This part of the trip, Lyell to May Lake, would be the real nitty-gritty. trekking to the peaks around Tanaya and Cathedral Lakes is an arduous journey even for and intrepid outdoorsman and well suited horse. The trails we’ll follow are steep, often washed out, or snowed over, but the creeks and rivers are just starting to show the new year’s flow, so we would likely be okay. Keeping an eye on the weather is paramount. There are a variety of communications solutions available today that make it easier to track things like the weather when off grid. Be sure to have one for this journey.
NOTE: If viewing on a phone, turn your device sideways for a better experience. TY
Lyell to May Lake
High Sierra Trail: The Tuolumne Pass to May Lake
The early morning sun cuts through the high timber of Lyell Canyon, casting long, sharp shadows across the frost-dusted grasses of the meadow floor. Sitting deep in a dark, oiled Wade saddle packed tight with a canvas bedroll, woolen slicker, and leather saddlebags, a rider feels the smooth, rhythmic movement of a strong-boned golden palomino. Her thick winter coat catches the crisp mountain breeze, and her long, almost white mane whips gently across her muscled neck as she steps out onto the frozen trail. Dressed in heavy tapaderos, leather chaps, a wool vest over heavy flannel, a silk wildrag, and a wide-brimmed felt hat, a seasoned rider moves with quiet confidence across the granite heart of Yosemite’s high country. After a good day and a quiet night resting in the broad, granite-walled cradle of Lyell Canyon, horse and rider are anxious to get back on the open trail.
Resupply at Tuolumne Meadows – Lyell to May Lake
Leaving the quiet floor of Lyell Canyon, the trail turns north along the level course of the Lyell Fork, carrying the rider through stands of lodgepole pine toward the bustling crossroads of Tuolumne Meadows. The morning air carries a sharp, frozen bite, heavy with the clean, resinous scent of pine needles and the cold metallic tang of approaching winter. Stopping first at the Tuolumne Meadows Wilderness Center to pick up trail advisories and check the high-pass weather, the rider re-secures the leather saddlebags and checks the cinch before swinging past the seasonal campgrounds. The golden palomino stands tethered under the tall pines, her warm breath pluming white in the frigid morning air as the rider completes the necessary pit stop.
Once fully equipped and ready to ride, the pair picks up the trail once again, riding past the closed timber structure of the Tuolumne Meadows Visitor Center. The wide open alpine subalpine meadow stretches out in golden brown hues under a pale blue sky, ringed by massive granite domes and sharp peaks. Crossing Tioga Road near the western edge of the meadow basin, the trail angles south and west into the thick lodgepole forest where the clear waters of Budd Creek come tumbling out of the high granite basins.
Skirting Cathedral Peak along Budd Creek – Lyell to May Lake
Picking up the faint, rough trail along Budd Creek, the palomino steps lightly over granite slabs and needle-strewn soil, her iron-shod hooves making a steady clink-clink against the hard stone. The creek rushes down over dark boulders, its edges fringed with delicate rime ice that glistens under the winter sun. As the route climbs out of the valley floor, the trees open up to reveal the striking, jagged silhouette of Cathedral Peak rising imperiously into the sky.
Keeping the towering spire of Cathedral Peak directly to the south, the rider skirts the high granite shoulder just below the peak’s dramatic face. The sheer vertical spires of Eichorn Pinnacle and Cathedral Crest reach high into the cold air, so tall that looking up toward their granite summits strains the neck. From this high vantage, the drainage splits, and the trail picks up the headwaters of Cathedral Creek. Following Cathedral Creek down its gentle, granite-lined trough, horse and rider make steady progress northward, descending back toward the highway corridor. The wind off the high peaks carries a solitary, timeless tune, filling the high forest with the raw promise of wild, untamed freedom.
The Western Crossing under Polly Dome to May Lake – Lyell to May Lake
The trail brings the pair down to the paved ribbon of Tioga Road, also known as Highway 120, resting quiet and cold in the late afternoon shadows. Crossing directly over the road onto the northern side, the trail turns westward into the timbered shelves beneath the massive, smooth rounded slope of Polly Dome. The granite wall of Polly Dome looms high on the right, its pale, glaciated stone reflecting the soft twilight hues of afternoon.
The ride becomes a slow, methodical climb over granite benches and through quiet stands of red fir. Snow flurries begin to drift down from the darkening sky, dusting the palomino’s golden coat and catching in the brim of the felt hat. The horse moves with a calm, tireless gait, her heavy tapaderos deflecting low brush and loose rock along the narrow shelf.
As the last light of day turns the surrounding granite into deep shades of purple and grey, the trail tops a final rise to reveal the quiet, ice-dusted basin of May Lake. Nestled beneath the towering, sheer granite cliff of Mount Hoffmann, the lake rests as a still, dark mirror. Tucked quietly along the timbered shoreline sits the May Lake High Sierra Camp. Halting the palomino at the edge of the camp, the rider dismounts, resting a gloved hand on the Wade saddle horn while the faithful horse rests her legs. The sanctuary of May Lake offers a well-earned night’s rest, with the quiet promise of continuing even further into the untouched high country tomorrow.
Lyell to May Lake
We are more or less circling back towards Yosemite Valley. Up here time slips away though. You think your still in mid-afternoon, but suddenly the sun is sitting on the horizon. You can get caught out in the open, which isn’t the end of the world, unless a storm rolls in while you’re sleeping. You could be in for a surprise with no protection from the elements. Always get to the trees or a cave or a rocky outcropping you can shelter under – anything is better than out in the open.
Popi sends…
Other Random Thoughts: Lyell Canyon Horseback Trail
Can you see it?