Clark Range Ramble, California

The Trip

Our trip will begin in the Ansel Adams Wilderness and hike over four mountain passes in the remote, less-traveled southern portion of Yosemite National Park. We will backpack mostly on-trail and above timberline on a journey rarely experienced by most who visit Yosemite. Our hike will take us into four major drainage basins, including the headwaters of the Merced and the San Joaquin rivers. During our week, we will enjoy a planned layover day to explore alpine lakes, climb a peak, or find a secluded spot to relax and soak in the abundance of beauty. Our return route will loop over a high pass and descend back into the Ansel Adams Wilderness. The trip will travel through the ancestral lands of the Mono and Ahwahnechee Tribes.

The trip is suitable for the well-conditioned, intermediate-level backpacker who has good balance on rough terrain with a pack weighing up to 45 pounds. In seven hiking days, we will travel 50 miles, much of which is on well-established but rough trails except for a few miles of cross-country travel on two days. Cross-country portions may include travel over loose rock, sand, gravel, or snow. There will be one layover day to relax in camp, explore our surroundings, try your luck fishing or climbing a nearby peak. Join us for a late summer outing enjoying the spectacular backcountry scenery of Yosemite National Park far away from the crowds.

Day 1: Plan to arrive by 4:00 p.m. on Saturday. We will meet at a campground located in the Sierra National Forest. We will have introductions, review the route, distribute commissary gear, weigh backpacks, answer questions, and arrange a short car shuttle to our exit trailhead before dinner. There are no cell, food, or equipment services at or near the campground. A dinner will be provided at 5:30 p.m., and afterward we’ll provide a brief history of Yosemite National Park.

Day 2: After breakfast we will break camp and begin with a short hike to our entry trailhead. Today we will hike six miles along a forested trail and ascend 1,300 feet into the southernmost part of the Clark Range beneath Madera Peak. Our first night will be just below timberline in a granite basin at 8,800 feet elevation.

Day 3: Today we will continue our hike on and off-trail for about eight miles as we make our way over Fernandez Pass (at 10,175 feet elevation). From the top of the Pass we can enjoy a view of the upper basin of the South Fork of the Merced River. With a short descent into a cirque below Gale Peak we will make camp at a lake at 9,631 feet elevation.

Day 4: We’ll enter a remote and infrequently visited portion of Yosemite – the South Fork Merced River, where noisy crowds give way to the tranquility of a lodgepole forest dotted with flower-filled meadows. After an easy crossing of Merced Pass, we’ll enter the headwaters of Illilouette Creek far above its falls near Glacier Point in . We’ll end a long 10-mile day in a camp near scenic Lower Ottoway Lake, nestled beneath Red, Ottoway, and Merced Peaks.

Day 5: Today is our layover day, which can be as relaxed or adventurous as you like. Stay in camp, swim, go fishing, explore the area, or climb a nearby peak. This day is yours to enjoy.

Day 6: Refreshed from our layover, we will hike between six to seven miles today. We will start with a climb up to Red Peak Pass (at 11,075 feet elevation) -– the highest trail pass in Yosemite. The steady 1,600-foot climb up to the Pass is known for its breathtaking views of the Clark, Cathedral, and Ritter ranges. The reward of our climb will continue as we make our way down from the pass with expansive and panoramic views of the high country and the canyon of the Lyell Fork of the Merced in the distance. We will plan to camp in the area of Merced Peak Fork near the headwaters of the Merced River.

Day 7: We’ll be treated with a hike through a broad, open, sub-alpine expanse with increasing views of the Clark Range as we make our ascent toward Post Peak Pass. We will make camp in this sub-alpine expanse below the pass (10,050 feet).

Day 8: Our last significant ascent will be over the ridge between Isberg Pass and Post Peak Pass (10,760 feet) where we can enjoy a view of Triple Divide Peak and nearby Post Peak; the Clark Range with Red Peak; the Cathedral Range; as well as the Ritter Range with Banner Peak, Mt Ritter, and the Minarets. From there we will return to the Ansel Adams Wilderness and descend into the Granite Creek watershed. Our hike for the day will be both on-trail and cross-country for about 4 miles to our camp spot at Joe Crane Lake (at 9,644 feet elevation).

