Trip Report: Backpacking Young Lakes, Yosemite (Ahwahnee) — CA

Trip Date: September 5–6, 2020

Middle lake covered in a layer of ash and smoke-filled sky

A photo journal of a short weekend jaunt to Young Lakes in Yosemite National Park.

Trip Details

Permit: [Note: this was the permit system during COVID before Yosemite moved to recreation.gov] Wilderness permit required year-round. During COVID, Yosemite issued 40% of the normal walk-in permits via lottery two-weeks in advance. I requested a permit for “Young Lakes via Dog Lakes”. I received an email confirming lottery results the next day in the afternoon with 48 hours to accept; no refunds. The total cost was $15 ($5 fee for confirmed permit, and additional $5 per person).

Before obtaining the permit, I had to complete a virtual meeting with a ranger at least two days prior to the trip. There were plenty of opportunities to complete this with meetings everyday at 8AM and 4PM. After the meeting, I was provided a code used to request my actual permit. I completed the permit form and received the permit in a day.

The permit comes with overnight parking and ability to enter the park a day in advance with the option to stay in the backpacker’s camp for $6/night per person. The closest campground is the Tuolumne Meadows campground. We opted to stay in a lodge nearby to avoid the stress of the first-come-first-served campground.

There is a park entry fee of $35 per vehicle. Fortunately, we had a National Parks Pass, so we got through without the fee.

Bear Activity: Bear canisters are required. Bears within the last week started going into hyperphagic state, taking more risks to obtain food before going into hibernation. The need to keep food or any scented items in bear canisters within eyesight or arms length, even at night, is important to secure from bears. With packs, marmots and small critters have learned to rip through packs and bags get to food, even if there is no actual food in there. Another reason to store scented items within the safety of the bear canister.

Trail Information

Trail: Dog Lake Trail to Young Lakes

Length: 13.8 Miles roundtrip (Out & Back trail)

Elevation Change: 2,818 ft., highest elevation point 9,973 ft.

Day 1: Saturday, September 5, 2020

(left) bear canisters available by the parking lot (right) signage by the trailhead

Taking a breather at Dog lake

Trail meandered ascends through forested paths and into open meadow, then back under coverage of trees before reaching the lake.

The air quality significantly worsened as we progressed. We found a private campsite by the lake surrounded by trees.

(Left) Lower lake access close to our campsite. (Middle) Susie filtering the ash-covered water. (Right) Apocalypse vibes.

Day 2: Sunday, September 6, 2020

(Left) Ash-covered tent in the morning. (Middle) No wind = perfect reflection. (Right) Smoky sunrise.

(Left) Path to middle/upper lakes. (Right) Middle lake, layered with ash.

It was an easy 1 mile hike to middle lake. We ran into another hiker who told us that the smoke came from the Creek Fire, which turned out to be one of the biggest fires in California in the 2020 wildfire season. The fire burned so quickly that hundreds of people became trapped at Mammoth Pool Reservoir and required helicopter rescue by the National Guard.

Getting to upper lake required a steep (but short) ascent up the side of a waterfall and primitive trail, so we opted to turn around here and head back to the trailhead.

Descent back towards the parking lot

❤ Outdoor Aunties