4 day backpacking trip - ruined?

[Gavin]

I'm flying from Ireland to San Francisco and then renting a car to get to Yosemite on September 24th for four nights hiking and camping. I've been dreaming about it all year and it's a pretty expensive trip for me. My prep so far this year has been gear and fitness but I messed up as I didn't fully appreciate the permit system until a few days ago and I've been panicking ever since. Studying the maps and information is mind-boggling with one-way systems and other rules.

Originally I had a rough idea of what I wanted to do - see the busy areas such as the valley and the falls before heading into the wilderness for a couple of days to get away from the crowds. I had even thought about a thru-hike of sorts, exiting at, say, Tioga Pass, and then getting public transport back to the car but I've no idea if that's even feasible.

My buddy and I have done plenty of camping and hiking but the permit thing is new to us and it's too late to cancel flights etc.

Can someone help me salvage this trip?
Can anyone recommend a route that will allow us to see a little of the best of Yosemite over the course of a few days, preferably with some wilderness?
Should we start in Yosemite Valley with the crowds, see some great sights on a day hike and then start the wilderness leg of our hike from somewhere less busy, to get permits?
Am I being over-concerned?

I will be eternally grateful to anyone who can offer some assistance.

[AlmostThere]

If by the "best of Yosemite" you mean the Big Name places, those are all in the front country and easily day hiked. The Meadow Fire closed a fair bit of the trail system you are looking at, actually, so permit is the least of the concerns. I suspect a good portion of the trail system in that area will remain closed due to hazard trees - that they re-opened Half Dome to day use only says that there has been quite a bit of damage done.

You could easily still do a nice trip by getting a permit from the Old Big Oak Flat trailhead and hiking the North Rim - IF there are water sources, for which you need to check with rangers. Mirror Lake and many of the creeks are currently dry. Also check the Pohono trail on the south rim - that is also a nice trip but more like 3 days, ending at Glacier Point. You could spend some time hiking down the 4 mile trail back to Curry and then get a shuttle (the free ones in the valley are on a limited schedule) back to the other end of the valley. Leave a friend at the Bridalveil lot with the packs and hoof it back up to the Tunnel View lot if the shuttles don't run up there, to get the car.

There is no public trans from Tioga down to the valley except for the YARTS on weekends. Yarts.com for their schedule. If you planned a loop trip from Tioga Road that would be a consideration - the only other option is hitch hiking.

Yosemite is not nearly so crowded this late in season - if you wanted to just go and enjoy the park day hiking for four days, you'd have no problem. Stay in the valley the whole time day hiking the sights, take a day to go over to Hetch Hetchy and back, visit the Mariposa Grove. It's more than worth it.

[Dave_Ayers]

I wouldn't worry too much about getting a permit for 2 on 9/24. Check out the full trailheads report at http://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/u ... lheads.pdf. There are many TH's that where the reserved quota is not fully booked on 9/24 such as Lyell Canyon, Ten Lakes, Glen Aulin, etc. And remember, 40% of the permits are saved for walk-ins, so you'll have a shot at getting a permit even for a TH that shows the reserved quota is filled.

[Gavin]

Thank you for the motivation guys, I truly appreciate the replies and information. I think I will indeed do some day hikes to the big name sights from the valley area and maybe try an overnight or two if I discover I can get permits. I will certainly plan further ahead next time I try this! I will post back after my trip.