Phil wrote:The thing with the JMT from Cathedral is that it's not only the most popular, crowded, and hard to get permit in the park, it's still going to take you up to 10k at the pass and Columbia Finger. I think last year around late June/early July we had a few reports that showed mixed results, and with <80% of normal snowpack.
Maybe about 5 years ago, we went up over the 4th of July weekend and postholed it up to our thighs to Upper Cathedral for about the last mile and a half. We camped the night in a wicked thunderstorm and then blew it off and descended.
That doesn't sound like a very pleasant experience!
I was really hoping to hike close to 20 miles (or 15) per day. How possible it this taking into consideration my limited snow experience? And HD is not a must in my book.
What about Sunrise Lakes - Clouds Rest - Merced Lake - ?? And...I don't know what could come next?
I wasn't thinking about snowpack when I first started planning this trip! I just knew it'd be Hot to go to Zion so my next thought was Yosemite.