The Ottoway Lakes Loop
The goal over the next two days: the walk up the Illiloutte Basin. The trail follows Illiloutte Creek on the right until it reaches that brown area on the right, where there is a multi-trail junction (see map). Mt. Starr King can be seen on the left horizon. Towards the bottom of the image is Illiloutte Falls. Note the white streak of rock along Panorama Cliff, evidence of a new rock fall.
A Walk in the Sun with Views
The Ottoway Lakes Loop, September 2004Turning away from the over 3000 foot drop into Yosemite Valley from Glacier Point, I headed south on the Panorama Trail.
The first thing you notice is that you have to go steeply UP-hill (passing one of the ubiquitous steel Yosemite trail signs), which will nicely kick-start your probably sea-level accustomed lungs. Passing over a small hill the trail levels off and enters an open forest of large trunk trees before finally starting its journey downward through one set of switchbacks. All along this section the trail is mostly open and exposed, mainly traversing a steep slope that is sometimes fairly steep but mostly moderately trailed. Going back up it would be some work.
Looking up the Merced River Canyon where this trip will finish up. On the left is Half Dome, and Nevada can be see as quite dry due to the lateness of the season. Mt. Clark is on the right horizon. The dome in mid picture is Liberty Cap.
The views remain marvelous, with nice views of the major features of Yosemite. Over the Illiloutte drainage, the monarchs of the Clark Range, Mt. Clark and Mt. Starr King reign in their white and gray granite splendor. About half way down this section, Half Dome can be seen in flat-faced profile, looking more like a monolith than a dome in its distance induced two-dimensional view. Also at this point, the Illiloutte Falls can be seen, still a strong flow even at this late point in the season.
