5-day loop in September

[bbmq]

I'm looking to do a 5-day hike starting the day after Labor Day and I need a few recommendations. My loop, which is not set in stone, could go something like this:
Day 1 - start at Tuolumne Meadows, Lyell Canyon, Camp at Ireland Lake.
Day 2 - pass through Vogelsang, go over Vogelsang Pass, follow Lewis Creek Trail and camp somewhere there.
Day 3 - pass through Merced Lake, Echo Valley, camp along Echo Creek Trail.
Day 4 - climp up Echo Creek, go over Cathedral Pass, camp at one of Cathedral Lakes.

I haven't been on Lewis Creek Trail before and was wondering if there's good campsites along the trail past the turnoff to Bernice Lake. Or is Bernice the better option? Any other recommendations in that area?

I also haven't been on Echo Creek Trail and was under the impression there was good campsites on the lower end of the trail, does anyone have a recommendation?

Thank you in advance.

[balzaccom]

Hi BBMQ

First day should be quite doable---lots of people along that route. Bernice it lovely, and well worth a visit. I seem to remember Lewis Canyon as being fairly steep in most places, but I think there was a spot to camp near the cascades where Florence Creek crosses the trail. And there are certainly campsites where the trail heads up Fletcher Creek.

And I don't think there is a "trail" up Echo Canyon. It is called a "route" because it is not maintained. We did parts of this hike last summer, entering at Nelson Lake and then doing a similar route, but we went up Fletcher instead of Echo Canyon. Or did you mean taking the trail up through Long Meadow?

[bbmq]

Balzaccom,

Thank you for your insight and it also makes me ask more questions. Bernice sounds like a great stop on Day 2 for me and is highly possible, though one consideration is how far I get on that day. To make a 5-day loop and include Ireland Lake while also not camping near the High Sierra Camps I would like to get a little further down Lewis Creek that day and the Florence Creek crossing sounds like an ideal stopping point distance-wise. Since I've never been on the trail I'm sort of hoping for a good bet for a place to spend a night, how strongly do you recommend Florence Creek and that area?

As far as Echo Creek I was never sure if that was the name of the trail. It's the one that puts you in Long Meadow about a mile beyond Sunrise, are you aware of any campsites there? If I could camp on the lower end of that trail maybe along the creek then I could spend my next and last night at Upper or Lower Cathedral Lake.

Would you recommend one of the Cathedral Lakes over the other?

Another consideration is that I don't loop around through Sunrise but just head back up Fletcher Creek after I finish Lewis Creek and then stay at Emeric or Booth. But I would really like to do that loop if I can firm up my stops for the night. Any and all input is greatly appreciated.

[balzaccom]

I was hiking through Lewis Creek, so I wasn't looking for campsites. Sorry that I don't remember seeing any---but I wasn't looking!

And we hiked easily from Bernice Lake down Lewis Canyon and back up Fletcher Canyon to Camp at Emeric Lake in a single day. I think your days, in general, are not very strenuous. The hardest day will be the first one, I think, and that's not too tough. If you hike at 1.5 miles an hour,which is quite a reasonable pace, four hours of hiking get you six miles. And many of these days are about that...


I like day-hiking to Cathedral Lakes...but have never camped there. Lots of people, usually, because they are so close to the road. Or you could go off trail up Echo canyon and camp at Echo or Matthes Lake---the mosquitoes should be under control that late in the season, particularly in this dry year.

Sorry I can't be of more help on the specifics....but we don't plan out our trips in such detail. If you are willing to hike another mile, you can always find a spot to camp...

[weendoggy]

If you decide to stay at Cathedral Lakes, take the upper one, less people. However, I tend to leave the trail near the Cahtedral Fork (just before the climb) and head towards Mathes and/or Nelson Lake. Mathes to me is more scenic, and the following day, head toward Nelson and follow the non-maintained trail over to Elizabeth Lake and out. Much prettier imo. The pass between Mathes and Nelson Lakes is a moderate downhill on exposed granite.