Hiking
Smedberg Lake to Miller Lake
via
Bensen Pass and Matterhorn Canyon

High Sierra Weather

Sonora
Pass
Weather

Yosemite
Weather

Smedberg Lake
South over
Bensen Pass down to Matterhorn Canyon
and up to
Miller Lake

Smedberg Lake to Bensen Pass

Hiking South from Smedberg Lake turns us Southeast away from marshy apron around the Southeast corner of the lake into a narrowing dry meadow appearing as a garden of great granite boulders, much of it sitting on a flat granite "floor," transitioning into a classic dry meadow once the Spring Thaw recedes. Real fine almost flat terrain across its subtle graduations of the balance between granite and soil.

At the far Southeast end of the dry meadow we twist through a forested path around to our ford over the Golden Sand Creek, a place I've always considered...as unique. Check it out carefully, there's more to this place than you can see, but can feel. These Golden Sands presage soil conditions we experience approaching and crossing the high sections on the South side of Bensen Pass.

Veins of unique minerals wedged between massive ancient granite plutons, all uplifted and carved over millions of years of alternating sessions of fire and ice for our perceptive pleasure. Now we will see these ancient minerals at our feet, rain and snow eroding them out from their granite encasements. The streams are not just transporting these golden sands down serpentine lines of cascading streams towards Bensen Lake, but are refining and separating the different densities of golden sands.

We really enjoyed the golden sands of Bensen Beach, which is one of the main stopping points this strand of sand is destined to pass through. I'd imagine all this golden sand is now backing up behind the O'Shawnessey Dam and slowly backfilling Hetch Hetchy at this point in these mountains' physical history.

A short climb away from this golden sand creek brings us to briefly overlook an almost hidden higher shelf of the meadow extending Southeast from Smedberg Lake, almost an "upper annex" of the lakeside meadow, by looking across our Right shoulder to our Southwest just a bit above Smedberg Lake as we pass by and climb away from the Northeast edge of this intermediate meadow.

Now a significant climb separates this second meadow from the third meadow above. Climbing through a wide gap between granite peaks we see our trail again leads over to the Golden Sand Creek where it flows out the edge of this third and uppermost meadow where we climb into it.
Entering the bottom of the third meadow our line of sight can follow the line of the creek across the Northwest edge of the meadow beyond the creek up to the gap along the top of the surrounding ridgeline where we can just make out the golden dirt berm of the Northern face of Bensen Pass.

Looking to our Right across the wide gap making up our Southbound entrance into this upper meadow we see the great granite dome that marks the end of the ring of rock ridge wrapping around this high altitude meadow. We can make out where a nice little campsite is located under the Western flank of the dome.
There was an old fire ring there, but there is a nice flat and comfortable shaded site, if not a fire ring. Golden Sand Creek is its water source, and we have a great view of Volunteer Peak. The 7.5 map well depicts the topography of these features, if not the feeling they impart.

Looking to the South down our trail we see that the Golden Sand Creek turns Southwest (to our Southbound Right) crossing the length of this last little upper meadow where we continue Northeast across the North edge of the meadow to where we hike into a narrow climbing gorge to begin our last bit of climbing to Bensen Pass.
From the Northeast corner of the upper meadow we hike into a narrow channel through hard rock terrain that leads us up and around a button-hook route to the soft golden soils under Bensen Pass. The last forty yards of trail across the golden berm into Bensen Pass may be at or near the angle of repose if the the soft golden terrain up to Bensen Pass has not been dug out in the last couple of years.

A couple of heavy Spring Thaw flows are sufficient to seriously degrade the last bit of the trail up the North flank of Bensen Pass.

Rather than being composed of granite, Bensen Pass looks like a slice of soft unconsolidated mineral terrain wedged into a little gap along the length of the granite ridgeline. Approaching Bensen Pass I get the feeling as if I am climbing to the source of the golden sands that run down the Golden Sand Creek into Smedberg Lake, and from there down to Bensen Lake. It's like we've found the main source of the golden sands draining out from their ancient role of filling in the gaps between the vast granite blocks making up the surrounding ridgeline.

Dry Drop to Matterhorn Canyon

After taking an enjoyable break sitting on the Bensen Pass Rock we begin the dry plunge down towards Wilson Creek and its three fords.

We immediately noticed the change in the nature of the terrain when we cross from the Southwest facing terrain on the North side (by trail direction) of Bensen Pass over to its South flank, again by the direction of the trail.

In terms of compass readings, we have passed from the Southwest side of Bensen Pass over to its Northeast facing aspect for the hike down to Matterhorn Canyon via Wilson Creek. If it's not wet on the Southwest side, it's at least green. By comparison the Northeast flank below Bensen Pass is dry. This change in the aspect of the terrain explains the shift of the character of the terrain from (kind-of) moist on the Southwest side of the pass approaching from Smedberg Lake, to a very dry feeling when we cross over to the Northeast side of Bensen Pass.

It's more than a feeling. It's the aspect of the terrain. We are made to feel and reflect the changing character of nature.

It's not that there is any shortage of water between Bensen Pass and Matterhorn Canyon. There is not. There are three fords of Wilson Creek between us and the bottom of Matterhorn Canyon. What is striking is the shift to a drier character of overall terrain.

The nature of the trail itself changes as well. We've been hiking on an alternating trailbed composed of solid rock or soft rich meadow soils since entering Yosemite. From the 3rd uppermost meadow approaching Bensen Pass we were able to see the unique berm of golden soil composing Bensen Pass, and we observed the Golden Sand Creek just South of Smedberg Lake.

From Bensen Pass South to the point we enter Matterhorn Canyon we will hike through dry soils and barren forests reminiscent of "Pine Barrens," treading on a very interesting dry granular dull golden or white mineral surfaces. Of course we will cross bits of meadow soils generated along Wilson Creek, and through meadows and forests, but this segment of trail from Bensen Pass down to our entry into Matterhorn Canyon, high up on its canyon wall, is mostly composed of this noteworthy mineral surface through dry terrain.

Combined with the drier aspect on the Northeast facing side of Bensen Pass, the changes across the pass are pleasing. Basic joy lays in the observing the balance point of the diversity of life and environment change across a very few feet of space.

Other than that, this section of trail from Bensen Pass to Matterhorn Canyon is like dropping a bomb. It's all down to the floor of Matterhorn Canyon from Bensen Pass. Ka-boom. Time to roll.
My speed down to Matterhorn Canyon is only limited by the condition of my knee (and associated human hardware), my fitness level, and how many folks and critters I meet, and the time I need to spend observing and situating myself in the terrain.

Other than those physical and cultural limiting factors, we now go down like a bomb dropping. That's me whistling... Ka-boom.

