[pct-l] Alternate route across Northern Yosemite

[Marion Davison]

Ken Roberts wrote:
> An alternate route across Northern Yosemite was mentioned a while back.
> I am hoping to be in the neighborhood in early September, and got to
> looking at some maps. Going Northward, this route leaves the PCT at
> Matterhorn Creek, and rejoins the PCT at Walker River. This possible
> alternate route travels across the northern boundary of Yosemite Park.
> It travels right by Matterhorn Peak which I have read can be climbed
> from some direction. It looks like an interesting alternative, but the PCT is
> pretty spectacular here also.  Any one familiar spend much time in this area?
> 
> Take the numbers with a grain of salt and a twist of lime, but to me this 
> alternate route
> looks to run about 500 ft higher on average, it is about 10 miles shorter, 
> and has about 15% less
> up and down stuff.
> 
> Miles					Elevation
> 0.0	Matterhorn Creek (PCT)		8,500
> 6.5	Burro Pass			10,650
> 9.1	Piute Creek			9,400
> 11.2	Mule Pass			10,450
> 12.1	Snow Lake Tr.			9,650
> 12.7	Crown Lake			9,500
> 13.4	Robinson Lakes			9,200
> 14.1	Barney Lake Trail Jct		9,200
> 14.9	Peeler Lake 			9,500
> 16.0	Kerrick Meadow			9,400
> 16.8	Buckey Pass			9,572
> 20.8	Buckey Creek Tr Jct		8,400
> 23.0	High Pass			9,900
> 27.1	Piute Mdws Cabin		8,300
> 28.4	West Walker River Crossing	8,100
> 30.3	Upper Long Lake		8,600
> 30.7	Walker River (PCT)		8,600
> 
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I did a large circuitous loop in Northern Yosemite that included a lot 
of   this territory.  I left the PCT at Kerrick Canyon and hiked north 
up Stubblefield Canyon to Peeler Lake, then south to Crown Lake, then 
over Burro Pass and Mule Pass to Matterhorn Canyon, and back onto the PCT.
The trail from Peeler Lake through Matterhorn Canyon had spectacular 
views.  The trail was in good shape except for one small confusing part 
near the top of Burro pass.  We really enjoyed this hike.  This is 
gorgeous country and we met very few people anywhere except Peeler Lake 
which is obviously a popular destination for people coming in from the 
east side trailhead.
I have also hiked in from Leavitt Meadow to the PCT at Walker Meadow. 
This area is also very beautiful and the trail is nearly flat for long 
stretches.  The Walker River can be large.  We were using the stock 
trail so we had to ford the river, but I have been told that the hiker's 
trail has a bridge over the river.
I haven't hiked the piece between Peeler Lake and the Walker River, over 
Buckeye Pass.
Marion