Hiking El Cap

[wendy4115]

My husband and I would love to hike to the top of El Capitan......I'd like to hear anyone's stories/experiences/suggestions. I've read it's a (relatively speaking) easy hike, but then I wondered why I don't hear much about people hiking El Cap?

[AlmostThere]

Relative to what? The shortest route is the Upper Yosemite Falls trail, with 16 miles round trip and nearly 4000 feet of gain. It's a 19 mile round trip from Yosemite Creek or Porcupine flat trailheads. You could go in from Old Big Oak Flat for a more gradual approach but that's also quite long for a day hike for someone wanting an easy hike.

Someone's got a totally different idea of easy. I'd call all the approaches strenuous - for distance and gain. Unless we are talking about spending the night down there, in which case it becomes 8 miles per day from one of the TIoga Rd trailheads, which is moderate to strenuous depending on your level of endurance, fitness and pack weight.

[wendy4115]

Hi AlmostThere - No, it doesn't sound like it's easy at all. I read about the El Cap hike in a book somewhere, but maybe the author was thinking in comparison to Half Dome. If we are going to do a long, strenuous hike, I'd rather do Cloud's Rest. Thanks for the info!

[AlmostThere]

I suggest Sentinel Dome for easy views, and North Dome for a moderately strenuous eight mile day hike. Or go to Olmsted Point, catch the trail going west, and as you reach the top of the ridge of mt Watkins, turn left on a faint use trail for crowd less, up close views of clouds rest from the end of the ridge.