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HELP! Need some route advice for May 18-25th

PostPosted: Wed Jan 16, 2013 7:33 am
by cfitzrun
Hello Everyone-
New member to the Forum here. Some friends and I are planning a 7 night/7.5 day backpacking trip in Yosemite starting May 18th, ending May 25th. Our preferred route is to begin at Hetch Hetchy and take the Rancheria Falls trails north of the reservoir to Rancheria Mountain/Pleasant Valley, down to Pate Valley, into the Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne, east to Glen Aulin/Tuolumne Meadows and then take the JMT to Little Yosemite Valley and then on to the Valley floor. It's roughly 70 miles. (Im happy to send a map if you want to email me). I've scoured through multiple threads on this Forum (and others) to get a better understanding of what the potential is of being able to follow through with our preferred route at this time of year taking into consideration the weather and have found a tremendous amount of useful information - big thanks to all who participate here - but have found a bit of contradictory info as well. Some say most trails will be open, others say likely not. This is obviously driven by the fact that weather is unpredictable and there is no way to know when the trail heads will open until we are closer to the actual date. That said, I am looking to gain insight from those on this Forum that have done distance backcountry hikes in Yosemite at this time of year and can offer up advice/considerations on our preferred route and/or alternative options that will be a much safer bet (i.e. a sure thing) at this time of year as it relates to weather so we can change our permits. We would like to be able to log some distance and take in some great sites along the way. THANK YOU! for your insights!

Colin
cfitzrun@gmail.com

Re: HELP! Need some route advice for May 18-25th

PostPosted: Thu Jan 17, 2013 2:14 am
by Grzldvt
Contradictory information is due to the snow levels that vary from one year to the next. Last year we had so little snow that this trip was possible without seeing very much at all. This year is looking much different. We need to get the snow depth report from Toulumne, but if we get more storms in February and March and have a cool April, the snow level will be fairly deep getting out of Glen Aulin, through T-Meadows and across the JMT down to the Valley. It could be impassable with snowshoes or skis.

If we don't get anymore storms, and a warm March/April then the snow will most likely be gone and that area will be passable.
My take is, this is one to watch and determine in April what the conditions will be like and make a decision then.