Today, on our second last day, we followed the famous JMT into the Tuolumne region of Yosemite. We passed stunning alpine meadows and otherworldly glaciated peaks on our way to what many guides call the most beautiful spot in Yosemite, Cathedral Lake. Our hike ranged in elevation from 8,000 ft to 9,600 ft and was 8.5 miles (14 km) in length.
With a more leisurely start today than Half Dome day, we enjoyed breakfast of polenta, tomato, basil, and hot sauce. Delicious! Who knew? Note: For some, polenta is much like eating corn for breakfast and one should then plan on a few extra washroom stops.
We left the burn zone below Cloud's Rest around 8:30am. Much of the hike in the morning was uphill, gaining 2000 ft in elevation. Mid morning we ran into a young Ranger and ranger station at Sunrise Meadow. He checked our permits and chatted about the area, our trip, and park going-ons such as fires, distress calls, and animals. Around this time, we met a mule pack and guide bringing in restock items to the High Sierra. Along the way we enjoyed views of Mather (with its spinal looking crest), Echo with its several peaks, and Cathedral in the distance.
We accomplished an extra mile of ascent before lunch and were fortunate to stop for lunch below Columbia Finger. This would make our afternoon less gruelling with less climb. We enjoyed cheese and crackers and delicious fig loaf courtesy of awesome guides, Wilson and Sierra. We began to see several Bauldings Squirrels, common to this region, who appeared to be stalking us at each of our meals.
At this point of the excursion, it became evident that we were in a very popular part of the park, as we came across more and more people along the trail. It was inspiring to chat briefly with 2-3 people who were hiking the entire PCT and a few who were completing the 220 mile JMT.
Before long we approached the Cathedral Range, and specifically Cathedral Peak and Cathedral Lakes.
Cathedral Peak is part of the Cathedral Range, a mountain range in the south-central portion of Yosemite National Park in eastern Mariposa and Tuolumne Counties. The range is an offshoot of the Sierra Nevada. The peak which lends its name to the range derives its name from its cathedral-shaped peak, which was formed by glacial activity: the peak remained uneroded above the glaciers in the Pleistocene. It was climbed for the first time in 1869 by John Muir. He proclaimed that he had yet to attend church in California, but that this would count as a first, as it resembled one so much.
In 1869, John Muir wrote in My first summer in the Sierra:
| The body of the Cathedral is nearly square, and the roof slopes are wonderfully regular and symmetrical, the ridge trending northeast and southwest. This direction has apparently been determined by structure joints in the granite. The gable on the northeast end is magnificent in size and simplicity, and at its base there is a big snow-bank protected by the shadow of the building. The front is adorned with many pinnacles and a tall spire of curious workmanship. Here too the joints in the rock are seen to have played an important part in determining their forms and size and general arrangement. The Cathedral is said to be about eleven thousand feet above the sea, but the height of the building itself above the level of the ridge it stands on is about fifteen hundred feet. A mile or so to the westward there is a handsome lake, and the glacier-polished granite about it is shining so brightly it is not easy in some places to trace the line between the rock and water, both shining alike. " |
Because this area is so popular, it was important to get to Cathedral in good time in order to secure the best site possible. Upon arriving to the lake, we held one site while Wilson ran ahead to confirm that the best site was still available. With the premier site available, Wilson ran back and moved us along to a site by the edge of the lake. Looking East Cathedral Peak towered over us. To the west, looking from a beautiful alpine ridge, we could see Tressider Peak, Pywiack Dome, Polly Dome, and Medlicott Dome. The views in all directions, as had bene the case throughout the entire trip, were spectacular.
After we arrived and set up tents, we were all keen to go for a swim in Cathedral Lake. The water at 9,600 feet is icy but refreshing. These lakes, the the many other lakes, rivers, and creeks we have visited, are fed mostly by winter snow pack and melt. Still, as we look around us at this altitude, there is snow not far from our tents. After bathing in the lake, we climbed the ridge to have a look around. As noted, the views from here in all directions were breathtaking.
We spotted a marmot on the ridge, or rather he spotted us, just prior to our call for supper. The marmot's in this area are quite large, curious and ready to snack on anything you turn away from for even a moment. Wilson tells us that many of the marmots in this region are under study by various research programs who have determined that they have developed diabetes due to their feasting on backpackers meals. Sadly, the research has found that it is basically irreversible and is changing the genetics of this mammal.
Supper began with baked apple slices followed by chili! Our first dehydrated, but delicious, meal. After supper, Wilson and Sierra suggested that we go back up to the ridge for the sunset and dessert.
Once we were settled, Wilson and Sierra joined us with a fantastic Dark Chocolate, apple, and rum flambé! TO DIE FOR. We enjoyed our chocolate feast while watching the sun set over Lower Cathedral Lake (otherwise known to these women as Rubber Ducky Lake due to its shape).
We truly came to know the genuine meaning and beauty of "alpenglow" from this point.
Alpenglow is an optical phenomenon in which a horizontal red glowing band is observed on the horizon opposite to the sun. This effect occurs when the Sun is just below the horizon. Alpenglow is easiest to observe when mountains are illuminated but can also be observed when the sky is illuminated through backscattering.
Since the Sun is below the horizon, there is no direct path for the light to reach the mountain. Unlike sunset or sunrise, the light that causes alpenglow is reflected off airborne snow, water, or ice particles low in the atmosphere. These conditions differentiate between a normal sunrise or sunset and alpenglow.
Filled with awe, and some sadness that it was our last night on the trail, we made our way down from the ridge and into our tents.
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