Northbound backpackers, on the other side of the coin, will find a relentless climb out of Matterhorn Canyon up the switchbacks climbing out, relieved by a nice moderate stretch up Wilson Creek, which is just setting you up for the final brutal set of switchbacks which are putting you in position for the final hard1 climb to Bensen Pass.

Then you Northbound hikers are dropping like a bomb down to and past Smedberg Lake onto much steeper trail terminating at Benson Lake in the bottom of the canyon far below.

Matterhorn Canyon

Our position hiking South down the high switchbacks turning us out of Wilson Creek's high hanging canyon into Matterhorn Canyon, which is where we get a few pretty good views into and up and down Matterhorn Canyon, when we can take our eyes off the complex terrain at our feet. The trail switchbacking the final stretch of trail down to the floor of Matterhorn requires a good deal of our attention if we are moving quickly and want to remain vertical.

We have once again hiked down into granite and brown soils turning into Matterhorn Canyon departing from the "pine barrens" and golden-and-mineral soils we encountered coming down Wilson Creek from Bensen Pass.

The floor of Matterhorn Canyon has a fairly gentle incline rising towards the Sierra Crestline, though it undulates over and around various obstacles.

There's a great (as in large) campground near the great rock formations in the center of the meadow near where our Southbound trail hits the floor of Matterhorn Canyon. We'll see it when we get our first views of the floor of Matterhorn Canyon observing carefully as we descend the final switchbacks down before we get buried under forest cover. I've seen horseparties out there, with their mounts grazing the meadow. I've never camped out there.

My preferred campsite in Matterhorn Canyon (as a long distance Southbound hiker) is on the South side of the Matterhorn Creek ford, by trail direction, a couple of miles South up Matterhorn Canyon from where our trail first touches the floor of the canyon.

There are a series of campsites along the trail between our touchdown point on the Matterhorn Canyon floor and the campsite at the ford. I prefer to camp at the ford, to better put myself under the big climb up to Miller Lake as early in the morning as possible. Tomorrow we have the huge run down to Glen Aulin after passing Miller Lake. I like to get a very early start and climb out of Matterhorn Canyon during the cool morning hours.

We generally hike the the whole distance from our last campsite (be it at the Matterhorn Ford, Miller Lake, or Spiller Creek) down to Glen Aulin in one shot. Position yourself well to suit your remaining food, fitness, and endurance capacities as you approach your next resupply spot.

If you are holding extra, you can slow down. If you are short, you must push forward. It's counter-intuitive. As we get closer to resupply food gets tighter and tighter if we properly planned our trip.

A short distance past the Matterhorn Canyon ford our trail turns South for the substantial hike up and out of Matterhorn Canyon to Miller Lake.
Local hikers on the Bensen Lake Loop will continue up Matterhorn Canyon past this trail junction to exit the top of Matterhorn Canyon through Burro Pass, and eventually pass through Mule Pass, on their way to the end and beginning point of their Bensen Lake Loop at Twin Lakes.

Matterhorn Canyon to Miller Lake

A big climb. Old stock gate finally falling apart (2012). Switchbacks up to the grand view of Matterhorn Canyon. False Summit! More amazing views of the majesty and wonder of Matterhorn and its feeder canyons just below where we turn Southwest to pass through the Great Gap and down to the expansive meadow flat hosting Miller Lake.

Stories: Meeting the backcountry rangers at Matterhorn Creek ford campsite who built the stock gate on the way up the trail to Miller Lake. The one related how the first evening, after they had rode in, they made camp and had dinner before calling it a night.

Late that night a bear ran through their camp, doing what I call a "drive by," trying to snatch food on the run through. Bears do this when they ID a potential target in an active camp, which then forces them to wait until late to do their dash and grab. The Rangers had not left any food out, but they eat good, which had fooled the bear, who got no food. Nonetheless, the ranger's horses freaked out and broke off line, one running all 25 miles back to its stable in Tuolumne Meadows. This required that horse's Ranger to walk all the way back to the stables, retrieve his mount, ride it back to Matterhorn Canyon, then build the stock gate they came out to build.

The Rangers all laugh when they tell the story. Horsemen all laugh when telling about one of their own having to walk. Hell, they laugh at me for walking. I think they just like to laugh. The Backcountry and Wilderness Rangers are generally good dudes, especially the walking ones...

Stories: Reaching the overlook of Matterhorn and its feeder canyons during an incredibly active series of daily thunderstorms gave me the perspective of looking down at the terrain to the Northwest around upper end of Matterhorn Canyon and along the Sierra Crestline to the North watching thunderheads moving rapidly and actively down all the hanging canyons draining into Matterhorn, as well as active lightening storms in Matterhorn and along the Sierra Crestline, each throwing lightening and resounding with thunder! From a very safe position! Amazing! Whooo-Hoooo. Many sad backpackers like soggy doggies in rain... cheer up kids, this is special, A unique position to observe this amazing show. Up through the Great Gap. Down to Miller Lake. Miller Lake Campsites.

Trail Segment
Information

Backpacker's Index

Bensen Lake to Virginia Canyon
N Yosemite 30 minute Backpacking Map

Backpacker Resources and Hiker Information

All backpackers can post text comments, questions, or add information and share their experiences on this segment of trail from Bensen Lake to Bensen Pass through the comments links on this page.
Every comment link on every trail guide page goes into the forum for that segment of trail.

Your experiences become part of the guide.

Registered Members can post text, images, maps and videos on their own pages in the Trails Forum to supplement this section of the Trail Guide.

Check out the Tahoe to Whitney .org Backpacking Trails and Topics forums.

The Trails Forums cover the main High Sierra Trails from Lake Tahoe to Mount Whitney paralleling trail guide construction.
The Backpacking Topics Forum covers about every topical issue any long distance backpacker would face in high elevation mountains. The Topics Forum is also being constructed in conjunction with the trail guide.

As I slowly move South completing the trail guide so too the Trails and Topics Forums evolve. I hope to complete all three simultaneously. Make sure to post up your bits of wisdom and experience in this compendium of High Sierra Backpacker information, knowledge and experiences.

Joy, Pain, Wisdom and informative experience eminate from experts and rookies alike. Your experiences across this terrain, as well as you questions, are part of its great tapestry of experience.

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Southbound from Smedberg Lake

Hiking East along the South Shore of Smedberg Lake the trail soon turns Southeast hiking up the meadow off the Southeast shore of Smedberg Lake.

Below we turn back to take a last look North across East half of Smedberg Lake as we hike South up the meadow away from the lake, behind us.

Turning Left to take a last look at the marshy Southeast shore of Smedberg Lake as we hike to our Right, to the Southeast, away from the lake.

We are hiking South on the unified Pacific Crest and Tahoe to Yosemite Trails towards Bensen Pass.

Let's turn to take a look at the trail South up this meadow.

