8/27/09
Off to Glen Aulin HSC
We awoke to the early morning Tuolumne chill excited to start hiking and get into the groove. Breakfast was fast and simple. The night before we had planned to leave our car where we expected to end our loop as opposed at where we would begin. We pondered this logic, but this was our plan and we were sticking to it. We parked the car at the Dog Lake lot and took the first tram to the Glen Aulin trail head about half a mile away. The tram arrived as we were gathering our gear and we rushed to board, the patient driver waited as I went back to the car and grabbed our hiking poles. We hit the trail around 8:45 am. We headed north west leaving the 9400 ft Lembert Dome behind us. We would be traveling 5.7 miles from 8,600 feet at Tuolumne Meadows to 7,800 feet at Glen Aulin. The trail was well marked and well traveled. The High Sierra Camps are awarded via lottery and are usually full during their short open season. The hiking was easy and eventually turned down hill to follow the Tuolumne River. We found a great little bridge for lunch and later a very fine swimming hole. Yes I went in and yes it was cold. I was invigorated, felt like an 18 year old until the effect subsided as the afternoon sun warmed my bones. The Tuolumne River tumbled into the canyon providing many spectacular scenes as we neared camp.
Off to Glen Aulin HSC
We awoke to the early morning Tuolumne chill excited to start hiking and get into the groove. Breakfast was fast and simple. The night before we had planned to leave our car where we expected to end our loop as opposed at where we would begin. We pondered this logic, but this was our plan and we were sticking to it. We parked the car at the Dog Lake lot and took the first tram to the Glen Aulin trail head about half a mile away. The tram arrived as we were gathering our gear and we rushed to board, the patient driver waited as I went back to the car and grabbed our hiking poles. We hit the trail around 8:45 am. We headed north west leaving the 9400 ft Lembert Dome behind us. We would be traveling 5.7 miles from 8,600 feet at Tuolumne Meadows to 7,800 feet at Glen Aulin. The trail was well marked and well traveled. The High Sierra Camps are awarded via lottery and are usually full during their short open season. The hiking was easy and eventually turned down hill to follow the Tuolumne River. We found a great little bridge for lunch and later a very fine swimming hole. Yes I went in and yes it was cold. I was invigorated, felt like an 18 year old until the effect subsided as the afternoon sun warmed my bones. The Tuolumne River tumbled into the canyon providing many spectacular scenes as we neared camp.
The view when setting off for Glen Aulin.
The trail enters a meadow.
Cobbles are cool, slippery when wet or dusty though.
Ann says " I think we should eat here", I agree.
The classic High Sierra stream.
Does this pool look inviting?
You bet it did!
The water was clear and cold.
Ahhh, a High Sierra air bath to dry off.
As the trail decends to Glen Aulin, the Tuolumne starts to tumble.
Not a bad flow for late August.
A peek at the Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne.
Granite, it's what makes the Sierras
Arriving at Glen Aulin HSC
We completed the 5.8 miles and got into Glen Aulin around 2:30 in the afternoon. It is a great little camp with a huge water fall (Tuolumne) near the cabins and a spectacular view of the Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne near by on a side trail. It is also the junction for many other hikes with trails heading off to the northeast and the southwest. We explored the area after preparing our cabin and remembered to return for the 6 pm call for hot drinks. This became a welcome ritual each evening as the temperature began to drop. Dinner followed shortly at 6:30 pm. Each camp serves the same dinner on the same night. Tonight was soup, salad, pork roast, veggies and a fine desert. We socialized for a bit and returned to our cabin for the evening and waited to see who would be our cabin mates. Due to the demand on the camps, you must share your cabin if space becomes an issue. We wondered why they would be arriving so late, after supper and soon that question was put to rest. Two, thirty something German women soon entered the cabin, introduced themselves and one immediately started working on her feet. I had not noticed that she had arrived in flip-flops. After a short exchange I learned that they had come from our next destination at May Lake and that the one working on multiple blisters was only able to hike in those flip flops due to some poor fitting boots. I offered to light the already prepared fire, but the one working on her blisters insisted that the other woman was an expert fire builder. She soon had the tent hot as and Indian sweat lodge; even Ann was peeling cloths and backing into the corner. The fire eventually died, the blister surgery was complete and all got a good nights rest. Oh, by the way, break your boots in before you start hiking and beware of anyone claiming to be an expert at anything!
We completed the 5.8 miles and got into Glen Aulin around 2:30 in the afternoon. It is a great little camp with a huge water fall (Tuolumne) near the cabins and a spectacular view of the Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne near by on a side trail. It is also the junction for many other hikes with trails heading off to the northeast and the southwest. We explored the area after preparing our cabin and remembered to return for the 6 pm call for hot drinks. This became a welcome ritual each evening as the temperature began to drop. Dinner followed shortly at 6:30 pm. Each camp serves the same dinner on the same night. Tonight was soup, salad, pork roast, veggies and a fine desert. We socialized for a bit and returned to our cabin for the evening and waited to see who would be our cabin mates. Due to the demand on the camps, you must share your cabin if space becomes an issue. We wondered why they would be arriving so late, after supper and soon that question was put to rest. Two, thirty something German women soon entered the cabin, introduced themselves and one immediately started working on her feet. I had not noticed that she had arrived in flip-flops. After a short exchange I learned that they had come from our next destination at May Lake and that the one working on multiple blisters was only able to hike in those flip flops due to some poor fitting boots. I offered to light the already prepared fire, but the one working on her blisters insisted that the other woman was an expert fire builder. She soon had the tent hot as and Indian sweat lodge; even Ann was peeling cloths and backing into the corner. The fire eventually died, the blister surgery was complete and all got a good nights rest. Oh, by the way, break your boots in before you start hiking and beware of anyone claiming to be an expert at anything!
The falls at Glen Aulin, you hear them all night, not a bad thing.
Glen Aulin's tent cabins as viewed fom the central campfire.
So that's how they get all that good food to the camps.
The Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne at dusk, color provided by the August 09 controlled burn.
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