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[Yosemite]

First time to Yosemite, help with itinerary

Travelling to and visiting Yosemite National Park. How to get there, what to see or do, and other Yosemite trip advice.

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First time to Yosemite, help with itinerary

Postby Brianmtattoo » Tue Jun 01, 2021 8:19 am

Hey everyone,
This will be our first time to Yosemite, and wanted some people's advice to make best use of our time.
We we're originally suppose to go last year in June, but covid happened and then in September but then the fires happen, amd now were on schedule to go in under two weeks. Im also proposing to my girlfriend there. Any advice will be greatly appreciated!

Our wilderness permits are from
6/14 to 6/18 with the trail head (happy isles > sunrise/Merced lake. We would like to try to see glacier point, mirror lake, sentinel dome, half dome (proposing) , clouds rest, the falls, and hike the panorama trail. I'm not sure what's all doable in the time were there, or the best way to plan our days there , to try to make the most out of it so all the help is appreciated!

We leave Sunday June 13th and land in San Francisco around 130, 2pm. We are staying at the Yosemite View Lodge Sunday night.

Monday : planned on getting in amd hiking asap, trying to get the permits the day before, instead of when the post open.
Hike to camp location, rest for the rest of the day/night?

Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, I'm unsure how to plan those days out, to hit hat we wanna see. Also don't know where /when to break camp and re set up anywhere else, we would like to try to do that minimally.

We have the same hotel , Thurs into Friday, which I wanted to leave as early as we can Friday, to get to San Francisco so we can spend the day in sonoma at a winery celebrating , before we leave. Our flight leaves Friday night st 1045 pm.

Thanks everyone, especially to those who read and replied
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Re: First time to Yosemite, help with itinerary

Postby AlmostThere » Tue Jun 01, 2021 9:43 am

Brianmtattoo wrote:Hey everyone,

Our wilderness permits are from
6/14 to 6/18 with the trail head (happy isles > sunrise/Merced lake. We would like to try to see glacier point, mirror lake, sentinel dome, half dome (proposing) , clouds rest, the falls, and hike the panorama trail. I'm not sure what's all doable in the time were there, or the best way to plan our days there , to try to make the most out of it so all the help is appreciated!


First - did you get the Half Dome permit on your wilderness permit?

Second - a lot of these are better as day hikes. When you exit the wilderness boundary, your wilderness trip is over. A new wilderness permit is necessary to re-enter and continue backpacking, unless you are simply crossing a road to continue along a trail that crosses it. Mirror Lake and Glacier Point aren't in wilderness. Best to see both of them on a single day, before or after your backpacking trip. Same with Sentinel Dome - there is no itinerary that makes sense to see it on your wilderness permit. It's a really short hike from the road, or from Glacier Point.

The rest you can see on your backpacking trip. You'll hike past Vernal and Nevada Falls, on the way up. Depending on which (Sunrise or Merced Lake) lake you choose, you'll see different things - going to Sunrise means a side trip to Clouds is in the cards. Half Dome depends (as I said) upon whether or not you ticked the box for it on the wilderness permit and successfully acquired that permit. If you didn't, no big deal, Clouds is the superior view anyway and a great place for proposing. It'll have already taken her breath away...

If you hike the panorama trail as the end of the trip, you'll come out at Glacier Point, so you'll want to see if the shuttles are running. It would determine whether you have to hike down to the valley via the 4 mile trail, or possibly leave your vehicle at Glacier Point if the logistics can be figured out how to do that. I could see parking there, hiking with packs down the 4 mile and over to Happy Isles to start your backpacking trip. It adds miles to the day but leaves you with a solid option for exit. You could do that bit the day before - park the car at GP, hike down 4 mile and over to the backpacker camp to spend the night there, get a really really early start from Happy Isles the following morning. That is in fact what I would do. It means doing all that climbing in the cool of the morning, before the tourist hordes ascend all the steps to Vernal Falls, clogging the trail and impeding your progress upward.

