The most bang for your buck

[StephDC]

Hi there,

First off- I just wanted to thank all the people who post to this forum- it's very helpful!

My husband and I are planning a backpacking trip to Yosemite in late June/early July. We have roughly 8-9 days to hike/camp and I'm having trouble choosing some routes. Generally when we visit such a large park we prefer to do 1-3 shorter hikes so we can get a variety of landscapes in. We are in good physical shape and generally with packs like to do 8-9 miles per day though we have been known to do more if there's a great campsite waiting for us!

Like everyone else we prefer less crowds and lots of scenery. Some that I am considering are as follows ( mostly on your recommendations!):

Illilouette canyon to ottaway lakes- 3 night/4day
Breeze Lake-2 night 3 day
Young lake- 1 night 2 day
Boundary lake- 3 night / 4 day

Sadly I can't do them all so we need to make some choices. Which do you think offers a nice variety of landscape/scenery and are the allotted times reasonable? From what I hear the elevation gains and losses can be intense. Will it take me forever to drive between trailheads at this time of year? Also- I wouldn't mind skipping boggy areas since blood suckers can ruin a trip for me really fast.

There's my 20 questions! Thanks for any insight you can offer and thanks again for all the great posts!
-S

[balzaccom]

We've done three of the four trips you mention, and you can find trip note on them on our website.

Scenery for Illilouette canyon is somewhat subdued until you get to around Upper Merced Lake...then it is wonderful. And fishing there is also great.

The trail to Boundary Lake is along Kibbie Ridge--also not that scenic early on, but once you get to Mercur Peak and Styx pass, that changes into spectacular as well. No fish in Boundary Lake or other lakes in that area. Take the time to climb Mercur Peak and the dome between Little Bear and BOundary Lakes for some great views.

Young Lakes has better scenery, is shorter---but I would also recommend climbing Mt. Conness while you are there, and adding a day to that trip. That's a great hike/climb with stunning views of all of Northern Yosemite

[Grzldvt]

balzaccom has it nailed, but personally none of these rise to the top of my list, with the exception of Young Lakes, which you can do Conness and Ragged Peak. Go in via Glen Aulin and come out via Dog Lake.
I am not a fan of Illiloutte Canyon. You are hiking in a heavily treed, scenery-less canyon. balzacomm, was being tactful I once referred to it as a hole, but one member took exception to that description.
I would take a look at Virginia Lakes, out to Virginia Canyon, setup camp. Day hike out to Burro Pass in Matterhorn Canyon, come back out the next day.
In the post "First Time backpacking Yosemite" There are several suggestions, check them out.

[AlmostThere]

I would go out Mono and Parker Pass, but that is my fondness for the alpine showing.

Unfortunately the Bang in Yosemite is also the most crowded. But I recommend the north or south rim trail - views galore. Staying on the edge of Yosemite Valley is pretty awesome. It's quite nice to have coffee on Dewey Point before the hordes of day hikers show up.

You'll want to have rangers show you clearly where the no camping zones are, and plan accordingly.

[StephDC]

Thanks for the help. I changed the plans a bit and decided to do a longer loop entering at Quartz mountain and doing Breeze Lake, Ottoway, over the red peak pass and back down through Fernandez pass. Any thoughts on which direction might be best as well as nice places to camp?

I called the ranger station to book my permit and he was strongly trying to convince me to complete Young Lakes going in and out of Dog Lake, he insisted this was the most scenic route and Glen Aulin is not so scenic- any thoughts? I also added another night so I will have time to check out Ragged peak- thanks again.

[AlmostThere]

I'm a little confused. Did you call a Yosemite ranger to get the permit for Quartz Mountain trailhead? That should be the Sierra National Forest Ranger - Bass Lake district. Why would a ranger in national forest try to convince you to go to Dog Lake and Young Lakes?

[StephDC]

Sorry for the confusion, I'm doing two trips. The young lakes hike permit was what I was referring to about the ranger.

[orion]

i would agree with the ranger about skipping glen aulin. also, you can cross country to the pass to the east of ragged peak and come down to young lakes that way. it invovles a little scrambling and extra altitude, but gives a nice view and cuts out about a mile. once you come out upon an alpine meadow, the route is obvious.

also, the dog lake trailhead can sometimes be confusing to find.