First vist-need backpacking advice
Posted: Fri Feb 12, 2010 9:54 am
This will be our first visit to Yosemite. There will be 4 of us in our group. We have alot of experience on Isle Royale in Michgan and have hiked just about every trail. Our longest trip was 11 nights, over 135 miles, without resupply. While Isle Royale has beautiful remote trails, the elevation changes a minimal compared to Yosemite. We realize that what is an accepatble number of mile to plan per day on Isle Royal will not be the same for Yosemite.
I have many questions about Yosemite that I am hoping I can draw upon your experience for answers to.
We are looking at speding a week to 10 nights backpacking and would like to spend the majority of the time away from crowds as much as possible. We are looking a mid to late July for our trip.
I have spent alot of time reading about rules and regulations and I think I understand most of them.
any help you can provide would be much appreciated
1.Is there a shuttle or bus to Hetch Hetchy? We are thinking of possibly starting there and ending up back in Yosemite Valley. We only have 1 car and would need a ride back to it. From what I've read it seems more likley to be granted wilderness permits from the Hetch Hetchy area since we may be departing on a weekend day.
2. With a wilderness permit we only have to register and be approved for the point of departure, correct? So if we spend the next 10 nights out we can set up camp wherever we want so long as we follow the guidelines (4 trail miles from some areas)?
3.Can we set up camp where ever we like along the trails? Isle Royale has designated wilderness campsites but from what I gathered there are only a few "backpackers camps" in Yosemite. If we do start at Hetch Hetchy we'd stay at the backpacker camp the first night then hit the trail in the early in the morning.
4.Does anyone have a link to a site with trail mileage and elevation changes for the trails in Yosemite?
5.Will 7-10 nights out be enough time to get from Hetch Hetchy to Tuloumne Meadows and then down to Half Dome finiishing up in Yosemite Valley?
6.Can we resupply with food and fuel at Tuloumne Meadows?
Im sure I will think of more!
I have many questions about Yosemite that I am hoping I can draw upon your experience for answers to.
We are looking at speding a week to 10 nights backpacking and would like to spend the majority of the time away from crowds as much as possible. We are looking a mid to late July for our trip.
I have spent alot of time reading about rules and regulations and I think I understand most of them.
any help you can provide would be much appreciated
1.Is there a shuttle or bus to Hetch Hetchy? We are thinking of possibly starting there and ending up back in Yosemite Valley. We only have 1 car and would need a ride back to it. From what I've read it seems more likley to be granted wilderness permits from the Hetch Hetchy area since we may be departing on a weekend day.
2. With a wilderness permit we only have to register and be approved for the point of departure, correct? So if we spend the next 10 nights out we can set up camp wherever we want so long as we follow the guidelines (4 trail miles from some areas)?
3.Can we set up camp where ever we like along the trails? Isle Royale has designated wilderness campsites but from what I gathered there are only a few "backpackers camps" in Yosemite. If we do start at Hetch Hetchy we'd stay at the backpacker camp the first night then hit the trail in the early in the morning.
4.Does anyone have a link to a site with trail mileage and elevation changes for the trails in Yosemite?
5.Will 7-10 nights out be enough time to get from Hetch Hetchy to Tuloumne Meadows and then down to Half Dome finiishing up in Yosemite Valley?
6.Can we resupply with food and fuel at Tuloumne Meadows?
Im sure I will think of more!