Trip report
Aug 7, 2024 — Tioga Peak is on the southern end of a short ridge shared by Tioga Crest to the north, and is most easily accessed via the Gardisky Lake Trail. It's a pretty short and steep outing for some really excellent views of the peaks around Tioga Pass. I began my hike at the Gardisky Lake Trailhead along a dirt road accessible by any car. The trail begins across the road, ascending steeply for the first few hundred feet with occasional views through the trees along the switchbacks.
The Gardisky Lake Trail calmed down when it reached the top of the slope within the drainage formed by the outlet of Gardisky Lake. From here, it continued towards the lake, but I veered off to the right to tackle the ascent to Tioga Peak. I couldn't find a social trail to follow at first, only locating a sporadic cairn. The false summit of Tioga Peak came into view ahead and as the slope narrowed into a ridge, the trail became more defined. Some easy walking on the tundra ridge became steeper and turned into a human-eroded carving through the scree/talus. There was some very light Class 2 to gain the false summit, and past here was a short jaunt to the high point.
From the summit, I could see Mount Conness, Gardisky Lake below, as well as Mount Dana and Tioga Lake to the east. The Tioga Pass Road, leading into Yosemite National Park, was visible in the distance. I hiked pat the high point to get a better persective. I backtracked, rejoining the Gardisky Lake Trail, and took the time to appreciate Gardisky Lake up close, but the view from above was definitely more impressive.