June North Rim Hike

[cknitter]

Hey all,

I just got my lottery for Old Big Oak Flat Road for June 22-24. I’ve been reading a lot on this forum, thanks for all the advice! I do have a few questions. We have backpacked wilderness before (Absarooka, Frank Church, Superior) but this will be our first time in Yosemite. I’ve had the desire to go for a long time but have hesitated because of how busy it seems.

Our route will be enter at OBOFR trail head —> night 1 El Cap —> night 2 North Dome —> exit Mirror Lake trailhead (spend a night in luxury down at Tenaya lodge to celebrate 10 year wedding anniversary).

1. Do we need to be concerned with snow on this route this year? I’ve read it was record snow amounts on December. If so, any tips about navigating with snow?

2. We’re looking at spending the night before (Tuesday, 21st) at the Backpacker’s camp in the valley. Are there any issues getting spots there or is there usually something available? Would snow melt close this area down? I have a hotel room booked outside the valley right now just in case but would prefer to cancel that and camp instead. It’s just walk-up right, no reservations?

3. We’d plan on leaving our car overnight at or near the Mirror Lake trail so it’s there at the end of our trip and hopefully taking the hiker’s bus up the OBOFRT if it’s running this year (or else, hitching I guess? There’s not a different way if the bus isn’t running again this year is there?). Any issues with leaving a car in the valley during weekdays?

4. We’ve wilderness backpacked before so we’re familiar with leave no trace and using a good ol trowel (packing out tp). My husband is concerned though if this route is on a lot of granite that you can’t dig into. Do we need to pack wag bags or is the terrain able to be dug 6 inches?



Any other advice or suggestions about this itinerary would be appreciated as well. Thanks again for the help this forum has been so far!

[AlmostThere]

1. There may have been a lot of snow, but it's already melting and we aren't getting more right now. Watch the weather in Feb and March. That will determine whether there's snow in June.

2. The backpacker camps can be crowded but they pack 'em in. No reservations. You do need to have the wilderness permit to use it.

3. You'll have to park in the trailhead parking down the road from Curry Village. That's not negotiable. There's a bunch of bear lockers to use, for any smellable items, or even empty bags, boxes or ice chests. Bears there are expert thieves that patrol and try door handles. Lock your car, make sure it's clean/vacuumed well so there are no crumbs to smell.

The YARTS will drop folks off at trailheads on request, I believe. So if the hiker bus isn't running, check the YARTS website and call to confirm, that may be the other option.

4. No worries about places to cathole. No wag bag needed.

[snowcreek]

That is a long hike. Are you in shape? Its at a pretty good altitude and has lots of up and down. Begining with going down the old road then all the way up El Cap. There is a campground right at the start of the hike - tamarack flat. I have no idea what the rules and regs are for it anymore. One thing not mentioned is that you have to camp outside the wilderness boundary. Many areas will be within that so you may have to go off your planned routed and north of the valley to camp depending on where you end up. Also its going to be hot....real hot that time of year- make sure you always have a good supply of water. My grandfather took that road to the valley as a child.

[WanderingJim]

When I've done that route, I parked at the OBFRT end and hitched a ride back when time wasn't critical.

Your way would be a little more sure if you can time the hikers bus or YARTS early enough.

Otherwise, hitching is the way I got back to my car each time. Might not want to start the hike hitching, since it's uncertain how long it'll take (that's why I left my Jeep at that end).

Your mileage may vary, but I've never been able to get to the top of El Cap on day 1 (but that may be because i picked up my permit the same day, so usually didn't get started until mid-morning... or I'm just a slow old guy. ).

My fav camping spots along that route:
Top of El Cap
At the edge of Eagle Peak (there are some campsites very close to the top).
The first legal camping spot above Yosemite Point. It has great views in all directions.
The top of North Dome (there are several nice spots jsut short of the high point), but be careful climbing down to North Dome... the trail is a bit tricky.

Tip: Pick up your permit at the Big Oak Flat entrance. Usually not as busy as the Valley Wilderness Center.

