Cathedral Lake to Clouds Rest to Yosemite Valley

[Elokker]

Wanted to confirm my research and get some advice.

In mid-August, my young teen age son and I have a wilderness permit to hike the John Muir Trail from Tuolumne Meadows to Happy Isles, no Half Dome permit though. Thinking that we'll camp at Tuolumne Meadows in the backpacker's site the night before. We'll pick up a bear canister rental from the Wilderness Center the night before hiking and then get an early start after breakfast the next morning.

Then we'll take the JMT past Catherdral Lakes to Sunrise High Sierra Camp for the second night of camping, about 7.5 miles. Then we'll take the Sunrise Junction west to Clouds Rest Trail, up to the Clouds Rest peak for some top-notch sightseeing. Then we'll descend down the Clouds Rest Trail to the JMT junction, past the Half Dome junction and camp a third night in Little Yosemite Valley. Then we'll continue down the JMT, through Panaroma Junction, Mist Trail and Vernal Fall into Yosemite Valley. My wife will retrieve us in valley.

1. Is there water between Sunrise Lakes and the Clouds Rest Summit (we'll use a Katadyn filtration pump)?
2. How difficult/safe is it climbing Clouds Rest Trail to the summit and down the switchbacks with packs and poles?
3. Any other tips or advice for this hike, like bear canister use and returns?

Appreciate any help on planning this trip.

[balzaccom]

While this is a dry year, there is usually water in the creek between Sunrise and Cloud's Rest...but you can fill up for real at Sunrise, with piped water

The route up Cloud's Rest should not be a problem with packs.

Take all your food out of its packages and get it into ziplocks, which compress better and allow you to get more food into the bear can

[Elokker]

Thank you for the information. I truly appreciate it.