Sunset on Lower Cathedral Lake was spectacular. The extraordinary colors are due to a forest fire in the park.
As I’ve mentioned before in this blog, during much of my career I’ve worked as a planner. Just ask my wife or kids — I rarely do anything without working out the details ahead of time.
My first thru-hike of the John Muir Trail was no different. I had projected mileage for each day, selected areas where I intended to camp, and established waypoints on my map and in my GPS, to track progress. The first significant deviation from that plan came on day 2.
After departing from Happy Isles early on day 1, I camped that night along Sunrise Creek. The second night I was intending to camp north of Upper Cathedral Lake, and east of Lower Cathedral Lake, in a small clearing near the slender tributary that connects the two. When I arrived I found that the clearing was pleasant enough, although the surrounding trees were sufficiently close and sufficiently tall to limit the views. The real problem: there was no water.
Time to change the plan.
After a quick map reconnaissance it was apparent I had two choices: retreat to Upper Cathedral Lake, or walk down to Lower Cathedral Lake. I chose the latter, and had one of the most fabulous “mini-hikes” of the entire trip.
The trail down was initially fairly steep. I was silently complaining that I would have to climb this same stretch in the morning, before I even got back onto the John Muir Trail. Soon, however, it opened up into a large meadow with several deer. Like most of their brethren I would meet along the trail, this magnificent buck and his rangale of followers completely ignored my approach. Seeing them standing in the long grass, with the Yosemite high country as background, was a great way to end the day’s walking.
A little further along I found my campsite for the night: the solid granite shore adjacent to the eastern side of Lower Cathedral Lake. And what a campsite.
Almost immediately I noted that there were no mosquitos! I had picked a spot that was outside the range of the swarms down by the lake, to the west, and the swarms near the meadow, to the east. A gentle north breeze helped keep my area bug-free as well.
To the east I had a terrific view of Cathedral Peak, including the sight of a couple climbers who were summiting the peak as I was setting up camp. The sky seemed fairly clear (except for the smoke from a nearby fire), so, for the only time during that particular hike, I decided to sleep under the stars. My amateur weather forecasting proved correct, and I was treated to a magnificent array of stars as I woke, occasionally, during the night.
The best part, however, was the lake. My spot on the eastern shore was the perfect spot for the colorful sunset.
What’s the lesson? Embrace change!
I am certainly not suggesting that you DON’T plan, but if you need to divert for a good reason, or even a frivolous one, go for it! It may prove to be one of your best experiences.
Good hiking, Ray
Hey Ray,
Last two times out on the JMT I referred to a spreadsheet I made in 2014 for a llama packing trip. I used every source I could find including your wonderful book and guides like “Fly Fishing on the JMT”, Black’s super trail guide and of course all the NP and NF grazing info.
I used it again this year for an in and out trip on the NF part of the JMT…adding a couple of ‘finds’ to my list.
If you’re going to have a plan be sure to factor in days where you might fall short of your goal, your daily goal and maybe a couple of campsites further on. You’ll be able to pile on more miles a day as you get acclimated and hardened up a bit. Generally speaking I don’t walk five hours a day in my daily life.
Except for a few pinch points on the trail I don’t usually share campsites with backpackers. Purple Lake comes to mind as one of the exceptions. If that’s going to be a stop for you you’re better off getting in there early before the campsites fill up. Up over the next hill is Virginia Lake where there’s a lot more room for campsites.
Thanks as always for the great service you perform for lovers of the JMT.
Cheers, jc
All great points, Jack. I, too, am a big fan of Lake Virginia over Purple Lake. Thanks for the kind words and the comment!
The colors in your photo looks like a Turner painting. If I hadn’t seen such scenes before, I wouldn’t believe it.
Thanks, Karen! Appreciate the kind words.
Like Ray, I am a planner by nature and have spreadsheets for everything including my hikes. But I usually abandon the exact plan a few days into the hike and feel rebellious when I do so! It has become part of the fun of backpacking.
Thanks for the comment, Ravi. Agree 100%!
September 2015 I section hiked from Mammoth to Yosemite and found my 2nd night near Cathedral Peak. There was a forest fire nearby to the North which the Park Service were monitoring. Coming from New Zealand I’m not used to forest fires in the wilderness. I was flexible about where I camped, so sought out the same meadow as you near Lower Cathedral Lake, figuring being in a clearing and near a lake was the safest place to be (just my guess). The weather was calm, clear and mild so I too just slept under the stars in the open, enjoying a beautiful sunset and rising full moon. Your guide, which I used on an iPhone, proved invaluable for assessing mileages and times, and helped me with changes on the fly. Thanks for the effort, much appreciated.
Thanks for the kind words, Nev. Sounds like a tranquil and memorable evening!