First Time Backpacking Yosemite - Advice Needed!

[Gorby5]

I’m new to this board and looking for some advice on a possible backpacking trip. I’ve looked over a lot of the information on the Yosemite website, but it’s fairly overwhelming. Any help you could give would be appreciated.

I would be taking my father with me. We are both in decent shape and have done quite a bit of day-hiking, but we have very minimal backpacking experience. We would be taking a 3-day, 2-night trip, most likely near the end of September. We’d be looking for a fun, scenic, moderately difficult trip somewhere in Yosemite. At this point, we don’t have any preference on location (which is the primary reason I’m posting). We would use this as a trial run for a longer backpacking trip we hope to take next summer.

Questions:
- What trailhead would you recommend starting from?
- What route should we take given the usual conditions in September and our limited experience (and our time constraints)?
- Is going in late September even worth it (with regards to possible weather/trail issues) or should we just hold off until next year?

I understand these are simple questions, but this is where I thought to start; I’m a novice at this. Any advice is welcome. Thanks!

[Robert]

I don't have personal experience on many of the trails in Yosemite but one of my favorite treks was on the Cathedral lakes trail out of Tuolumne Meadows.

The trail starts with about a 1000-1500 foot climb over about two miles if I remember correctly. after about 3 miles you reach the short half mile trail to one of the cathedral lakes. If you keep going another half mile or so you will come to the second cathedral lake. There are some great camp sites in the area with amzing views of the lake and cathedral peak. No fires though since you are above 9600 feet.

You can continue to sunrise lakes for a second night of camping and then down to Tenaya Lake. I believe a shuttle can take you from Tenaya lake to your vehicle at Toulumne Meadows. I hiked this trail in June, but I am sure it would be fine in September.

[holz]

Hi,

I am not the expert that some of the folks on here are, but I'll weigh in anyway.

Weather wise, you will most likely be fine in late Sept. The water will be low which would lead me to think of a tip where lakes and/or peaks are the highlight.

For 3d/2n, there are plenty of options, but a trip to Little Yosemite Valley either from Happy Isles or Glacier Point with a summit of either Half Dome or Clouds Rest seems like a no brainer. That late in the season, permits shouldn't be too hard to come by. Another nice thing about that plan is you can base camp which saves you hauling your gear for one of the days.

There zounds of other possibilities, but no matter what you choose, you'll have a fine time. Consider a book on the topic so you can read up on some of the choices.

Enjoy!

[Gorby5]

Thank you for your responses! Both of those sound like good options. I especially like the Cathedral Lakes suggestion, as anything with a lake as a destination appeals to me (not that there's any shortage of lakes or streams in that area). In a different topic, someone suggested Young Lakes, which sounds like a good trip too, and just about the right speed for us.

Holz - I am considering getting a book. If you had any specific ones you thought were good, I'd be interested to hear about it, otherwise I'll just go poke around at a bookstore or Amazon and see what looks good.

[holz]

I like this one, but note that it includes more than just Yosemite:

Sierra South: Backcountry Trips in Californias Sierra Nevada

It has all of the major trips in some way shape or form in it.

I would expect if you pick any with high reviews off Amazon that you'd be doing just fine.

[balzaccom]

Actually, Sierra NORTH is the one with most of the Yosemite trips in it...

[holz]

Thanks, I noticed that today and came just to correct myself.

Sorry about that.

[Wickett]

For your first trip I would recommend following the Merced up. It is a classic Yosemite Hike that will still have plenty of water in September. I would do this route for 3 days.

1. Happy Isles to Morraine Dome via Mist Trail. (shorter but a little more difficult the the JMT)
2. Day Hike Morraine Dome to Merced Lake then back to Morraine Dome.
3. Morraine Dome to Happy Isle via JMT

I do this in September every year along with my Tenaya Canyon Trip. There are two nice granite water slides that you can do. One at the Morraine Dome Cascade and the other at Bunnel Cascade at the end of Lost Valley.

Weather has always been nice when I have done this trip in September.

I would not stay in Little Yosemite Valley if I were you. It is crowded, noisy and full of bears at night. Morraine Dome is only two miles past LYV and it is a flat two miles.

I might see you on the trail! Cheers!