I don't know how experienced you are in hiking, how much backpacking you have done, so I feel obligated to mention that this is all moderate to high elevation - knowing the symptoms of altitude sickness and heat exhaustion/stroke will be a good idea. It's quite hot in the valley and can get 80-90F along some of the exposed stretches of trail at 5000 - 8000 feet. If you're not finding it enjoyable hiking (you have some significant uphill segments, the Mist Trail is a knee killer with all the steps) don't forget you can always go back out the way you came or cut the trip short.

There are zones where you cannot camp along your route. The permit will give you all the details, as will the Yosemite website. Also pay close attention to food storage rules, there are some determined bears and it doesn't pay to cut corners on food safety. There's a whole page about this including acceptable bear canisters you can use. Best to figure that out in advance so you have enough can space for all food, smellables and trash. Renting Wild Ideas canisters by mail would give you the lightest canisters for the volume, and they have much bigger canisters than the rentals at the park.
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Re: First time to Yosemite, help with itinerary

Postby Brianmtattoo » Tue Jun 01, 2021 4:40 pm

Thanks for your time to reply with all that, I appreciate it.
Yes, we have the permits with half dome included.
I'm glad you pointed out what isn't doable in with the wilderness permit (glacier point, etc)

I'm really trying to get a good plan, so qere not so confused when we arrive. We never stayed over night like this, but we're both in great shape and we hike and do alot outdoors.

Should we try to get to the park Sunday to get the permits so we can start really early on Monday? I read the places you get them don't open really early. What would you suggest?

We planned on parking at the parking lot by happy isles, and leaving it there until we leave. Knowing that, it still kinda works with your suggestions of , taking the panorama trail up to glacier point, then down 4 mile trail to our car? Another thing, would we be staying at the same site every night, based off your suggestions? I would like to summit halfdome as early as possible , to beat any crowds. And I'm setting up a camera to get a picture popping the question.

How does this look, (feel free to add and suggest what you think is best)

Monday, enter park amd hike to sunrise. Set up camp (is it literally anywhere or designated spots? I'd assume relax the rest of the day? Unless you have other ideas.

Tuesday- half dome /clouds rest ?

Wed. Break camp, hike along panorama until? Then set camp.

Thursday- break camp , hit glacier point, mirror lake , sentinel dome, then 4 mile trail down to car to leave?

Let me know what you think, any changes. Any tips , spots , that are good to camp at.

I have a bear locker as well
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Re: First time to Yosemite, help with itinerary

Postby WanderingJim » Tue Jun 01, 2021 7:08 pm

I believe the wilderness centers all open at 8am. I wish they still did the online orientation and emailed permits like last year. It was one of the few good things from last year.
That can impact when you start and how far you can get. With the wilderness permit, you can go into Yosemite the day before your permit and camp overnight in the backpacker's campground near North Pines campground. That would allow you to pick up the permit the day before and get an early start in the morning.

Brianmtattoo wrote:Monday, enter park and hike to sunrise. Set up camp (is it literally anywhere or designated spots? I'd assume relax the rest of the day? Unless you have other ideas.

Sunrise Lakes are very far from Happy Isles and all uphill. You don't have to go all the way to Sunrise, it's just how the describe the various permits.
You'd be better off camping near the Half Dome trail junction, then doing Half Dome the next morning. There are lots of nice spots along the JMT east of the junction (although a bit crowded with people there).

Clouds Rest in the same day is possible if you make good time and feel good after Half Dome, but is quite a challenge by itself from Half Dome Junction. I've never tried to do both in one day.

Brianmtattoo wrote:Wed. Break camp, hike along panorama until? Then set camp.

There's really no place to camp along the Panorama trail to Glacier Point. You'd have to go down one the trails that head south from Panorama Trail around Illilouette Creek before camping.

https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/upload/wildernesstrailheads.pdf

Brianmtattoo wrote:Thursday- break camp , hit glacier point, mirror lake , sentinel dome, then 4 mile trail down to car to leave?


