Recommendations for 3 to 4 day hike in early June

[budmelch]

Hi all,

Does anyone have any good 3 to 4 day hikes in early June? It is our first visit to Yosemite so we are open to all areas.

Thanks
Bud

[balzaccom]

It all depends on the weather from here on out. By then snow levels should be higher, but there's no real way of knowing how much higher. IF we get some warm weather, you may be able to get up into Tuolumne Meadows, and then have lots of options. If not, you'll have to look at Little Yosemite Valley, Illilouette Canyon, Laurel Lake/Lake Verono and some of the other lower elevation destinations.

WE've got a bunch of suggestions on our website...

[budmelch]

Thanks for the reply. I'll check out your web site.

Assuming snow levels were not an issue, which area of the ones you listed would be the best to hike in? Looking at a combination of not too crowded and nice scenery. Terrain/difficulty not being an issue.

-Bud

[balzaccom]

I like Illilouette Canyon, both because the fishing is good, and the scenery up around Ottoway Lakes is lovely. And you wont' see many people up there compared to Little Yosemite Valley...

[budmelch]

Thanks - you seem to be a wealth of information, so I'll ask you about our Half Dome situation.

I applied for a reservation through the lottery that was just held and did not get a permit for any of the 5 days I requested - hard to believe.

Where exactly do we have to go to sign up for the daily lottery? What time does this/these building(s) open? Is it worth taking the time for a morning or two to attempt to get a half dome permit? Half dome was one of the main reasons for flying across county to visit the park!

[balzaccom]

I am not completely up to date on the latest on permits for Half Dome, sorry. But there are others here who are. My understand is that they permits are much like the walk-up wilderness permits: if you don't win the lottery for a permit, you stand in line the day before, and hope to get one. If you are going to try and include Half Dome as a part of this wilderness permit, you'll need to adjust your itinerary to include something that gets you close to Half Dome, like LIttle Yosemite Valley, and then request a Half Dome permit with that wilderness permit. That could work, both that's very popular destination...and those permits will be hard to get.

Just a word of advice about Half Dome from someone who has done a ton of hiking in Yosemite. The hike from Tenaya Lake to Cloud's Rest is a much more enjoyable hike, and Cloud's Rest has better views than Half Dome--including a view looking down on the people on top of Half Dome. True, it doesn't include Vernal and Nevada Falls--but you can do those without a permit. And there will be approximately ten percent of the people on Cloud's Rest that there are on Half Dome on any given day...

If it were me, I would choose Cloud's Rest over Half Dome--but then I have already done them both.

[balzaccom]

Here is the lastest on the lottery:

Daily Lottery
Approximately 50 permits will be available each day by lottery during the hiking season. These permits will be available based on the estimated rate of under-use and cancellation of permits (the exact number may change through the summer). The daily lotteries will have an application period two days prior to the hiking date with a notification late that night. (So, to hike on Saturday, you would apply on Thursday and receive an email notification of results late on Thursday night. Results will also be available online, or by phone the next morning.) The application period will be from midnight to 1 pm Pacific time.

[KC]

Agree with Balzacomm on Clouds Rest over Half Dome.