Need Recommendations: 3 day, 2 night

[eonblue]

Hello all, my wife and I are going to be visiting Yosemite for the first time and I will be doing it in 2013 as part of a 2 week, San Francisco -> Yosemite -> Big Sur -> Pacific Coast Highway -> LA trip. Never been to California so we decided to do it up!! Lots of things to take into consideration which is why Im getting started a year early

Looking for a 3 day, 2 night trip. We will be in a rental car so I would assume a loop is necessary, unless you guys can recommend something that makes use of another form of transportation on a one way trip. I am prone to altitude sickness for a day so a night somewhere, even a hotel outside the park wouldn't be bad. We are prepared to sleep down to 40 or slightly below(we have 20* bags). We are not prepared for any sort of ice/snow traversal. We are both 31 and pretty fit. As a point of reference, we did Zion's West Rim Trail from valley to top overnight. Approx. 4000' elevation gain from 4k above sea level to 8k in about 85-90 degree weather with 40+ lbs including water all the way up. We made it to camp but we were getting prepared to hang it up and just camp on the side of the trail toward the end. If at all possible I would like to avoid that feeling on this trip. Tough is fine, but 4 hour death march/grind is not. I seriously didn't know if we were going to make it. After that trip we lightened our gear pretty significantly btw.

I realize that Yosemite is wildly popular and solitude isn't at all likely, but if given a choice I prefer solitude over companionship when backpacking. However, this is our first time, so we would certainly forego solitude if the scenery is worth it. Just depends. We are not interested in climbing Half Dome unless its just something that absolutely cannot be missed. Also still up for consideration is dates. We are pretty much basing the trip around Yosemite given the shorter timespan which we are equipped to visit it related to weather. I believe I read that prime season is July-Sept., but we are willing to spend colder nights if it means less people.

Given all this information I would really appreciate a few recommendations of starting points for research. If I will be getting plenty of information about the park and individual trails, but a few recommendations for trips would be awesome. I've done my best here to provide all pertinent information after reading a few threads like this, but if I forgotten something please let me know.

Thanks!!

[weendoggy]

My favorite 3 day trips are from the Tuolumne Meadows area. Both starting from the campgound area (which would meet your criteria for an overnight acclimation stop) as there aren't really any hotels, sans the Tioga Pass Resort outside the park at the pass on Hwy.120.

For more solitude, I like the hike to Nelson Lake via Elizabeth Lake trailhead. Once past Elizabeth Lake, you climb to the top of the granite pass above the lake. This is ALL unmarked (non-maintained) but navigable as it's more a well used cross-country trail. You have excellent views of the Cockscomb and Matthes Crest and follow Echo Creek to the drainage of Nelson Lake and hike up to the lake. From here, you can spend the day exploring and the next day, take a day hike to Matthes Lake accross the Echo Creek drainage. Very peaceful and may not see anyone, depending on when you go.

The other trip is hiking to Vogelsang Lake. Spend the rest of the day exploring and the second day, take the trail to the Lyell Canyon and spend the night there. The third day will be a short 3 hour hike out of the canyon as it's pretty much "flat". Both of these trips can be done mid/late August into September (my favorite time) as the crowds are less but you'll avoid the pesky flying dive bombers with foot long beaks, otherwise know as mesquitos!

There are other trips off the Glacier Point road, but I chose the two above as it has much better "views", and anything you do from the valley "rim" requires a four mile radius before you can camp. Also, proximity for driving is a little easier than in the valley. However, do plan to drive into the valley on one of your days for the "experience".

In either case, be sure to have your topo map to point out points of interest and to navigate if you go to Nelson Lake. Netiher of these would require a shuttle and are loop or semi-loop trips.

Looking at your schedule, do allow a day to go from SF to Yosemite and a day to drive from Yosemite to Big Sur. Each one will be at least five hours if you go to/from Tuolumne Meadows.

[eonblue]

Hey, there, thanks for the response. I was just looking at the historical weather data for Yosemite around 9500ft and it looks like its really nice around the time you mentioned. They only thing I was worried about was water. Whats the water situation like later in the year? Dodging the crowds and especially the mosquitoes sounds attractive. I've really just started looking(I am a year out! ), but you mentioned the Valley and that, I think is definitely something I'd like to see since there are many beautiful spots there, so I was also looking to see if perhaps hiking from Tuolumne Meadows, spending the night in one of the HSC and then hiking down into the valley would be something to look into so that I can kind of combine the best of both worlds. Would it be more advisable to do a loop near the Meadows and then just drive down to the Valley for some leisurely day trips?

