September backpacking - fine tuning our plan

[Gauer101]

Hi guys

I am in the midst of planning a backpacking trip at the beginning of September and wanted to sense-check a couple points. We just got our wilderness passes confirmed so I am extremely excited to get our plan perfected! We are visiting from the UK and It's our first trip to the area so i am really looking to make the most of our time there and to see the best it has to offer

The plan is

Day 1 - drive from SF on a Thursday morning to tuolomne meadows, hope to make am early start to get there around lunch. We will spend a night there to acclimatise and get organised before the proper trek begins.

Was thinking an Afternoon walk without our packs to lower Cathedral Lake (expect to take around 4 hours round trip) could work well.

We will stay the night in the lodges (if we can get a space) or otherwise the backpacker camp site

Day 2- drive to sunrise lakes trailhead and set off with our packs for clouds rest and spend the night on the top if warm enough or just off it if not (we have wilderness permits and half dome access already sorted)

Day 3 - leisurely hike down to spend the night in little Yosemite valley (or maybe set up camp near the junction of the JM trail as I have seem some recommend instead)

Day 4 - early start to climb half dome leaving our gear at our camp. Return via camp and head down to Yosemite village via the JM trail (understand this is a bit easier on the knees than the mist trail

Sunday night - stay at the Yosemite falls lodge (booked already)

Day 5- early start to catch the 8am bus back up to tuolomne to collect the car. We will then drive across tioga pass and make our way down to Death Valley

Questions are:

- does this sound doable?

- for first trip from people coming from the UK is this a good plan to see some of the best parts of the park? Is there anything big we are missing out on?

- how long would you expect the hiking on Day 4 to take?

- conscious that we don't have much time in the village itself to relax and do some of the more chilled out activities such as cycling / raft dome the Merced / leisurely day hikes / glacier point. Do you think we are missing out here? One option I'm considering is going straight from the summit of clouds rest (having spent the night there) to half dome and then either heading back to the village all on day 3 so we would have all of day 4 in the valley. Or, if that was too far, we could do half dome on day 3 but spend the night at little Yosemite valley and then head to the village In the morning of day 4 so we would at least have an afternoon In the village for something relaxing. Or do you think it is better not to rush it?

- if we spent the night of Day 3 at the junction of the JMT is there a water source nearby?

- what is the most scenic drive from the sunrise lakes head trailhead down south towards Death Valley? We may be able to get our car driven down to the village whilst we are trekking. This would save us the slightly painful shuttle back up on Day 5 to collect it but would mean we would miss out on driving over the tioga pass- is that something we really don't want to miss?

Thanks so much- have got loads if great info from these forums- just need your input for this fine tuning now!

[dan]

Day 1- don't think you have time to drive there, get organized, drive to the trailhead, and walk for 4 hours. I suggest just walking from the Tuolumne Meadows Campground or Lodge up Lyell Canyon or down Tuolumne River.

Day 2- That's doable. Bring water if you're on top of Clouds Rest. Not luxerious camping at the very top--just a lot of flat rocks and shrub.

Day 3 - I highly recommend the junction with the CRT and JMT. It's not crowded and it has a reliable, shaded creek--wonderful campground. Don't camp close to the water (mosquitos). The LYV backpacker's campground is crowded, but if you want to do a lot of socializing, it's good.

Day 4- If you're gong to climb Half Dome, it's better to camp at the CRT/JMT junction (higher up and a head start). Then you can reach the Village the same time. The Mist Trail is TRICKY going down wet slippery steps and mud with a full pack, although I've done it slowly and carefully, my wife was NOT happy.

With a reasonable start (up at daybreak), you can hike to the top and back to camp in the morning and get to Yosemite Valley by mid afternoon.

You can't combine Day 3 and 4. That is basically climb Half Dome and Clouds Rest and end up in the Valley.

Nice way to end the trip at the Lodge.

Day 5 - Death Valley seems to be very popular with Europeans in Summer. I guess it's for bragging rights or novelty. It's prettier and pleasant in winter.

It's all doable if you're in reasonable shape and a good overview of the park. The biggest thing you're missing is the Giant Sequoia Trees (Wellingtonia I guess in the UK). There's two small groves you can see north of Yosemite along the Tioga Road. Visit at least one, say on your drive to Death Valley.

Consider staring from LYV Happy Isles to the campground at the JMT/CRT trail junction. Half Dome the next day and back to Yosemite Valley the same day. That gives you time to see the Giant Sequoias, Glacier Point. Then drive to Death Valley and spend a day or half day walking around Tuolumne Meadows.

There's only one reasonable route to Death Valley. Take Tioga Road east to Highway 395. Take 395 south to Lone Pine. There's a junction to Death Valley from there. The best lodging in Lone Pine is Dow Villa. Dow Villa Motel is a modern type motel. Dow Villa Hotel is an old-fashioned hotel with shared bathrooms. Both have swimming pool access. Terrific small restaurant across 395 (west side) on a side street, Alabama Hills Cafe (recommended at Dow Villa front desk). Wonderful pizza at Pizza Factory. Multiple cowboy-type restaurants with TERRIBLE food and a terrible Mexican restaurant all on 395.

[Gauer101]

Thanks Dan that's really helpful!

I think you are right about Cathedral Lakes - will be sad to miss it - was thinking Gaylor Lakes could be a good alternative that is a bit shorter..

Noted on the camp site at the junction of CRT and JMT - that sounds perfect - is it easy enough to spot from the junction or do we need to search it out?

Will give the mist trail a miss on the way down and take the JMT trail which I hear is a bit easier for the descent.

Death Valley - nothing to do with bragging rights! Just happens to be the timing of our trip - we'll be continuing across to Vegas and the Grand Canyon

[AlmostThere]

I would rather spend all that drive time on Tioga Pass, than visit Death Valley in summer.

I will never visit Death Valley in summer again, in fact. It was 98F at midnight, the wind howling through Furnace Creek campground blew sand through the walls of our travel trailer, and we had to get up and leave - might as well, not sleeping. During the day the van overheated a few times and we had 110F temps, very little shade, and stupidly we had not brought enough water. Pretty sure any memory of pleasant scenery was obliterated by the ongoing heat. That was in September, in fact.

Any Grand Canyon trips we will plan will be timed for early winter or spring, as well.

[balzaccom]

We spent a week in Death Valley in February, and will agree with AT's comments about that. I know---it's really an interesting place. It's also deathly hot in the summer. There are so many more wonderful places to visit that are stunning in the summer, not stupefying.

Yes, Gaylor Lakes is a lovely hike. But don't underestimate how steep it is. And it starts around 9,500 feet and goes UP!

I would spend this time visiting the Sierra--including the Big trees--and some of the other fabulous hikes in these mountains