3-4 day backpacking trip in early-mid June

[sdhiker]

I am an avid runner, hiker, and backpacker in San Diego. I haven't backpacked in about 18 months. I've never been to Yosemite, so I'm looking for a classic, not too crowded but not totally empty, 3-4 day trip. I plan on starting around June 9th. I don't have a permit (obviously), but will be getting there the day before to camp out and get a permit the day of if none are available online. Thanks for the advice!

[AlmostThere]

I hope you like snow in some amount.

Tioga Road will not be open, so you can choose between trails out of the valley, or out of Hetch Hetchy. The higher in elevation you go, the more snow there will be. It's snowing this weekend, in fact, above 7,000 feet.

I'm going to Hetch Hetchy but planning to be either wet or in snow - creek crossings will be high and often dangerous, and somewhere around Vernon Lake you can bet there will be snow to walk on. So think about how you're going to navigate without a trail, and how you're going to walk across all that nice crusty snow.

The classic trip? Go up to Little Yosemite Valley, Merced Lake, out toward Clouds Rest, even toward Half Dome - but the cables are down due to snow and ice on the subdome, and there's some steep snowbanks to get up there.

You could probably manage the Pohono Trail - creek crossings shouldn't be too bad, and Glacier Point Road is open so you can grab a ride back down on the tour bus if it's running, or just an ice cream bar or hot cuppa before hiking on down the Panorama Trail to Happy Isles on the way back to the car.

Crowds? Well, since most people can't navigate without the trail, you'll be heading the same places they will, if you can't either. In search of clear trails and stopping where the snow covers them. There's a lot of people heading out there trying to get some backpacking in. Good luck.

By the way... you can't get wilderness permits online, for any of the parks. You have to call or fax, or pick them up first come/first serve. I'll bet you can get a permit easy, since people will get to the park and hear the ranger telling them how much snow there will be, and they'll decide to do something else.

[sdhiker]

Thanks for the info and recommendations! If anyone has others, I am open to them even if it is only for a 2-3 day trip instead of 3-4 because of the snow. I just want to explore Yosemite and relax in the woods.

[AlmostThere]

You might get out a few miles, from any trailhead. But anywhere over 7000 feet there will be snow. Most of Yosemite is over 7,000 feet - at least the part of Yosemite you can backpack into. All the trails currently open will be under snow within a day's hike of the TH. Except for the THs on Glacier Point Road, which are all under snow entirely. So if you go anywhere for more than a night be ready for snow!

[andiemint]

We're headed at the end of June (23 - 27) and plan on doing Miguel Meadows/Hetch Hetchy. Same conditions/warnings apply?

[balzaccom]

There won't be any snow on your trip until you get closer to Lake Vernon--so the first part of your trip, from Lake Eleanor to Miguel Meadows (and on to Hetch-hetchy, if you want!) will be clear. The trail will be wet in places past Miguel Meadows, but nothing serious. You can see photos of our trip there last weekend on our website blog.

In fact, the trail the Lake Vernon may not have any real problems other than following the footprints in the snow from the Beehive for a mile or two. But Laurel Creek will still probably be very difficult to cross, so it may be hard to get to Laurel Lake via any trail...

[oakroscoe]

We're headed at the end of June (23 - 27) and plan on doing Miguel Meadows/Hetch Hetchy. Same conditions/warnings apply?

You will most likely have Eleanor Lake to yourself, as well as the trail up Miguel Meadows. Once you get to Laurel, you may see some people and will most likely see people at Beehive. As stated, Laurel creek should be gushing, and may be very difficult/dangerous to cross.

Are your plans to go in Eleanor and come out Hetchy? Or to go in Eleanor and go to Lake Vernon and then come out? Vernon will most likely still have snow at that time, considering it is most likely snowing there right now and the forecast for the weekend is not good...

[orion]

unless you are doing a big loop (later in the season) or trying to skirt the park fees, vernon is preferrable from hetch hetchy. from eleanor it is mostly a nondescript hike down an old road for a while, and laurel lake doesn't add much to the experience. no vista + little granite = hard to justify the extra miles. sometimes i think this area is less explored because people come up the switchback from hetch hetchy, get a look at laurel lake or beehive and don't come back.

in the earlier season, concern yourself less with reaching a lake, instead explore the watersheds. falls creek and kibbie creek are sure to be having a rolicking time about now. there aren't always trails, and you'll need to use good judgement because the water is truly dangerous and it is easy to fall on the slippery rocks. don't expect to be able to cross too many creeks that aren't bridged, but you can follow them. by the end of the summer they will be mere trickles, but now they are worth seeing.

[AlmostThere]

I actually bailed out of my Hetch Hetchy trip - the storm blew in and I blew it off.

Might try again at the end of June if the weather stabilizes.

[rick56]

To balzaccom,

I tried to PM you could not get it to work. I have a permit for June 10-12 into Hetch Hetchy. We intended to follow the trail around the reservoir the 6.5 miles then stay the weekend near the Rancheria Falls area. I saw that you went Memorial weekend. The weather is supposed to clear by this Thursday but due to the recent snow I wanted to ask you if know if the Rancheria Falls area would be doable? Last year one of the foot bridges was washed out and just repaired in April. I've tried contacting my connection at the NPS but have not heard back yet. We have 20 degree bags with 15 degree liners and also planned on wearing several layers due to it being down in the 30s at night. I'm experienced but my family is not. Do you think we could go in there ok?
Thanks.

R

[AlmostThere]

Not the person you are addressing... but I would very much doubt that snow really stuck that low. Rancheria is not likely to have accumulated much and if it did, it will be melted off in no time. Just the fact that most of the trail is open and exposed to sunlight makes it unlikely to have anything icy or snowy.

[rick56]

Almost there, thanks, I asked (I think its Paul?) because he went in over memorial day. I've been following the weather and it looks like next Friday -Sunday should be decent. Have you camped at Rancheria Falls and if so can you recommend a nice spot? Thanks

[AlmostThere]

The rangers will direct you to use the over-used established campsites at the Falls. There are a couple of sites lower than the ones right off the trail, if you look down the use trails you'll see on the way up the ridge, you'll see some spots - I would take those over the ones in the forested established site, because mosquitos congregate in the foliage. The slight breeze that comes down the creek will blow them away. The sites are pretty obvious because this is a heavily used area. Showing up on Friday you should get your pick of them.

We stored our canisters in a depression made by a fallen tree, so when the bears roll them around, they wouldn't go very far. Careful not to put them on a spot that they are easily rolled into the creek or off a cliff of any height - if the bears learn to roll the things onto granite, we're all sunk.

[orion]

i flew over last weekend, hetch hetchy is all clear of snow to the upper ridgeline ~ 6,000ft or higher, barring recent squalls. le conte point looked bare. i couldn't make out kibbie or vernon due to clouds, but they should be entering the melt stage soon if not already.

the only problem with rancheria would be a bridge issue, and any ranger could answer to that.

[bill-e-g]

Ranch has been free of snow for a month. And the bridge repaired for as long.