by markskor » Sat Apr 27, 2019 8:13 am
Welcome -
Early June may be a problem to backpack in Yosemite as this past season's snowfall was heavier than usual.
Here's the situation - The Valley at ~4,000 feet will be dry but crowded...worth a day's stay over but not much longer. The higher elevations, (7,000 feet and higher - where you want to be if backpacking), most probably will still hold lots of snow and the roads/access may still be closed...or not.
Anyway, here is my suggestion...watch the weather, road openings, and be flexible. IMHO, The best way to experience Yosemite is with a backpack sans car. Take the YARTS bus into the Valley, (or drive into the Valley and park your car - leave it). With a full backpack, ready to go, go immediately to the Permit office (In the Village near the big store...free shuttle buses will get you there) and ask for a "next day" wilderness permit. A wilderness permit is absolutely required if staying overnight in the Yosemite wilderness. There are strict quotas as to how many backpackers are allowed to enter each trailhead (TH) per day.
You have to understand the subtle nuances of getting wilderness permits for Yosemite.
60% of the (again, a strict daily quota applies to backpack overnight for all trailheads - THs) wilderness permits are designated as reservable. When you look on line at "permits available", what you are seeing are only those remaining "reserved" permit openings.
The other 40% of permits are designated as "Next Day". Now figure in all the reserved no shows, that means ~50% of the TH permits are readily available every day all summer long. You stand in line and get something good.
Ask the Ranger at the permit shack there for help..."What's open?"...they are there just for this. Look at the TOPO map. If the high country roads are still snowed in - Get a permit starting from a Valley TH. Ask for Merced Lake, or Half Dome, or Yosemite Falls, or Snow Creek, or? Get a permit somewhere. See Valley backpacker camp rules below(*). BTW, these are free.
In Yosemite's front-country, (IE - on roads) there are a few "backpacker only" designated camping sites which are set up as a "first night before a trip or one night after a hike", These are "no reservation needed" to stay over here...no cars are allowed (can park close by)...never fill up/ always room for anyone...but they do require that pesky wilderness permit (*) to stay here legally. In the Valley backpack camp, (behind the stables), the rangers come around daily to check permits - in TM not so much. You just walk in, self register there on site, ($6 pp a night) and bag a stretch of open ground - set up camp. They are a safe place to leave your gear set up for a day and you can go see the area.... large bear food lockers. They can get a bit crowded. There is another backpacker camp in Tuolumne too.
If 120 (Tioga Pass) is open, maybe take YARTS or hitch hike up to Tuolumne Meadows (God's country) - campground, store, and a grill. From Valley, the 2 hour Valley to TM YARTS bus leaves mornings (8:00 AM) or evening (5:00 PM). FYI, sigh - (While all other YARTS buses run daily, the Valley - TM bus runs only weekends in June up to the high country...FYI, runs daily July and August). Once up there, you can get a wilderness permit for one of the THs at the TM wilderness permit shack, stay over at that backpacker camp (behind the store), and take a few days to hike/walk down to the Valley.
You do need to carry a bear canister to stay overnight in the backcountry...do not buy as you can easily rent and return them at any permit office (you are there anyway) for $5 per trip.
Have fun!