Day 9: On the last day our packs will be light as we prepare to make the final 2,600-foot descent. We will hike 9 miles to our exit trailhead and our vehicles.

Getting There

Our campground and entry trailhead are located in the Sierra National Forest southeast of Yosemite National Park. They are about 100 miles north of Fresno, 260 miles east of San Francisco, and 320 miles north of Los Angeles. 

The nearest airport is the Fresno International airport. Other airport options are located in the San Francisco Bay Area and Los Angeles areas. If you are planning to fly, you will need to rent a car or prearrange ride-sharing with other participants. There is no public transportation available to the campground. 

The campground is located in a remote area and there are no cell, food, and equipment services available. It is a 2.5-hour drive from Oakhurst and a 2-hour drive from North Fork, part of it on winding and bumpy dirt roads. You must allow extra time to arrive by Saturday at 4:00 p.m. Return flights should not be scheduled on the same day that we hike out. A detailed meeting location will be identified prior to the trip. 

Please do not make non-refundable travel arrangements until notified to do so by the trip leader.

Accommodations and Food

All meals are included beginning with dinner on the first night (day 1) and concluding with lunch on the last day (day 9). Meals will be filling, healthy and can be prepared vegetarian friendly, including some organic and non-GMO items as available. Some food sensitivities can be accommodated. However, please let us know of any food allergies or dietary restrictions when you apply. Tablets for treating group water will be provided. A gravity water filter system will also be made available for group use. Trip participants will share in the responsibility of daily meal preparation and clean up as well as maintaining the water level in the gravity water filter while on the trip. 

During our trip we will seek out backcountry campsites that are pleasant and scenic while adhering to all land agency regulations as well as Leave No Trace principles. All group gear, including cooking pots & utensils, stoves, and bear canisters, will be supplied and carried by everyone. Backpacking in the Sierra Nevada requires preparation for variable weather and travel conditions, including thunderstorms, rain, snow, and wind. Participants are required to bring their own or share a tent and provide their own sleeping bag, pack, and ground pad.

Trip Difficulty

The trip is rated a 4 on a scale from 1 to 5, with a 5 being the most difficult. This hike is best suited for the experienced intermediate backpacker who can travel 8 to 10 miles a day with a 40- to 45-pound pack over varied terrain and moderate daily elevation gain and loss. Although our hike is mostly on trail, the loop is nearly 54 miles long with a first day climb of 1,800 feet and fully loaded packs. The last day will be 9 miles long with a descent of 2,500 feet. This trip requires excellent health and fitness, appropriate gear, and flexibility for the changing conditions that are often encountered in the High Sierra.

Equipment and Clothing

The Sierra Club will provide group cooking equipment (stoves, fuel, pots & cooking utensils), a group first-aid kit, group in-camp water filter, water purification tablets (you may bring your own preferred personal water purification gear), and bear-proof food storage canisters (i.e. bear cans). At the start of the trip you will be issued a full bear can and a portion of the group gear with a combined weight of 12 to 16 pounds. Your pack must have room to carry the bear can (approximately a cylinder 8.5” in diameter and 13” long) as well as some group gear about the size of a loaf of bread to a large pot. It is very important that you limit your personal gear and pack weight to no more than 25 pounds, so that together with 1-2 liters of water and group gear, your total pack weight will be less than 45 pounds. We require that you bring or plan to share a tent (highly recommended) or lightweight tarp (at a minimum), sturdy & comfortable but broken-in boots providing good ankle support/protection, a sleeping bag that will keep you warm in freezing temperatures, a small personal first-aid kit and water-proof rain jacket and pants. The leader will send a detailed equipment list to participants well in advance of the trip. 

References

Maps:

• Tom Harrison's trail map Yosemite High Country shows our entire route 
• National Geographic Trails Illustrated Series, Yosemite Southeast Map #309 (1:40,000) shows our entire route 
• U.S. Forest Service’s Guide to the Ansel Adams Wilderness (1:63,360) map shows our entire route 
• The U.S.G.S. 7.5-minute series maps: Timber Knob, Mt. Lyell, Sing Peak, and Merced Peak (1:125,000) provide greater detail of our route.

