Southforkriver.net

Glen Aulin Trip - Sue & Allyn - July 2008

Introduction

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Photo Album

Map

NG Topo Map

Day 1

The hike down started out a little hot and dry. We didn't get onto the trail until about 11 am so we were going to have to hike through the meadow in the middle of the day. The weather was just starting to heat up to the day was hot and the moisture was picking up. The day didn't start out too well as we forgot the lunches at the cabin and had to buy more stuff at the store in Tuolumne Meadows. We settled for some cheese, salami and some ramen soup. We headed over to the stables on the Soda Springs road and packed in the lot there. That gave us about a 1/2 mile start from the main road.

We hit the trail out of the parking lot and picked up the Pacific Crest Trail about a 1/2 mile out. Once on that trail we headed towards Parson's Lodge and Soda Springs. Up and over the small hill we started to veer away from the river and into the meadow/trees. The first few miles of this trip are a mixture of meadow and forest with most of it dry. There are two creek crossings, once a Delaney Creek and the other at Dingley Creek. There are three crossings at Dinkey Creek, but only the first one had water. Delaney Creek required a log crossing that we chose upstream as it was shorter and had some rocks nearby to balance with. It was nice to hit the first creek crossing as it was cool and shaded. Most of the trip had been hot to that point.

The trip from Delaney Creek to Dingley Creek is more hot and forest with some downhill sections, some over granite that proved fun on the way back out. After about 2 1/2 miles, we reached the river again and were rewarded with nice views of the domes and peaks of Tuolumne Meadows. Cathedral Peak and Unicorn Peak were very nice in the back drop, however the skies were starting to cloud up as the thunderstorms were building. All of the heat was starting to pull together some good moisture. The river was flowing very nicely and we stopped for lunch about the point where the river and trail reach a wooded section before the granite slopes heading down the canyon.

Lunch was nice and we heated up the soup and started cutting the salami and cheese. I asked Sue where she put the two spoons (our only utensils for the trip other than my fishing knife) and it was then we realized that they were also in the lunch bag back at the cabin! Try eating ramen soup without a fork or spoon! Sue used the foil seasoning pack as a scoop while I tried to carve up some quick chop sticks. Thank goodness for the foil pack as my chop sticks left a lot to be desired! It was an eventful lunch and I started to wonder how we would manage without utensils but then remembered we were heading towards a High Sierra Camp that had to have utensils.

After lunch we headed across the granite rocks towards the drop into the canyon. As always, a start down the canyon starts with a climb uphill! The climb uphill positioned us on top of the rim looking down canyon and we were rewarded with some real nice views, although cloudy at best. We quickly headed down the canyon on our drop to the first of the foot bridges that cross the Tuolumne River. It was a nice view from there and we then started the trip down canyon further. We headed down the trail and through a nice little meadows before reaching the top of Tuolumne Falls. What a nice sight and break that was. From there on it is pretty much downhill all the way to Glen Aulin.

Hiking downhill can be a little harder on the body than going uphill and it took it's toll on Sue. Her right knee started to act up and she was in a lot of pain for that last mile. On top of that the thunderstorms were building more and more and we could start to hear the thunder in the distance. We took our time heading down the hill and took many rests to let her knee take it easy. She was almost limping by the time she got to Glen Aulin and I think if we had to go any further, I would have been in a lot of trouble! (My idea and all to do this trip!). She managed well and we made it into Glen Aulin about 3:30 that afternoon and it only sprinkled a little bit near the end but no showers or rain to speak of.

We made into the High Sierra Camp first and the manager there gave us some plastic spoons to use for out trip. He was very gracious and was quite the host to us and all of the patrons and backpackers who came through. The backpackers camp is just behind the High Sierra Camp and we headed around the trail to find a site. The backpackers camp is setup into three main camping areas. The first section has ten designated sites and has the toilets and water faucet in this section. The next two sections are a ways down the trail and up some more hills, not big hills mind you but hills none the less. I spied a few sites in the second section knowing that Sue would have difficulty climbing and going down the hills all the time so we found a site in the first section and set up camp. It turned out to be the best choice.

We settled into the site and had dinner, first having our cocktails of tequila and Crystal Light lemonade. There is always room for some tequila and Crystal Light in the Bear Vault! Dinner was rice and bean tortillas and chocolate cheesecake for desert. Our nightcap was hot apple cider and brandy. We heard there was a friendly bear in the campground so I wanted to be sure I was ready for any visits from the bear! The T-storms acted up a bit around dinner but soon cleared out to provide a nice sunset and glow for the evening.