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Hiking Southeast past the wet meadow apron around Southeast side of Smedberg Lake. The wet meadow around the lake stretches out into a dry meadow as we hike South down the trail.

Note the vibrant, yet subtle, colors of the blooming and dying dry meadow.

From here we can see the next segment of our route South. Beyond the trees our trail cuts Left, bending around to hike almost directly Northeast by the compass, up through the V-gap in the terrain towards Bensen Pass.

North Yosemite
Miles and Elevations

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11:55

We are beginning a 2.2 mile Southbound hike up 941 feet of elevation from the Southeast Shore of Smedberg Lake to Bond Pass. Hiking South away from Smedberg Lake we first cross the dry upper meadow Southeast to the beautiful Golden Sand Stream. An easy climb reveals the upper annex of the Dry Smedberg Meadow, an upper shelf of meadow hidden below the rocky recesses of grand granite surrounding this high flat.

A stiff climb Southeast from this nifty kind-of-hidden upper annex meadow brings us to the upper meadow below the North flank of Bensen Pass. I've always found water and a good campsite here below the great rock horn guarding our entrance to this meadow.

A final difficult moderate climb brings us up to Bensen Pass and some inspiring views back at Volunteer and Double Peaks around Smedberg Lake.

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A low easy climb brings us to the beautiful Golden Sand Stream and our fording point across a wide flat rock.

The air seems to thicken into a dense silence as we enter the woods approaching the Golden Sands Stream.

Over the course of a hiking season the stream starts powerfully, gradually declining into series of golden sand pools chained together by the translucent string of burbling stream, until just a series of golden pools remain at the end of the season.

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August 26 2010.

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Bensen Lake to Miller Lake
Backpacking Map

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A very peaceful place. Walking downstream a bit we come to the slabs of granite serving as the fording point for the golden sand creek.

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2009

Bensen Lake to Miller Lake
Backpacking Map

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2012

Now we face a stiff 480 foot climb up .64 of a mile to the upper meadow.

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Steady Hard Climb.

Bensen Lake to Miller Lake
Backpacking Map

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Into the Scathing Bright Morning Light.

Hiking South from the shaded switchbacks into the glare of the rising sun across the uppermost meadow under Bensen Pass.

Hiking the very steep terrain South up from our Bensen Lake campsite during the early morning cool air and shadow saves lots of energy. Well, at least this very difficult first climb of the day is in cool conditions...

Now we will have to contend with the intensity of sun exposure and physically dissipating heat as we climb.

Blowing off heat, protecting ourselves from the heat of climbing can take as much energy as the climb itself. Early climbs save lots of energy compared to late afternoon climbs.

Heat, coolness, and heat dissapation should be an itergral part of planning out our daily hiking plan.

Heat Safety

The Daily Hiking Plan
Where we start and end determines our plan.

In the image above I was hiking the 9.6 miles from Smedberg Lake to Miller Lake over a half-day, to give myself time to explore the terrain around Miler Lake's West shore campsites.
For a number of years I fallen into the pattern of hiking from Matterhorn Canyon to Glen Aulin as the next to last day of backpacking on this section of trail. By staging up at Glen Aulin I only had a short hike to Tuolumne Meadows, which gives me almost a full first day off at the TM rest and resupply stop.
After a series of trips camping at Miller Lake years ago I had fallen into a rut of bypassing Miller Lake and camping at Bensen Lake, Matterhorn Canyon and Glen Aulin as my last three sites before arriving at Tuolumne Meadows.

Recognizing this, I planned a trip to fill in that particular gap in my recent hiking plans by shifting my campsites through this segment of trail.

So I offset my camping plan to break out of this hiking pattern I was falling into, and spend a night Miller Lake before making my way South to Glen Aulin the next day.

I was especially focusing on shifting my campsite pattern after deciding to write the guide. Before I was doing it for fun.

Shifting Backpacking Patterns
Range vs. Depth
It's funny that we have to create a changing set of "patterns and schedules of observation" (I.e., hiking plans) to try to take in the vast scope of experience in the Sierra Nevada. It is funny because at the same time it takes repeated visits to gain any familarity with various locations along the trail.

This place pulls us outward while sucking us in at the same time.

The fact is that where we camp, where we "stage up," for the next day's hiking determines the timing for each of the subsequent places where we camp and explore. The only way to get a reasonable perspective on the North Yosemite Backcountry is by varying the location of campsites and the times of day each time through the terrain.
I combine this "alternating" hiking plan by varying where I spend my extra day's food each time through, and varying the seasons I hike through.

This alters the time of season and the time of day we pass through each location over a period of years, giving us a wide perspective on the range of characters each place shows as the seasons progress. This is just delightful.

BIG
And jeeze, we're only refecting a small range of the range's beauty. The depth of this place in terms of the time and physical space required to obtain at least a reasonable sample of its characters have already eaten up many lifetimes of experienced backpackers and guide writers, and the Sierra has not even burped.

Today, in terms of the image above, we'll get over this climb out of the "Bensen Hole" in cool morning air and make our next climb out of Matterhorn Canyon up to "today's" destination at Miller Lake before the day really heats up, which is good.

Standard Approach
My standard approach to this segment of trail is to hike from Bensen Lake (the best, the classic, and arguably most premium camping location anywhere near here) up to Miller Lake over 14.5 miles over two ferocious climbs and one huge descent. Start early and eat your wheeties.

Shifting the Hiking Pattern
Then we will start varying our campsite locations on subsequent backpacking trips to break out the details of this terrain.

This Complex Segment of Trail
Bensen Lake's beauty defines it as the premium local campsite. Smedberg Lake would be second, while to the North the next best sites are just beyond the Kerrick Canyon ford, though I far prefer the premium campsites, being the "upper" campsites on the North side of the Stubblefield Canyon ford(s).

All right, that's what I know, unless you push me.

My actual email sits at the bottom of every page.

Want to "see more?"

Well, I've a list of trails, routes and trips that I will not live long enough to explore.

I'll fricking send you there.

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Want to do some "scouting?"

First, explore the trail routes through your favorite area throughly. Get to know the surrounding terrain and the trails. Develop physical and psychological comfort and "flexibility" on the trail, being the ability to bring and use an extra day's food to explore. Begin to apply these skills by taking a half-day off and exploring the regions around your campsites.

Once you get these fundamental backpacking skills under control I'll send experienced backpackers ideas for exploration, at your own risk.

Explore
After gaining strength, endurance, and confidence on long-distance high-altitude Sierra trails we'll point you out towards the unmaintained segments of the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail, the unmaintained trail along the upper East Carson River, and some wisely considered scrambling across the Desolation and Emigrant Wilderness areas.

