Backpacking 2-3 Days in mid-April

[xcorat]

I am trying to find a good trail of about 25mi which is open in mid april for backpacking. The choices are very limited it seems as the tioga rd is closed.

please give me some suggestions. I might try sequoia as well. But love to hike in yose.

thx

[balzaccom]

Well...almost all of Yosemite except the valley itself is above 5,000 feet, and you can get snowstorms at that elevation just about anytime through April...so your choices are limited. Even Hetch Hetchy will see some snow then, and if you want to hike 25 miles, you will have to climb up to around 7,000 even there. At 7,000, you will not only get snow, but you will be hiking through snow. That means really knowing what you are doing, and really knowing how to navigate when the trails are under snow. The fact that you are asking the question makes me wonder if you have any experience in that. If not, you won't have much fun.

Sequoia is actually higher, although further south, so you can expect the same kinds of conditions.

I love backpacking, and am even willing to do some snow camping, but in April, if I wanted to do 25 miles, I would be looking at Henry Coe State Park...Big Sur...someplace where I won't get snowed in for days or more.

The other option is to hike in and set up a base camp---you might be able to do this at Rancheria, and then just do some shorter days hikes from there--turning back if the conditions or the trails were too tough.

[xcorat]

well, thanx a lot for the info. Yeah thats wht i wanted to know. I actuallly tried mt silliman a couple of months ago on a 2day solo hike, but with all the snow and evrything i cudnt do it. So yeah i know wht it likes to hike in snow without any trail.

Im goin with som frndz, som r newbs. So i think i'll have to stay away from that. I thought abt base camp idea, i was thinkin to camp at the valley and do a couple of day hikes. wht do u think abt that?

and wht d'u think abt doing a very small trail, like 15mi, so we v hav enuf time even in snow?

[Wickett]

The new people will love their first time in the valley and there are plenty of places that even some of your multi trippers will enjoy. I know of a few places that are challenging but within reach. One of the areas is very personal, very private, and can be dangerous if you do not use your head, but is my favorite place in the park.

Don't think that you have to go far away to get away and be away...

That being said, 3 of us were staring at an avalanche in the first week of May on the way from back from this "place." All of us watched and hoped that it would stop before it got to us. We were on an inclined face, about 30 degrees, and had no where to go. Luckily, the natural contours pushed it in front of us. I still go to that spot and take people, but I still get a weird feeling from seeing the trees snapped and the boulders.

The worst part, well it could of been worse, was that all of us had cameras and were ready to shoot anything... but no one even thought of touching their camera. I was almost like a chant, "Oh ****" over and over. Now only the people who experienced that with me will ever truly believe me.

But... I still go back there and bring my wife. It tempts the curse of...

[bill-e-g]

Ok, seriously, don't put something about how you love this "private/special"
place and don't say where the heck it is. That is just pain rude.

Balaz... is spot on.

It all depends on the snow pack and how fast it is melting.
Before mid April the wife and I have gone to El Cap from Yose Falls
and all the way to Echo Valley and back up Quarter Domes.
Both of those were some hiking thru snow.
There will be snow above 7500 all the way thru Memorial Day.

Since you have newbies I would just recommend you go to Little Yose
and then do dayhikes from there. More than likely you be hiking in the
snow after Little Yose but you can always just turn around if it
becomes too painful.

[ohio]

I actually have a similar request. I'll be staying in the Wawona area with my girlfriend in early April and would like to do an overnight. I'm very comfortable winter backpacking and mountaineering (experience in Sierras, Alps, White Mountains), but it will be a new experience for her. Planning on snow shoes since she is not comfortable enough to shoulder a backpack on skis and I'm worried the snow may not be consistent enough for skis at lower elevations. Can someone recommend a good spot/trail? I think anything over 10mi per day will be too much.

[Heybooboo]

Ohio, You could do Wawona Dome, or take the back trail to Mariposa Grove Big Trees, you might even try Buck Camp (maybe too far, though). Good idea to use snowshoes or at least have them with you. Trail could be spotty, muddy, snowy, or dry and wonderful. Great view of Merced River Canyon looking west from top of Wawona Dome. My wife and I have xcountry skied to Wawona Dome in late March with full coverage one year and the next year, same time very little snow. So you never know.

