Ted's Outdoor World - Kuna Crest Lakes, Yosemite National Park

Kuna Crest Lakes
Yosemite National Park

August 30, 2011

During a visit to Spillway Lake four years ago, I had observed on the map that there were half a dozen other lakes nearby, but out of sight above me. I have long anticipated a chance to explore them. Expecting this to be my longest walk in several decades, I stoke up with a big breakfast at the cute little cafe in the Tioga Pass Resort.

Today's venue is in distant view from Dana Meadows, near the park entrance

It is a calm, clear, 55° at the Mono Pass Trailhead — the standard recipe for a perfect day in the High Sierra. Because today's trek will involve elevations of well over 11,000 feet, I start out wearing a long-sleeved shirt. Within fifteen minutes, however, I ditch it behind a rock at the Dana Fork crossing. I'll take my chances.


A shady stroll through the forest	Miner's cabin


Nary a rough spot on this trail	Mammoth Peak to the right, 12090*

After 2½ miles or so, the trail forks. Mono Pass and Parker Pass are to the left; my route veers to the right. After leaving the forest, the trail parallels a delightfully bubbling stream.

Parker Pass Creek

At the four-mile mark, Spillway Lake comes into view. Albeit only a foot or two deep, it is quite beautiful. Of course, at 10,450 feet elevation, virtually everything is beautiful.

Spillway Lake

Up behind the lake is the area that I am planning to explore eventually.

The Kuna Crest looms behind a nice cascade

Spillway Lake is a good-feeling place and a worthwhile destination in itself; but today, it is just the first stop on a grand loop. The next attraction lies a mile to the south and five hundred feet uphill. Suspecting that there will be no trail from this point on, I hope that those snowdrifts ahead will not present a problem.

Start of the cross-country venture


Sierra Fringed Gentian	Red Mountain Heather

After a scramble up a couple hundred feet of scree, it does prove necessary to spend a little time on the white stuff. I am anxious to see how much more snowpack lies ahead; if there is a lot, then I might have to opt for Plan B — a semi-loop detour over to the Parker Pass Trail.

Looking back at Spillway Lake


Nearing the top	Mono Pass is right over there, between the mountains

Finally, I get a first glimpse of Helen Lake. Seeing a pretty place for the first time always is a special treat. Happily observing that snowdrifts are in scant evidence up here, I look forward to more such treats ahead.

Crossing this stream will be tricky, but dry

Helen Lake is the biggest one that I will visit today. It is not to be confused with Lake Helen, which resides in the Twenty Lakes Basin not far north of here. I have assigned an obvious name to the unique craggy formation above; it is the highest point along the Kuna Crest that will be visible on this outing.

Helen Lake, 10952', and Kuna Crags, 12462' ⇔


Multicolored lichen	(unknown)

Lying in that crater-like depression well above me is the next objective. After toying briefly with the idea of skipping it in the interests of time and energy savings, I recall my aborted mission at Vogelsang recently. Rejecting any further notion of curtailing planned activities, I set off up through the scree and stunted pine trees.

The next lake awaits me up there


An unexpected pond provides a temporary diversion from the task ahead

After a stop to rest my feet and dry out my socks, I start up through the boulders. Sections of grass interspersed among the sharp rocks make for a relatively easy climb after all. Talus fields should all be like this!


A natural stairway	Looking down at Helen Lake


White Mountain Heather	Cushion Buckwheat

It comes as no surprise that the visual reward is worth any effort. This cirque also represents the elevation high-point of today's route and the highest I ever have been with a hiking pack. I am feeling pretty good right now, despite having already climbed nearly 2,000 feet over nearly six miles. That is important, for this trek is just beginning to become serious.

Lake 11507 and Peak 12202


Green-colored lakes are my favorites	Mount Lewis, 12324'

Hello! What's that I see in the distance? Could it be Mono Lake? Yes! I knew that it was hiding over there behind Mono Pass, but I had been unsure as to whether that lake would come into view from up here.

Mono Lake — North America's oldest, and a personal favorite

Farewell, pretty lake; I probably won't see you again

Now it is time to address the next section of the route, which is expected to be difficult. Although I can see Bingaman Lake about a mile away, there is a deep, talus-infested chasm directly in front of me. Compounding the problem is the fact that the next lake on the itinerary is nearly as high as where I am standing now, which means that I should try to descend as little as possible along the way.

Bingaman Lake is so near, yet so far

I clamber down among the giant boulders gingerly, hoping not to twist an ankle in the process. Because of the mileage involved on this loop, I elected not to wear my super-protective heavy boots today; yet I really should have. Since no other human is remotely close, it would be especially bad to incur a debilitating injury at this time. Although I have cleverly posted a trip itinerary on my auto dashboard, no one would find me for a long time.

A big snowbank lies between me and the other side of the gully. After traversing as far as possible on the rocks, I steel myself and plunge out onto the white stuff. Walking sideways on a wet slope is rather more difficult than going up or down; so I make the lengthy crossing a bit easier by angling uphill. My lightweight boots also don't happen to be waterproof, but the snow is firm enough today that my feet remain dry. This is good.

