Ten Lake Backpacking Trip

[Thompstu]

I am taking a group of about 6 of my friends to Ten Lake in July. I've backpacked a lot in the park but I would say the group would be in intermediate shape. I was hoping to get some advice from anyone who has done the hike.

First, where are the best campsites? I have heard most people camp at the first two lakes but was wondering if anyone had camped at any of the other lakes and whether it was worth it to look for a site off the beaten path.

Second, I was planning on doing the loop and exiting through the May Lake trailhead. Are their good palces to camp between ten lakes basin and May Lake or should we plan on making it all the way to may lake by the second night? The other option I am thinking is just having a day hike/fishing day on the second day and hiking out the way we came.

Any help is much appreciated!!!!

[balzaccom]

First of all, I hope you got your permit. Six people is a large group, and getting a permit for them may be complicated...

What do you want in a campsite? It's never easy to give people advice about this, because everyone wants something different. The farther you go up the canyon, the less sunshine you get, both in the morning and evening. We don't worry much about afternoon sunshine---but we like a nice eastern exposure to warm ourselves in the morning sun. Upper lakes are more pure granite, fewer trees...but also almost certainly fewer people!

The trail down to May lake would have some campsites along Cathedral Creek...but that's not very far along for you. The other option is Polly Dome Lakes. May Lake is prettier, but also much more crowded than Polly Dome Lakes.

[Grzldvt]

The trip from Ten Lakes to May Lake is not for those out of shape, it has some pretty hefty climbs in it and some of the steeper ones have false top, meaning you think you have reached the summit, only to see another climb ahead of you. Having said that it is a gorgeous hike and well worth doing, but it has some difficulty to it.

[AlmostThere]

People camp at the lower lakes to have a fire. If you have to have one, they are not legal above 9600 feet. The upper lakes are above the line.

This is one of those popular places so Rangers are there quite a lot. Have had my permits ( fishing and wilderness) checked there, as well as the bear can.

[Dave_Ayers]

I think there are suitable camp spots at most, if not all the Ten and Grant Lakes.

As balzaccom mentioned, there are campsites along trail near the south fork of Cathedral Creek, especially the northern half. There are also a few spots near Tuolumne Peak, 1-2 just after the climb out of the Cathedral Creek canyon, and a few more here and there nearer the peak. Several of these are of the 'flat spot' variety, so if you are looking for amenities like stumps to sit on you'll be disappointed. Not many folks camp in that area and the trail is not heavily used, so it's a decent bet for solitude. I've not looked around Raisin Lake for campsites, but the area is flat, so maybe there is something. Be aware that the campground at May Lake is quite touristy and there are many varmints there wanting to get at your food.

Consider climbing Tuolumne Peak and Mount Hoffman. The views are great on both peaks with Tuolumne being far less traveled than Hoffman and lacking Hoffman's radio antenna, thought the Hoffman view is a perhaps a bit sweeter.

Be aware that in a dry year the creek near the Glen Aulin/May Lake trail junction may well be dry, so don't plan to camp there in July. (It was dry the 2nd week of July in 2014.) Be prepared to carry water from Tuolumne Peak to Raisin Lake in July or even from Cathedral Creek all the way to Raisin if later in the season. The small flows shown on the map near Tuolumne Peak probably dry up later in a dry year -- they were pretty small in July last year.