Ansel Adams Wilderness in Late June/early July

[honsing]

Hi. I'm considering a trip from the Red Meadows area in the Mammoth Mountain vicinity up to Thousand Island Lake, over to Rush Creek, up and over Donahue and down Lyell Canyon to Tuolomne Meadows. Any estimates on what snow will be like this year? Will the trail be well trodden? What type of mileage is this (30 or so? ). Also, how to get transported from start-end and back to car? Anyone?

[honsing]

June 30 to July 4th. 5 days.
I hiked Donahue from Lyell Canyon back in 1986 in July, walked down to Waugh Lake and out through Jenny Lakes Loop, but always vowed to return to the land of endless pink granite and green creeks. We had about a mile of knee-deep snow cups that took a long time to navigate at Donahue, but would it be reasonable to bring skis this year?

[hotrod4x5]

Do you have a good bike? You could lock it up in TM, then drive to Mammoth, and then ride the bike back to your car. It's almost all down hill from TM to Mammoth.

[AlmostThere]

Pink granite? Jenny Lakes loop?

[bill-e-g]

Pink granite? Jenny Lakes loop?

Maybe he gazed at Chick-on too long?



And got two trips mixed up... Jennie Lakes ... Jennie Lakes Wilderness.

Anyway...
As far as your questions... I'll say what I know...

Beginning of July is normally when the PCT hikers come blazing
thru Tuolumne Meadows. So, in a typical year, the PCT portion
of the trail will be trammeled, yes.
This year, they are almost assuredly not making as good of
progress..... as you know... suncaps hiking sux...
I highly doubt u want to bring skis in July no matter how much
snow. Even snowshoes are pretty much a waste then too.
The snow has compacted by then just so much that you
don't posthole much, if at all.. and the snow will suck for skiing.

Reds Meadow opens mid June..

If it were me I'd just go from Reds... hike ... and then turn around
and hike back to car... expecting huge amounts of snow.
This last year was like 2006 which saw many lakes still frozen over
July 4th. That is what I would expect. Full snow over Donahue...

Have fun

[dan]

We had about a mile of knee-deep snow cups that took a long time to navigate at Donahue, but would it be reasonable to bring skis this year?

No. A friend of mine tried skis once in late June/July in the Tuolumne Meadows area. The snow was too hard, too sun-cupped, too uneven, too many bare spots, and too much debris to be of practical use. It was fun for short distances for novelty, but it's not practical like it is in winter.

[honsing]

Sorry,

pre-coffee. June Lake. Not Jenny. As I recall the granite was pink tinged, but maybe I caught it during sunrise.