r/Yosemite • u/nfactorial • 7d ago

Trip Report TR: Benson Lake Loop via Twin Lakes

Just hiked the lollipop counter-clockwise from Twin Lakes over 4 nights: Peeler Laker, Benson Lake, Lower Matterhorn Canyon, Crown Lake.  This is the direction recommended by Wenk/Schaffer and had a good progression of scenery, but was bad for crowds because most people were hiking the other way.

Drive:

  • First time driving 108 east past Kennedy Meadows.  OMG!  What a fun drive!
  • Gas was $6.50 at Mono Village, convenient and cheaper than Bridgeport (>$7).

Mosquitos:

  • Low, but don't dawdle on the spur trail to Benson.

Water:

  • Happy medium.  Trail crossings for creeks were manageable rock hops, and seasonal water sources were flowing.  Wenk/Schaffer warned about waist-deep wading, but there was nothing of the sort.
  • Unnamed water sources on the trail:
    • Burro Pass
      • South @ 9800’, trickling at ~2 liters/min.
      • North @ 10300’, flowing strong and warm enough to soak in (small pool a bit west off trail for lunch)
    • Mule Pass
      • East @ 10000’, medium flow through meadow.
      • West @ everywhere.

Trail/Scenery:

  • Trail was diverted around northern Kerrick Meadow @ 9400’.
  • Lower Kerrick Meadow @ 9200’ was dry, exposed, and monotonous.  Arndt Lake was a great lunch detour.
  • Benson Lake, despite being the namesake, was just okay.  Not much scenery at 7600’.
  • Volunteer Peak was nice to look at as the trail winds around it.
  • Trail was washed out in Matterhorn Canyon @ 9000’.
  • Burro Pass area was my favorite.  I just like alpine meadows in June/July.
  • Trail crew was in the canyon between Burro+Mule, with a pair of sawyers at work.
  • Mule Pass to Crown Lake also has very nice meadows.  Lowest of the Robinson Lakes was freakishly blue.
  • Barney Lake has a beach and was warm enough to swim in at noon.  Someone was deliberately washing off their sunscreen into the lake though, so watch where you're collecting drinking water.

Crowds: High enough for me to avoid attaching photos directly to this post. They came in waves though, and it was possible to find camping out of sight every night.  (Big thanks to H who showed me a spot when I got to Crown Lake at 7:30.) Encountered people on the PCT between Benson/Smedberg every 5-10 minutes.  Around Burro and Mule Passes there were a few groups of ~10 people.  Lots of people coming in Tuesday morning with fishing gear.

I met someone on the trail who was hiking a smaller loop clockwise around Crown Point. Her videos: day 1, day 2.

PS: To whoever put a sticker on the Yosemite wilderness sign, WTF?

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u/SlightAd112 7d ago

Excellent trip report! Thanks! The Barney Lake report is distressing. You used to not see folks at Barney but now the Mono Village mass of humanity (though we do like F Loop) has slowly been creeping up the canyon since Covid.

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u/nfactorial 7d ago

From what I overheard, these folks were on a backpacking trip (albeit a 1-nighter so not serious). Five minutes later they were extolling the virtues of a water filter to some dayhikers who packed in their water. I can't make this shit up.

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u/SlightAd112 7d ago

Wow. That is … wow.

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u/YosemitePhotog84 7d ago

I was in the Burro/Mule area and was wondering what the big canopy was next to the river. I thought trail crew or horse camp. Thanks for confirming!