Mirror lake is down in the Valley.
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Re: First time to Yosemite, help with itinerary

Postby AlmostThere » Tue Jun 01, 2021 7:36 pm

Brianmtattoo wrote:
Monday, enter park amd hike to sunrise. Set up camp (is it literally anywhere or designated spots? I'd assume relax the rest of the day? Unless you have other ideas.

Tuesday- half dome /clouds rest ?

Wed. Break camp, hike along panorama until? Then set camp.

Thursday- break camp , hit glacier point, mirror lake , sentinel dome, then 4 mile trail down to car to leave?

Let me know what you think, any changes. Any tips , spots , that are good to camp at.

I have a bear locker as well


Enter the park and hike to sunrise from Happy Isles sounds like hell, frankly. Unless you mean Sunrise CREEK instead of the lakes. Which will be hard enough... The rest of the day may not be much at all, if the gate has a long line of cars it can take up to four hours to get into the park. Then another 20-45 minutes to trailhead parking, maybe, if the traffic on the loop is moving ok and not at a standstill.

The backpacker camp is only five bucks per person, and hanging out in the valley can be nice. The only thing that would make it worse after waiting for hours in a car would be hiking up those steep granite steps of the Mist Trail in the full afternoon sun. Ugh.

If you're anything like me, you'll plan to hit glacier point, sentinel dome, 4 mile trail and onward to mirror lake - and then you'll get to glacier point, find the snack bar, eat an eskimo pie, and hitch a ride, because the afternoons get pretty darn hot.
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Re: First time to Yosemite, help with itinerary

Postby Brianmtattoo » Tue Jun 01, 2021 7:42 pm

How's this sound then,
I dont think I'll be able to get into yosemite to pick up the permit on Sunday, we land in San Francisco at 12:10 pm. Unless I could make it , I'd have to enter on Monday.

Monday - get permit st 8am , hike to the around the half dome junction from happy isles and set camp. (Mirror lake also ? Not sure if I could do it then, or at the end of the trip when we pick up the car .

Tues - half dome

Wed - clouds rest

Thurs- panorama trail up to glacier point , sentinel dome, down 4 mile trail to our car. (Not sure if that's doable in one day)

Thanks for you input, I appreciate it. Let me know what you think of that, thanks!
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Re: First time to Yosemite, help with itinerary

Postby AlmostThere » Tue Jun 01, 2021 7:52 pm

The half dome junction is in Little Yosemite Valley, which means you MUST be in the designated campsites there. Not at the junction. You have a passthrough permit, so the first place you can legally camp is... sunrise creek. You'd need a permit for Happy Isles -> Little Yosemite to camp in LYV.

The last day would be a real buttkicker, but at least your pack would be lightest. You COULD move camp to LYV on Tues or Wed legally, after camping uphill from it. That would take off a little distance from that last day.

Mirror Lake isn't accessible from anywhere on your route. You're going to be all the way on the other side of Half Dome and Clouds Rest from it.
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Re: First time to Yosemite, help with itinerary

Postby Brianmtattoo » Tue Jun 01, 2021 8:07 pm

AlmostThere wrote:The half dome junction is in Little Yosemite Valley, which means you MUST be in the designated campsites there. Not at the junction. You have a passthrough permit, so the first place you can legally camp is... sunrise creek. You'd need a permit for Happy Isles -> Little Yosemite to camp in LYV.

The last day would be a real buttkicker, but at least your pack would be lightest. You COULD move camp to LYV on Tues or Wed legally, after camping uphill from it. That would take off a little distance from that last day.

Mirror Lake isn't accessible from anywhere on your route. You're going to be all the way on the other side of Half Dome and Clouds Rest from it.



So whay about

Monday would look like, hiking happy isles to sunrise creek.
Tues. Clouds rest or half dome
Wednesday half dome or clouds rest , break camp head to LYV, set camp.
Thursday - break camp, panorama trail, glacier point. Sentinel then 4 mile trail back down to the happy isles parking lot to the car.

