recommendations for 5-day loop trip

[Flashman]

Hi:

I'm planning a backpacking trip with a group of Brits who've never been to Yosemite before. I want so wow them with the scenery but hopefully not repeat a trip I've done recently.

Among the ones I've done recently:

Mammoth to Tuolumne via the Roper Route to Thousand Island Lake, then JMT to Tuolumne.
Kennedy Meadows to Tuolumne via Tahoe-Yosemite Trail
Loop from Glacier Point via Red Peak Pass, Merced Lake and Little Yosemite Valley.

The group is in their mid-50s to mid-60s. I'm guessing that, as a group, we're in so-so shape. I'm looking for something a touch easier than the trips listed above.

I'd like to keep it to 40 or 45 miles.

I was interested in Saddlebag Lake-Twin Lakes, but with the time available I'm not sure we could do the car shuttle.

We'll be doing this in early September.

Any suggestions? Thanks in advance for your help.

-- Flashman

[balzaccom]

What you've mentioned aren't always loops. I like the trip from Mono Meadows up Illilouette Canyon and then down the Merced Canyon (that would give them some of the more famous sites) or the one we did last summer: Nelson Lake, cross country to Vogelsand, then down Lewis Creek and up Fletcher Creek, back to Tuolumne Meadows. Both are on our website, and I think you could do either one in five reasonable days

[Flashman]

Thanks! I think the first trip you mentioned is almost the same as one of the ones I did in the past (leaving and returning from Mono Meadows instead of Glacier Point), but the other sounds very promising.

Is the cross-country from Nelson Lake to Vogelsang pretty open and easy, or does it involve any third class? I assume you get to Nelson Lake from the JMT, cutting over from somewhere north of the Sunrise HSC?

Best,

Flashman

P.S. And you're right -- two of the three trips I mentioned weren't loops. But for various practical reasons I need to do a loop this time.

[balzaccom]

The Trailhead for Nelson Lake leaves from the Tuolumne Meadows campground, so it is a perfect loop. Take the trail to Elizabeth Lake, then continue over the ridge to Nelson Lake. From Nelson Lake to Tuolumne Pass at the head of Rafferty Creek, it's a VERY easy hike the whole way. You just follow the canyon up to the Northeast, past Reymann Lake, and then down into the Rafferty Creek canyon. We aimed right at Tuolumne Pass, and pretty much hit it right on.

Then the rest of the trail was over Vogelsang Pass (camped at Bernice Lake) then down Lewis and up Fletcher, (camped at Emeric Lake), and then out the next day. It would have been easy to add a day at any of those points.

[Flashman]

Much thanks! I'll get out some topos and check it out. The Cathedral Range is one of my favorite parts of the entire Sierra ...

-- Flashman

[Grzldvt]

Since they are in so-so shape why not do the High Sierra Loop? Camps will be closed, but it is not that difficult and does take in some great scenery. It is a loop and keeps the whole trip fairly simple. Heck you wouldn't have to carry bear canisters as the whole trip would have food storage.

[balzaccom]

Since they are in so-so shape why not do the High Sierra Loop? Camps will be closed, but it is not that difficult and does take in some great scenery. It is a loop and keeps the whole trip fairly simple. Heck you wouldn't have to carry bear canisters as the whole trip would have food storage.

Not a bad idea, but i tend to avoid those camps because of the numbers of people...and late in the summer, I am convinced the bears get worse there...

[Grzldvt]

Since they are in so-so shape why not do the High Sierra Loop? Camps will be closed, but it is not that difficult and does take in some great scenery. It is a loop and keeps the whole trip fairly simple. Heck you wouldn't have to carry bear canisters as the whole trip would have food storage.

Not a bad idea, but i tend to avoid those camps because of the numbers of people...and late in the summer, I am convinced the bears get worse there...

Actually I have done the trip in early September mid week and there aren't that many people around the camps. Weekends, definitely, but weekdays, at least when I have done them, they were pretty quiet. I have also noticed that once the camps close the bears tend to move on in life for riper pickings, although at Glen Aulin, there never seems to be an escape, anytime

[AlmostThere]

Since they are in so-so shape why not do the High Sierra Loop? Camps will be closed, but it is not that difficult and does take in some great scenery. It is a loop and keeps the whole trip fairly simple. Heck you wouldn't have to carry bear canisters as the whole trip would have food storage.

