7-8 Day Backpacking in Mid-Late May

[gsueagle]

Sorry to ask a question I feel has probably been asked before, but searching the word "May" renders lots of "may" "maybe" and "May Lake". Sadly, our date is not able to be moved, and I understand this means many trails and roads will not yet be accessible. However, is there a trip that would be this long that will stay below the 7000' mark? We really don't have any criteria to meet, just some East Coasters looking for natural beauty. We are both in great shape and can handle ourselves well. Any suggestions/comments/tips?

[AlmostThere]

When you say mid-late May, how late is late? Glacier Point Road often opens in early May, and Tioga has been known to open for the last week/two weeks of May. There will be some snow left and creeks will be running very high, making crossings treacherous.

Not too many trips in Yosemite below 7000' - any backpack of that duration will likely take you above that elevation at some point. Hetch Hetchy trails start to climb before you can camp, and Chilnualna Falls trailhead is below that but quickly goes above 7000'. Most Tioga trailheads are right about 9,000' from the start. Happy Isles will start low and within a few miles go above your limit. If you are concerned about altitude sickness, staying a day or two at moderate (6000-7000) and moving up from there is typically the prescribed preventive measure.

[bill-e-g]

I always expect lots and lots o snow above 7500 ft. all the way
until Memorial Day.
That long a trip that early ... alot will depend on how much snow
we get the next winter. You need to monitor that.
This last year was very light and you could have gone up
the Merced River to Washburn and beyond and hit nearly no snow at all.
If you have put a plan in place that is that many days that
would be my best suggestion. (been thru in May AND EARLY APRIL
on some years).
Hetch Hetchy to Vernon is all lower elevation... you may hit some
snow depending... but .. 7-8 days is ALOT ...
If you have THAT many days you may want to do a couple of trips.

Have fun

[balzaccom]

This is great advice, Bill. The shorter trips have three adventages:

1. They give you a chance to get out if you need to avoid truly bad weather--which is still a slight but real possiblity in May

2. YOur packs are lighter, which is always pleasant.

3. This time a year, a trip down into a river canyon can produce some great fishing ( if the run-off isn't too high) and combine that with a higher trip gives some really different experiences in the back country.

We did Rancheria Falls last Easter, and it was a great trip...incuding a nice climb up LeConte Point. But you could see how deep the snow was in the higher elevations. And walking through that stuff for any distance is a lot of work.