Looking for suggestions for October trip

[geoffgarcia]

Hi all,
I'll be visiting CA in October and am going to have 2 days to explore Yosemite a little. I don't know anything about the park layout/trails and am looking for pointers on good day hiking trails where I'll be able to see some great views and some landmarks.

I haven't figured out my lodging yet (any advice?), but will most likely have a rental car to get me to trail-heads.
My comfort level would be to hike <8 hours each of the days assuming 9-5 is appropriately sunny at that time of the year.

In regards to my hiking experience/fitness: I'm 35, jog 10-12 miles a week, and have hiked Mount Washington twice in the last 2 years along with a half dozen other half day hikes on the east coast.

After Yosemite I'm probably going to visit Sequoia/Kings Canyon for another 2 days of hiking and will have the same question about trails and lodging for that area, so if you have any input on that it would be appreciated also (or if you have advice on forums for those parks!).
Thanks very much for any assistance,
Geoff

[AlmostThere]

I know it may be something you already know, but it's often overlooked - you will lose a day traveling from Yosemite to SEKI - it is a 2 hour drive downhill to Fresno, and another 1.5 - 2 hours back up into the mountains to SEKI and another 20-60 minutes to destinations within either park. By the time you are done with the driving and stopping for meals, most of the day is gone. If you have 5 days total (with one on each end for getting to and from whatever airport or other trip segments you may be planning) this will work.

There are great guides available for hiking - all of them will list trips of varying difficulties. The Moon California Hiking guide is a good general one, and then there are Sierra North and Sierra South (North has Yosemite, South has SEKI, both have also a variety of other trails available in them within the Sierra outside the parks) - look these up on google books or at the library if you don't want to buy them. Also there is yosemitehikes.com for a short menu of hikes throughout Yosemite.

You will probably want to spend one day just walking around the valley floor and up to Mirror Lake. The Panorama Trail, the Four Mile Trail, the Mist Trail, and the Upper Yosemite Falls trail all climb out of the valley floor and give great views down into it and across the mountains. Many really awesome hikes off Tioga Road, Ten Lakes pass being a really great one for mountain views. You could also easily spend an entire day touring Tuolumne Meadows - if the weather has not turned.

And on that note - you need to be prepared for snow, rain, hail and low temps. In October in the high country you will be at risk of any of those things. On a four day backpack in Mineral King I experienced all of the above plus a lightening storm. Take warm layers, rain gear, and some extra provisions and your 10 essentials - learn the symptoms of high altitude sickness, hypothermia and dehydration, and what to do about them. You may not be able to access Tioga Road that late in the year. Depends on when the snow sticks and closes the road. Many services in the park will be closed, and you will want to carry chains/cables just in case. Which some rental car places won't let you use on the car. Something to check on. You'll want them for SEKI too.

[dan]

I second that advice--if you only have 5 days, don't visit both parks. Just visit Yosemite. Otherwise, you'll be spending a lot of time driving in foothills behind RVs.

For lodging, nothing beats saying in Yosemite Valley. In October the rates are a lot lower than in summer, especially weekdays. Other nearby places are El Portal (just outside the park boundary) and Mariposa (an old western town). Oakhurst is also possible, but farther away. Here's a map: http://www.yosemite.ca.us/lodging

Here's some info on chains from the Park Service. Unlikely in October unless you visit the high country off Tioga Road, but anything's possible:
http://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/chains.htm
http://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/tirechains.htm

Here's a map of Yosemite Valley hiking trails:
http://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/u ... hikes1.pdf

[oakroscoe]

Even with fair weather they don't allow overnight parking after October 15th off Tioga Rd. The gate after Cherry Lake Rd to get to the Eleanor & Shingle Springs/Kibbie trailhead is closed sometime in September (before hunting season starts). As others echoed, there can be a wide variety of weather in October...it can be downright balmy or you can get out in single degree temperatures (like I did at Lake Wegner in October 3 years ago. Definitely check the weather before you go, and if it looks particularly foul or cold, I would consider car camping instead of backpacking in.

[AlmostThere]

He did say he was only dayhiking...

[balzaccom]

We've got a whole list of Yosemite day trip hikes on our website. If I were there in October, I would look at dayhiking to Nevada Falls and back, North Dome from Porcupine Flat, Gaylor Lakes and Lembert Dome from Tioga Pass...maybe Cathedral Lakes....and of course Clouds Rest

[geoffgarcia]

Thanks for all of the info everybody!!!
Yikes! I was in denial about the cold and that chains might be needed - glad to know so I can be prepared!

I'll be out there till the 16th but wasn't planning on hiking the entire time, mostly because it'll be my first solo hiking trip, and thought I might do some extra exploring further north in CA.

In all likelihood I'll be hiking Yosemite the 8th and 9th.
I had planned on hopping in the car after hiking on the 9th and driving to the other park area (Sequoia/Kings) and hiking there the 10th and 11th.
Then shooting over to Monterrey after hiking on the 11th so I can checkout their aquarium on the 12th.

Given the chill that will likely be in the air, my uncertainty with the area, my n00bish'ness with altitude (I live at 72ft above sea level in NY), I might just stick to some of the lower elevation, more commonly traveled paths and save the great views for warmer days when I have some company to go with me!

This seemed like a cool site for learning about trails (I'm big on charts/graphics like this):
http://www.yosemitehikes.com/yosemite-info/trail-maps.htm

[Grzldvt]

I will add another vote for staying in Yosemite and skipping Sequoia. IMO opinion, SEKI is best and most spectacular hitting the back country.. Something a bit difficult to do day hiking. Having said that the Groves of Big Trees are a wonder to see.
I wouldn't hold back on high elevation hikes either. Check out balzacomm's site it has a ton of information.
However if I was only going to do two days in the park, I would do Mt Hoffman and Cloud's Rest. You would need to start early for Cloud's Rest, but going in via Sunrise you save a lot of climbing and time. Be aware that the last hundred yards are on a narrow ridge that acrophobics don't like. Getting through the Sunrise High Sierra camp can get a bit dicey as there are trails running everywhere for the High Sierra camp but if you follow the JMT signs and pay attention to the direction you will be fine. In lieu of Cloud's Rest I might opt for North Dome out of Porcupine Creek.
Yosemite's tails are very well marked, and every intersection has signs pointing you in the direction you want to go.