Trip Description

Mount Lyell is Yosemite’s highest mountain, surrounded by other snowy, jagged peaks. This trip will take us up peaceful Lyell Canyon, where we stroll through the wide meadow alongside the winding, turquoise Lyell Fork of the Tuolumne River as it shrinks to meet its headwaters. We follow the river more steeply out of the head of the canyon until it becomes a trickle in the ravine that opens up to the Lyell Glacier, the largest glacier in the Sierra Nevada. On this trip, we will not climb to the summit*, but at the base of the Glacier we will learn basic mountaineering skills, going over proper use of crampons, ice axes, and ropes. Much of the day will be devoted to exploration in this wild and rugged landscape above treeline, before returning to our base camp back among the trees. This trip is recommended for fit beginners due to the easy grade of most of the miles, but is also ideal for experienced backpackers who want to expand their skills to include snow and ice mountaineering basics. *We are happy to plan a summit trip for your group of 4 or more people!

Trip Start Dates:
7-13-2007, 7-20-2007

Special Features:
This trip runs from a casual stroll along a quiet mountain stream to a spike-footed walk on a permanent glacier, with stops at flower-filled meadows and alpine lakes in between.

Other Services:
Round-Trip Ground Transportation from San Francisco