We received a Sept 14 Rafferty->Vogelsang permit (with Half Dome)!! Now I'd like to get some advice
about routes. Our group (4) has a route in mind, but I'd like to see what the combined wisdom here might
have to recommend for improvements. Our Plan A is:
TM -> Vogelsang -> Merced Lake -> LYV -> (up/down HD) LYV -> exit Happy Isles
Looks good, but I've been seeing unpleasant sounding things about crowds in the Mist
Trail. Also, I have a desire to get to Clouds Rest. So I've considering proposing...
Plan B:
TM -> Vogelsang -> Merced Lake -> LYV -> (up/down HD) Clouds Rest Area -> exit Sunrise Lakes
We would drop/hang packs to go up/down HD of course, then proceed to CR. I think I see a cross-country
route from HD to CR over towards Quarter Domes that avoids going down to LYV and back up.
Possible? I have good navigation skills and am not too worried about that. What's the terrain? I've
done some cross-country that were *very* difficult (and *very* slow) due to underbrush, natural
impediments, blowdowns, ... How about around Quarter Domes?
Form Sunrise Lakes TH we'd catch the shuttle back to a car at TM. Is the shuttle running at
all with the new concessionaire? Still running by Sept 19?
or Plan C:
TM-> Vogelsang -> Merced Lake -> CR area -> (up/down HD) LYV -> exit Happy Isles
That at least let's us score CR, though still exiting Happy Isles. The real problem with this
is that I don't see a route to CR from Merced Lakes (or Vogelsang) that does not look like a
death march (mucho uphill + a really long day). But I may be missing something. Thoughts?
Anything else I should be thinking about for routes?
Other considerations for any of these? Water? Crowds?
Any weather concerns by mid/late Sept?
Thanks in advance!!!!