The flaw in this plan is that you will not be issued a wilderness permit until you have a bear canister. You MUST have a bear canister to backpack in Yosemite. Presence of food lockers at your planned camps makes no difference.

[bill-e-g]

Uh... that's not true. Classic example is Little Yosemite Valley. Loads o bear boxes. No need to bring a bear canister.
Same with Glen Aulin. Without question...
Now I'm of the mind that you should be required to anyway b/c people change their minds and whatnot... but
it's just not true that you HAVE to have a bear canister. You do HAVE to store your food properly at ALL times though.

Looked it up on nps website in case you are still uncertain:

Food lockers (limited availability)
Food lockers ("bear boxes") are only available at designated campsites in Little Yosemite Valley and adjacent to the five High Sierra Camps. You are encouraged to carry canisters even when hiking in areas where bear boxes are available because they may be unavailable or full in these busy areas. Canisters increase your freedom in selecting campsites away from developed or highly used areas. Food lockers are communal: personal locks are not allowed and will be removed.

[AlmostThere]

Uh... that's not true. Classic example is Little Yosemite Valley. Loads o bear boxes. No need to bring a bear canister.
Same with Glen Aulin. Without question...
Now I'm of the mind that you should be required to anyway b/c people change their minds and whatnot... but
it's just not true that you HAVE to have a bear canister. You do HAVE to store your food properly at ALL times though.

Looked it up on nps website in case you are still uncertain:

Food lockers (limited availability)
Food lockers ("bear boxes") are only available at designated campsites in Little Yosemite Valley and adjacent to the five High Sierra Camps. You are encouraged to carry canisters even when hiking in areas where bear boxes are available because they may be unavailable or full in these busy areas. Canisters increase your freedom in selecting campsites away from developed or highly used areas. Food lockers are communal: personal locks are not allowed and will be removed.

I've been in the wilderness office overhearing rangers refusing permits to people until they rent the canister.

Just my observation.

I have also gotten completely contradictory information over the phone - I think the civilian rangers and law enforcement rangers and phone answerers all have different ideas.

[bill-e-g]

Hey no problem. I wish they would just say no bearcan, no permit. It would make things simpler.
I have lent out one of my bearcans to people and they've left it in the car... they were told
point blank they didn't need a bearcan because they had Glen Aulin permit and they HAD to
camp in Glen Aulin. The experience and knowledge of even the issuing rangers varies.
As you have alluded to.. this is really especially true at the Hetch Hetchy entrance.

[AlmostThere]

It also confuzzles me how they manage SAR - I go last year on a mutual aid, we show up at Tuolumne ranger station for briefing. We volunteers from county search teams are issued free bear canisters then told we are base camping at Vogelsang High Sierra Camp in the backpacker campground, where there are - BEAR LOCKERS. Even we unpaid grid searchers must carry them. They never leave us overnight in the field, but just in case they can't get us back to base camp, here's a Garcia to cram in your diddly 40 liter SAR pack. From now on I am carrying my little ol Bare Boxer every time.

[Grzldvt]

Hey no problem. I wish they would just say no bearcan, no permit. It would make things simpler.
I have lent out one of my bearcans to people and they've left it in the car... they were told
point blank they didn't need a bearcan because they had Glen Aulin permit and they HAD to
camp in Glen Aulin. The experience and knowledge of even the issuing rangers varies.
As you have alluded to.. this is really especially true at the Hetch Hetchy entrance.

This... My son and a friend backpacked the High Sierra Loop with us that had actual reservations and they were not required to carry a canister. Now it could be that the ranger issuing the permit understood that the two of them would always be in camp where there were bear boxes and felt there were good and under different circumstances would have required a canister. Sounds like the answer is "it depends"
We go to Glen Aulin every June, and I guess we never questioned the canister because we always stay off the beaten path and have them on general principles. I will have to ask this year.