Actually, this snow crossing has saved me a lot of hassle. With the winter adventure behind me, scrambling up the talus on the far slope is just a formality. At the top I am treated to yet another outstanding eastward vista.

Mount Gibbs on the left, 12773', and Peak 11819 on the right ⇔

In the other direction is the next lake in the series, hanging just below the mountain crest. Its outlet is the creek that I had observed cascading down into Spillway Lake.

Lake 11309

Just another green guy

Now I feel really good! The worst is over, and it is mostly downhill from here. Negotiating the boulder field over to Bingaman Lake isn't a cakewalk, but it is rather fun. The area's paucity of trees and bushes is more than offset by all the moist grasses and running water.

I have not visited another place quite like this one

John W. Bingaman was a park ranger from 1921 to 1956. In 1930 he made a solo trip to plant this unnamed body with 6,000 rainbow trout loaded on a pair of mules. His mission being a success, Bingaman felt justified in naming the lake after himself. The moniker stuck.

Ranger Bingaman also wrote articles about Yosemite, including The Ahwahneechees: A Story of the Yosemite Indians (1966).

Mount Dana, 13057', and Mount Gibbs, 12773'


The waters of Bingaman	Looking north

From the other side of the lake, there would be a nice overhead view of Spillway Lake some seven hundred feet below. Detouring over there, however, would entail nearly half a mile of additional travel. Perhaps I should not forgo that option; but I do.

Also, a tiny lake lies just west of here. I amble over in that direction to see whether I can get a glimpse of the water; but it becomes clear that another serious talus-scramble would be necessary, and I have had enough of that for one day.

Bingaman Lake, 11155', and the Kuna Crags

A ten-minute scamper northward, plus a one-minute detour to the left, begets what just might be my best view of the day. Oh, my!

Kuna Lake, 10797'

This is one of the prettiest places in the park that hardly anyone knows about. It distresses me somewhat that I am unable to fit the entire lake into my camera viewfinder. But I am not too upset to give my feet another rest and let my socks soak up some more sunlight.


The Lake is more than 200 feet below

This scene is worthy of another shot:

At the top of the S-shaped meadow are Highway 120 and the Tioga Entrance Station ⇔

Needing now only to find a way down the hill and make my way over to the main trail, I am unsure of the best route. I could follow the Kuna Lake outlet stream as it winds downhill; but it looks as if there might be a more direct route. I head northeast for a quarter-mile, over to a pond that is indicated on the map. And I am glad that I did, for this is a very pleasant little place.


The prettiest pond of the day	The creek heads directly toward Mount Dana

Just north of the pond's outlet, I find a series of small red cliffs that are easily negotiated.


Probably not the easiest route down, but not a problem either

The path of least resistance leads northward through a long meadow, so I am content to follow it.

Heading directly toward the car must be okay

Unexpectedly, I encounter a big garden dominated by lupine. It is impossible to get through this area without trampling flowers.

What a nice garden

Eventually I am compelled to enter the forest. I veer to the right in order to get down to the valley bottom more quickly, so as not to intersect the trail beyond the point where my shirt is stashed. One issue does remain — crossing Parker Pass Creek without getting wet. I don't know whether that can be done, because the stream is pretty wide down here.

Traversing the forest

Serendipitously, I discover that a dead tree has fallen across the creek just a few yards from where I emerge from the forest. Wonderful! Although the tree bounces up and down as I wrestle with the branches, I make it across without incident. Five minutes later I am back on the Mono Pass Trail.

This tree saves me from having to wade the creek

Presently, a lone backpacker jaunts up the path. He is the first human I have seen in nearly eight hours. The man assures me that I am only about ten minutes from the trailhead. But that's not good; for if it is true, then I have gone too far. Something does not compute, however, because I have not re-crossed the Dana Fork. Surely enough, after another ten minutes of walking I do find the crossing, retrieve my shirt, and continue yet another fifteen minutes to the trailhead.


Dana Fork of the Tuolumne River	It is nearly 6 p.m. at the finish

§: What more need I say? After being near the top of my to-do list for several years, this hike has more than lived up to expectations. The great diversity of terrain encountered, combined with the exceptional beauty of virtually the entire walk, ranks this as one of my most outstanding outings ever. Having covered six miles off-trail also is a personal record for a single day. And I wasn't bothered a bit by bugs.

Should ever I revisit the Bingaman Lake area, I will be sure to go over and look down at Spillway Lake, and I will descend to the Kuna Lake shoreline and follow its outlet creek down the hillside.

For those disinclined to do this entire route, a relatively tame mini-loop could be accomplished by taking the trail to Spillway Lake, then scrambling directly westward up the hill toward Bingaman Lake. Proceed northward from there to the Kuna Lake overlook and go back down any which way.

Trailhead: Mono Pass Trail, 1 mile south of the Tioga Pass entrance station
Distance: 11½ miles
Elevation: 9690' to 11510'
Hikers: 4, all close to the trailhead
Rating: 10