Yosemite: Tuolumne Meadows

Tuolumne Meadows Lodge sounds fancier than it actually is. The "Lodge" refers to the dining room and reception area, but the rooms consist of semi-permanent canvas tents.  Beds, linens, and a wood burning stove are included, but communal restrooms and showers are located in a separate central building.  We are still debating whether this constitutes camping or glamping. You be the judge.

Due to the alleged prevalence of bears (and deer mice...google: hantavirus), all guests are required to store any and all food and toiletries in bear lockers.  This even included empty water bottles, sun screen, and Nate's beloved Chapstick.  Notice the firewood that is provided for the fireplace.

With our belongings appropriately stored (minus some contraband Chapstick), we made our way to the dining hall. Since there are basically no other dinner options, everyone in the Lodge eats here and reservations are strongly recommended. Seating is family style, which provided a nice way to interact with other guests and gain some advice on the hiking trails in the area. Although we ate here at least four times, we never sat with anyone other than California residents, who seemed pleasantly surprised that we Floridians knew that Yosemite consists of more than just the Valley. 

With a long day of driving and acclimating to the altitude, we found our way back to the tent after dinner. Nate loaded the stove with the provided firewood as Ashley changed into her pollies (long underwear) to prepare for a chilly evening in our uninsulated tent. 

Tuolumne Meadows - Day 1

Tuolumne Meadows is renowned for its numerous day hikes and backpacking options. It also has the added benefits of fewer crowds (we heard that 95% of visitors to the Park only see the Valley) and cooler temperatures.

As sea level dwellers, we decided to stick with a "light" schedule as we continued to adjust to the altitude. Apparently, in our world, "light" hiking consists of 10 miles of trails. It didn't seem that difficult on paper. 

Our first hike of the trip started at the Cathedral Lakes trailhead. The Cathedral Lakes trail is seven miles roundtrip with the majority of the elevation gain occurring on the way to the namesake lake. 

The first portion of the hike winds through a forested area, which provided nice protection from the alpine sun. We had the trail mostly to ourselves although we did pass a group of very exhausted looking (and crying) boys slowly returning from an overnight camping trip. The trail also involved some small creek crossing, which Ashley is notoriously unskilled at. 

Shortly before the lake, the trail suddenly opens to a wide meadow with meandering streams. Behind us, the path looked back to Cathedral Peak looming above, reflected in a pool of clear snowmelt.  

Ahead, a wet path led us over a small granite hill for our first view of the alpine lake, which we practically had to ourselves.  The clear blue waters were surrounded by trees and granite peaks.  We enjoyed a peaceful snack while watching the marmots dart between shade and sunspots before taking the mostly downhill trail back to our car.

Our afternoon hike was to Dog Lake, a shorter yet still beautiful three mile trek through forest.

With the shorter hike, Ashley made sure to bring her water shoes for a relaxing wade in the chilly waters.

We passed on the Lembert Dome spur because hiking the ten miles at altitude had taken its toll, but we'll be sure to make the climb on a future trip for the expansive views over the meadow.

Feet tired, but still wanting to see more of the Sierras, we quickly cleaned up and drove east over Tioga Pass and out of the park to the Eastern Sierra town of Lee Vining.

Lee Vining isn't a large town, but fortunately they have a gourmet dining option located in the Mobil gas station. Whoa Nellie Deli, located inside the convenience store, serves delicious fare such as lobster taquitos, fish tacos, and buffalo meatloaf.  A pleasant outdoor area is set up with picnic tables with a view of Mono Lake, with many diners washing their meals down with a local Mammoth Lakes beer.  We never envisioned spending over $40 on a meal at a gas station, but this turned out to be one of the best meals of the trip.

Whoa Nellie Deli wasn't the only reason we came over the pass.  Mono Lake is a large, salt lake that is part of the California State Park system.  It serves an important ecological role as a breeding and feeding ground for many coastal and migratory birds.

More interesting to us, it has unique coral-like features called tufas that make excellent photography subjects. These tufas have been exposed over time as water levels were lowered over the years due to California's water needs.  However, Mono Lake and its feeder streams have now been protected and a minimum water level set to restore the lake back to its natural state.  Our visit took us to South Tufa, where many of the formations are located near the water with interpretive signs.

The clouds gathered and sat over the lake, which provided for a more interesting sun set. Many other amateur photographers set up their tripods alongside us to capture the fascinating landscape. Ashley excelled at her "sherpa" duties and even handheld the various filters in front of Nate's lens due to an unforeseen equipment failure. 

We were extremely fortunate to witness shades of oranges and pinks over the lake and tufas during the last gasps of the spectacular sunset as the sun sank out of view behind the distant mountains.

With the sun nearly set, Ashley reminded Nate that the Ranger led star gazing program at this location was about to start.  Though beyond Yosemite's borders, Mono Lake State Park is near enough that the National Park will share resources by providing informational sessions to highlight local areas of importance.

As twilight set in, Brian, a naturalist ranger based in Tuolumne meadows, introduced himself to the 15 or so individuals gathered on the beach.  Mono Lake is in an area recognized for its dark skies, with mountains providing a barrier for light pollution from any of the distant cities.  Brian explained that this provided a perfect spot for star gazing, as we soon found out. 

As stars started to appear, he began to share his knowledge of the planets and constellations that we'd be seeing that night.  The sky was soon filled with more stars than could ever be seen near home.   His green laser light provided him a way to 'draw' the constellations for everyone to see.  

With the sky growing darker, we were also able to see the Milky Way with eyes alone.

The ranger's casual and humorous yet informative style made this possibly dry subject a highlight of our trip.  If you're ever in the area, we definitely recommend checking out the Mono Lake area and coordinating the visit with a night skies program - details and schedules are found in the Park newsletter.