I must say that while we done some overnighters we haven't done a whole lot, the prospect of taking on anything unmarked is pretty scary to me at this point. Preparedness doesn't worry me as Im extremely careful, but route finding and navigation does.

[AlmostThere]

Looking for a 3 day, 2 night trip. We will be in a rental car so I would assume a loop is necessary, unless you guys can recommend something that makes use of another form of transportation on a one way trip. I am prone to altitude sickness for a day so a night somewhere, even a hotel outside the park wouldn't be bad. We are prepared to sleep down to 40 or slightly below(we have 20* bags). We are not prepared for any sort of ice/snow traversal. We are both 31 and pretty fit...

I wouldn't recommend backpacking at all. First time to Yosemite, you should tourist it up - take the tours, the nature walks, the valley stroll, the shuttles to Mariposa Grove, Glacier Point, and dayhike some of the falls and the domes. Get some soak in time with the grandeur of Yosemite valley. Get a tent cabin, a room, or a campsite and go nuts soaking in the history and the scenery. Drive out Tioga Pass and do short dayhikes - top of North Dome, top of Hoffman, go out around Tuolumne Meadows....

I would not go out above 8,000 feet in the Sierra, in summer, without a true twenty degree setup and extra layers - it can snow any day of the year at elevation. We went up to Little Yosemite Valley in August one night and encountered 35F temps at night, leaving a number of unprepared people who made bad assumptions with chattering teeth. That's not even high elevation.

[eonblue]

I wouldn't recommend backpacking at all. First time to Yosemite, you should tourist it up - take the tours, the nature walks, the valley stroll, the shuttles to Mariposa Grove, Glacier Point, and dayhike some of the falls and the domes. Get some soak in time with the grandeur of Yosemite valley. Get a tent cabin, a room, or a campsite and go nuts soaking in the history and the scenery. Drive out Tioga Pass and do short dayhikes - top of North Dome, top of Hoffman, go out around Tuolumne Meadows....

I would not go out above 8,000 feet in the Sierra, in summer, without a true twenty degree setup and extra layers - it can snow any day of the year at elevation. We went up to Little Yosemite Valley in August one night and encountered 35F temps at night, leaving a number of unprepared people who made bad assumptions with chattering teeth. That's not even high elevation.

Thanks for the tip on the summer unpredictability. We are geared for 20* but my wife would just prefer not to sleep in it. We have a warm tent, 20* down bags, and 800 fill down jackets along with thermals etc. Thats pretty much our only setup , even when its hot!

To your point about not backpacking. I can understand and appreciate it......and the thought has actually crossed my mind, but I recoil at the thought of what I will miss. Part of backpacking for me is getting to see places in a way not a whole lot of people get to see it. At night, at sunset, in the morning. All those times are beautiful and hard to get if you aren't sleeping on location. That being said, your post does make me want to put more emphasis on the day trip side of things. To be honest, I would like to do both. The timeframe for the entire trip is flexible and we can add/subtract time from destinations at our leisure. Meaning that we could potentially add another day or two to yosemite and make the trip a two week affair. Hey, if you're going to do it....do it...right?

Given that, I am ordering Schaffer's best hikes Yosemite guide as well as the Nat Geo map, but do you have any thoughts on a 2 night loop or one-way w/transport around the meadows?

[AlmostThere]

What you're going to miss backpacking is the heart of Yosemite, which cannot be seen while backpacking. You can't backpack in the Valley itself. You can start from it... and carry that heavy backpack up some really steep granite steps, slowly.

You'll be missing a lot of nice dayhiking. You cannot camp in many places that are awesome for sunrises and moonrises. We sometimes night hike them - having a base camp helps. Drive to the trailhead, hike to sentinel dome by flashlight, sit and watch the moonrise. You can't backpack that but you will have the place to yourself and get awesome views of the valley.