Open to your suggestions if you have any better ones.
Thanks again
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Re: First time to Yosemite, help with itinerary

Postby AlmostThere » Tue Jun 01, 2021 9:19 pm

it looks about as reasonable as it will get for the time you have. Hope you have a good time - cool breezes, good weather, and feet of teflon.
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Re: First time to Yosemite, help with itinerary

Postby Phil » Wed Jun 02, 2021 6:41 am

Um, WOW!!!

So you're in "great shape, do a lot of hiking, and spend a lot of time outdoors". At what elevation do you do this at? There's a big difference in all that at sea level-ish and after hiking entirely uphill on what's likely to be a hot day and to the tune of a mandatory 3,000+ feet that you must make on day-1, and merely a portion of the climb on your way even higher the next day to 9,926' or even 8,600' in order to make your ultimate goal. These are factors that I can't help but wonder if you're aware of or realistically taking into account. I don't want to rain on your proposal parade, but if my girlfriend wasn't a seasoned backpacker (at altitude), if I didn't kill her in the process, I would expect her to be not exactly too thrilled with me by the time I took a knee (my GF would probably take the ring and then try to kick me over the edge, or I would still be hearing about the Hell I subjected her to 20 years later...been there, done that). While proposing on an iconic summit is a profound gesture, tour the Valley and pop the question there. There's no shortage of gorgeous, memorable spots to be had, and that she'll remember fondly the rest of her life. Then go backpacking if you run out of other things to do, of which, there are also plenty. Or you can also just drive to Glacier Point/Sentinel Dome and propose there; great view, profound, 10 minutes from the parking lot, everybody that witnesses it will be touched and probably applaud and congratulate you, adding to her sense of joy (that she won't be too exhausted to appreciate...or to let you know of later in the evening), and you'll live happily ever after the better off for it. All in all, throughout the course of this thread, I'm glad to see that you've tempered your expectations, but we try to instill reality, because that's just what we have to do...and no less than you deserve. I simply want to make sure you're where you need to be for as perfect a moment as it can be.

As for Sonoma: I live there, and you aren't going to be driving back in the morning from Yosemite and spending the day touring wineries before your Friday night flight home. Not at all a realistic plan in and of itself. Traffic alone will make sure of that.
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Re: First time to Yosemite, help with itinerary

Postby Brianmtattoo » Wed Jun 02, 2021 2:06 pm

Phil wrote:Um, WOW!!!

So you're in "great shape, do a lot of hiking, and spend a lot of time outdoors". At what elevation do you do this at? There's a big difference in all that at sea level-ish and after hiking entirely uphill on what's likely to be a hot day and to the tune of a mandatory 3,000+ feet that you must make on day-1, and merely a portion of the climb on your way even higher the next day to 9,926' or even 8,600' in order to make your ultimate goal. These are factors that I can't help but wonder if you're aware of or realistically taking into account. I don't want to rain on your proposal parade, but if my girlfriend wasn't a seasoned backpacker (at altitude), if I didn't kill her in the process, I would expect her to be not exactly too thrilled with me by the time I took a knee (my GF would probably take the ring and then try to kick me over the edge, or I would still be hearing about the Hell I subjected her to 20 years later...been there, done that). While proposing on an iconic summit is a profound gesture, tour the Valley and pop the question there. There's no shortage of gorgeous, memorable spots to be had, and that she'll remember fondly the rest of her life. Then go backpacking if you run out of other things to do, of which, there are also plenty. Or you can also just drive to Glacier Point/Sentinel Dome and propose there; great view, profound, 10 minutes from the parking lot, everybody that witnesses it will be touched and probably applaud and congratulate you, adding to her sense of joy (that she won't be too exhausted to appreciate...or to let you know of later in the evening), and you'll live happily ever after the better off for it. All in all, throughout the course of this thread, I'm glad to see that you've tempered your expectations, but we try to instill reality, because that's just what we have to do...and no less than you deserve. I simply want to make sure you're where you need to be for as perfect a moment as it can be.

