May 28, 2013
Lukens Lake, Yosemite National Park
Total distance walked: 1.6 miles
Lukens Lake, nestled in the high country of Yosemite National Park, spans nine acres and is encircled by forests and a meadow.
On this cold and windy day, Andrew, his friend Eric, and I embarked on an adventure. We opted for the shorter trail off Tioga Road for our journey. In July 2010, Andrew and I took the longer route from White Wolf Lodge. During this time of year, the lodge remains closed.
We made our way uphill, breathless from the elevation. At 8,200 feet, patches of snow still dotted the soft trail. We walked through the shadowy forest and over a couple of small streams. Taking the White Wolf route would have brought us over a section of the Middle Tuolumne River and to the sunnier and drier side of the lake.
Following Andrew’s lead, we walked through the wet meadow stepping carefully on the spongy turf trying to avoid crushing the tiny marsh marigolds scattered about.
Poisonous corn lilies were just beginning to sprout.
After crossing the meadow, it became apparent it was closed. The trail once passed through this area, but the increasingly worn path was disrupting drainage and damaging the vegetation. The trail was rerouted through the forest. With large mounds of snow in the shadier areas, it was challenging to locate the path.
Andrew and Eric set up their gear near a snowbank at the water’s edge. A pair of ducks swam across the pond as the boys cast their lines. In 2010 Andrew caught and released a large rainbow trout at this spot and was hoping to catch another.
Perched on a log, I observed a deer grazing in the meadow while listening to the gentle trickle of melting snow flowing into the lake. The American dipper, John Muir’s favorite bird, dived headfirst into the icy waters on a quest for food. (No photo of my own).
The boys were having no luck at the shore, not even a bite, so Andrew inflated the Caddis float tube. Braving the cold water which crept up his back as he settled in, he set out for the middle of the lake with a paddle in one hand and a pole in the other.
Within minutes of casting, he had a rainbow trout on the line. Dinner! He placed it in the snow, serving as nature’s own ice chest.
The wind howled, driving the mosquitoes away and chilling us to the bone. I walked around the lake to warm up, leaping over its creek-like outlet. The woodland path was damp. Bent and broken trees littered the forest floor.
On the other side, sheltered from the wind and sitting in the glow of the sun, I watched as Andrew and Eric changed places in the Caddis. Eric paddled out and immediately, upon casting his line into the lake, he snagged a fish. Rowing back to shore with one arm, he nearly reached the edge when the fish slipped off the hook and escaped. His dismayed “Oh no!” echoed around the lake.
With Andrew’s fish in hand, we headed back to the car.
John Muir always says it best: “Another glorious day, the air as delicious to the lungs as nectar to the tongue.”
Hiking Yosemite and Beyond 
Another GREAT day in paradise. Great blog. Great pictures.
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Thanks, Dad. 🙂
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The pictures really make me want to visit Yosemite. And, I loved the photo of “nature’s ice chest.” 🙂
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Thank you. Once in your lifetime you should visit, Sheryl.
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We are going to hike up to Young Lakes in a couple of weeks which is also off of Tioga Road. We’re hoping the hot weather over the next few days will melt a bit of the snow on the trail. Your blog is so refreshing. Love the photos. bill
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Thanks, Bill. I’m looking forward to your post and photos of Young Lakes! I’ve never been there. We’re backpacking next week at Glen Aulin to Waterwheel Falls. I think we’ll be okay in terms of snow.
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Love the fishing.
But standing barefoot in snow-melt water?
Brrrrr…. o.0
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He said it was cold but he got used to it. He was trying to let his socks and shoes dry in the sun. He stayed barefoot the whole day.
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As usual, beautiful photography and a good tale!
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Thank you, Carol. I’ve been thinking of you these past couple of days. Hope all is well.
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Very beautiful, Janet. And to think you have snow in California…when ours seems to be *finally* gone. Have never seen corn lilies. Love that a rainbow trout was caught and nature provided a cooler.
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Thank you, Kathy. Our snow comes with the elevation. Up high there is still a bit left. The corn lilies bloom later in the year. I’ll have a photo of them blooming in another post.
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Janet, I’m taking a trip to Yosemite to visit old friends and meet new ones in July. The pictures are inspiring, can you make them bigger? And come the end of July, I’ll share my Yosemite pics. Thanks for sharing Janet…………..Dan from Roadsenseandnonsense
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Dan, I think if you click on a photo, it should enlarge. Looking forward to seeing your photos and reading about your trip in July. The wildflowers should be out in full in the high country in July.
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Janet,
I’ve been so busy I forgot about my favorite thing to do. Yesterday I was packing up my backpacking gear and remembered. Now I read your beautiful post and I can’t wait to get done with this project and hit the trail. Thanks for the reminder.
John
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John, Thanks for reading. I hope you get your project finished soon so can get out there before too much time goes by. 🙂
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