Clouds Rest on Day 2 or 3

[kathy]

Hi. Heading out to YNP in August, coming from sea level NH. Planning to hike Clouds Rest on Day 2 or 3. Think we'll have any problems w/elevation? Anybody got a time frame for this hike from Tenaya Lake? We've done lots of hiking here in NH, much different variety w/our terrain. Any ideas/suggestions/advice/guidance?

We're staying at TM, plan to hit the valley just b/c two of us have never been. Otherwise, like to check out: Clouds Rest, Hetch Hetchy, Lembert's Dome, Sentinel Dome, GP, IP.

Thanks

[balzaccom]

If you spend a night in the Valley, you'll already start getting acclimated. If you spend two nights, even better.

The hike is about 14-15 miles from Tenaya Lake. If you pick a nice average of 2 mph, it will take you about eight hours....with some time on top and even some time for lunch. Take your time, take plenty of water, and you'll be fine.

It's my favorite dayhike in Yosemite.

[baseline bum]

It's always good to get a hike or two in before just to acclimate to the higher altitude if you're a sea-level dweller like I am.

EDIT: I don't know why I saw you say you were staying at TM and somehow mentally translated that to the Valley. LOL. You should have no problems whatsoever with the altitude doing CR on day 2 or 3 if you're spending a night at Tuolumne Meadows (around 8500 feet).

If you get to the Sunrise trailhead around sunrise you can easily have the hardest part (the first set of switchbacks) done while it's still nice and cool. Not that those first switchbacks are anything hard enough to really stop anyone even with a later start though. Have fun on Clouds Rest; it's an amazing hike.

If you get anywhere where the foot trail isn't a few feet wide at least, you're doing something wrong (assuming you're coming from the Sunrise trailhead; I've never done it up from the Valley). On my way up there was one step I went across with my right foot that was 1.5 feet wide maximum with a huge dropoff to the right, but on the way back down I realized I didn't have to do it that way and could have stayed on slabs that were more on the order of 4-10 feet wide. I don't know how the hell I missed that on the way up.

[baseline bum]

Oh, and I second Clouds Rest being my favorite dayhike. If I only had one day in the park, hiking Clouds Rest in the morning and then relaxing at Tenaya Lake in the afternoon would be how I would spend it.