Books:

• Schaffer, Jeffrey P., Yosemite National Park -- A Natural-History Guide to Yosemite and its Trails. Wilderness Press, 2000. Provides excellent trail descriptions, scenery, and natural history found along each trail. Later editions have good trail descriptions, but lack the natural history. 
• Hill, Mary, Geology of the Sierra Nevada. University of California Press. “A smooth-flowing, easily read historical account of the ‘Sierra Nevada through the ages.’” – G.D. Howell
• Laws, John Muir, The Laws Field Guide to the Sierra Nevada. California Academy of Sciences.
• Secor, R.J., The High Sierra: Peaks, Passes, and Trails.
• The Mountaineers Books. This is an excellent general reference to climbing routes, cross-country routes, and trails in the Sierra Nevada.
• Sanborn, Margaret, Yosemite. Yosemite Association. Its discovery, its wonders, and its people.
• Secrest, William B., When the Great Spirit Died. World Dancer Press. California/U.S. History/Native Americans.

Websites:

• Sierra Club information about conservation issues affecting the area: http://www.sierraclub.org/habitat/ecosystems/bighorn.aspx
• General information and photos about Sierra Club High Sierra backpacking: http://www.knapsack.org

Yosemite Conservancy: http://www.yosemiteconservancy.org/

Maps:

• Tom Harrison's trail map Yosemite High Country shows our entire route 
• National Geographic Trails Illustrated Series, Yosemite Southeast Map #309 (1:40,000) shows our entire route 
• U.S. Forest Service’s Guide to the Ansel Adams Wilderness (1:63,360) map shows our entire route 
• The U.S.G.S. 7.5-minute series maps: Timber Knob, Mt. Lyell, Sing Peak, and Merced Peak (1:125,000) provide greater detail of our route.

Books:

• Schaffer, Jeffrey P., Yosemite National Park -- A Natural-History Guide to Yosemite and its Trails. Wilderness Press, 2000. Provides excellent trail descriptions, scenery, and natural history found along each trail. Later editions have good trail descriptions, but lack the natural history. 
• Hill, Mary, Geology of the Sierra Nevada. University of California Press. “A smooth-flowing, easily read historical account of the ‘Sierra Nevada through the ages.’” – G.D. Howell
• Laws, John Muir, The Laws Field Guide to the Sierra Nevada. California Academy of Sciences.
• Secor, R.J., The High Sierra: Peaks, Passes, and Trails.
• The Mountaineers Books. This is an excellent general reference to climbing routes, cross-country routes, and trails in the Sierra Nevada.
• Sanborn, Margaret, Yosemite. Yosemite Association. Its discovery, its wonders, and its people.
• Secrest, William B., When the Great Spirit Died. World Dancer Press. California/U.S. History/Native Americans.

Websites:

• Sierra Club information about conservation issues affecting the area: http://www.sierraclub.org/habitat/ecosystems/bighorn.aspx
• General information and photos about Sierra Club High Sierra backpacking: http://www.knapsack.org
• Yosemite Conservancy: http://www.yosemiteconservancy.org/

Conservation

“Humankind has not woven the web of life.

We are but one thread within it.

Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves.

All things are bound together.

All things connect.”

-     Chief Seattle, 1854

Yosemite National Park has a rich natural and human history and was one of the original natural areas to inspire the creation of the National Park Service. Entering its second century of stewardship, the National Park Service continues to face challenges. This trip will be an opportunity to learn, discover, and reflect on its past history while we contemplate its future. Our hope is that participants come away with a personal connection to this wilderness area and all it has to offer. 

Our hike will take us into two major watersheds of the Sierra Nevada: the Merced River and the San Joaquin River. We invite participants to think about past, current, and future issues impacting our natural water resources, climatic conditions, and habitat environments. We will have opportunities to discuss your thoughts and concerns related to these topics as well as explore how we can continue to make contributions to the protection and preservation of these resources.

This Sierra Club trip is an equal-opportunity provider and operates under permits from the Sierra National Forest and Yosemite National Park. Sierra Club Outings operates this activity under a U.S. Forest Service special use permit in the Sierra National Forest.