Ten Lakes Basin

[Remote Tours]

Has anybody been up to Ten Lakes this season? We're headed up there on 7/22 for a three day loop around to Ten Lakes, Polly Dome Lakes and hopefully May Lake. We're expecting snow above above 9,000 feet and lots of water, but we'd love to hear from anyone with any recent "on the trail" experience. Thanks!

[Remote Tours]

Just got back from Ten Lakes, so I guess I'll answer my own question.
- we went just beyond farthest lake to where trail starts dropping down to Cathedral Creek (about 7-8 miles)
- snow above about 9500'
- snow patches on trail down to about 8500'
- temperatures at 9600' Ten Lakes Pass: 70's daytime and 30's nighttime
- we were in shorts and tee shirts all day long
- no problem on any stream crossing
- in a few places on trail, you need to "connect the dots" between snow patches, but we always found the trail
- switchbacks above Half Moon Meadow really wore us out after coming up from sea level the first day
- at top of switchbacks, stay right and look for large blazes on two big trees on both sides of trail
- if you go left, you'll end up in large snowfield about 100' below Pass and about 1000' west of the trail
- very little snow at 9600' Ten Lakes Pass - everything is exposed and wide open

We had a blast! The Lakes were beautiful.