[ohio]

Wawona Dome sounds perfect, thanks! I'll just keep an eye on conditions as the trip comes up and plan equipment appropriately. With this recent storm, the snow could be pretty good if temps stay low.

[Wickett]

Ok, seriously, don't put something about how you love this "private/special"
place and don't say where the heck it is. That is just pain rude.

Not keeping it a secret, just keeping it off the web. PM's are the way to keep your place, well... your place. I would never deny anyone the beauty of every nook of Yosemite, but I do not want someone doing something that is beyond their means.

Nothing like seeing someone who thought that they could handle your place, that you have been too all the time, taken out on a helicopter.

Sorry if it offended you, but I don't want to give advice and have something happen, if I can't ask a few personal questions, to the people going to where I am directing them.

and... if you are familiar with Yosemite you could very well figure out the general area of my post by what was in my post. I am sure a few people said, "I know where that is.", with no problem.

[bill-e-g]

>and... if you are familiar with Yosemite you could very well figure out the general area of my post by what was in my post. I am sure a few people said, "I know where that is.", with no problem.

I doubt this..
I've been on every single inch of trail in Yosemite and
have done huge amounts of xcountry... and from what you said I
am not sure..

Could be anywhere in Merced Canyon by Bunnell, Starr King,
Tenaya Canyon... Diving Board... Quarter Domes...
????

So I guess it's diving board... but that's not nec. "private" since
snake dike climbers...

[oakroscoe]

Wickett,

Bill's right on his point to you. Just saying "a place" is pretty weak in my opinion. Everyone that posts here regularly contributes to everyone's knowledge. The reasoning that because you say where your "place" is that people will flock to it and get hurt is pretty poor and a weak excuse to not just say where it is.

It is just plain rude.

Also, I didn't know any part of the park was "your place". I always thought that no matter how much you loved a certain area, it was everyone's to share. Guess I learned something today.

[Wickett]

I never said "my place", I said personal and private. This place is in Tenaya Canyon. I just didn't want to put up directions that will be easily googled. Steering people who are unfamiliar with the canyon into it would be unresponsible. If anyone wants to know I will PM you.

Even people with very good directions go back into the canyon and never find it, being hidden falls. My friends went and didn't get there, I had to take them to it on the next trip.

As far as the private, I mean that there are normally not too many people back there, the most I saw was 3 at once. Way more private than any other attraction in the park. When we have come across people we give each other some space, or help each other to get to the top safely. With the lack of people you get to have a personal experience with a very beautiful area.


If you disagree with my withholding of directions, to each his own.

[bill-e-g]

The guy that asked wanted to go in Mid-April, bring newbies, and
go about 25 miles.
He does NOT want to go up Tenaya Canyon.
The old park map even went so far as to say that hiking in Tenaya
is dangerous and highly discouraged.

Let me just say one other thing and I'll leave it at that.
Backpacker Magazine is notorious for putting in off-trail destinations.
The rangers/sar in Yosemite actually do planning depending on
what is in the magazine.
Something easy for you may be "the hardest thing I've ever done"
by someone without alot of experience.

Anyway, let's not flame each other too much and keep the forum
informative and appropriate for all...

Happy Hiking

[bill-e-g]

Heybooboo,
How is the river crossing when you've gone to Wawona Dome?
I've been in this area only in late July to December.
Did you go before the snow really started melting?
Just wondering what the crossing is like when the fall is really going.
Is it... no way I'm crossing that?
There are always so many options but I've never been on the top
of Wawona Dome either...

[Humancarpentry]

Hi, my girlfriend and I have a similar question. We are heading into Yosemite on April 3rd for about 5 days. We wanted to camp in the valley for a night or two doing day hikes and then do some backpacking for a few days. We are both in good shape and experienced backpackers. Should we bring snowshoes? Is hiking or backpacking to Glacier Point realistic?

Any recommendations on which campground to stay in in the valley?