Yosemite Forum

Hey guys, been tryin to plan something on june 15th - 20th or so... i want to get a backpacking permit but im sure the popular destinations are taken already and i wasnt plannin on waiting or hopin for a first come first serve permit when they become available. my question is: what are my options when making a backcountry request when it comes to something being full already.. example: if the clouds rest, or half dome hike is full (example only) can i request something thats kinda in the area and still hike half dome as long as i dont stay at say little yosemite valley? guess im looking for loopholes in the system cuz im sure theyre there... another example: if yosemite falls trailhead to eagle peak and el cap are full, couldnt i just say select old big oak flat road trailhead as my starting point and then hike to yosemite falls and eagle and el cap anyways???? if a ranger found me with a big oak flat permit yet i was starting from the upper falls trailhead... what exactly would happen, other than me looking like a lost fool ( i can handle that one of the reasons y i was asking was becuz i was interested in hiking to half dome at night, even if the cables are down and i only make it to the subdome, then i can shoot off towards the east or north depending on snowpack and such.

Did you read the wilderness permit page on the nps.gov/yose website? most of your questions are answered there.

To add to what's on the Yosemite website:

If you did not have the half dome stamp on your wilderness permit you would be turned back at the cables. Fortunately the stamp is free for the asking, just tell them what day you're going.

If you start at a trailhead not on your permit, you can be fined and/or escorted off the trail. Rangers do patrol the trails, probably more often in Yosemite than anywhere else in the Sierra. A friend of mine was escorted all the way back to his car from Red Peak Pass. That was the last time he tried to just go without a permit....

You want to have a permit from the trailhead you start at and be on the itinerary you specified... and obey the food storage rules. The fines for leaving the bear canister they will force you to rent if you don't have one are a lot more expensive than the ones for having the wrong/no wilderness permit....

thanks for the reply.. yes i read the website and understand the rules and have been to yosemite many times. i was hoping there was a loophole in the permit system that would allow me to do the things i wanted even if i couldnt get a permit for my desired destinations. as i stated i was only planning on goin to the subdome... i just dont wanna get fined for having a bridalveil creek trailhead starting point and im sleeping east of little yosemite valley

I'll tell you what the trick is... it's actually no big deal.

You show up the day you want to go at the wilderness office, when it opens. You ask for first come/first serve for the same day. If there is one left over from yesterday you get one - more likely if you are there Monday - Thursday. No permit? Okay, wait til 10 am, when the unclaimed reserved permits are offered to walk ins, and check again.

still no permit? hang out til 11 am and ask for a walk in for tomorrow. If you get one you go to the backpacker campground and set up, then tourist around the valley, have pizza in curry, etc. and hike in the morning.