Exploring New Terrain
These are off-trail "pushes" to explore new terrain. The quality of your route through these segments of unmaintained trail will depend on your observations, analysis, and decision making. If your skills are well developed you will easily navigate these unmaintained segments of trail and create delightful scrambles. If you cannot find the route easily you will pay a higher physical price crossing these unmaintained segments of trail.
You can die if things go really wrong or you really screw-up.

Thus I warn that Backpacking is Dangerous before we choose between backpacking the Pacific Crest Trail's Superhighway of Trails South from the Lake Tahoe Basin or the diffuse and sometimes non-existant trail of the Tahoe to Yosemite "Trail" South from the Tahoe Basin.

"Exploring New Terrain" is what I call it when I get lost. I'm not lost if I am exploreing new terrain. It took me about three years before I started pushing past the boundaries of Summertime scrambling and cross country unmaintained routes, first exploring into the snows of late Spring conditions, backpacking earlier and earlier into the receeding warm snows of Springtime, and later into the much more challenging deepening cold of Fall snows.

I figure it is much better to begin probing the Art of Snow Camping during the warming snows and weakening storms of Spring than the deepening cold and stregthening storms of Fall.

Late season storms during Spring and early Winter Storms during Fall bring exciting trips!

Or disaster, depending on what you expect and are ready for.

Proceed Carefully!

After mastering what Spring and Fall could throw down I finally ventured into Mid-Winter conditions along the High Sierra Crestline. Once I broke the Winter Barrier my backpacking schedule was year-round.

I was lucky enough to get in a six year run of extensive four-season backpacking that kept me on or very close to the Sierra Crest for a minimum of six months out of each year. A series of old and new injuries has since knocked me out of Winter and off the trail.

My goal is to spend the Winter Solstice/New Year somewhere on the Sierra Crest. Generally performing a Leavitt Peak Loop from the Marine Base, a Sonora Pass to Marine Base trip from Rodriquez Flat, or a Showers Lake/Round Top loop out of the Tahoe Basin. Each would happen between the snows of Fall and the advent of the Spring Thaw. One of these trips would happen across the Winter Solstice and New Year.

Each step of evolving fittness and experience will draw you naturally to the next step evolving both. There is no "desire" that allows us to safely progress without experiencing the pleasure, pain, fear and work that brings us up through each subsequent step of our skills progression. Our motivation for reaching for the next step of Wintertime development must be tempered by the serious dangers Winter travel presents.

The logical end of this process is merely the top of the Sierra Crestline. No need to go anywhere else. All we need is right here, in the Sierra Nevada. Each and every day of the year.

The exact same progression is what first brought me onto and then off of the High Sierra Trails onto cross-country and scrambling routes, then into the snow covered mountains. Not just to "do" it and run away, but to intergrate my life more deeply into the High Sierra Seasons.

High Sierra Backpacking Bug
Once we get bit by the "bug" of High Sierra Backpacking we will find the above progression through Summer into Winter skills, or our own version of it. That same mysterious spirit of living beauty that first drew us onto the High Trails will lead us off them deeper into the mystery. Or not.

These are difficult trails to hike on the trail. Adding the extra work and risk of exploring off-trail and into Winter adds to the already significant risks of High Sierra Backpacking. It may be for you or not.

Backpacking is Dangerous Forum

Here's the deal: Each of us must honestly measure our capacities against our motivations and desires, and put a practical plan in place. Hey, it may take years to get your fat ass out on the high trails. But it will be so worth it that you will shit yourself.

Every backpacking trip is a step you guided yourself through the unknown, even on trails. It is unknown to you! Each step brings you closer to yourself.
You can take the training and prepatory trips necessary to safely bring yourself through the Sonora Pass Trailhead (or Kennedy Meadows on the TYT!) 75 miles down the most difficult of High Sierra terrain to Tuolumne Meadows.

You've just got to properly evolve your inherent capacities. They are in there if you want to find them.

Your life will be reorganized by your preperations for the trip, let alone the efforts necessary to plan and execute the series of trips required to properly prepare ourselves for, and to consolidate the skills and fitness necessary to hike from Highway 108 to Tuolumne Meadows.

Between mastering Summer backpacking and evolving-transitioning our Summer skills to Winter compentency on the continium of High Sierra backpacker's skills lays cross-country travel.

A Logical Progression
Once you develop the skills to hike and explore this vast section of North Yosemite during Summer on the maintained trails you can begin exploring the non-maintained segments of the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail, and other unmaintained routes. This will lead you through a natural development of your map reading and route finding skills.
These Summertime route-finding skills and growing familarity with your favorite local terrain lay a solid foundation for you to very carefully expand the limits of your backpacking season into early Spring and then into Late Fall as you push your skills deeper into Winter conditions and compentency.

You can do anything you put your mind to following a good plan one step a time executed with great care.

First, go long in Summertime. Second, go deep. Explore off trail during Summertime. Third, plan trips earlier into Spring and later into Fall snows. Finally, execute mid Winter High Sierra backpacking trips.

Fill the circle of life with your reflection of it through each of its seasons.

This full-circle seasonal evolution will expand your gear and evolve your training and fitness as you learn to comfortabley situate yourself across a very wide range of the beauty this Earth can throw at you.

You'll be amazed at what you find both within and around yourself, and what you find out about that living point of conscious choice in-between your physical body and the outside world called, that elusive thing called, "you."

There are very old things within the "you" sitting between what exists within and without.

I'd guess that there are more things inside and outside of yourself than you are currently aware.

Long distance backpacking will bring them out.

Get out to bring it out!

There's a nice campsite over there.

Up in those trees under the West side of this rock horn.

We're hiking South into the Upper Meadow laying off to our Left, and we are looking to our Right (SE by compass) across the trickle of the Golden Sand Creek to observe this nifty horn of rock.

There is a nice campsite located over there, as we enter the upper meadow below the North side of Bensen Pass. This feature is easily identifiable on the 15 minute map below:

Each time I hiked past here I looked over and said to myself, "I'll bet there is a nice campsite over there."

During one trip I said, "what the hell," and hiked over there to camp and see if I was correct. I was.

There's a nice campsite in the trees nestled in below the rock formation. We have to hike back to the pool pictured below to retrieve water, so I always fill up my jug when I hike out there to camp.

One less trip!

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Water source at low point exiting upper meadow below North flank of Bensen Pass. August second 2009.

I've never seen this pool dry, even when the stream feeding it does not reach the meadow above. There appears to be a nearby buried spring, and/or the underground flow of the creek continues after the surface flow has stopped, only to reemerge here.

The USGS map cites the stream through here as a seasonal stream, but I've never seen this pool completely dry.

I'd say that this status may not continue if either the sustained drought and/or the new weather pattern that is emerging continues evolving past 2014. We'll see!

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Bensen Pass
Once we get into the upper meadow we can see Bensen Pass. Above we can see the day's first light crossing Bensen Pass. Bensen Pass is the low point filled with soil between granite crags.

