The return hike follows the same route. The view from the Cathedral Spires is very fine and telling in every direction. Permits are not required for day hikes, but Wilderness permits are required for overnight visits. On average, about 4 million people every year visit Yosemite National Park located in the central Sierra Nevada of California. How wild everything is, --wild as the sky and as pure! (16), C.E. The last person down can be belayed from below by someone stationed on the west side of the summit block. While the hike to Cathedral Lakes isn’t especially difficult compared to some of the hikes in Yosemite, it’s mostly the elevation that will get you. Later in the summer, the nearest water on that side of the pass can be found at Echo Lake. Majestic Cathedral Peak is the area's youngster at 83 million years. Yosemite Hikes Home » Tioga Pass Road » Tuolumne Meadows » Cathedral Peak Cathedral Peak You can find this vista at the western edge of Tuolumne Meadows, where the Tuolumne River winds its reluctant way out of the meadow to begin its eventually raucous journey to Glen Aulin . The summit block is rated class 4, a moderate crack with excellent holds, and only about 15 feet high. Near the top of the climb, it passes a spur trail to Lower Cathedral Lake (0.5 mile to lake). Hike Distance: 7 miles (11.2 km) round trip to Upper or Lower Cathedral Lakes; 8 miles (12.8 km) round trip to see both Hiking Time: 3 - 5 hours Trailhead Elevation: 8,500 feet (2,590 meters) Lower Cathedral Lake Elevation: 9,290 feet (2,830 meters) In our best times everything turns into religion, all the world seems a church and the mountains altars. Cathedral Peak (lat/long ~ N37.8478 W119.4055) (alt 10912ft/3326m) has a great summit block with a great view, no matter how you get there. I chose the Cathedral Lakes trail – part of the John Muir Trail – because it combines alpine lakes, a magnificent peak and relative solitude. The trail climbs steadily to Upper Cathedral Lakes. This is a nice site if you plan to climb other peaks in the area such as Matthes Crest, Tresidder Peak, or Echo Peaks. Never shall I forget this big, divine day, --the Cathedral and its thousands of cassiope bells, and the landscapes around them, and this camp in the gray crags above the woods, with its stars and streams and snow." Charming little mountaineers! There is great dispersed camping around Cathedral Peak. A marvelously impressive meeting in which every one has something worth while to tell. We recommend that visitors hike to Upper Cathedral lake first on there ventures and walking around the lake to the North side of the shores, taking the time to climb a small shelf so that you can see both upper and lower lake at … © 2006-2020 SummitPost.org. Since we live near sea level, we started with the moderately-strenuous hikes such as Cathedral Lakes on the first day (ideally, you should plan for a acclimatizing day but who has time for that). Stop at Lower Cathedral Lake and sit on the granite banks enjoying the tranquil waters before heading up the trail to the truly epic view of Upper Cathedral Lake. A fine place to study mountain sculpture and soil making. The front is adorned with many pinnacles and a tall spire of curious workmanship. Scramble Yosemite's Cathedral Peak. If you hike to the end of the trail on the right side of the lake to explore the lake's outlet, views of Polly Dome, Pywiack Dome, Mount Hoffman, Tenaya Peak and some of Tenaya Lake can be seen. Cathedral Peak. These can be obtained from any ranger station in the park. From either the east or west, take Highway 120 into Yosemite NP and drive to Tuolumne Meadows. These are the 8 best easy and moderate trails By Carmen George. Cathedral Peak by the Mountaineer's route. The Death Hike, Cathedral Peak, Yosemite -- Granite Reflections Weather wasn't too shabby looking, so Stephen Oachs and I made our way over to Yosemite National Park for some shooting at Mono Lake and the Eastern Sierra. Activities . Children refers to the set of objects that logically fall under a given object. Higher there are several small terminal moraines of residual glaciers shoved forward at right angles against the grand simple lateral of the main Tuolumne Glacier. For example, the Although this lake doesn’t have the stunning turquoise color of those in the Canadian Rockies, we think it’s one of the best lake hikes in Yosemite. Most of the visitors drive through Yosemite Valley (only 1% of the park’s area) and check out all the highlights from their car, but getting out on the trails is the only true way to experience this beautiful national park. Listening, admiring, until late in the afternoon I compelled myself to hasten away eastward back of rough, sharp, spiry, splintery peaks, all of them granite like the Cathedral, sparkling with crystals, --feldspar, quartz, hornblende, mica, tourmaline. Spectacular. The It is just off the road that leads to the Tuolumne Lodge, on the right hand side. Of this lake with its silvery basin and bits of meadow and groves I have a fine view from the spires; also of Lake Tenaya, Cloud's Rest, and the South Dome of Yosemite, Mt. Soon after a set of stone steps, look for a major climbers trail branching left (see photo). log in sign up. 12 reviews of Yosemite Cathedral Lakes "Magnificent. Be sure to take proper precautions to keep your food in your possession. - John Muir My First Summer in the Sierra, View Cathedral Peak Image Gallery - 245 Images. A free solo climb of the SE Buttress, June 13, 2002, Yet another free-solo climb of the SE Buttress - Sep 21, 2002, Reflections on returning to Cathedral Peak, Grabbin' Some Afternoon Delight in Yosemite (Photo Trip Report), Fools' Gold: An Idiots' (winter) Ascent of Cathedral Peak, Blood, Pride, and Marmot S**T-- Part I-- Cathedral Peak (Pride), Sunday at Church in the Sierra - Climbing the SE Buttress of Cathedral, Cathedral Traverse Select: Finding Solitude in the Granite Playground. And lo, here at last in front of the Cathedral is blessed cassiope, ringing her thousands of sweet-toned bells, the sweetest church music I ever enjoyed. Begin at Cathedral Lakes trailhead, 1/2 mile west of the Tuolumne Meadows Visitor Center, Shuttle Stop #7. May 09, 2019 12:25 PM, ... bordered by the dramatically-pointed Cathedral Peak. Keep on the trail until it fades away near the base Cathedral Peak. There can be much snow on the ground in May and June, so check ahead and plan accordingly if you intend to climb at this time. Today, several options are available, which is a good thing; on weekends climbers sometimes must wait in line for their chance at glory. Can I Hike to the Summit of Cathedral Peak? And when we call to mind that thousands of these rejoicing rills are assembled in each one of the main streams, we wonder the less that our Sierra rivers are songful all the way to the sea. If you take the JMT on the west side, you can camp at Cathedral Lakes which just puts you past the 4 mile limit. (Whitney, Geology, 425.) Meeting in which every one has something worth while to tell many routes photos... For both people and bears place names `` the Peak had first been designated Cathedral. No climbing experience and after this time Highway 120 into Yosemite NP and drive to Meadows... Aware that this a popular trailhead, and lakelets and avalanche tracks and huge of! 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