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Yosemite Memorial Day Trip - First time HD / CR

PostPosted: Sun May 01, 2016 3:10 pm
by Brsed
I am heading to Yosemite over Memorial Day weekend and have a backcountry camping permit for May 27 - 31. We plan to leave our stuff set up in LYV early in the morning of the 27th and hike Half Dome early to mid morning. The Park website says cables are scheduled to be up starting May 27. Any idea if this means they will be ready by the 27th or being installed on the 27th so their first day of use is the 28th. Also, any view as to whether there will be snow on Cloud's Rest at that time or should that be okay to hike.

Thank you.

Brian

Re: Yosemite Memorial Day Trip - First time HD / CR

PostPosted: Sun May 01, 2016 5:23 pm
by AlmostThere
Does your wilderness permit have Half Dome on it? The ranger will turn you around without it.

I suspect that May 27th is the first day they will be up and ready to be used. There could be snow if it snows between now and the end of the month -- it's okay to hike it any time, snow or no, unless you don't like snow. But currently there's very little and what's there will be gone by then.

Re: Yosemite Memorial Day Trip - First time HD / CR

PostPosted: Sun May 01, 2016 6:31 pm
by Brsed
Yes, my permit does have Half Dome on it -- that's why we are planning on hiking it. I'm from Chicago, so snow doesn't bother me in the abstract, unless, of course, it would cause me to slide down the face of a granite slope, which would definitely sting.

Thank you for your response. I appreciate it. Lots of Quetico trips but first time at Half Dome and taking my 15 year old son so this site is very helpful.

Re: Yosemite Memorial Day Trip - First time HD / CR

PostPosted: Wed May 11, 2016 1:07 pm
by purpleyogi
It is very helpful to know that there is no snow on/near the dome. We are planning to camp at LVY the night before, does it get very cold ? I heard it gets into low 40s at the night time and is the top of the dome much colder?

Re: Yosemite Memorial Day Trip - First time HD / CR

PostPosted: Wed May 11, 2016 1:09 pm
by AlmostThere
Camping isn't allowed on the dome. It's windy and no shelter, so yes, it's really cold up there.

LYV likely has no snow at this point. It is in the 30s at night, however. If you're getting the forecast from Yosemite valley, it's much lower and warmer than Little Yosemite Valley.

Hope you already have a permit. If you don't there is a ton of competition.

Re: Yosemite Memorial Day Trip - First time HD / CR

PostPosted: Wed May 11, 2016 1:15 pm
by purpleyogi
We are negotiating with a guide who has a wilderness+half dome permit for the memorial day weekend. So if we book it with this guide, it would be with permits. However, I am worried about cold up in LYV. if it is low 30s in LYV, i bet it would be even colder on the dome, especially if we plan to hike up early in the morning!

Re: Yosemite Memorial Day Trip - First time HD / CR

PostPosted: Thu May 18, 2017 10:08 am
by rosieladyblue
I just talked to a ranger who said the cables have been delayed a week.. so not until the first weekend of June :(

Re: Yosemite Memorial Day Trip - First time HD / CR

PostPosted: Thu May 18, 2017 10:10 am
by AlmostThere
rosieladyblue wrote:I just talked to a ranger who said the cables have been delayed a week.. so not until the first weekend of June :(


Thanks, but you're answering a thread from last year.