[snowcreek]

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[AlmostThere]

I don't know what snowcreek means by 'you have to camp outside the wilderness boundary.' So I'll just be exceptionally over explanatory. There are also specifics in the regulations and in the Superintendant's Compendium, about where you can camp when you have a wilderness permit, and where you cannot.

On the North Rim, you have to be 2 miles from the road, OR, in a designated campground aka Tamarack, Tuolumne Meadows, etc, and that means you will for the duration of your backpacking trip with a valid wilderness permit be inside the wilderness boundary. You can't camp in Tamarack or any other campground outside the wilderness boundary once you leave the designated trailhead on the permit without voiding the permit, you must stay within and camp within the wilderness for the duration of your backpacking adventure. Where you can camp within wilderness is outlined by park regulations and will be printed on your permit as well as given to you in verbal instructions when you get the permit. You can cross roads (which are NOT in wilderness, the boundary is right next to the road and running alongside it) but not walk down roads (because it's outside the wilderness boundary). You can't jump on a shuttle to another trailhead and keep backpacking (aka go on overnight trips). Legally speaking you forfeit the wilderness permit when you leave the wilderness to travel for a time outside it. For example - you can't exit your planned trip at Snow Creek, hike to Happy Isles, and continue your wilderness backpacking trip from there. The entire valley floor is outside wilderness.

There is an exception for thru hikers -- folks in the middle of hiking longer routes, the PCT or JMT for example, with a permit for doing that, are allowed to leave the wilderness for 24 hours as long as they return within that day. But you're not one of those.

Leaving the wilderness in the middle of your backpacking trip voids the permit, and then to keep backpacking you must get another permit.

I hope that doesn't confuse things further... you can visit the Yosemite page for more information. There are definitely no-camping zones within wilderness too, as some areas are trampled and damaged by overuse, and the park will ban camping in those areas to let them recover.

[snowcreek]

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[balzaccom]

"The hike they are planning will be often within the valley rim where its not technically wilderness.. "

On my map the only part of this route where camping is not allowed is within a half-mile of the top of Yosemite Falls...at least until you get to Snow Creek. You are correct that this route takes you through the top of Yosemite Falls, and camping is not allowed there. Also not allowed on top of North Dome, although it is allowed along the trail TO North Dome.

But it's not accurate to say that this route enters and leaves wilderness multiple times. The entire North Rim is designated wilderness with two tiny sections highlighted to avoid high impact: the top of Yosemite Falls, and the top of North Dome.

Another example of this is the top of Half Dome, which is also designated no camping. Doesn't mean it isn't in the wilderness, just means that you can't camp there. It is still wilderness, and other wilderness regulations apply there.

[snowcreek]

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[balzaccom]

"Its not in the wilderness."

Do you have a map to show this? Or are you just speaking off the top of your head? My map shows all of this as wilderness except for the area within 1/2 of the top of Yosemite Falls.

[snowcreek]

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[balzaccom]

I think you are confusing "wilderness" with a "no camping area."

Here's what Yosemite says about camping in the wilderness: "You must camp at least four trail miles from Tuolumne Meadows, Yosemite Valley, Glacier Point, Hetch Hetchy, and Wawona, and at least one air mile from any road."

Please note that this DOES NOT SAY that wilderness begins at these points. It says that you can't camp in the wilderness unless you are 4 trail miles from a trailhead, and one air mile from a paved road. So clearly you CAN be in the wilderness and within four miles of the trailhead. Most of the trailheads in Yosemite state right at the trailhead that you are entering the wilderness, and wilderness regulations apply: no camping without a permit, no dogs, etc.

Here's a map that makes the whole situation very clear: https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/ ... lheads.pdf

And this: Hikers may not backtrack from one trailhead to another trailhead on any night of their trip (either partially or fully) unless exiting at their entry trailhead to end their wilderness trip.

I understand that you hate the park service because you lost your job, and I am sorry about that. Others have had a different experience.

[snowcreek]

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[balzaccom]

https://www.usgs.gov/media/images/educa ... lhead-sign

[snowcreek]

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