Grand Mountain

Grand Mountain is an off-trail summit in Yosemite's northern high country, a peakbagging objective for hikers willing to leave the maintained path behind. There's no trail to the actual summit — you reach it by hiking the Ten Lakes Trail to Ten Lakes Pass, then striking out cross-country across open ridgeline and talus.

The Approach

Start at the Ten Lakes Trailhead on Tioga Road (Highway 120), about five miles east of the White Wolf turnoff. The maintained Ten Lakes Trail climbs roughly 2,300 feet over about five miles to Ten Lakes Pass, at around 9,700 feet. From the pass, the trail drops toward the Ten Lakes basin — Grand Mountain rises on the ridge above, reached from there by cross-country travel and a final scramble up from a saddle on its south side. There's no path, no signage, and no cairns once you leave the maintained trail.

On the Ridge

Grand Mountain has two high points along its crest, with the southern one the true summit. The payoff is a wide sweep of Yosemite's northern high country: Tower Peak and the Sawtooth Ridge to the north, Mount Conness and Mount Dana to the east. Past visitors report finding no summit register up here — this is quiet, seldom-visited terrain, well off the Valley's crowds.

Know Before You Go

• No permit needed for a day hike; turning this into an overnight trip requires a Yosemite wilderness permit, as with any backcountry camping in the park.
• Routefinding skills matter. Solid map-and-compass or GPS navigation is essential once you're off the maintained trail.
• Seasonal access only. Tioga Road closes every winter, so the trailhead is typically reachable only from late spring through fall — check current road status before you go.