Hike the JMT: Tuolumne Meadows to Upper Lyle Canyon (Day 4)

Lyle Canyon

Highlights of Day 4

Relaxing day hiking through Lyle Canyon
Lots of wildlife (deer, butterflies, birds, and mosquitos), wildflowers, and cascades

Trail Journal

8:15 pm

Hiked up Lyle Canyon today–it was GORGEOUS! Hard for me not to take photos every 10 steps! Lyle River looked like a perfect place for a swim–wild and free, though I’m sure there’s a dam somewhere. Saw some deer, saw lots of beautiful cascades, mountains, flowers, butterflies….

Fashionable mosquito net

And right now, in our camp in Upper Lyle Canyon, a TON of mosquitoes. I’ve gotten to the point where I’m no longer even as concerned with brushing them off. I’m already covered in bites–what’s a few more?

The unfortunate part was when I found a perfect location for taking care of Big Business (as Guide Dogs for the Blind call it)–also known as pooping in the woods. I was surrounded on 3 sides by boulders and logs, gazing out at a beautiful sunset across a high alpine meadow dotted with granite boulders and wild flowers. I dug my 6″ cat-hole, dropped trow, began taking care of business…

And when the first of several poops hit the target, a cloud of hundreds of mosquitoes swarmed up from the grass like a squadron of angry fighters, straight up to my soft, unprotected nether regions & bum. Yup, definitely got some bites down there.

Tomorrow’s plan: hike Donahue Pass and hopefully make it to Thousand Island Lake.

Good night!