Guide to Yosemite Part 9

Our trail continues up ~Illilouette Creek~, finally crossing a low "hog back" and turning south up ~Buena Vista Creek~. In a glacial cirque at its head is ~Buena Vista Lake~ (Alt. 9200). The south, or upper side is backed by a rugged rock bluff from which huge boulders have fallen into the water, making an excellent place from which to fish. The lake was stocked with eastern brook trout in 1892, 1908 and 1919, and with rainbow trout in 1892. It is one of the park's best and most accessible fis.h.i.+ng lakes. Surrounded by open parks of timber, it offers many beautiful camp sites, especially near the outlet. Forage is fair downstream from the lake but is rather scarce early in the season. Ostrander Lake is four miles northeast and can be reached by foot. There are no blazes or monuments to mark the route.

Our trail now mounts abruptly 400 feet to ~Buena Vista Pa.s.s~ (Alt.

9600). To the right about half a mile is ~Buena Vista Peak~ (Alt.

9600), and to the left and running east is ~Buena Vista Crest~.

Excellent views are obtained from the trail as it crosses the open ridge. Near the summit the granite has fractured perpendicularly, forming regular rectangular slabs.

An 800-foot descent thru the open forest in the next two miles takes us to the picturesque little ~Royal Arch Lake~ (Alt. 8800). This is a small lake, deep on the north and east sides, and shallow near the southwest margin. It is named from the arches in the steep northeast granite wall, which are similar to the Royal Arches of Yosemite Valley but on a smaller scale. The lake was well stocked with eastern brook trout in 1897 and fis.h.i.+ng is excellent, especially in the deep water along the rocky northwest sh.o.r.e. There are fine camp sites here and good horse-feed.

Skirting the west margin of the lake our trail follows the small stream about one mile to the main ~Chilnualna Trail~. Eastward is ~Buck Camp~ (two miles), ~Moraine Meadows~ (seven miles), and ~Fernandez Pa.s.s~ (eleven miles). We turn westward to ~Johnson Lake~ (Alt. 8550), about a quarter mile distant. This is a small, round, deep lake beautifully set in meadows and forest. It is bountifully stocked with eastern brook trout and rainbow trout. The locality is ideal for camping. Further westward are ~Crescent Lake~ (one mile), ~Grouse Lake~ (two and a half miles), and ~Chilnualna Falls~ (six and a half miles).

TRAIL TRIP 23

YOSEMITE OR GLACIER POINT TO MORAINE MEADOWS _via_ THE MERCED Pa.s.s TRAIL

(From Yosemite, 22 miles--10 hours. From Glacier Point, 18 miles--7 hours)

The ~Merced Pa.s.s Trail~ has been replaced to a large extent by the more scenic and better built Buena Vista Trail, which offers a short-cut to the splendid fis.h.i.+ng lakes in the upper basin of the South Fork of the Merced. For those whose destination is the wild country at the headwaters of the San Joaquin River, the Merced Pa.s.s Trail is still the preferable route. The upper basin of Illilouette Creek abounds in glacial phenomena and fis.h.i.+ng is reported good.

From Yosemite we follow the ~Vernal and Nevada Falls Trail~ (Trail Trip 1) as far as the rim of ~Panorama Cliff~ just above Nevada Falls.

Here we turn to the right on the ~Mono Meadow Trail~, which bears due south four miles to the main stream of ~Illilouette Creek~. To reach this point from ~Glacier Point~ one should follow the ~Vernal-Nevada Falls Trail~ (Trail Trip 2) for two miles, turn to the right on the ~Buena Vista Trail~ (Trail Trip 22), and after three miles more turn to the left on the ~Mono Meadow Trail~. A short distance will take one to the banks of ~Illilouette Creek~.

At this point--twelve miles from Yosemite and five and a half miles from Glacier Point--the ~Merced Pa.s.s Trail~ turns eastward, following for ten miles up the main stream of the Illilouette and keeping always within a short distance of its north bank. Gradually ascending to an elevation of 9295 feet, we traverse ~Merced Pa.s.s~. To the right is the long ridge of ~Buena Vista Crest~ (Alt. 9712). A descent of 600 feet in the next two miles takes us to ~Moraine Meadows~. This is a splendid camping region with abundant horse-feed and good fis.h.i.+ng.

Nearby will be found a summer ranger outpost. A trail to the east leads to ~Fernandez Pa.s.s~ and the headwaters of the ~San Joaquin~; one to the southeast to ~Chain o' Lakes~, where is most excellent fis.h.i.+ng; and one to the west to ~Royal Arch~, ~Johnson~, ~Crescent~ and ~Grouse Lakes~ and ~Chilnualna Falls~.

TRAIL TRIP 24

WAWONA ROAD TO EL PORTAL _via_ THE SUNSET TRAIL

(4 miles--1-1/2 hours)

This is a cut-off trail widely used by the Park Rangers in their winter patrols but seldom used by the public.

Starting from the ~Wawona Road~ one and a half miles northwest of ~Chinquapin~, the trail runs down the ridge on the north side of ~Indian Creek~. Swinging to the north, the trail pa.s.ses just west of ~Lookout Point~, from which is a fine view down the canyon of the Merced. Bearing to the right, it descends to ~Avalanche Creek~, where it pa.s.ses just below ~Cougar Falls~. The trail then zigzags down the canyon wall to the midwinter ranger station and trail bridge across the ~Merced River~, joining the ~El Portal Road~, about three miles above El Portal.

TRAIL TRIP 25

WAWONA ROAD TO EL PORTAL _via_ THE HENNESSY TRAIL

(10 miles--4 hours)

The ~Hennessy Trail~ is no longer used by the public since the bridge across the Merced at its lower end was washed away in 1917. Use the Sunset Trail (Trail Trip 24).

[Ill.u.s.tration: Map of Yosemite Valley And Adjacent Region From U.S.G.S. Topographic Map of Yosemite National Park SCALE 1 inch = 2 Miles Contour Interval 100 Feet]

SUNSET PUBLIs.h.i.+NG HOUSE, SAN FRANCISCO