August 11

Tuolumne Meadows to Clouds Rest/JMT Junction – 18.3 miles

This day’s objective was to summit Clouds Rest, then camp close to the base of Half Dome for an early ascent the next morning. It was a cold morning starting out, but the gradual climb up to Cathedral Pass helped to warm me up. Cathedral Peak is prominent in the skyline on both sides of the pass and was glorious to behold as it was the first time for me hiking through this section of Yosemite. Further down the trail is Long Meadow culminating at Sunrise, one of the 5 high sierra “glamping” camps, but no tent cabins to be seen this year as the snow melt was so late, the camps were kept closed all year.

At Sunrise, I left the JMT to climb up Clouds Rest via Sunrise Lakes Trail past 3 alpine lakes before heading roughly parallel to the JMT up to Clouds Rest. As the granite monolith steepened and narrowed, something like a shark’s fin, I stowed my hiking poles in my pack to free my hands for some scrambling. Situated about 1,000’ higher than Half Dome it offers similar precipitous views. Sadly, smoke from several fires in and around Yosemite was gathering in the valleys so the views were somewhat obscured, but still well worth the effort. Over the top, the trail facing Half Dome dropped even more steeply, but once off the granite, was one of the smoother downhill runs of the entire trip. Just before the trail rejoined the JMT I found a perfect campsite from which to stage the next morning’s climb of Half Dome.