Night hiking the Mist Trail we had it all to ourselves. The prime time for tourist hordes is between 10 am and 4 pm - try going dayhiking the popular places after or before and you miss the heat and the crowds. Our hiking group will do all day hikes, driving up from Fresno early in the morning and hitting the trail by 7:30 - that ensures that we are heading out while all the tourists are struggling along uphill in the hottest part of the afternoon, on open granite, trying to get up to the falls.

I am a backpacker - I go all the time, ongoing, heading out this weekend, and again the following weekend for 8 days straight - I have backpacked in Yosemite. But when I started to dayhike and seek out the shorter trips to places not everyone goes, I found that the majority of the splendor of Yosemite can be had in shorter hikes - backpacking, unless you do something like Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne or Red Peak Pass, becomes more hours of marching in pine trees and not so many grand views. So if your wife does not like being cold, getting a base campsite or a tent cabin would be more comfortable and provide better sleep, all the better to rise early and go find a sunrise. What I am suggesting is to maximize the grandeur on your short trip - the grandest of the grand are often the short hikes in no camping zones. Gaylor Lakes is one. So is the area between the road and Parker or Mono Pass (tho you can spend the night beyond the park boundary there, it is very high and can be cold at night).

[bill-e-g]

sorry. nevermind

[AlmostThere]

If you can't see it all, see what makes Yosemite unique. That would be Tioga Pass, Yosemite Valley, Glacier Point, Wawona, Mariposa Grove, the things you don't backpack in. It's your first trip - what you would miss would be - Yosemite. The reflection of Half Dome and Clouds Rest in a still pool. The history, little chapel in the Valley, the statue of John Muir in the museum. I never did all that and just went backpacking. Eventually I came back to do it and wondered what the heck I was thinking.

There is granite and pine trees all over the mountain range, and permits to see those are easier through the national forests than the park.

[weendoggy]

Hey, there, thanks for the response. I was just looking at the historical weather data for Yosemite around 9500ft and it looks like its really nice around the time you mentioned. They only thing I was worried about was water. Whats the water situation like later in the year? Dodging the crowds and especially the mosquitoes sounds attractive. I've really just started looking(I am a year out! ), but you mentioned the Valley and that, I think is definitely something I'd like to see since there are many beautiful spots there, so I was also looking to see if perhaps hiking from Tuolumne Meadows, spending the night in one of the HSC and then hiking down into the valley would be something to look into so that I can kind of combine the best of both worlds. Would it be more advisable to do a loop near the Meadows and then just drive down to the Valley for some leisurely day trips?

I must say that while we done some overnighters we haven't done a whole lot, the prospect of taking on anything unmarked is pretty scary to me at this point. Preparedness doesn't worry me as Im extremely careful, but route finding and navigation does.

Weather in September is like any other time. Warm, rain, clouds, etc. You can get it all. Days are shorter but crowds are less and the weather is usually good. Best advice is be prepared for it all. Water is not an issue in the areas I mentioned, just have your filter system with you.

Hiking from Tuolumne Meadows to the valley is o.k. but if you really want to see the park in short time span, don't do it. Also, the HSC's are a lottery and usually close early Sept. which could be an issue. There's usually some cancellations, but that's a risk you take. Maybe something to think about is doing a day loop hike in Tuolumne area and then drive to the valley and spend at least a day exploring it. There's so much to do at each place that three/four days could give you a good tease for the next trip. Maybe doing a hike to Elizabeth Lake or Cathedral Lakes would be good. Dog Lake is o.k. but not my cup of tea. Maybe hike up the Lyell Fork (flat). You can do any of these in a day and stay the night in the TM campground.

Then take the next day and go to the valley to explore and maybe you'll be lucky enough to secure a campsite (check in advance or when there) and enjoy what it has to offer. So much to do in so little time, I know the feeling. In any case, have a wonderful time. I live on the Central Coast near all the areas you'll be going and they all have something.

[balzaccom]

I am going to chime in and side with ALmostthere on this one.

How can you go to Yosemite and MISS the big trees at Wawona, the view from Glacier Point, the hikes in the Valley to the waterfalls, and a day exploring the stunning views of Tuolumne MEadows?

If you backpack, you'll only see some of this...

You are young. YOu can always come back. But don't miss these !

(There are lots of dayhikes you can do that won't meet many people. If you go to our website, you will find two pages in our destinations section that are exclusively about Yosemite. And they include both backpacking trips and dayhikes)