Memorial Day Weekend?

[robow8]

Will it be feasible to do anything in Yosemite? I'm looking for something short, 5 miles or so. Hike in on Saturday, out on Monday.
I know I will need a permit. Strategy for a walkup?

Thanks.

[AlmostThere]

You and everyone else will be queued up at Wawona or in the Valley Visitor Center. I can see from the full trailheads report that some are banking on Tioga Rd being open, but unless there's a month long heat wave that melts everything at once they are dreaming...

Not sure but I believe Rockslides is permitted separately than OBOFRT. That would start you at the gate at milepost V11 and send you up the road to junction with Old Big Oak Flat - a little bouldering action, patchy snow, but a less used approach to that trailhead that would put you on the north rim.

[AlmostThere]

About five miles? Did not parse that at first...

If you want to skip the permits entirely go to Hite Cove. It's National Forest and no permit is needed, just a campfire permit. As long as the (sometimes precarious) trail is not wiped out it is four miles out to the very old remains of a mining town on the south fork of the Merced, and the flowers and such should be nice. Just look out for poison oak.

[balzaccom]

Yep, but the flowers will be way past their prime by then. Miguel Meadows out of Hetch-hetchy or Lake Eleanor is an options.

There's going to be a LOT of snow up high. Why not enjoy Yosemite Valley in it's full glory?

[robow8]

Yep, but the flowers will be way past their prime by then. Miguel Meadows out of Hetch-hetchy or Lake Eleanor is an options.

There's going to be a LOT of snow up high. Why not enjoy Yosemite Valley in it's full glory?

The Valley is an option, but what do I do for lodging?
I would like to go to LYV. If I get a permit for another trailhead, would they let me exchange my permit for another open trailhead? Permit would allow me one night at the BP campground. Does that mean permit, or is a permit confirmation sufficient?

I get enough poison oak down here in SoCal.

[balzaccom]

You are correct that if you have a backpacking permit, you are allowed one night before and one night after the permit in the backpacker's campground in the valley.

[Phil]

You wouldn't swap or exchange one permit for another, you abandon one and reapply for a new one. I can't find anything specific in the regs or Superintendent's Compendium on it, but the backpacker's camps are for next day wilderness entry, so I would imagine that a confirmation of that next day date would be sufficient, even without the actual permit. Don't quote me on that. Although, as you know, the permit itself is a signed confirmation that you agree to follow all regulations, so it becomes a gray area that should be verified before you test it out. The rangers want paperwork that's in order and verifies that you have a legitimate right to be there and with every good intention of compliance that's within your control.

[robow8]

You wouldn't swap or exchange one permit for another, you abandon one and reapply for a new one. I can't find anything specific in the regs or Superintendent's Compendium on it, but the backpacker's camps are for next day wilderness entry, so I would imagine that a confirmation of that next day date would be sufficient, even without the actual permit. Don't quote me on that. Although, as you know, the permit itself is a signed confirmation that you agree to follow all regulations, so it becomes a gray area that should be verified before you test it out. The rangers want paperwork that's in order and verifies that you have a legitimate right to be there and with every good intention of compliance that's within your control.

I'm going to end up calling the Wilderness Office to make sure on things. My plan is to get a reservation to a less desirable trail, with hopes of getting an upgrade once there. Hopefully the reservation will let me stay one night in the Valley, and we'll go from there.

We'll see.