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[Yosemite]

Trail Run From Cathedral Lakes TH To Yosemite Valley

Hiking, backpacking, running, biking, climbing, rafting, and other human-powered activities in Yosemite National Park

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Trail Run From Cathedral Lakes TH To Yosemite Valley

Postby Duane » Fri Jul 01, 2016 10:09 pm

Hey everyone!
First post, and I'm glad I found this forum because after perusing some topics I have a question or two!

I've done several trail runs in Yosemite over the last few years:

Tenaya Lake to Yosemite Valley via Clouds Rest (my fave so far)
Cathedral lakes to Sunrise Camp to Tenaya Lake TH (thanks, Tuloumne Meadows Shuttle!)
Happy Isles to Nevada Fall to Glacier Point via the Panorama Trail and down the 4 mile.

All these have been done around Labor Day when snow wasn't an issue.

My original plan this year was to run from Cathedral Lakes to Yosemite Valley sometime next week (7/3-7/9). I know from experience that I can cover the distance in a reasonable period of time (i.e., that I can arrive at YV long before dark). However, I'm worried that Cathedral Pass and the trail between Sunrise HSC and Half Dome will still be mired in snow, or will be so slick that it will take longer than anticipated to get down, and I'll have to break out the headlamp. I've never seen that portion of the trail before, so I don't know if it's exposed to sun or shaded.

I was planning on running the route next weekend. Am I better off postponing for another month or so?
Duane
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Re: Trail Run From Cathedral Lakes TH To Yosemite Valley

Postby balzaccom » Sat Jul 02, 2016 8:10 am

I spoke to a wilderness ranger yesterday. He said that snow is now only in patches below 10,000 feet.

So your trip should only have a bit a snow in the forest on the way up to Cathedral Pass...once over the pass, you should be in pretty good shape.

Check out Google Earth...most of that trail goes in and out of forest. It's not a bare slope death march.

But the down-climb to Happy Isles will punish your knees.
Check our our website: http://www.backpackthesierra.com/
Or just read a good mystery novel set in the Sierra; https://www.amazon.com/Danger-Falling-Rocks-Paul-Wagner/dp/0984884963
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Re: Trail Run From Cathedral Lakes TH To Yosemite Valley

Postby Phil » Sat Jul 02, 2016 9:25 am

We just got back from a week of hiking almost everywhere but the JMT, and we found that 10k cutoff to be accurate with very few exceptions in some deeply shaded north aspects. What snow was left at that elevation, and even slightly higher up to almost 11k, was incidental and going really quickly with the heat. The conditions are so dynamic in terms of what the level is that the difference between what's there now, and will be there next week, is virtually moot from a relevant reporting standpoint. As long as the tread on your shoes is good, I think the only real issues that you'll need to be concerned with are some water on the trail in a few places from the rapid melt and mosquitoes. And, surprisingly, as much as the people we ran into all griped about the mosquitoes, they weren't that bad with a little repellent now and then. We were more baked by the sun than bothered by the bugs.
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Re: Trail Run From Cathedral Lakes TH To Yosemite Valley

Postby Phil » Sat Jul 02, 2016 10:53 am

Right, and here's a basic summary of shade- open ground along the route:

Trailhead to Upper Cathedral Lake- primarily heavily forested

Upper Cathedral to about Columbia Finger- primarily open-light canopy

Columbia Finger to Long Meadow- light-moderate canopy

Long Meadow to just beyond Sunrise HSC- open meadow-light canopy

Ascent of Sunrise Mountain past Sunrise HSC- light-medium canopy

Descent from Sunrise Mountain-junction of Cloud's Rest Trail- heavy canopy (***note: excepting any fire damaged portions)

Junction to LYV- moderate to heavy canopy

LYV to Happy Isles- the full range of sun and shade

You won't cross any open granite stretches, which is where were were finding huge, withering temperature differentials that socked us instantly. If it stays hot, bring lots of water or your filter, for sure.
Last edited by Phil on Sat Jul 02, 2016 1:26 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Trail Run From Cathedral Lakes TH To Yosemite Valley

Postby Duane » Sat Jul 02, 2016 11:13 am

Thanks for the info! That's what I was hoping for. -- Duane
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Re: Trail Run From Cathedral Lakes TH To Yosemite Valley

Postby Duane » Mon Jul 11, 2016 8:49 pm

This is going to have to wait until later in the summer. I tried to do too much too soon on a strained calf muscle. Gotta wait until it fully heals before I subject it to a 21 mile trail run where hobbling back to TM (in time to catch the returning hiker shuttle) or into YV (down those granite stairs!) could turn a (merely) long day into an accidental overnighter!
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Re: Trail Run From Cathedral Lakes TH To Yosemite Valley

Postby Grzldvt » Thu Jul 28, 2016 7:44 pm

Keep me informed on this, this was the EnviroSports old Yosemite run and was thinking about doing it again myself, as training run for the Yosemite/Bass lake half. Unfortunately Envirosports abused the privelege and allowed more runners than the permit was for, so they banned him and then simply stopped all organized events in the park, or all National Parks.
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