As for Sonoma: I live there, and you aren't going to be driving back in the morning from Yosemite and spending the day touring wineries before your Friday night flight home. Not at all a realistic plan in and of itself. Traffic alone will make sure of that.


Thanks for the...uh "advice and help" . In this thread , yourself included it seems more like criticism and not actual help planning my itinerary. And yes , I tempered my expectations down once people who have been there and are experienced starting telling me so. Also why I asked for help, since I stated I never have been there and also why I stated im open to all suggestions. Seems like all I'm being told, is that it's not doable with no real help , again, with planning my days.

Yes , I understand and am aware if the elevation. I have more questions, if you actually would like to help me plan this out. Kinda why I started this thread to begin with.

Thanks for taking the time to reply
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Re: First time to Yosemite, help with itinerary

Postby AlmostThere » Wed Jun 02, 2021 3:37 pm

I'm not criticising anything in your plans. I'm aware. It's a very, very dry year, and right now it's 93F in Yosemite Valley. This is early June, there should still be snow on the ground. There is not. Streams are drying up as we speak. The waterfalls are drying up, Yosemite Falls is nothing like it usually is this time of year. This is not a normal year, normal things aren't going to happen. So I am trying to help, but am pessimistic about anyone having any fun below 9,000 feet this year, except for people who like a lot of sweat and grinding up and down trails.

My personal tactic - and I am typically hiking in the Sierra Nevada every other weekend, with monthly 4 - 8 day trips - is to get up before dawn and stop for a long, long break midday near water, and hike on after 3 pm, when it's hot when I'm out. I'm not doing long miles in the hot hot hot. I am acclimated, I am planning trail crew trips carrying a lot more weight than everyone else on the trail (15 lb steel saw in one hand, axe in the other) and I am definitely NOT looking forward to mid elevation afternoons this year.

You're heading into the most rule-bound, most likely to have bears, most likely to get caught if you break the rules, part of the Sierra Nevada, riddled with no camping zones, open exposed areas and granite slabs where the temps are going to soar, patrolled by rangers and crowded by tourists. That's just what you're signing up for. It's confusing as hell to plan a trip in Yosemite, with all the rules. I hope and trust that you are up to it, that the weather favors you with one of those weird turns of temperature, because it's heat stroke weather. I've given up a lot of water to people hiking Half Dome over the years when they run out and underestimate in normal snow years. On average there are 6 SAR efforts per day on that trail. Before the permits for HD went into place, there were an average of 12 per day. Quite a number of people have heat issues and cardiac issues, and a whole lot of them get dehydrated to the point that they are mentally altered. This is just what I know. Nothing about you in particular. I feel like you should know before you go - maybe you live and hike in the open desert at 110F all the time, and have the capacity of a camel. If so, you'll be well prepared, come what may.

I've done the Panorama trail a number of times over the years. Hands down one of my least favorite. I do not care for hiking in the sun a lot. Last weekend, I was north of Yosemite in the Emigrant Wilderness, shepherding some new backpackers in four miles to a lake. It was too dang warm. It should have been cold at night, it was not. It's going to be a roaster this year. A friend brought back pictures of Bunnell Cascade (weird friend, who does 25+ mile day hikes - the cascade is on the river near Merced Lake) and it looks like full on summer out there already. I've already started canceling some of my plans that involved exposed areas burnt by wildfire, or lots of steep elevation gain. Driving high and hiking higher than 10,000 feet is my goal. It might be low 70s up there.

Phil's being terse. But in a lot of what he says, I hear concern. I worry a lot too. For a lot of people. SAR incidents have been skyrocketing over the past year, and it's showed no sign of slowing down. I'm a local with ties into SAR and the agencies. It's not really about you specifically. It's everyone. Yosemite gets people from around the world roaring in and planning mad miles. Some of them make it, a lot of them bail on their plan, some of them make the newspaper.

