me.
The plan went well, but I started with 4 “beginners” and ended with only one – Helen. Helen had some friends (now my friends) that are hikers as well – more experienced than me! So we ended up with four of us doing this on/off trail loop in the most beautiful Tuolumne area!
Natalie, Norman, Helen, Jerry and NG^2’s hedgehogs
The weather was spectacular! Warm days – around 70-80 and only down to 35-40 at night. Some mosquitoes, but we have seen much worse. A fair amount of off trail and exploring.
Helen and I had an early start from Redwood City on Sunday July 6 and arrived at the trailhead at about 10:30am. Easy to pick up the permit (after the lottery for this trail earlier in the year). We picked up a hitch-hiker backpacker that was headed to Tuolumne store – all good!
First stop on the hike was Elizabeth Lake.
At the pass – high point of day 1 on the way to Nelson Lake.
First night at Nelson Lake. An off trail approach to a delightful little lake. Norman and Natalie arrived an hour or so after we arrived and tried to set up camp. They had a much longer day since they started hiking a few days earlier.
Accompanying Norman and Natalie were the hedgehogs. A quiet pair that seemed to go with the flow and didn’t seem to mind facing backwards. Good thing they are Harry Potter fans.
Nelson Lake was … a lake. Nice, but not outstanding.
Norman had a fly fishing rod and took many opportunities to cast for fish. He was successful many times (catch and release) for little rainbow trout (I think).
Day two we were off trail the whole day. Went up past Reymann Lake, over Rafferty pass and went cross country to Boothe Lake. [Note: it is Boothe Lake, not Booth Lake. I didn’t notice the spelling until after I marked the photos and the maps. Too lazy to go back and fix them.]
Reymann Lake
There are campsites in the woods to the north/east of the lake. Comes with lots of mosquitoes.
Lunch at the top of a little knoll down from Rafferty Peak
Proof that Helen CAN walk on water.
Boothe Lake
Boothe Lake is close to Vogelsang High Sierra Camp and near the main trails – so lots of people stay here. We arrived early and got the best spot (IMHO).
Sunrise
Day 3 off from Boothe to Bernice Lake. We went off trail up to the Vogelsang camp where someone lost a bet and now owes Jerry a latte (Was the camp open? No.)
Christmas Card Photo
Approaching Gallison Lake
Bernice Lake – we camped on the right side near the top of this photo
At Vogelsang High Sierra Camp looking at Vogelsang Peak
Vogelsang Lake
At Vogelsang Pass looking at Bernice and Gallison Lakes – our home for the next two nights
Day 4 was a day hike around the basin! All off trail and not sure where to go. Jerry wanted to get close to Hell Hole pass to see if it was a good route for some future trek here. It looks hard, but OK from this side.
Norman provides great reflections. Natalie and Jerry in the mirror…
At our highest altitude – 11,150′ So many fun flowers!
Just Chilln’
Lunch spot
The granite was really interesting as we began our descent. One huge piece of rock that has split in place providing easy walking.
We had a short class-2 rock hopping adventure getting around the loop.
Our final swimming hole
Little Fishies…
Coming down from Vogelsang pass and finding Vogelsang Lake all pretty with so many flowers. I stepped off trail, took the picture then must have dropped my clip-on dark glasses here. We walked to the outlet at the other side of the lake, I discovered my missing glasses, walked back up to this point to pick them up and return. Way easier without a pack!! Amazing that I found them. Then again, I got to see this sight again!
Day 5 hike from Bernice Lake to Evelyn Lake – or not – we started diverging and ended up at Townsley Lake – WOW WHAT A GREAT CHOICE!
Sunrise at Bernice Lake
Arrival at Townsley Lake
Our campsite was on granite! First time for me to have NO stakes for the tent – rocks only. It worked great!!
Helen was using Normans tent. It was an engineering miracle to set it up in good conditions, and nearly impossible in hard conditions. Helen (with Norman’s help) made it work!!
We arrived at Bernice lake via off-trail adventure to avoid going way down then back up. So we decided to do on-trail departure and go down to Lewis Creek and up to Volelsang pass – the normal way. I do like off-trail! 🙂
Hiking up past Fletcher lake to Townsley Lake
Norman and Jerry went up a few hundred feet to Hanging Basket Lake. A class 2 scramble to a very cute lake. Not great options for camping up there, but (in theory) was possible.
Sunset in our semi-transparent tents
Our final look at upper Townsley Lake. Probably the prettiest lake of the tour. Too cold to swim (for me and Natalie). Norman can deal with cold water and DID swim.
Natalie found an outcropping of crystal rocks. We did a hike by on the (cross country) way out.
We had a glimpse of Evelyn lake (well sort of, it was around the corner) and again, we were happy we diverted to Townsley for the last night.
Sort of Tuolumne River – more Lyell Fork, but who’s counting?
More pictures are posted to: https://www.jerrypierce.org/photos