The picture below puts the light slash of soil that composes Bensen Pass into a broader context with the meadow below its North side and along the granite ridgline its is located that wraps around our upper meadow.

Bensen Lake to Virginia Canyon
N Yosemite 30 minute Backpacking Map

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Bensen Pass across and above the uppermost meadow

Our combined Southbound Tahoe to Yosemite and PCT trails are pointing us at Bensen Pass.

The upper meadow below South flank of Bensen Pass completely dried out on September 4 2010. Bensen Pass is visible as the bright slash between the trees making up the low point along the Left side of the ridgeline.

Subtle Fall colors glow as the now crunchy meadow readies itself for Winter.

High Altitude Meadow below Bensen Pass

Turning our gaze to our Right, South, looking across the same meadow pictured above, but earlier in the year, on August the second, and a year earlier, during 2009.

A sweet high altitude meadow sitting at 9760 feet of elevation.

It's still green.

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Up the Gorge to Bensen Pass

South of the meadow we begin our final approach to Bensen Pass entering a narrow defile in the terrain which we will follow up to Bensen Pass.

It's a nifty piece of terrain.

Deeply and Firmly bedded stones preserves trail through Spring Thaw conditions.

Bensen Lake to Miller Lake
Backpacking Map

Trails and Trail Crew

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That's Bensen Pass
We still have a buttonhook loop of trail around to our Left before gaining access to the berm that composes the North flank of Bensen Pass.

When I refer to the North and South flanks of Bensen Pass I refer to the directions of the Pacific Crest and Tahoe to Yosemite Trails across it.

Bensen Pass's flanks are actually situated Southwest and Northeast by the compass.

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Last steps up the North side of Bensen Pass.

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Hiking South across Bensen Pass in the North Yosemite Backcountry.

Crossing Bensen Pass we begin the descent through Wilson Creek's hanging canyon onto the switchback on the West wall of Matterhorn Canyon.

We can see the black pointy peak of Virginia Peak poking up over the tops of the ridges running up to the Sierra Crest. The ridges we can see divide Wilson Creek's near canyon from Matterhorn Canyon in the distance and Virginia Peak beyond.

Virginia Peak is located high up near the Sierra Crest near the top of the ridge making up the West wall of Virginia Canyon and the East wall of the Spiller Creek canyon. The Spiller Creek canyon is slashed out of the top of the massive ridge running up to the Sierra Crestline that divides Matterhorn from Virginia Canyons.

We will hike down Spiller Creek's hanging canyon onto the switchbacks and great traverse down West wall of Virginia Canyon after hiking South from Matterhorn Canyon.

Bensen Pass
10160 feet of elevation.

The unified Northbound routes of the Tahoe to Yosemite and Pacific Crest Trails split for their respective trailheads to our North along Highway 108 at the top of Jack Main Canyon.

The TYT and PCT remain unified for the twenty-four and a quarter remaining miles of their shared routes South to Tuolumne Meadows.

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This video takes us Southbound over the top of Bensen Pass hiking into the Wilson Creek Drainage down through its hanging canyon onto the side of Matterhorn Canyon. We switchback down the West wall of Matterhorn Canyon and then hike up the the floor of the canyon to the Campsite on the North shore of the Matterhorn Creek Ford.

The top of the vast granite ridge running up to the Sierra Crest dividing the upper section of Matterhorn Canyon from the upper section of Virginia Canyon to its East is shaped like a great "wishbone," cradling a great cut in the top of the ridge dividing the tops of Matterhorn and Virginia Canyons. There is a hidden middle canyon between Matterhorn and Virginia Canyons cut into the upper section of the vast ridge that divides them.

Virginia Peak sits atop the Eastern prong of that wishbone ridge, also making up part of the crestline above the West wall of upper Virginia Canyon. Twin Peaks sits to the North of Virginia Peak marking the line of the Sierra Crest across the top of Virginia Canyon. All of that complexity is at the top of these canyons to our Northeast.

Our route continues roughly East across this series of ridges, but a bit to the South of the line of the Sierra Crestline.

Closer to home, our hike South from Bensen Pass descends 10160 feet of elevation down to 8480 feet at the campsite on the North shore of the Matterhorn Canyon ford.

Our total descent is 1680 feet over the 4.8 miles to this camp or fine break site.

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Bensen Pass Rock.

A nice place to sit and consider our situation.

Bensen Lake to Miller Lake
Backpacking Map

Volunteer and Double Peaks

View down Northbound Pacific Crest and Tahoe to Yosemite Trails from Bensen Pass. Volunteer Peak jutting up on Left, "Double Peak" on Right. We're looking a little South of West by the compass.

Check our view of these same mountains from the North when we were hiking
South out of the Seavy Pass Bowl.

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Hiking South through Bensen Pass.

The dark and pointy Virginia Peak is sticking up over three canyons running down the West flank of the Sierra containing Wilson, Matterhorn, and Spiller Creeks respectively.

The dark mass of Twin Peaks rising to the Left of pointy Virginia Peak marks out part of the line of the Sierra Crestline at the top of Virginia Canyon.

Twin Peaks is almost directly South of Twin Lakes. Twin Peaks is the dominant Peak along the Sierra Crestline between Matterhorn Peak and Camiaca Peak. I'm pretty sure that white mass on the far Left side of the Sierra Crestline is Matterhorn Peak and Whorl Mountain.

From Bensen Pass we have a 4.8 mile hike down 1680 feet of elevation through Wilson Creek to the campsite at the ford of Matterhorn Creek in Matterhorn Canyon.

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Into the Wilson Creek Canyon.

View South dropping down the South flank of Bensen Pass.

Virginia Peak in the distance beyond the top of the upper section of Wilson Creek's canyon and across upper Matterhorn Canyon.

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Hiking over to the North side of Bensen Pass brings us into a series of seasonal washes remnant from the annual power of the Spring Thaw flowing down across the steepness of the terrain.

Though dry up here from the end of the Thaw, we will find the season creek reaching as high up towards Bond Pass as the particulars of this season allow. During wet years the creek will reach high up late in the season, during dry years it will quickly recede.

Bensen Lake to Miller Lake
Backpacking Map

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Exposed terrain below South flank of Bensen Pass, by trail direction.

We are hiking Northeast by the compass. The upper section of trail below the South flank of Bensen Pass is across exposed terrain composed of broken down sandy soils.

It is a steep drop down broken up by nice little flats of dry and green meadow spaces.

Note that although we are hiking South along the PCT-TYT route we are hiking North by the compass down the North flank below Bensen Pass.

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Dropping Steeply to Wilson Creek

Forested sections of trail also lay below Bensen Pass's South flank, again by the direction of our trail.

By the compass we are descending to the Northeast to Wilson Peak. On the map we are hiking South down the PCT TYT.