Good luck.
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Re: First time to Yosemite, help with itinerary

Postby Brianmtattoo » Wed Jun 02, 2021 4:54 pm

AlmostThere wrote:I'm not criticising anything in your plans. I'm aware. It's a very, very dry year, and right now it's 93F in Yosemite Valley. This is early June, there should still be snow on the ground. There is not. Streams are drying up as we speak. The waterfalls are drying up, Yosemite Falls is nothing like it usually is this time of year. This is not a normal year, normal things aren't going to happen. So I am trying to help, but am pessimistic about anyone having any fun below 9,000 feet this year, except for people who like a lot of sweat and grinding up and down trails.

My personal tactic - and I am typically hiking in the Sierra Nevada every other weekend, with monthly 4 - 8 day trips - is to get up before dawn and stop for a long, long break midday near water, and hike on after 3 pm, when it's hot when I'm out. I'm not doing long miles in the hot hot hot. I am acclimated, I am planning trail crew trips carrying a lot more weight than everyone else on the trail (15 lb steel saw in one hand, axe in the other) and I am definitely NOT looking forward to mid elevation afternoons this year.

You're heading into the most rule-bound, most likely to have bears, most likely to get caught if you break the rules, part of the Sierra Nevada, riddled with no camping zones, open exposed areas and granite slabs where the temps are going to soar, patrolled by rangers and crowded by tourists. That's just what you're signing up for. It's confusing as hell to plan a trip in Yosemite, with all the rules. I hope and trust that you are up to it, that the weather favors you with one of those weird turns of temperature, because it's heat stroke weather. I've given up a lot of water to people hiking Half Dome over the years when they run out and underestimate in normal snow years. On average there are 6 SAR efforts per day on that trail. Before the permits for HD went into place, there were an average of 12 per day. Quite a number of people have heat issues and cardiac issues, and a whole lot of them get dehydrated to the point that they are mentally altered. This is just what I know. Nothing about you in particular. I feel like you should know before you go - maybe you live and hike in the open desert at 110F all the time, and have the capacity of a camel. If so, you'll be well prepared, come what may.

I've done the Panorama trail a number of times over the years. Hands down one of my least favorite. I do not care for hiking in the sun a lot. Last weekend, I was north of Yosemite in the Emigrant Wilderness, shepherding some new backpackers in four miles to a lake. It was too dang warm. It should have been cold at night, it was not. It's going to be a roaster this year. A friend brought back pictures of Bunnell Cascade (weird friend, who does 25+ mile day hikes - the cascade is on the river near Merced Lake) and it looks like full on summer out there already. I've already started canceling some of my plans that involved exposed areas burnt by wildfire, or lots of steep elevation gain. Driving high and hiking higher than 10,000 feet is my goal. It might be low 70s up there.

Phil's being terse. But in a lot of what he says, I hear concern. I worry a lot too. For a lot of people. SAR incidents have been skyrocketing over the past year, and it's showed no sign of slowing down. I'm a local with ties into SAR and the agencies. It's not really about you specifically. It's everyone. Yosemite gets people from around the world roaring in and planning mad miles. Some of them make it, a lot of them bail on their plan, some of them make the newspaper.

Good luck.


Thank you for the response, it's truly appreciated. I'm also not trying to come off wrong, and my last response was towards Phil, because he literally mocked me by how I was saying that we were fit and in shape. Anyway , I do appreciate all you said, and I have looked into it alot. Everything you mentioned. We we're supposed to do this last year , twice but had to reschedule for our 3rd time which is this month.
I also, wanted to talk with someone like you who is very experienced with this, and very familiar with yosemite, since I've never been.

