Exploring the Vogelsang region on a 4 day backpacking trip

Deja and I started this trip from the trailhead near Tuolumne Meadows, hiking briefly on the JMT before veering off up the Rafferty Creek trail. The time of year is early September so creeks are running low, meadows are looking yellow and dry, and most wild flowers have come and gone. This time of year can often provide great weather for backpacking though, considering it is after the typical monsoon season for the Sierra Nevada. After crossing over Tuolumne Pass, we set up our tent at Boothe Lake, which would serve as our base camp for three nights. On the second day we hiked up through the Vogelsang High Sierra Camp, past Vogelsang Lake, to Vogelsang Pass. We hung out here for over an hour enjoying the majestic views of the alpine basin beyond out in the Yosemite backcountry wilderness. After that it was back down to Vogelsang Lake, where we relaxed, had lunch, and waded in the crystal clear waters. Back at camp later we played a game, read, relaxed, and ate dinner. For day three we went back up to the HSC but turned a different direction, veering towards Fletcher Lake and following the creek upstream. This led us to Townsley Lake, which is incredibly scenic with its towering cliffs and remaining snowfields looming above the turquoise waters. The lake is bookended by stunning little ponds, streams, and shallow pools bordered by lush grass. From here we continued north, off trail, up onto a higher grassy plateau dotted by other little ponds and granite boulders. We found some obsidian flakes, likely remnants of arrowheads or from the process of making a blade, which we assumed ended up here as the result of native peoples hunting and trading in the area centuries ago. Down at Evelyn Lake we stopped on the beach and had lunch, before returning to camp. On the way back we had great views to the northern part of the park, spotting high peaks such as Mount Dana and Mount Conness. Another pleasant mountain evening at camp, relaxing, soaking it all in, enjoying the scenery, fresh air, and solitude. Day four it was time to pack up and head back down to the trailhead! We made it back to the car by early afternoon, but then still had to drive back home to Mammoth. It was an amazing trip overall! We highly recommend this region of the Yosemite wilderness for the abundance and variety of lakes and views, and for the ability to access other spectacular parts of the high country. This was all filmed on iPhones, and edited in iMovie. The songs in the video are Naked, and Private Moon, both by Kraak & Smaak. Thanks for watching and reading! Joe