Intersection of Clouds Rest Trail and JMT near Half Dome

[RAINMAN19]

We are planning a loop from Lyell Canyon out Catherdral Lakes at TM. We have 5 nights and I am trying to plan out campsite locations. I was thinking the following:

1. Lyell Canyon to Ireland Lake or somewhere between Ireland Lake and Volgeslang (but definitely not near Volgeslang).

2. Not sure what to do here. I would like to go over the Pass possibly stay at Bernice Lake. Not sure if I would be better off staying some where near Fletcher Creek.

3. Go down to Merced Lake from Bernice Lake - the real question is do I stay here or do I go further to make day four manageable.

4. Go from Merced Lake to Half Dome via the cut off over to Sunrise Creek on the JMT. This feels like a long day. Not sure if I should climb half dome on this day after a long hike - likely will be a full moon that night or wait until morning.
5. Head east on the JMT trail and camp at Cathedral Lake, then out the next morning and back to SFO by 6pm.

Couple questions on travel as well:

If I wanted to ship my gear where have people mailed in the past?

We are picking up a buddy at the SFO around 8pm and then heading up towards the park. Where is a good place to crash before entering the park and how long should it take me to get from there to the trailhead on TM to pick up my pass?

Will I be able to buy supplies at TM (fuel, bear spray, etc.) I plan on buying elsewhere, however, i would like to know what is available in case my group forgets something.

Lastly, with the trip plan above - I would ideally like to have part of a day to hang out somewhere along the trail. Not sure where that should be or whether it is reasonable to expect given the distance that has to be traveled each day and the fact that the sun will set around 7pm each night.

Thanks for the insight in advance.

Jim

[AlmostThere]

You do not need bear spray until you get to Alaska or Wyoming.

If you go much further than Merced Lake, the last place to camp before Little Yosemite is right around Moraine Dome. Get to Little Yosemite and you must camp inside the designated area. It's not real pretty.

I believe you can mail to yourself, general delivery, at the Yosemite PO. A good place to crash? I'd probably stop in one of the valley towns before heading up into the mountains for a hotel, if you want a decent sleep for sure, and get up early to drive the final couple - three hours.

There is a grocery store in Tuolumne Meadows and a mountaineering store with gear and bear cans and such. Toward the end of season they let supplies start to run down. You don't say when you are going but the services/stores start shutting down fairly early, in September. After Oct 14 you can't park overnight on Tioga Rd.

[balzaccom]

From SFO I would stay in a motel in Oakhurst or even Sonora...head in the north entrance to the park. That's the most direct line to Tuolumne Meadows. You might even find some place in Groveland...and there are some campgrounds in that area that are even closer to Yosemite. Oakhurst is farthest---about 90 minutes or two hours from the entrance station--add another hour to get to TM.

[bill-e-g]

Huh.. Oakhurst? From SFO? Really?

Quickest way to TM is 120. Only time I go thru Oakhurst is if I'm hiking
from Glacier Pt. Road or Wawona. And sometimes even take 120
even if hiking from GP.

Look into lodging in Groveland or perhaps Buck Meadows.
Buck Meadows is really close to the west Big Oak Flat entrance.
Either that or just camp in Hodgden or any of the FCFS campsites.

I rarely see this hotel in Buck Meadows being full.
Seems they always have space.
Give it a look:
http://www.yosemitewestgate.com/

Have fun

[adrianhoff]

Thanks Bill-E-G. Be there next week. I usually stop in Merced. Needed a higher elevation hotel this year to speed acclimation and had planned on Mariposa. Yosemite Westgate Lodge looks like a good alternative.

[RAINMAN19]

As you can see in the abover trail, that we planning to do a loop because we will have no ability for car portage. I have found out recently that I may be able to have someone drop us off at TM but leave our car at Happy Valley.

If we go with this, I was still thinking of starting out at lyell canyon and working my way towards half-dome, however, I think it would be hard push to try to include Catherdral lakes on day 4, then go back east on the JT to hit half dome and then out the following morning. I have heard good things about Cathedral lakes.

What are your thoughts on bypassing Cathedral lakes and maybe doing half dome on day four and little yosemite valley on day 5 and out early the next morning. We have to catch a flight out of SFO by 6pm.

[kathy]

Leave yourself plenty of time to get to SFO for 5 pm...that might be nerve wracking if timing gets tight.

Cathedral Lakes are definitely worth the trip. I was there August 5th and we had an awesome hike.

[bill-e-g]

Have you been to Yosemite before?

[kevmc]

As you can see in the abover trail, that we planning to do a loop because we will have no ability for car portage. I have found out recently that I may be able to have someone drop us off at TM but leave our car at Happy Valley.

.

You can also take the 5 pm YART bus out of the valley back to TM. its $8.00 per person. That way you can drive right to TM. Alternatively, you can park in the valley early AM and take the 8 AM hikers bus from the valley which gets you to TM around 10.10 am and have the car waiting for you at the end.