by LVRAY » Fri Jun 19, 2009 3:42 pm
Both areas are beautiful and I would strongly suggest you eventually do both. But given the time of year, I would vote for a loop out of Hetch Hetchy. That area can get quite try later in the year, so doing it early is good. Plus the waterfalls around Hetch Hetchy will be better this time of year.
There are numerous loops possible, I'll suggest one with a few options.
Day 1: Go from the dam past Wamama & Rancheria Falls, camp near Rancheria. Distance approx. 6 miles. Alternatively, you could go an addition 3 miles and camp in Tiltill Valley.
Day 2: Hike up trough TilTill Valley to Lake Vernon. Camp at Lake Vernon. Distance approx. 10 miles (or about 3 miles less if you went to Tiltill Valley first night).
Day 3: Explore the lakes NW of Lake Vernon in the morning, then hike the short 5 miles or so over to Laurel Lake. Best camps are on the NW shore.
Day 4: Head down hill to Miguel Meadow & Gravel Pit Lake. Camp at Gravel Pit Lake. Distance approx 5 miles. Along the way have lunch at the Frog Creek crossing - which is beautiful. If you go this way, my suggestion would be to go cross country from trail just where it turns to the SW above Gravel Pit Lake and head SE directly to the NE corner of the lake, where there is a nice secluded camp spot. It is a very short (0.2 mile) and easy cross country route that will save you about a mile of hiking. You can then set up camp and walk over to explore Miguel Meadow without your pack.
Day 5: Hike out following the old road to the dam - approx. 6 miles.
Total distance about 32 miles.
You can modify the above any # of ways. Here are two possibilities. The first shortens the mileage, the second adds to it.
One - From Laurel Lake head down to the dam without doing Miguel Meadow-Gravel Pit Lake. You can hike either back through Beehive Meadow and then down the trail that goes to the dam via the old road switchbacks (approx 7 miles) or go SW down to Frog Creek, then head west along Frog Creek to catch the same trail south of Beehive. This route is about a mile longer than going straight through Beehive Meadow. You also lose one night and shorten the trip by about 5 miles. You could spend the extra night at Vernon Lake and use the day to explore that area.
Two - From Laurel Lake head SW to Frog Creek. Cross the creek and head up trail and around the ridge. Just as the trail starts to turn to the SE, there is an old abandoned trail that heads down to Lake Eleanor. The beginning is marked if you look hard. Two years ago I added a rock carin and a log pointing to the start of it. It will take you more or less cross country and down hill to Lake Eleanor, where you catch a trail on its southern bank and loop back around to Mcguel Meadow. This route will add about 4 miles to the trip total, but you will see Lake Eleanor.
As I mentioned, there are many possible loops. Pick up a copy of the National Geographic Trails Illustrated Map (#307 Yosemite NW covers the Hetch Hetchy area) and Jeffrey Schaffer's book 'Yosemite National Park - A Complete Hiker's Guide' for far more detail. Just a note, Shaffer mentions the abandoned trail to Eleanor, but it is not on the National Geographic map.
Have fun.