Trail conditions for Mt Hoffmann

[vardhini]

Hi,
A bunch of us friends are planning to hike Mt Hoffman this coming weekend (Aug 20-21). I heard it mentioned that the trail is still buried in snow.
Does anyone know if the trail is accessible?

This will be our first visit to that side of the park.

Appreciate the help.

[chris554]

Hey, I was in the May Lake area mid last week and while I didn't hike the Mt Hoffmann trail many others were doing so. If there was any snow I'm sure it's nothing to worry about.

Chris

[dan]

Spelling police . It's Mount Hoffmann, with 2 "n"s. Named after the German-born early surveyor and map maker Charles Hoffmann, part of the Whitney expedition that mapped and explored the Sierra Nevada, including Yosemite.

http://www.yosemite.ca.us/library/place ... rra/h.html

It's a terrific 360-degree view on top.

Here's a self-portrait of Charles Hoffmann on Mt. Hoffmann:

(from The Yosemite Book, http://www.yosemite.ca.us/library/the_y ... te_25.html )

[ProgMtl]

Not the spelling police, but...How can it be a self portrait of Hoffmann if he himself is on the mountain?...just asking

[dan]

Not the spelling police, but...How can it be a self portrait of Hoffmann if he himself is on the mountain?...just asking

Ha ha! You're right--it was by early Yosemite photographer Carlton Watkins in the 1860s.

[bwg999]

I hiked Mt. Hoffmann on Aug 1 (2 weeks ago). "Buried in snow" is absolutely not the case. There were a few places where we walked on snow fo rmaybe 10 ft at a time, but absolutely no big deal - no microspikes required although trekking poles were useful. Should be no issue now with snow - just be careful if any is still there.

Do watch the trail a bit - in places when you start to come out of the treeline it can be a little hard to follow. Virtually no chance to get lost on the way up (go up) but it possible to miss the turn back to the meadow and down to May Lake on the way down (although with a decent sense of direction or a GPS you certainly know which direction to go).

Great view from up top although I wish it did not have that antenna thingy up there (anybody know its purpose?). Detracts a bit. Not as good a view as Cloud's Rest, but a shorter hike...and the geographic center of Yosemite.

[dan]

Great view from up top although I wish it did not have that antenna thingy up there (anybody know its purpose?). Detracts a bit.

That's a radio repeater for Park Net. It's used by backcountry rangers with hand-held radios to communicate with the rest of the park.