After leaving Merced Lake, the trail climbs through a fairly hot stretch. This leg is about 10 miles long and involves almost 3000' of climb. Parts were through an area that burned several years ago. I got pretty tired. The climb starts here, about 7 miles from Sunrise HSC, as shown on this old iron sign.
In spite of being tired and climbing mercilessly, I did notice this remarkable set of peaks known informally as "Jane Russell".
I did a lot of walking on the way up to Sunrise. After finishing the big climb there is about a mile of flat meadow to traverse to Sunrise HSC. This is the only part of the trail that was run twice, as it was an appendix off of the loop.
Here I am at Vogelsang HSC, which was also empty. Four employees were playing hacky-sack and I got one to take my picture from the front porch. I look OK, but I don't feel too chipper. A 10 minute nap on a rock felt great, though, as did a lot of fresh water and a Baby Ruth (cheap food for athletes).
The leg out from Sunrise HSC has remarkable scenery. This is a view of Echo Peaks (right) and Cathedral Peak (left), craggy granodiorite spires that were never quite covered by the deepest ice sheet. Wow!
A classic view of Cathedral Peak. Wow!!!
Wow!!!!!!!!!!! Sure beats running around Carrboro.
Well, I finally made it out after a lot of walking, even on some of the downhill. I got a UC Berkeley student to take a few pictures. She was part of a big group that had climbed Cathedral Peak.
Looking the other way, over Tuolumne Meadows. Time for a chili dog at the Tuolumne Meadows store.