Bensen Lake to Miller Lake
Backpacking Map

Eric the destroyer climbing to Bensen Pass, 2009.

Eric was approaching the end of the significant climb out of Matterhorn Canyon to Bensen Pass.

The key to successfully climbing this rapid series of High Sierra ridges is keeping your pace at a rate you can sustain, and not over-extending yourself.

This series of ridges will put an extended strain on your strength and endurance, so our physical output must be maintained within the limits of daily stress that we can can recover from every night.

Here is where we must note the overall effect of our daily hiking on our overall fitness and endurance. If we are declining in strength and endurance we must slow our pace, and might consider taking a half-day, or even a full day off.

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Very low flow during August 2 2009.

Bensen Lake to Miller Lake
Backpacking Map

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Tiny creek below Bensen Pass still has a bit of water late in Summer season.

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South wall of Wilson Creek's canyon.

High peak along this crestline marked as Peak 10462.

We are still hiking Northeast by compass, to our Left, as our route currently points up the canyon to access the bottom of the canyon, then we will turn down canyon after crossing the top ford of Wilson Creek.

Bensen Lake to Miller Lake
Backpacking Map

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Detail of Peak 10462 on the South wall of the canyon above Wilson Creek.

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Dropping down the switchbacks puts us onto the edge of forest along a thin meadow running upstream along Wilson Creek.

Reaching the bottom of the canyon holding Wilson Creek leaves us with a short hike upsteam to the Northeast until we reach the ford at the edge of the forest.

At the upper Wilson Creek ford we cross Wilson Creek to turn downstream resuming our descent into Matterhorn Canyon following Wilson Creek to the Southeast.

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Wilson Creek's upper ford.

We have just crossed Wilson Creek hiking South, and have turned back as an afterthought. We note the narrow width of the creek up here so high.

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Trail along Wilson Creek below upper ford, hiking to Matterhorn Canyon.

We are facing and hiking Southeast along the North bank of Wilson Creek.

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Last light of day screaming across the top of the South canyon wall above Wilson Creek.

It's getting late!

Time to get rolling!

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Approaching the middle ford of Wilson Creek.

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I always lighten up my steps when I approach water. Why? Because the fish listen carefully, and if they hear you they hide.

Do Fish Have Ears?
More likely the trout can feel the vibrations of terrestrial animals on their skin through the water. The fact is that fish respond to the vibrations of terrestrial animals however they feel it.

They feel and see quite well.

High Sierra Fish Forum

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A little dude checking me out while his pal checks him out.

High Sierra Fish Forum

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Tough little fish moving around the pool looking for goodies. The shimmering reflections dancing across the surface of the water that divides our two very different worlds.

August 2, 2009.

High Sierra Fish Forum

This Forum Entry

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Wilson Creek almost dried out late in the hiking season.

August 26, 2012.

Bensen Lake to Miller Lake
15 min Topo Backpacking Map

Wilson Creek middle ford trail continuing South.

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Hiking South to lowest ford of Wilson Creek on the way to Matterhorn Canyon.

Bensen Lake to Miller Lake
15 min Topo Backpacking Map

Glimpse of Matterhorn Canyon below Wilson Creek's hangin canyon.

We'll come out the mouth of Wilson Creek's canyon down a steep section of trail onto wide switchbacks down to the floor of Matterhorn Canyon.

We'll be climbing over that distant ridge out of Matterhorn Canyon a very short distance after steeply dropping into Matterhorn Canyon.

This is indeed a roller-coaster ride of a high altitude trail.

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The last and lowest ford of Wilson Creek for Southbound backpackers, the first for Northbound hikers.

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The widest and potentially strongest of our three fords of Wilson Creek. The further down we go the greater the area the creek has drained.

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Turning around to take a look at a representative of the long steep switchbacks we have been hiking down to floor of Matterhorn Canyon.

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Trail Crew fits the trail into natural strong positions that will long resist the forces of erosion.

A pretty little puzzle.

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Our first view looking up Matterhorn Canyon while racing the falling Sun down to camp in Matterhorn Canyon.

Bensen Lake to Virginia Canyon
N Yosemite 30 minute Backpacking Map

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View South down Matterhorn Canyon.

We can see great granite fins emerging from the canyon floor.

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Matterhorn Canyon rock shrouded in smoke from Wildcat Fire of 2009.

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A break in the dense forest cover as we descend approaching the floor of Matterhorn Canyon gives us a momentairy glimpse of Matterhorn Creek's serpentine course down-mountain through wide meadowlands.

We're getting closer yet to the canyon floor descending lots of long granite switchbacks down towards the bottom of Matterhorn Canyon.

If we look to the far Right side of the image above we see that the canyon-floor meadow terminates, meeting a rocky island rising from the middle of the meadow. This pushes Matterhorn Creek East towards the far canyon wall to get by.

The Unseen
The Hub of Canyons
Matterhorn Canyon's stretch of great meadows running down its floor is ending, the "rocky island" rising up on the Right of the image representing the emergence of the underlying granite rising up through the floor of the narrowing canyon forcing the terrain through its complexity.
The meadow section is ending where Matterhorn Canyon is narrowing and beginning its plunge through a vast block of granite down to a vast but seldon seen central hub of canyons. This hub of canyons buried deep in the North Yosemite Backcoutnry is where three massive rock canyons and their rivers merge.

Our route brings us down into and then upriver along Matterhorn Canyon's delightfully meadowed floor from the position pictured above to the trail junction pointing us East. We hike East over the Eastern Wall of Matterhorn Canyon into Virginia Canyon. We drop into Virginia Canyon to cross Return Creek, quickly climbing out of Virginia Canyon far above where it intersects with Matterhorn Canyon at the hub of great canyons.

This hub of canyons is where the vast canyons bringing Regulation, Matterhorn, and Return Creeks all merge. Our Southbound PCT-TYT route hikes around this hub of canyons to its North and East. I've been contemplating how to get safely into and out of the hub of canyons to take a look at it. I'll bet it is splendid. The creeks emerge from their individual canyons into the hub of canyons to join Return Creek flowing down the huge granite canyon draining out the bottom of the hub of canyons down into the Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne River.

This vast canyon brings Return Creek into the Tuolumne River about three miles West of Glen Aulin.

Back to the Southbound PCT-TYT
There's a nice big horsecamp established along the rock-meadow interface on the Right edge of the image above. A rocky interface with the meadow wraps around the Right edge of the middle of the meadow.

The horsecamp is located out towards the center of the meadow from where our trail switchbacks down into the Western edge of the floor of Matterhorn Canyon. The trail out to this campsite/horsecamp breaks off to our East just a few feet South of where our trail finally touches down on the canyon floor. Our first steps on the floor of Matterhorn Canyon and the trail to the campsite/horsecamp along the edge of the meadow are both located on the far lower-Right of the image above.

