First time early June 4-5 night backpack

[MadDiver]

Hi All,

First time posting here. The short: Work is flying me out to the Bay area (Foster City) June 3rd -5th from Connecticut. I plan to tack on a nice trip to Yosemite starting Saturday the 6th (yeah, bad day to start, I know) for a 4-5 night backpack. I've been to Cali ~7X but all for work and have never been out of the cities so I really want to get out this time.

A few things: I do not yet have a permit; I'll be solo; no, I don't need to do Half Dome; I'm kinda assuming based on recent reports that Tioga Road will be open; I've backpacked quite a bit in the White Mountains but never out West; I would like to do Cloud's Rest.

My first plan I guess is to start at Tuolumne Meadows. Permits are still available for Lyell, Rafferty and Cathedral on SUNDAY the 7th. So I could take my time Saturday driving to Yosemite, bum around the Valley a bit, do a day hike then hit the trail the 7th or maybe try to get a walk on permit on Saturday. I really don't care about the exact route right now or where I stay but would like to incorporate Cloud's Rest. Good plan, dumb plan, suggestions? Considering the available trailheads which do you think I should choose to try to get a permit for? Glen Aulin and May Lake both are open the 6th and 7th as well.

I've also read about a cross-country from Lake Elizabeth to drop-in between Vogelsand and Merced Lake - does that require a permit?

Another thought is to do the Red Peak Pass loop from Glacier Point. Permit would not be an issue. Concerns I have though are possible snow and altitude. I have never hiked at altitude and just don't know how I'll respond physically. I'm less concerned about stamina and more about altitude sickness. Might be a tough first time experience, especially solo.

All suggestions and criticisms welcome.

Thanks,
Aaron

[balzaccom]

Any and all backpacking in Yosemite requires a permit. The trail through Elizabeth Lake is officially the Nelson Lake trailhead...and it does involve some simply cross-country navigation. A similar trail goes past Budd Lake to Echo Lake, also cross country.

Remember that with a wilderness permit, you can camp one night before your trip, and one night after your trip in one of the backpacking campgrounds. So go up Saturday, knowing that once you get your permit for Sunday morning, you can camp Saturday night either in the Valley of at Tuolumne Meadows...

If you really want to do Cloud's Rest, then you have lots of options. Try Rafferty or Lyell up to Vogelsang, down to Merced Lake, and then back towards TM via Clouds Rest and Sunrise/Cathedral Lakes. But you could access that hike through Sunrise as well, or Happy Isles (that trailhead quota will fill up soonest!) or even Glacier Point or Mono Meadows. Still no permit? then try Murphy Creek to Glen Aulin and then back down through TM to Cathedral Lakes, Sunrise, and CLouds Rest...back down to Tenaya

Like I said, lots of options.

And if you don't NEED to do Cloud's Rest, the options are even more numerous.

The closer you get to the John Muir Trail, the more people you'll see, and the harder the permits will be. But a solo hiker usually has a bit of an easier time with permits...they can often squeeze you in one way or the other.

[MadDiver]

Thanks for the info Balzaccom. I spent some time on Google Earth today and looking at my topos and trail miles and elevations. I think that since permits (at the moment) are available for Glen Aulin on Saturday the 6th, even with a late mid-afternoon start it's only 5 miles with 800' elevation gain. With ~8:30 sunset, totally doable. Day 2 May Lake ( & Hoffman if I'm feeling good ). Day 3 over to Sunrise and CR. After that a bit of a free-for-all I'm thinking, just continuing in a general counter-clock direction back to TM: I know you're supposed to give an exit trailhead but do they really care where you come out? Say Rafferty vs Lyell?

I'm being fluid on the scheduling since I don't know the terrain and my pace on it. There are plenty of outs so if I bonk I can bailout or just relax a day and recover.

My thought on wanting to do CR: It gives (form my understanding) and iconic view of the valley which I won't have elsewhere on the trip. Also I've read numerous trip reports of great sunrise/sets from CR and good spots to camp just a bit down from the summit.

So, I think I'll try for a Saturday the 6th Glen Aulin permit and plan the trip further if I get it.

[balzaccom]

Sounds like a good plan. The trail from Tuolumne to Glen Aulin actually goes downhill, not up, so it's 800 feet of loss...

They don't really care where you exit. If you like cross-country hiking at all, from Sunrise head towards Cathedral Lakes, but before you get over the pass, turn right and follow that creek down to Echo Lake (and then Matthes Lake). Stunning, scenery down there. You probably won't see many people at all (quota is five per day, I think--compare that to Glen Aulin!) And in early June you may see the most mosquitoes you've ever seen in your life....grin.

[MadDiver]

I faxed my permit request for Glen Aulin on June 6th (still showing available). I'll certainly plan on hopping over to Echo and Matthes Lakes (most skeeters? we'll see, I grew up in Minnesota where they are practically the state bird ) The area looks very cool on google earth. Is Matthes Lake a decent camping spot? I'm sure I'll have more questions one I get a confirmed permit.

[MadDiver]

Took them all of 2 hours to send my permit reservation so I'm good to go!

[balzaccom]

Excellent! Keep us posted. And we want to see photos

[half dumb]

Sounds like a nice plan, we may see you on the trail! We plan on hiking to May Lakes and doing Hoffmann that Sunday well, then going up to Polly Lakes and down Murphy Creek to Sunrise Lakes on Monday, then on to Clouds Rest the next day. We'll be the group of 6 people all around age 30. Cheers!

[MadDiver]

Hey half dumb (ok, I can't help but feel that's somehow an insult...), Hope to see you on the trail! I like to get away from the crowds but I'm not a hermit. I'll be a party of 3: me, myself and I and a decade older... New sleeping pad is on the way (rei 20% off) and I'm shopping for a new camera.

[MadDiver]

Hey All,

Driving to Tuolumne in the morning. The weather looks a bit more unstable than I'd like but manageable. Last question:does anyone have a recent NIGHTTIME temp report? Still deciding which sleeping bag to take. I'll also be sure to tt the rangers and other folks in the area before I hit the trail.

[AlmostThere]

NOAA says the lows on Tioga Rd area will be 32 - 35F, so I would prepare for 10 degrees below that, as I always do on any trip, anywhere, in the Sierra. Which is why I have a system rated for 20F ( a reliable rating, not the cheap sleeping bag rating, which is often wrong).

I have had a forecasted temp of 40F night temps for a trip and seen it plunge to 30 degrees below it - so I prefer knowing I can survive that with what I have.

[MadDiver]

Thanks. I'll plan on taking the 20 degree bag then. Not a weight issue, just hate being too hot, but while too hot may be uncomfortable, too cold...not good. I'll error on the side of caution. Finished my work meetings early and already picked up a gas canister so I don't need to deal with that (sports authority right by work).