Trip Advice: TM - Waterwheel Falls - White Wolf - Ten Lake

[Wolf]

Hi, I'm planning to do a trip in late July. Itinerary as follow:

Day 1 Park my car in Tenaya Lake and shuttle to TM. Go in from TM thru Glen Aulin and camp at Waterwheel Falls (where is a good place to camp. I'm considering somewhere pass that to even out the mileage. Any good suggestion)
Day 2: Hike through the Grand Canyon of Tuolumne River to White Wolf. (Not sure if I can camp in Harden Lake or should I go straight to White Wolf? Please advice)
Day 3: Go to Ten lake and camp there. Which one is good for fishing?
Day 4: Exit to Tenaya Lake

Also, how is the Grand Canyon of Tuolomne Rive like. I heard it's hot and pretty stuffed. Please fill me in so I know what to expect. I'm expecting mosquito though.

Thank you very much for all ur inputs in advance.

Wolf

[atomicmonkey]

Hi Wolf,
I did the Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne at the end of last July. It was a dry summer to start off with but the river was flowing. I did it the opposite way, from WW to TM. It was truly a beautiful hike. It was very hot and sweaty. The section from Pate Valley to WW is a very steep climb (we did it going down) I would just make sure you plan that time issue into your plan. We did the hike in three days but we also played allot. I also would think about water between Pate and WW as there will probably be only one small steam. There are many great places to camp around Water Wheel Falls, before and after. There were not that many mosies by late July last year, but did I mention it was hot and dusty? Especially at the lower elevations.

[balzaccom]

I think the hike from Waterwheel Falls to White Wolf in one day would be tough. That is a very nasty climb there at the end, up out of Pate Valley and all the way to White Wolf. It's about 5,000 feet of elevation gain

[AlmostThere]

Only go from Waterwheel to White Wolf if you intend to time the climb out of Pate in the dark. Which I wouldn't do. It would be manageable due to it being the coolest part of the day, but unless you are adept at night hiking it would be a bit much. Absolutely avoid the switchbacks out of Pate between the hours of 12 - 7 pm, if you value comfort and avoiding heat stroke. Horrible, horrible, dry stretch of exposed granite that nearly did me in. And we stopped short at Morrison to camp!!

Your options for camping are few near Waterwheel. We pushed on down to Return Creek. It's a matter of what flat spot you can find. There are a few, but lower elevation hikes like this tend to be brushy. If you go to WW you are going to end up in the backpacker camp in the campground. Then you will need another permit for WW to Ten Lakes, since at that point you have left the wilderness and will be re-entering it again. If you want a single permit for the entire trip, camp at Morrison Creek, pass through White Wolf for lunch, and head on and camp in the wilderness on the way to Ten Lakes.

The lower lakes in the Ten Lakes basin have fish in them; I can't verify the presence of fish in the upper lakes. But you can only have fires at the lower lakes, below 9600 feet elevation. Don't forget your fishing permit and the ban on live bait in the park.

[Grzldvt]

Have to jump in here. camping around Water Wheel Falls before of after is almost impossible, you are literally hiking along the side of a cliff. Return Creek is the best spot on the way up from White Wolf and the tail end of Glen Aulin before the big drop is the best bet that is legal. There used to be two spots on the trail between Glen Aulin and Waterwheel on the way down that had sites, but they were illegal and I broken up. Agree with the others in July this is one very hot hike. Plus and this is all relative, Waterwheel Falls is going to be very minimal this year. The snow level is very low and by July I would bet the Waterwheels are going to be almost nonexistent. Not to discourage you but if you are looking for a raging Touloumne River, I don't think this is the year for it.
The first Sunday in June for the last 25 years, when possible several of us go down to Glen Aulin and onto Waterwheel or Return Creek, and back up to Toulumne Meadows. I will do a trip report when I get back so you can get an idea of what it is like.

[AlmostThere]

Have to jump in here. camping around Water Wheel Falls before of after is almost impossible, you are literally hiking along the side of a cliff.

There was a spot with a decent view of the falls that had room for one *small* tent.

Of course, you'd have to put up with all the people wandering down from the main trail to see the falls.

[atomicmonkey]

Let me clear up my comment. There is probably very little camping at Water Wheel Falls. It is mostly switchbacks. Just on the east side of Register Creek, we found a very nice place to camp. We were there early and decided to keep going until after Water Wheel Falls. In between WWF and Le Conte Falls we found at least two very cool places to camp. You will not have a problem finding a place to pitch a tent before or after WWF. When we passed by WW Falls, it was not doing the water wheel effect, but it was still very beautiful.

[Wolf]

Thank you for all those great inputs. I really appreciate it. Looks like it's a no go for me. It's not quite feasible unless I exit Yosemite Creek from Ten lake and shuttle back. Don't want to deal with shuttle though.

So, how about this one

Day 1. TM to Young Lake.
Day 2. Young Lake to Upper McCabe Lakes
Day 3.McCabe Lakes to Waterwheel Falls
Day 4. Waterwheels Fall to TM

Questions are
1. Where is the best spot to set camp at Young Lakes. I know it's quite a popular trail for day hike.
2. I dig up some old postings saying I can cross country from Young Lake to Upper McCabe Lakes via eastern side of Roosevelt Lake (at the base of Mt Conness). Is that right? How's route like? Is there already an "unofficial trail"? Please advice.
3. How's fishing in those lakes?

Thanks
Wolf

[balzaccom]

Youngs Lake trailhead fills up fast....so get your permit now!

There are lots of places to camp at Youngs Lakes, and you may have to settle for what's available once you arrive. There is also a use trail up to the top of Conness, if you are so inclined. We haven't done the hike to McCabe lakes from there, so can't comment on that one...

Fishing? This is not an area that i think of as having great fishing, but it's been a few years since I was last there...

[AlmostThere]

If I were looking for great fishing, I wouldn't go to Yosemite at all.

What do you mean by "great fishing?" If it's big fish, look for the big water - Saddlebag Lake would be a great place. If you mean a good bite and limits met, and you don't care what trout or how big, the waterways more than a day from the trailhead work. Tho I haven't been to McCabe and haven't fished Young I suspect they have, if anything, a population of brook trout which bite on anything anytime, generally.

[balzaccom]

I have had good fishing in Yosemite---but not in any lakes or streams that are only a single day's hike from the trailhead.