Yosemite Backpacking Trip
September, 1971

Bob and Jenny: ? Nights, 10 Days, (?, minimum of 45 miles, probably many more) - Saved Photos

Still some questions about this route, particularly the cross country part and how we got from Red Devil Lake to Cloud's Rest. However, based on notes on back of photos which Jennifer still has (quotes are those notes), many of the photos and some of the route have been identified. Here's a topo map of the area. [See also the the December, 1971 trip]

Hitchhiking where Rte 120 breaks away from Rte 108

"Vernal Falls Jenny Yosemite"

Vernal Falls

"Bob in front of Nevada Falls."

It's possible that we camped near the top of Nevada Falls our first night (which would be 2.5 miles from the Happy Isles trailhead) and that we had a bear encounter. Bob remembers hearing a bear scrabbling in a nearby tree. When Bob looked out of the tent he saw a bear up on the branch from which the backpacks were hung. Bob and Jenny then banged on pans and tremulously said "Go away, bear." [according to Bob's 40 year old memory]. The bear growled and climbed down. We then heard more noise events, fading into the distance. The next morning as we started our hike, we passed several campsites where the bear had tried again. One of the campsites had not protected their backpacks and much was lost. Fortunately, they were at the end of their trip, while we were just starting ours.

"Jenny drinking from Merced River"
Comparable photo taken 44 years later.]

"Merced River"

"Lake Merced Sierra Camp"

"Bob at Washburn Lake"

"Lyell Fork, Jenny Reading"

"Lyell Fork"

"Jenny cross country near Merced Peak Fork"

"Bob Cross Country Sierras"

"Lake on Merced Peak Fork"

"Bob eating marshmellows on lake on Merced Peak Fork"

"Red Devil Lake/Clark Range in background"
Comparable photo taken 44 years later.]

"Jenny at Red Devil Lake"

Red Devil Lake campsite (?)

Unknown - might be a deer to the left

"Jenny & Bob at Cloud's Rest"

From top of Clouds Rest (similar view taken in 2014 by Martin)

Area of trip, but route is reconstructed and guessed at.

Map Symbols

  • Solid yellow and red lines: probable hiking route, day by day, based on photos, notes, and topographic map trails
  • Dashed yellow and white lines: complete guess work hiking route from Red Devil Lake to Clouds' Rest. Bob has vague memory of approaching Clouds' Rest from north. Sunrise Creek is about 13 miles from Red Devil Lake on this route, with Yosemite Valley via Clouds' Rest about another 10 miles, so Sunrise Creek is arbitrarily shown as a camp site. There is no evidence for this.
  • Yellow triangles are campsites
  • Camera icons show probable photo locations, with locations in italics if not a campsite

Lake on Merced Peak Fork.

The most current topo map shows only one lake on the Merced Peak Fork and it has several small ponds near it as shown below. Since notes refer to a lake and the photo shows a very small pond, the guess is that we camped here before going on to Red Devil Lake.

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