Need Visiting Info Please

[cahull]

Hello,
I am going to take a trip to Yosemite soon and would like some info on how to make the most of it. I would like to hike to the top of Half Dome and El Cap and camp out as primitive as possible. Any info you have would be great. I am in the beginning part of my research for the area so I apologize if my questions are generic.
thanks!

ca

[AlmostThere]

Define "soon." Park services are shutting down for the winter - campgrounds on Glacier Point Road and Tioga Road are closed. The Half Dome cables will be coming down this month for winter. There will be no more overnight parking on the pass. Shuttles will have fewer runs and some of them stopped altogether.

You should have gear for colder weather and be prepared for snow, with chains in the car and as the fall turns to winter, the growing expectation of snowy and icy conditions. Around November it will be full winter and (I hope!) plenty of snow coming down.

Lots of info at the park's official website, www.nps.gov/yose

[Dave]

I just spent 4 nights in Curry Village, which would qualify as primitive for some. Rates are
reasonable, as Yosemite lodging goes.

Here are 3 day hike suggestions from the Valley floor, for 3 levels of pain:

Mist Trail - Scenic and challenging. Two cool waterfalls. Can be done in half a day.
4 Mile Trail - Very scenic and 3000ft + elevation gain. Trail ends at Glacier Pt., which
is not to be missed. Round trip from the floor will take most of the day.
Clouds Rest - Masochistic. 21 miles round trip with over a mile of elevation gain. Great
views at the bottom and top, but in the middle your lungs and heart will take turns
begging for mercy. The Half Dome hike might be the prom queen, but this is the prom
queen's big brother who just broke out of prison. Enjoy.

[dan]

Clouds Rest - Masochistic. 21 miles round trip with over a mile of elevation gain. Great
views at the bottom and top, but in the middle your lungs and heart will take turns
begging for mercy. The Half Dome hike might be the prom queen, but this is the prom
queen's big brother who just broke out of prison. Enjoy.

Consider heading to Clouds Rest from Tenaya Lake instead of the Yosemite Valley floor. Still not easy, but saves some of the pain and you still get a great view of Half Dome and the Tuolumne backcountry from the peak of Cloud's Rest.

[Grzldvt]

Have to agree, forget Half Dome, and do Cloud's Rest from Tenaya.
And Yes, we need you to define "soon," as Almost There stated the park is closing down for the winter. If you have a car, you could go camp in Lee Vining Canyon and open until Oct 31st, fairly primitive, but not backpacking.
it would also help us to give us an idea of what kind of shape you are in.
I don't think anything of going up Lyell Canyon, over to Vogelsang, and down Rafferty Creek in a day, roughly 20 miles. Others view that as a two-three day hike.
There are a ton of hikes along Tioga Road, if you decide to camp in Lee Vining.