Hope to try again for next year

[rick56]

I am hoping to reserve a car camp for next June for a three or four day weekend. My plan is to get a spot at Upper/Lower Pines or another Valley camp site for my wife and son, who will stay in the valley. Then I'll hike out for one night from the valley and backpack somewhere in the area of Little Yosemite Valley or nearby. I'm not planning to climb Half Dome, but would enjoy a single night outside the main valley where I could camp for a night, take photos and maybe fish, then hike back to my family the next day. This is part of my bucket list. Last June after months of planning our trip to HH ended 1 1/2 miles out when my kid got hurt. We turned back, drove to the valley to try camp 4 but it was full. Ended up driving home late. I am in decent shape for my age, I'm a soldier and used to hiking. I've done many other areas in CA but would like advice on a nice one night backpack up from the valley floor and back if thats possible. Another possible overnight would be if I could take a shuttle up to Glacier Point or have my wife drop me off, and then hike out for one night, then return the next day. I am interested in going near the main valley not Tioga Road since my family will be camping in the valley. Thanks

[dan]

Here's a few ideas:
1. Yosemite Creek Campground (Tioga Road) to Yosemite Valley via Yosemite Creek and Yosemite Falls trail.

2. Porcupine Flat (Tioga Road) to Mirror Lake via Snow Creek and Snow Creek trail

3. Glacier Point to Happy Isles via Ililouette Fall, Illilouette Creek, Panorama Trail and Mist trail (or drier John Muir Trail).

The last option only crosses Illilouette Creek while the first two options follow creeks and have more fishing opportunities.

[rick56]

Dan, thanks, can those be done in a day? Since my wife and son are not really into backpacking like I said I was hoping to go out from the Valley for one night? Is there a shuttle that takes backpackers up to Glacier point?

[dan]

Dan, thanks, can those be done in a day? Since my wife and son are not really into backpacking like I said I was hoping to go out from the Valley for one night? Is there a shuttle that takes backpackers up to Glacier point?

They could be done in a day. Take the Glacier Point tourist bus up from Yosemite Valley and hike down. Buy a 1-way ticket (see "tours" on http://www.yosemitepark.com/ ). For Tioga Road, take the Hiker's Bus (see the same webpage). Add up the mileages on each of the trips and consider the starting time. You go a lot faster without a backpack and downhill, but all are all-day trips. If you want something shorter, heading down the Four Mile Trail from Glacier Point only takes 2 hours or so.

[rick56]

Thanks Dan,

Those all sound like day hikes, is there a fairly short backpack overnighter that I could do? My plan was to reserve a car camp site in the main valley where my family would stay. Then take the tourist bus up to Glacier Point, hike out from there and do a night out? I know that in some parts of the park you have to hike a certain distance before you are allowed to camp overnight with a wilderness permit. Would that be possible? Looks like for June 2012 I'd have to try and reserve a site in Feb. I remember that some wilderness permits can be obtained "first come first served" the day after you enter the park. In order to do that do you have to stay at camp 4 ? Or can I get one if I was at Upper or Lower Pines? Thanks

Rick

[dan]

Some out-and-back overnights include Little Yosemite Valley that you mention.

And Yosemite Creek--you can backpack in from Tioga Road and head to the top of Upper Yosemite Falls and return. Or continue down the Yosemite Falls Trail and end up at Camp 4/Yosemite Lodge area in the Valley.

You have to be 4 miles from the trailhead before you can camp. Here's the rules:
http://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/wildregs.htm

If you have a wilderness permit you may camp in the Backpackers Campground (just north of North Pines Campground and just north of Tenaya Creek, across a footbridge). Not on most maps.

As far as Wilderness Permits are concerned, they don't care if you spent the night in Camp 4 or anywhere in Yosemite. You can get a permit the day you arrive if they have any available. More likely the trailheads you want are not available and you need to get a permit for the next day.