With all the info i have given, all the suggestions and info you have given. How would you, or what would you're recommended advice, for the days I'm going. Given all that we'd like to try and see, I'd love to hear your input or see how you would plan our days , to achieve the best experience we can. We totally know we cant see it all, just want to make best with our time.

Sunday, land at noon.
Monday ?
Tues ?
We'd ?
Thursday = (debating leaving earlier, to make Friday available to possibly get to a winery, or other suggestion to relax and celebrate before we leave at night. Or, if it really isn't doable, then we'll stay Thursday and leave Friday morning for San Fran, and just stay close to the airport.
Friday = leave st 1045 pm.

Again, thanks a lot to take the time and try to help make this trip all I want it to be.
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Re: First time to Yosemite, help with itinerary

Postby Phil » Wed Jun 02, 2021 8:39 pm

I'm sorry you took it so badly. I had no intention of mocking you, but you yourself clearly indicated all those criteria in your abilities, and that makes a huge difference in so many ways, as does at what elevation you do it, which is what Yosemite is if you want to see anything beyond what most others never see or experience, elevation. I (and others) can help make your trip as close to perfect as possible, but what you can or can't reasonably do is sort of a big deal. And dealing with altitude and it's potentially inherent problems (that, as AT mentions, drop or thwart many people) is a consideration that can't be overlooked. For your proposal (an undoubtedly critical event and moment in life that you're obviously really excited about), are you at all willing to take any chances with anything/everything potentially not going as planned? Personally, I wouldn't risk a thing, for a minute. I would want it to be absolutely sure fire, hell or high water, nothing left to chance, zero snafus'...You're there to ask this girl to marry you and enjoy your time together memorably, safely, and maybe with some hard work thrown in, but as enjoyably as you can. That is your ultimate goal, is it not.?

While I run the obvious risk of being taken as counter productive or critical, I have to tell you, when I first opened this thread I had a hard time registering just what you had in mind. Hence, 'Um, WOW!!!'. I got the gist of it, but wrestled hard with how to help make it work. My mind went immediately to the problems with it, because it was overwhelming, scattered and geographically incongruous, full of logistical problems, and too much in too little time... I honestly didn't see a recipe for overall success, and I'm sorry, but that hits me like a ton of bricks, because we effectively then have to shoot down a few things first before we move to any kind of plan at all that I can try to help you with. Just that. We're moving in a direction, this is your trip, an important trip, and, believe it or not, I want you to succeed, not criticize or advise you how to fail. That wastes time and puts you into a bad place. I would rather cut immediately to the chase ( even if it means ripping it all apart and rebuilding it) and have you think I'm a total douche now, during the planning phase, than after I give you lousy advice that contributed to any failure at all when it matters and things can't be taken back for you. But AT was again absolutely right, I had a lot of serious concerns. Take them for what they're worth. If you say you're both good to go, I have no choice except to take you at your word on the basis of that and as it applies to whatever it is I have to contribute.

I also fully get the desire for Half Dome and Cloud's Rest. Having been to both many times, I can attest to all you anticipate and hope for. They are...iconic. However, so is Glacier Point. It's also a 100% guarantee that all goes exactly according to plan, otherwise I never would have suggested it as an "alternative". That view is to die for (world class), privacy can be found to some extent, and as smarmy as you think I might be, regardless of any of the three locations, people will in fact applaud and congratulate both you and your new fiancé, for no other reason than because they're there and sharing in something so obviously special. We all like to share in joy. It's cool, and we don't often get too much these days. And really, isn't that what wedding ceremonies are about anyhow? Sharing your joy with others?

