October 23rd was another spectacular fall day in the Sierras with an extremely scenic and pleasant climb of Mount Conness via Young Lakes. This outing came a day after the Brazen Racing Rocky Ridge Half Marathon Championships and fit the bill for a more low-key day in the mountains physically. The route we took is one of the longer approaches to the mountain, but the views of Tuolumne Meadows and gorgeous Young Lakes along the way more than compensated. I did not have any expectations for Young Lakes but they turned out to be one of the highlights of the day complete with a full-fledged alpine beach! New snow on the surrounding cliffs of the Young Lakes cirque added to the beauty and we spent considerable time at the main lower lake both on the trek in and on the way out. We contemplated taking a swim but the crisp fall temperatures behooved us to stay dry. This is definitely a spot I will definitely be returning to explore further. The summit of Mount Conness provides a commanding view of virtually all of the Yosemite high country including a great overlook of Half Dome and Tenaya Lake as if you are flying. My favorite angle from the summit was looking up Lyell Canyon to Mount Lyell and Mount Maclure. Roundtrip was around 8 hours with plenty of breaks and photography. Here are some of my favorite photos with many more here.
Leor Pantilat's Adventures 
Very nice, I know the area well. What were the temps in the AM when you got started? Also, what hydration system/vest are you wearing? Total mileage?
Thanks! I know the area well too, but the scenery never ceases to inspire me! The temps were chilly during the first part in the forest (mid 20s), but with little wind it warmed up nicely in the sunshine during the afternoon. It was still a bit chilly near the summit so I put on the extra layer, but the rest of the trip was comfortable. The hydration pack I use is the Ultimate Direction Wasp, the best pack I have found for adventure running. Among other great features, the Wasp sits high and does not bounce, includes an ice axe loop, and has plenty of front pockets for camera, nutrition and essentials so you can access these things on the go. Total mileage via the route we took was a bit over 20 miles.
Was checking in on Ultrarunnerpodcast.com and came across this page & Wow, great pics, love all the hidden beauty of the mountains! Great incentive to reach the tops of peaks and ridges, great reward for the effort! Thanks for sharing!