Trail suggestions

[tmrettig]

My sister and I have ten days for backpacking around Yosemite (starting out of the valley). We've done several south-bound JMT trips, but are staying in Yosemite this year. Any ideas of where you'd like to hike and see if you had nine days to spare?

Thanks!

[AlmostThere]

I'd do a long loop over Red Peak Pass and back down through Merced Lake to Happy Isles.

Hard to say, tho, without knowing what miles per day and whether you are trying to go early or later, say August-September. Snow can really be a problem if you're trying for June or early July, when there's a lot of snow earlier in the year.

[KC]

Agree on the Red Peak Pass suggestion. Excellent trip. Also concur that it all depends on the time of year. With so many days open in this case, the High Sierra Camp loop is also a great possibility too.

[tmrettig]

good point! I should've mentioned that! We are arriving July 29 and leaving August 7th. We are up for 7-13 miles per day, as well as shorter days and lots of scenic relaxing and reading:)

[oakroscoe]

I'm just throwing this out there, and I must admit that I haven't done it yet, but plan to in august: what about going out of Kennedy Meadows in the Emigrant Wilderness off of hwy 108 and going through the Emigrant and then coming out of Hetchy? It could be a helluva trip. At the pace you are talking about you could do it in 6-8 days which would leave a few other days to camping in the park and dayhiking to other areas...

[bill-e-g]

Oak, you got me to bite.
Done Emigrant Meadow a number of times now. (last was
last year when came out of it after dropping into Kennedy Canyon
and Lake from Lost Lake) (that section kicked booty btw)
Every single time I'm on that trail I say "wtf did I did this for again?".
One of the worst horse-crap strew trails I have ever seen.
Just really bad. And then add to that that they graze cattle
at Kennedy Lake. Sigh.
I guess it's OK if you keep your blinders on and zig past
aptly named Relief Res. as fast as your feet can take you...
but I know I will only go that way now very very early or
question my sanity.

As far as Red Peak. The east side will still have significant
snow even at the end of July this year. That could either make
you say you don't want to go that way or it will make you
really have something to remember. (by that I mean you will
think it is really friggin cool).
Have fun

[oakroscoe]

Haha, Billy when i get you to respond on this site instead of the other one, I know that I've either said something really good or something that you want to reach through the computer and choke me like Homer strangles Bart.

My understanding is that you will pretty much have it to yourself after the first 12-15 miles out of Kennedy (as long as it isnt hunting season).

Hah, you could always cheat and spend a less than $200 and ride a horse out of Kennedy for the first 10 miles or so. But that takes the fun out of that uphill at the start!

As for the snow, I am definitely aware of that. We have a trip planned out of Kennedy leaving July 21st, and I am sure we are gonna hit some snow, unless we get some crazy warm weather and warm rain storms to wash everything away. I pretty much figure it will be like when I went into Miwok Lake in June in 09...walking over 5 foot snow drifts in the shade to get there.

As for horses & mules in the backcountry, we've had that discussion before. I have no problem with them as long as the cowboy/rider is competent and controls them, just like dogs. However, I know where you stand and I respect your opinion. I've been in the Emigrant in October during hunting season crossing Cherry Canyon going to Hyatt, Big and Yellowhammer and come across hunters and never had any issues. In full disclosure I am not a hunter, but to be honest my grandfather moved out to California in the 1930s for work after college and in a large part fed his family by hunting. And before you ask my age, my mom was the youngest of her generation and I was the youngest of my generation so it for me it was weird yet very cool to have that link into the past and that kind of existence.

[bill-e-g]

Oak,
I guess it's just that you have to know what you are getting yourself
into. I prefer to not have to walk this, that's all:
http://yosemitenews.info/forum/read.php ... #msg-32200

I've only been out of KM a few times but it's always been v. bad
to Relief and Kennedy Lake. Everything is gonna be busy in late
July, I was kinda surprised to see so many peeps at Iceland when
dayhiked Granite Dome many years ago. It's pretty though so
at the end of the day, it's worth it and I need to explore more of
the middle of Emigrant, I must admit (have never even hiked out of Crabtree)
A much better start pt. IMO is Leavitt Lake though... but there's issues w/that too.

Anywho, here's the other issue I have with Kennedy Lake:
http://yosemitenews.info/forum/read.php ... #msg-28235

Have fun