Post Peak Pass to Tuolumne Meadows
By Peter Potterfield, executive summary by darmansjah
Round-Trip: 60 miles, 6 to 7 days
When to Go: Reaching as high as 12,000 feet, this trans-Sierra route is
open only from mid-July to mid-September.
It’s hard to say “Sierra in summer”
without thinking of granite towers rising above sparkling high-country lakes
into deep blue skies. This traverse is a cheat sheet of Yosemite backcountry,
touching more than a few of the real high points of the Sierra in just a week,
including an ascent of Half Dome via the Cable Route.
Starting on obscure trails in the
Ansel Adams Wilderness with unexpected views of the Minarets and other landmark
Sierra Nevada peaks, this hike soon enters Yosemite National Park to follow the
unique drainage of the Merced River. The traverse then joins the iconic John
Muir Trail for a spectacular finish among the spires of the Cathedral Range. An
unexpected highlight is the jaunt through the extensive drainage of the Merced
River, the lifeblood of Yosemite Valley, where the route traces the headwaters
through waterfalls, granite basins, and channels, interspersed with sprawling,
sublime sub-alpine meadows.
Insider Tip: The trailhead logistics for this trip can be challenging,
so make things easy by doing this trip with Southern Yosemite Mountain Guides,
who pioneered the route and have mastered the journey from start to finish.
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