by Phil » Sun Jun 24, 2018 1:21 am
Hi. Welcome.
I can't honestly say that I'm aware of any established sites within Half Moon Meadow itself or on its periphery, except at the northeast end, where there's obviously one in the trees and by the creek, just before the switchbacks. Other than that, I've never looked. The meadow itself is fairly pristine, but it's heavily forested at all but the eastern side, so without too much disruption, you should be able to find a place clear enough for a tent. Just don't make a big deal of it or build new fire rings. There is a stream winding through it that should still have good flow in mid-July, as well as another on the south end that comes down from Grant Lakes, both main tributaries for Yosemite Creek. There's also a fair amount of bear activity in the area, just so you know.
Here would be my suggestions:
First, if you find yourself getting a later start and frying because it's hot, there's the junction at the Ten Lakes trail and the trail coming in from White Wolf a little over two miles up from the trailhead. Here you cross the creek, walk just a couple hundred feet, then you'll find a few established sites basically trailside on both the right and left. They'll be obvious, and water is pretty much right there. Being established sites, this would be far preferable to potentially creating any new ones up-trail by the meadow.
Secondly, shoot for that site I mentioned above at Half Moon Meadow. If it's taken, as just a suggestion on what would be your best bet in areas to look, backtrack slightly and explore the southern edge of the meadow, skirting the treeline for potential sites. As I said, I'm pretty sure you'll find something that will work for a night, if not already established.
Third, and while this is what I would absolutely call the coolest and most rewarding way to go short of making it to Ten Lakes Basin itself, but entirely dependent on your comfort level in doing so, is to head across the meadow to the east/southeast and climb the slope up to Lower Grant Lake. It's fairly steep and strenuous, so you'll want to unbuckle your hip and sternum straps for safety, but it's short, and you'll stop out at the trail to Grant Lakes at the top, so no way you can get lost. Read the terrain from the meadow, but don't go so far as the rock outcropping you'll see at the south end (both visually and on your map...left of the Grant Lake drainage), or so far north that you end up on the exfoliating slabs. What you're shooting for is just right of middle. Basically, a few degrees south of magnetic east. Lower Grant Lake has a fantastic site on the north end, and plenty of sites back in the rocks to the west. The climb, while steep and strenuous, is short and quick, still better than the switchbacks, and is only going to give you a fairly moderate mile the next morning up to Ten Lakes Pass.
All that said, probably the best way to tackle getting up to Ten Lakes successfully in terms of making it as easy as possible is to get an early start at the trailhead, stay hydrated, and rest as often as you need to. Other than the switchbacks up from Half Moon Meadow, the grade really isn't too bad at all, and once you get over the pass and look down into the basin, with the end in sight, it'll all be behind you and worth every step.
Oh, and one last thing, are you through-hiking this or doing it as an in-and-out? If the former, there's more you should know.