late August backpacking suggestions

[ryanmj]

looking for suggestions on a trip that will end around Tenaya lake or Olmsted point if water levels are low enough to descend Tenaya canyon.

-4-5 nights camping (last night somewhere around the top of Tenaya canyon)
-around 10 miles a day
-start in tuolumne meadows

any suggestions for any spots with good scrambling/climbing are good along with the lakes/rivers and minimal people.

[AlmostThere]

10 miles a day, from TM to Olmstead? That's one day.

Wait, you must mean a route that goes away from both for a while. Pick one - go out Lyell Canyon and loop back through Vogelsang, Merced Lake, Sunrise. You're not likely to be able to camp in Tenaya Canyon unless you go off trail, you would be too close to the trailhead/road. You can camp at Sunrise Lakes. Or pick a route that goes north of Tioga Road and loops back - down to Glen Aulin, Over to Polly Dome, Around to Ten Lakes, down to Yosemite Creek/White Wolf/Porcupine Flat, across the road, up to Olmsted point.

there is a little note on my map - hiking in Tenaya Canyon is dangerous and strongly discouraged. Lot of SAR missions in there. Be careful.

Minimal people? Don't go anywhere near Half Dome, the JMT or the High Sierra Camps. Go out north of Tioga Rd.

Lots of climbings/scrambling opportunities everywhere, really. Lots of granite.

[ryanmj]

Thanks for the tips, I know that canyon is dangerous Ive done a bunch research. Ive been put to lost boulder before from the water slides I think the worst part are the slabs next to the casades so ill probably take airplane gully from olmsted since we will have packs on. Ill look into trails north of Tioga.

[KC]

Words of wisdom there from AlmostThere. Definitely take a look at a map and figure out your options.

As for Tenaya Canyon, there are plenty of other places to climb and rock scramble that are safer. Read the book Off the Wall: Death in Yosemite, for some perspective. Every year, people wind up injured or trapped in there. Moreover, as the book notes, it's usually beginners who think they know what they're doing, or the experts, who think they've mastered everything, that end up dead on the rocks and walls in Yosemite. Unless you know the routes down or are going with someone who does, it's best just to do what the park recommends and stay out.

[chicagocwright]

It sounds like you have probably found some of the trip reports of Tenaya Canyon hiking available online. There are great descriptions of the routes, rappeling requirements, etc.

The warnings are valid: it is not a normal hike or backpacking route. But the danger isn't extreme. I want to do the trek from Tenaya Lake to Yosemite Valley via Tenaya Canyon one day.

[ryanmj]

Yea we decided against doing it at the end of a backpacking trip since we dont want to lug the rope and climbing equipment around while packing. Im doing this hike the first week of August if the water is low enough. I realize it is dangerous but ive been wanting to do it for years now and damn it looks like fun.