You say you have more questions? Great, ask them, and let's see what we can do for you.
Phil
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Re: First time to Yosemite, help with itinerary

Postby Brianmtattoo » Thu Jun 03, 2021 4:58 am

Phil wrote:I'm sorry you took it so badly. I had no intention of mocking you, but you yourself clearly indicated all those criteria in your abilities, and that makes a huge difference in so many ways, as does at what elevation you do it, which is what Yosemite is if you want to see anything beyond what most others never see or experience, elevation. I (and others) can help make your trip as close to perfect as possible, but what you can or can't reasonably do is sort of a big deal. And dealing with altitude and it's potentially inherent problems (that, as AT mentions, drop or thwart many people) is a consideration that can't be overlooked. For your proposal (an undoubtedly critical event and moment in life that you're obviously really excited about), are you at all willing to take any chances with anything/everything potentially not going as planned? Personally, I wouldn't risk a thing, for a minute. I would want it to be absolutely sure fire, hell or high water, nothing left to chance, zero snafus'...You're there to ask this girl to marry you and enjoy your time together memorably, safely, and maybe with some hard work thrown in, but as enjoyably as you can. That is your ultimate goal, is it not.?

While I run the obvious risk of being taken as counter productive or critical, I have to tell you, when I first opened this thread I had a hard time registering just what you had in mind. Hence, 'Um, WOW!!!'. I got the gist of it, but wrestled hard with how to help make it work. My mind went immediately to the problems with it, because it was overwhelming, scattered and geographically incongruous, full of logistical problems, and too much in too little time... I honestly didn't see a recipe for overall success, and I'm sorry, but that hits me like a ton of bricks, because we effectively then have to shoot down a few things first before we move to any kind of plan at all that I can try to help you with. Just that. We're moving in a direction, this is your trip, an important trip, and, believe it or not, I want you to succeed, not criticize or advise you how to fail. That wastes time and puts you into a bad place. I would rather cut immediately to the chase ( even if it means ripping it all apart and rebuilding it) and have you think I'm a total douche now, during the planning phase, than after I give you lousy advice that contributed to any failure at all when it matters and things can't be taken back for you. But AT was again absolutely right, I had a lot of serious concerns. Take them for what they're worth. If you say you're both good to go, I have no choice except to take you at your word on the basis of that and as it applies to whatever it is I have to contribute.

I also fully get the desire for Half Dome and Cloud's Rest. Having been to both many times, I can attest to all you anticipate and hope for. They are...iconic. However, so is Glacier Point. It's also a 100% guarantee that all goes exactly according to plan, otherwise I never would have suggested it as an "alternative". That view is to die for (world class), privacy can be found to some extent, and as smarmy as you think I might be, regardless of any of the three locations, people will in fact applaud and congratulate both you and your new fiancé, for no other reason than because they're there and sharing in something so obviously special. We all like to share in joy. It's cool, and we don't often get too much these days. And really, isn't that what wedding ceremonies are about anyhow? Sharing your joy with others?

You say you have more questions? Great, ask them, and let's see what we can do for you.


Seriously thank you Phil, for taking the time and helping me understand your original response and concerns and for writing out a thoughtful long response. I do appreciate that.. I did take it a little personal, but also I'm not trying to sound ignorant or like I'm in godly shape or anything like that nature. Just was trying to state, were not lazy couch potatoes and that were in shape lol.
When we first starting dating a few months after, we were talking about national parks we wanna visit and she said about how she heard yosemite was life changing and at that moment, I k rw I'd propose there. Fast forward 3 years later here we are lol.
I was dead set on half dome for the proposal, but thought of clouds rest incase half dome didnt work out, and I also thought of some places incase clouds rest didn't work ( taking in altitude, weather etc) then taft point or glacier point. I'm totally open to back up plans incase those first two suggestions fail. It's also why I'm trying to somewhat have a very sid daily agenda , the mon, through Thursday/Friday plan.

I also apologize for now knowing, how confusing my original post was. Given all the info, what would you suggest as to plan out my days there? Given what permits I have, what hikes are best as day hikes or not in the portion of yosemite we will be in. I'm totally open to what you suggest, since again I've never been and I'm looking at a physical map I got of there, as well as trail lengths on their website.
I truly appreciate your help , trying to make this one of the best and most important moments in my life. Feel free to ask me anything else, that would help you help me plan this trip .
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