Late September Trip Planning

[RAINMAN19]

I am flying in to SFO on a Saturday in September with one of two other hiking partners. The third will not arrive until 8:30pm. We our plan was to hike 5 nights (sunday through Friday morning).

We have two trip permits. One permit is leaving from TM thru Cathedral Lakes and the other is leaving Happy Valley. We are having trouble putting a trip together and could use some help. We figure we can do about 10 miles per day tops with full packs.

We would like to do half dome and cloud rest. However, we have heard good things about vogelslang as well. Ideally, we are looking for views and passes. That said, we want this to be one contiguous trip rather than bifurcate it into two trips in different parts of the park.

I have done some reading, but am still not convinced what is the best alternative or whether we should try to get a permit out of Lyell Canyon or Tenaya Lake rather than Cathedral Lakes (JM Trail).

Questions:

1. How long should it take to get from TM to Evelyn or Fletcher lake? The elevation does not look to be that bad.

2. Where would you camp in the Vogelslang area? views, solitude, maybe a little fishing - but not necessary.

3. Is the lewis creek trail to Merced Lake worth taking - what are the views, and terrain like? How long should it take to get from Vogelslang to Merced on this trail?

4. We are then thinking of heading over to Sunrise from Merced Lake - about 8 or 9 miles. Anything exciting about this stretch?

5. Should we stay around the Sunrise HSC or should we go to the actual lakes to camp for night three.

6. I am not sure if this is legal - can you camp on top of Clouds Rest? If yes, on the map it looks like there is a river that intersects the middle of the trail from Sunrise to the peak. Is this the last water source until Sunrise Creek on the other side down near the JM trail?

7. I guess the last leg of the trip would be to drop our packs and hike half-dome and then stay at little yosemite valley campground on thursday night then out Saturday morning and back to SFO for a 5pm flight.

Of course, we do not have a permit for this route but could do the reverse from Happy valley (which we do have permit). My concern is that we would be going up most of the time rather than going down.

Lastly, from a view perspective, I would like confirmation which direction would be better. From happy valley or TM.

Thanks to all in advance. To gauge our qualifications, please note my three man group has experience doing glacier (north loop) in four nights - 60 miles and the Grand Tetons about 40 miles (a much easier trip).

Best,

Jim

[bill-e-g]

I'm not gonna answer all your questions... but I'll give you a route
that I would recommend. It's kind of like Glacier.
Don't think you're gonna see it all only backpacking. Not gonna
happen. If you want to see more... then you need to backpack
AND dayhike... or just dayhike.

Anyway, this is what I would recommend. It meets your criteria.

Day 1) Up Lyell Canyon and then to Ireland Lake
Day 2) Over to Vogelsang. Drop packs. Dayhike up to Vog Pass and back.
Pick up pack. Go up to inlet of Townsley and camp.
Day 3) Down Fletcher Creek to Merced Lake
(check out Emerick if you wish) (Babcock is ho hum IMO)
Day 4) Down to LYV
Day 5) Dayhike Half Dome and (if you got enough... Clouds)
Day 6) home

Why this way? Well... it's classic Yosemite. DOMES

Seriously though.... it won't matter... pick a route.
You can't go wrong. You'll miss something. It won't matter.
You'll be upset if you do Clouds and not HD IMO no
matter what anyone says. Everyone knows Half Dome.

Have fun.