After 8 months waiting for the snow to melt, I am finally back on the Tahoe-Yosemite Trail! Today’s hike was a gap-filler to complete the footage of my last Section (which I could not capture because my batteries died) – and to show an alternate TYT route to begin Section 4 from Lake Alpine along the route shown in the 3rd edition of the TYT book.
Confused? So was I!
Read on for the details…
Section 3 Completion
At the end of “Section 3” (Carson pass to Lake Alpine) my batteries failed and I did not get the last 15 minutes or so of the route recorded. I had already done this segment of trial numerous times, so I saved myself a mile or so of additional hiking and took a shortcut to the lodge where I was being picked up.
Because we had failed to plan for things not going well and since comms were down (because of signal and batteries) my family did not arrive for hours after I let them know I was ready. The lodge was not only closed (which I expected), but more importantly it was having major construction work done so I did not have the option to rest on the deck and wait as I had expected. I spent the next few hours sitting on a work cart reading and getting worried. I couldn’t leave that spot because when they showed up, that was the only place I could spot them and flag them down. It was getting dark and cold by the time they got me and I was pretty grumpy and whiny about it (sorry family!).
So I decided to return the following week to shoot the last bit and complete the video, but that week it snowed. I thought it would be pretty weird for the video to suddenly switch from Fall colors to snow, so I decided to wait until next season. So, 8 months later I returned and got it recorded.
However, in the meantime I thought I had found a major flaw in my TYT plans so far!
Section 4 Beginning – Oops!(?)
While I was on this “break” I started looking harder at what Section 4 (Lake Alpine to Kennedy Meadows Pack Station) had in store. I had already done most of Day 1 on a reconnaissance hike last year due to a (correct) report that it was a difficult section now because of a past fire that had resulted in a “Christmas tree farm” cropping up and obliterating not only the trail but also much of the route itself. I did that as a day hike to see how bad it was and decided I could get to Rock Lake and then when I did Section 4 as a backpacking trip, I could take another trial to Rock lake and start form there. So I did that (video), and thought I could move on with plans.
So I was shocked when I discovered that I had apparently taken the wrong trail!
I had taken the Highland Creek trail past Duck Lake (green) to get to the questionable segment of that route – but when I later looked at the map in Winnet’s book, I saw that the TYT followed the Duck Lake bypass trial (yellow). Now in previous trips, I’d hiked both and preferred the Highland Creek so I guess I just naturally followed it.
So now I had TWO segments to record! (At least they were together!)
First and Third Editions Route Differences
So I recorded the hike from the TYT sign above Lake Alpine and followed the “correct” trial to where the Highland Creek and Duck Lake Bypass trails merged to the east of Duck Lake. Phew!
But then I got my next surprise.
While gathering images for the ensuing video, I found that the 1st edition of the Tahoe-Yosemite Trail book had a different route than the 3rd. In the first edition, Winnett had indeed taken the Highland Creek route!
Well, that was awkward!
So instead of being a corrective to the “Day 10” recon video, it became an “alternate route” recording reflecting the 3rd edition’s change. It was a good hike showing not only what the latest TYT route held in store but now my viewers also can make a choice of either route and see what each is like ahead of time.
So, to recap: if you want to follow the original TYT route, you will follow the Highland Creek trail along the southwest route around Duck Lake then follow its southern shore to where the Duck Lake Bypass trail merges with it and then continue on the Highland Creek trail down to the river and beyond (through the “Christmas tree farm”) to Rock Lake.
If instead you want to follow the last version of the TYT, you will take the turn off toward Rock lake on the Duck Lake Bypass trail which skips Duck Lake (unless you do a little off trail – also in the video) along the southeastern route. After it merges with the Highland Creek trail you’ll take that down to the river and beyond (through the “Christmas tree farm”) to Rock Lake.
Happy hiking!
Backcountry Pilgrim 