Elizabeth Lake > Reymann > Nelson

[w05]

I understand the usual route to Nelson Lake is to follow the use trail from Elizabeth Lake over the Cathedral divide and then down the valley along Echo Creek to Nelson.

Has anyone taken a high route to Reymann first, and then down to Nelson? I mean leaving the Elizabeth-Nelson use trail at the Cathedral pass and bearing SSE along the ridge, skirting the next peak on the southern side, and then descending SE to Reymann. Is this a Class 2 route?

[bill-e-g]

Did you do any of the other gunk you asked about?
Budd... Panorama...

[w05]

Haha, still planning.... So originally we were thinking Panorama but then we figured this might be our last shot at Yosemite for a few years so we wanted to be up in the high country. So then we were thinking Budd.

Then moved the trip two weeks later to have a better chance of avoiding mosquitos (now going this Friday to Sunday).

Budd was full on the new date so now we are hiking out of Elizabeth Lake. Trying to decide between Day 1 Elizabeth > use trail > Nelson, or Elizabeth > ridge > Reymann, or Elizabeth > Johnson Peak Lakes > Reymann. Plan is to circle around to Sunrise Lakes the next day. Thanks for your maps and advice over the years (I've been reading the archives). Will post a trip update when we're done. Now... ever done that ridge?

[bill-e-g]

ic

Sorry haven't done the ridge. I have thought about it...
When you get to the pass there are large walls on both sides...
you'll want to go over the pass before heading east.

I'd really recommend that you just stay on the trail and
head to Nelson though. Perhaps dayhike up to Reymann.
The valley at the headwaters of Echo Creek is very pretty
and it's obvious you haven't been thru there.

Have fun

[w05]

Thanks again for the recommendations. We took your advice and followed the use trail through Echo Creek Valley and loved it. Didn't make it up to Reymann but we managed to swim in Nelson, middle Sunrise, and Tenaya, so we felt we had a good lake tour.

Heading west from Echo Creek we took a low route over to the Cathedral Fork drainage along the south slope of Cockscomb Ridge. I haven't seen that route described elsewhere, but I'd recommend it as an alternative for future archive searchers who don't want to climb over the saddle to Matthes Lake.

Mosquitoes seemed to be nearly gone in the high country (Aug. 12-15). 1/10 most places. 3/10 at Nelson and a few points along the trail. Maybe 5/10 for about an hour at dusk at the middle Sunrise Lake. But really not a problem. Wildflowers look like they're on their way out too, but there was still some color up there.

I was a bit disappointed in the Tom Harrison map for x-country because it has only 100-foot contour lines, which wasn't enough detail. But the terrain was pretty easy to read on the ground so the x-country part was easy.

Overall, a great trip.

Route map here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/25652913@N03/4900413585/

Pictures here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/25652913@N ... /yosemite/

[bill-e-g]

Nice. Thanks for the update.