I continue up river to the campsite near the ford if I am to stay in Matterhorn Canyon. Our trail South moves upstream along the Western edge of the wide meadow that Matternhorn Creek makes its twisting course through.

This means that our trail along the edge of the meadow occassionally overlooks the Western bends of Matterhorn Creek's serpentine route downstream through the meadow as it turns to and then bends away from our track along the Western edge of the meadow.

North Yosemite
Miles and Elevations

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The last switchback down to the floor of Matterhorn Canyon.

We'll see paths East to the horsecamp/campsite here and about fifty yards further South down the PCT-TYT.

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Old trail and National Park Service Crews campsite in Matterhorn Canyon.

This one is about three-quarters of a mile upstream from where we hit the floor of Matterhorn Canyon.

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Another campsite on downstream end of Matterhorn Canyon.

We've found three campsites before hiking upstream to the sandy wash. The first was the unseen horsecamp, the second was the old trail crew site, and now this nice little individual site.

Trail South through dry forest and sandy wash within Matterhorn Canyon.

We get a dry "Pine Barrens" type of feel in here. Red Ants and Black Birds.

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Matterhorn Canyon meadow along Pacific Crest and Tahoe to Yosemite's unified trail route.

MAP

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Matterhorn Creek flows through meadow meandering down Matterhorn Canyon.

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Approaching Matterhorn Creek ford and Campsite off to our Left.

MAP

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Matterhorn Creek ford hiking the Pacific Crest Trail across Yosemite National Park.

North Yosemite
Miles and Elevations

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Pain in the ass tame deer haunts the ford campsite. Do not feed this deer. Do not increase its tameness, discourage it.

This deer showed up in 2009 and I encountered it in 2012 as well.

Post up if you've seen it, especially post-2012.

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Matterhorn Creek ford campsite.

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PCT-TYT SOUTH
This trail junction lays a few feet North (by the Compass) past our fording point across Matterhorn Canyon. That would be South down the combined TYT-PCT.

Matterhorn Canyon trail junction South (by trail direction) to Virginia Canyon via Miller Lake along the PCT & TYT routes.

Continuing North up Matterhorn Canyon points towards Burro Pass at the top of the canyon, which leads to Rock Island Pass into upper Kerrick Canyon in close proximity to the Twin Lakes Trailhead in the Hoover Wilderness.

This trail junction would be the point that backpackers on the Bensen Lake Loop break off from the TYT-PCT turning their loop back towards their Twin Lakes Trailhead.

North Yosemite
Miles and Elevations

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Trail sign marking the way Northeast up Matterhorn Canyon towards Burro Pass.

The 30 minute map to the Right below lays out the route of the Bensen Lake Loop around the North Yosemite Backcountry.

North Yosemite
Miles and Elevations

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Trail sign showing the way North on the combined Pacific Crest - Tahoe to Yosemite Trail route back the way we came hiking South over Bensen Pass.

North Yosemite
Miles and Elevations

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Let's take a look at the terrain climbing out of Matterhorn Canyon to Miller Lake.

North Yosemite
Miles and Elevations

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Beginning the switchbacks out of Matterhorn Canyon to Miller Lake.

A serious climb.

South out of Matterhorn Canyon along the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail.

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This image was taken in 1999 after kicking it with Backcountry Ranger Medford at the Matterhorn Canyon campsite with his buddy the previous evening.

That's when Medford's pal told me about their visit from a local bear, which chased Ranger Medford's horse off the line, whereupon it ran all the way back to its home stable in Tuolumne Meadows. Ranger Medford had to hustle down to the stables, hiking in cowboy boots, to get his horse and ride back to Matterhorn Canyon.

Medford's buddy could not stop laughing when he told the story.

Ranger Medford and his buddy had ridden out there to build the stock gate above, which they had pretty much completed the day I hiked through, which was the day after the bear came through and ran off Ranger Medford's horse. The stock gate is very tight.

Bet Ranger Medford wished they had it up before the bear ran through!

Over the years it has held together well, despite taking some damage, likely by both animals and snow. It appears backcountry trail crew tightens it up every year.

Bensen Lake to Miller Lake
15 min Topo Backpacking Map

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In 2010 the fence was broken in one place and dislodged in another, but still an effective stock gate.

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In 2012 the North upper rail was still broken, but the dislodged rail had been nailed back into place.

In 2011 I was recovering from frostbite, and did not hit the trail until October, and that was with some issues.

2013 has been forestalled by heart and orthopedic issues.

Is one half-dead or half-alive?

I guess it depends on where you are standing.

After hiking South on the PCT TYT route through the stock gate we see that the terrain on the South/Eastern flank hiking out of Matterhorn Canyon is very complex.

Great mounds of granite punch through dense surrounded forests, making room for short bits of flattish terrain holding tiny meadows offering brief intermediate elevation glimpses of the surrounding grandeur through thin spots in the dense forest cover as we climb higher.

This is amazing terrain... this is a huge ridge with a diverse range of terrain decorating its massive flank. A world unto itself, this massive flank making up the East wall of Matterhorn Canyon.

Past the gate we swing through some diverse terrain on the flank of Matterhorn Canyon before we catch some long views up and down Matterhorn Canyon.

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As we hike around arms of terrain descending off the upper flank into the canyon below we find a wide variety of terrains and views.

This delightful section marks the interface between meadow and forest, though the strip of meadow is thin, and both meadow and forest contort themselves around the requirements of this steep flank.

Yet the dimensions of this canyon wall are so profound that areas of flat meadow and forest exist in their own miniature zones wedged-in along this otherwise steep terrain.

Bensen Lake to Miller Lake
15 min Topo Backpacking Map

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A narrow strip of forest and grass interface on flank of Matterhorn Canyon.

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As we climb higher we get a view through the forest of the granite valley that Wilson Creek flows through into Matterhorn Canyon.

That would be Peak 10462, which we observed dropping into Wilson Canyon through Bensen Pass.

Our Southbound trail down that canyon from Bensen Pass bent around the interceding ridgeline to drop into Matterhorn Canyon, with the trail finally hitting the floor of the canyon about a mile to our Right, up the canyon.

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The top of the distant ridge runs Northwest, to the Right, to dip down into a low point forming Bensen Pass, where hikers on the Northbound Pacific Crest and Tahoe to Yosemite Trail routes finally climb out of Wilson Creek's Canyon.

North Yosemite
Miles and Elevations

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Looking North up Matterhorn Canyon we see Whorl Mountain dividing the tops of Matterhorn Canyon and Spiller Creek, with Matterhorn Peak in the background topping this section of the Sierra Crest.

