Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne

balzaccom

Member
Joined
Sep 30, 2014
Messages
740
Since all the National Forests in the Sierra were closed for fire danger, I took a chance and managed to get a permit in Yosemite proper for a quick trip down the Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne. I had four days' worth of food, and almost that much free time from home, so I started early on Wednesday morning to see how far I could get.

I started at the Murphy Creek Trailhead and was surprised to be at Glen Aulin before noon. The High Sierra Camp itself was closed, and the whole place was a bit eerie, but I did see plenty of hikers on their way from one HSC to the next...in this case, May Lake. Seems like everyone on the trail had the same idea.

That encouraged me to stick with my plan, and after lunch I headed down into the canyon, eventually running out of gas below Waterwheel Falls. For an old guy, eleven+ miles with a full pack was a full days' work. There were plenty of people where I camped, but all of them were day-hikers down from Glen Aulin. By the time I emerged from my afternoon nap they were all gone, and I had the place to myself for the rest of the night.

Lots of bear scat by the way---but no bears, sorry to say.

That night had blustery winds, and the next morning the canyon was filling with more smoke. I didn't like the idea of hiking further downhill, only to climb out in denser smoke the following day. So I started back up the canyon. Again, I was surprised to be in Glen Aulin before ten a.m., and from there it was an easy seven miles back out to the van through thickening smoke. Still, it sure beat sitting around the house wishing I were here.

The whole blog post about the trip is here: https://www.backpackthesierra.com/post/the-grand-canyon-of-the-tuolumne-a-trip-report

And the photo log is here: https://photos.app.goo.gl/q1RZ8ByVM93cAmZh6
 
Similar threads
Thread starter Title Forum Replies Date
TractorDoc Paintbrush Canyon / Cascade Canyon Loop -- Grand Teton NP September 11, 2023 Hiking & Camping 9
Janice Such a GRAND Canyon - Deer Creek / Tapeats / Thunder River Backpacking 21
M Mee/Knowles Canyon Loop, Grand Junction Colorado Backpacking 4
OldBill Short hike at the Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania Hiking & Camping 1
Bob The New Grand Canyon Trip Planning 1
F Grand Canyon hermits rest to granite rapids to bright angel Trip Planning 10
dennisrodman A week in the Grand Canyon / Boucher / Hermit / Tonto Trail Trip Planning 4
futurafree Grand Canyon norovirus General Discussion 6
TrailScot Dripping Canyon to Grand Gulch, Cedar Mesa, Utah - March 2022 Hiking & Camping 7
Kerrie at Thru We Go Grand Canyon Backpack/Packraft Loop at New Hance Backpacking 11
H Access to Grand Gulch via Water Canyon Trip Planning 2
M Grand Canyon NP, Royal Arch Route Backpacking 0
westy Grand Canyon-Parashant NM, Parashant canyon Hiking & Camping 4
marquis20 Day 1: Grand Teton Wilderness and Black Canyon of the Yellowstone - June 2021 Backpacking 0
westy Grand Canyon-Parashant Trip Planning 2
Rockskipper Application Period Open For 2023 Private River Trips Through Grand Canyon National Park General Discussion 0
TrailScot Step Canyon access to Grand Gulch, Cedar Mesa Trip Planning 17
stretch Grand Canyon Loop: Thunder River -> Tapeats -> Kanab -> Sowats Backpacking 22
kansas Good map of Grand Canyon-Parashant National Monument? Trip Planning 5
J Grand Canyon NP Backpack Pt. 2 Deer Cyn explore-->Esplanade-->Indian Hollow Tr. April 18-23, 2021 Backpacking 10
J Grand Canyon NP Backpack Pt. 1 Thunder River Tr.-->Esplanade-->Tapeats-->Deer. April 18-23, 2021 Backpacking 13
Nick Running the Grand Canyon in a Tule Raft General Discussion 2
D Grand Canyon Ideas Trip Planning 9
Bob Grand Canyon North Rim wildfire Trip Planning 4
gnwatts Grand Canyon by canoe On The Water 2
westy Cave Canyon, Grand Canyon west Hiking & Camping 5
montanaclimber advice Grand Canyon backpacking Spring 2020 Trip Planning 16
D New dams proposed for Little Colorado River/Grand Canyon General Discussion 2
Ross Permit places available for a Cape Solitude/Comanche Pt Grand Canyon backpack (+Canaan Mountain) Meet Up (Members Only) 0
fossana Deer Creek out-and-back (Grand Canyon NP) Hiking & Camping 5
fossana New Hance - Tonto - Grandview loop (Grand Canyon NP) Hiking & Camping 5
G Grand Canyon hiking - need a ride Trip Planning 0
G Grand Canyon backpacking - need ride Backpacking 0
3 Grand Canyon Traverse - Map? Trip Planning 0
woodmaker_58 Grand canyon in February Trip Planning 4
woodmaker_58 grand canyon Trip Planning 2
stevecochranephotography Bright Angel Trail.. Grand Canyon, Arizona Hiking & Camping 1
N Grand Canyon and southern Utah in late November Trip Planning 3
Scott Chandler Finally Into the Grand Canyon Hiking & Camping 9
ramblinman New push for Uranium Mining near Grand Canyon General Discussion 3
cmgz Tuckup to Stairway -Grand Canyon Backpacking 5
A Escalante Route - Grand Canyon in late May 2017 Trip Planning 4
Wanderlust073 Grand Canyon in Winter - Hermit Trail to Bright Angel Backpacking 8
D Grand Canyon Escalade Project - ACT NOW General Discussion 12
Sandro Invite Grand Canyon, Utah Flats & Little Colorado, October Meet Up (Members Only) 7
b.stark A Grand Adventure-Grand Canyon 2016 Backpacking 7
Jon Carbaugh Grand Teton NP, Granite Canyon, Marion Lake Backpacking 12
IntrepidXJ Grand Gulch: Pollys Canyon to Collins Canyon Backpacking 1
Curt Grand Canyon --Tanner - Escalante Route - East Tonto - Grandview Backpacking 21
ram Grand Canyon River Trip.... March 8th-24th 2016 Canyoneering 12

Similar threads

Back
Top