Gabriela Hurtado

Gabriela Hurtado

Sunrise Lakes to Clouds Rest

09/04/15

My mates and I did this back in July! What a great experience! We actually started in Tuolumne Meadows on the John Muir Trail. The first night we stopped at Cathedral Lake and didn't quite make it to Sunrise Lakes the first day. We stopped to setup camp in a meadow that had fire circles set up by previous backpackers. I think it was about 3 miles before reaching Sunrise Lakes. The next day we set off to Sunrise Lakes and it was absolutely amazing! The water was cold, but a much needed refreshment. Most of this hike is up hill and with elevation gain, so we definitely took a slower pace. We set up camp right before the big incline to Clouds Rest. The third day we set out to Clouds Rest. The incline to Clouds Rest is not long at all, but it was tough for me (this was my first multi day backpacking trip). The view from the top is so stunning and definitely worth all the sweat in my eyes. We continued on to Little Yosemite Valley from Clouds Rest. There weren't many hikers on the trail to Clouds Rest, but once we got to Clouds Rest there were quite a few day hikers coming from Little Yosemite Valley. One the way down to Little Yosemite Valley, we saw a lot of day hikers going to Half Dome. Definitely recommend mosquito repellent on this hike and/or a mosquito net. Stay hydrated since you sweat a lot and are breathing heavier at the higher elevation. We had lots of Shot Bloks to replenish electrolytes and energy.