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We've now climbed high enough that an opening in the forest cover gives us a view North up across the head of Matterhorn Canyon looking over the ridge Burro Pass crosses to escape Matterhorn Canyon, with the jagged profile of the Sawtooth Ridge beyond.

Matterhorn Peak rises to the Right of Sawtooth Ridge.

Though we are getting good views from here, about halfway up, we will get better views from the top of the ridge.

Bensen Lake to Virginia Canyon
N Yosemite 30 minute Backpacking Map

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Trail up Matterhorn Canyon winds through a very welcome flat section along its relentless climb to Miller Lake.

It's hard to understand how so many different environments and terrains are fit onto the flank of a mighty Sierra ridge.

Bensen Lake to Miller Lake
15 min Topo Backpacking Map

A great field of huge shattered granite boulders interspersed with growing forest creating a jumble of deep darkness and bright reflected light.

We are hiking through gaps dividing different sections of the ridge. Switchbacks and then more switchbacks.

There's a lot of terrain, an infinity of different terrain in this small space along this short climb between Matterhorn Creek and Miller Lake. The density of detail is profound.

North Yosemite
Miles and Elevations

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Though there are nice flats and great views there is little water up here. There is no shortage of water overall, as there are good sources close together along the trail here, but there is no water source climbing this flank from Matterhorn Creek to Miller Lake.

This means a lunch spot would have to be supplied by carried water.

Crack in the Forest Cover

Glimpse Northwestward of West wall of Matterhorn Canyon through dense forest. We can see an expansive ridge arm extending out in the foreground.

There's lots of nifty terrain to explore on this vast mountainside.

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View up Matterhorn Canyon as we approach the high point of our climb South up the ridge. Observe the representation of this terrain on the 30 minute map:

Matterhorn Canyon twists up to the Left, the crest of the ridgline reaching up through Whorl Mountain to Matterhorn Peak sits in the center of the image. The canyon feeding Spiller Creek sits below the Right flank of Matterhorn-Whorl, and the low red structure on the far Right of the image is the West flank of Twin Peaks at the top of Virginia Canyon.

The big map above-Right lays out the Sierra Crest Line, and how Matterhorn Peak and Whorl Mountain fit into this complex terrain. From our position we are looking over the Western ridges descending off the Sierra Crestline as well as at the Sierra Crest Line itself.

Now lets take this view apart by inspecting each part of the crestline here through the series of images below.

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In the center-Left background we have the 12,000 foot Matterhorn Peak rising above the slightly lower but still 12000 foot height double pointed peaks of Whorl Mountain in the foreground Right.

The sharp crest rising in the foreground middle is the sharp crest of the the massive West flank ridgeline running up to Matterhorn Peak dividing Matterhorn Canyon off its Left side (West by compass) from the vast ridgetop canyon holding the Spiller Creek watershed below its Right flank.

Whorl Mountain is situated South of Matterhorn Peak a short ways down this West flank ridgeline dividing Matterhorn Canyon from the canyon holding Spiller Creek. We'll hike down into the hanging canyon holding Spiller Creek and follow it down to where it puts our trail onto the Western wall of Virginia Canyon.

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North of Matterhorn Peak along the Sierra Crest

To the Northwest of the mass of Matterhorn Peak along the Sierra Crest above Whorl Mountain, to the Left from our perspective looking up from the West flank of the Sierra, we see the sharp rocky teeth that give the Sawtooth Ridge its name while dividing the East and West flanks of the Sierra. The Sawtooths kind of remind be of the Palisades down South in Kings Canyon.

Now that we've climbed almost up to the top of the East flank of Matterhorn (South on the PCT/TYT) we can see over the massive bulk of the interceding ridgelines where Burro Pass crosses out of the head of Matterhorn Canyon into the very top of the headwaters of Piute Creek feeding Bensen Lake, to get a better view of Sawtooth Ridge beyond.

The complexity of this remarkably beautiful and multi-facted terrain demands study.

Lots of study.

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Twin Peaks at the top of Spiller Creek's canyon and Virginia Canyon
To the Southeast of the mass of Matterhorn Peak along the Sierra Crestline lays the massive bulk of the ridgeline of the Twin Peaks Massif. The dark main shoulder of Twin Peaks sits in the background Right of the view above. Our perspective looking Northeast from the top of the ridge climbing South out of Matterhorn Canyon gives us this view of the Western-facing flank of the Twin Peaks Massif.

The crestline divides the jurisdiction of Yosemite National Park down the West flank from that of the Hoover Wilderness down the short but steep East flank of the Sierra.
The Twin Lakes trailhead out of the Hoover Wilderness is about four miles down-mountain below the Left edge of the ridgeline running down to the Left. Everything on the far side of that ridgeline runs down the East flank of the Sierra, everything on this side runs down the West.

These four images above are the main features along the Sierra Crestline around Matterhorn Peak at the head of Matterhorn Canyon.

Now we turn around to follow the trail East through a gap across the top of this massive ridge to find Miller Lake nestled in along the fantastic world of granite formations carved across its massive crest.

This is such a wonderland, on such a vast scale.

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Reaching the high point of our trail South along the Tahoe to Yosemite and Pacific Crest Trail route out of Matterhorn Canyon brings us through a channel between fine granite formations marking our high point across the massive nose of Matterhorn Canyon.

The fun has just begun!

Gap South on the trail off the East flank of Matterhorn Canyon.

End of the Climb up the East flank of Matterhorn Canyon.

Though this is the 9640 foot high point of our hike over this massive High Sierra ridge, we still have a couple of climbs a bit South of Miller Lake before we begin our long descent down to follow the granite slab delights of Spiller Creek down its canyon into Virginia Canyon and the Return Creek Ford.

Bensen Lake to Virginia Canyon
N Yosemite 30 minute Backpacking Map

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We pass under and between great granite features hiking over the top of Matterhorn Canyon.

Beautiful form, color and texture.

Passing by narrow section of meadow sprouting a swath of quick-growing lodgepoles. The top of the East ridge of Matterhorn Canyon is graced with expansive gently-graded meadows and forests.

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Dropping down from rocky trail through dense forests we find a great flat atop the ridge filled with an expansive meadow and stunning crystal blue Lake.

A trail branches off Right at Miller Lake across the meadow to the campsites in the forest on the West Shore of Miller Lake.

North Yosemite
Miles and Elevations

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The Miller Lake trail sign was removed in 2002?

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Campsite on the West shore of Miller Lake on the Pacific Crest Trail across North Yosemite.

Bensen Lake to Miller Lake
15 min Topo Backpacking Map

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Miller Lake Sunrise over the North Yosemite Backcountry.

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Backpacking Trail Guide

PCT & TYT North

Seavy Pass
to
Smedberg Lake
via
Bensen Lake

Backpacking Trail Guide

PCT & TYT South

Miller Lake
to
Glen Aulin