High Sierra Topix

I was planning on taking my daughter on this fairly short trip in late July, taking in Clouds Rest and Half Dome. I'll prob stretch it out to 4 days, with a 5th day in the bank should weather not allow Half Dome or Clouds Rest on the days planned. A family friend is getting married on July 31, so I have to pick a time before or after that. I just did Reds to the Valley last summer starting on the 28th of July. I saw very little snow. It was a great trip.

How much different would a "typical" July 15 start be?

Everything depends on how much of the winter snow pack remains by your
departure.
Half Dome should not be an issue except for the new permit system, which may
make you have to be a little more flexible in timing your trip.
Clouds Rest which may not be as exciting as HD, but the views are much more
expansive, and better, both are great, especially at sunrise and sunset.
If you have any issues on CR it will be near the summit where there may be lingering
snow which can be tricky if your are trying to cross it in the morning since it ice's up
overnight.
There is good camping at the Clouds Rest/JMT junction, keep hiking past the junction
on the JMT crossing Sunrise Creek and on your right a few hundred feet up the trail
you'll see a faint trail heading down to some great camp sites between some large
trees, and next to the creek, this makes a good basecamp allowing to hit both places
early before the crowds.

I camped near the site you mentioned last year. I've already done Clouds Rest and HD. I actually cried on Clouds Rest. I want to share this special place with my daughter. I'm hoping the experience will open her eyes.

Permits: Last year, if you had a back-country permit you didn't need a special HD permit. Have they changed this? I read that they have gone 7-day on the permit system but are they still honoring back-country permits?

July 10, 2010, west of Cathedral Lakes:



but for the most part dry, some wet and muddy sections near the lake, and then tons of skeeters near Sunrise High Sierra Camp.

If you were taking the JMT to the Valley, there is a nice little x-country option. From Cathedral Lake, follow the feeder creek up to a pass on the nw side of Tresidder Pk, then down the creek to Long Mdw, and down to the JMT.

Its an easy adventure and avoids some of the masses.

Watch out for bears though, I'm sure you will.

To answer the unanswered, backpackers tell the ranger when they pick up the permit that they are climbing HD on X day, and get a stamp on the wilderness permit.

AlmostThere wrote:To answer the unanswered, backpackers tell the ranger when they pick up the permit that they are climbing HD on X day, and get a stamp on the wilderness permit.

I don't believe I was locked into a specific day for HD last year with my back country permit. I was under the impression that any day was fine. Has that changed for 2011?

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