High Sierra Topix

For whatever it's worth, IMO Little Yosemite Valley is a whole lot of not very much. It's not that beautiful, and it's really crowded, and the campground (designated sites, all right next to each other) is as un-wilderness as Sierra Nevada "wilderness" gets.

So one option would be to start out from Sunrise trailhead, go over Cloud's Rest, and camp near Sunrise Creek a little up from the JMT/Half Dome junction (below the junction it's no camping outside of designated sites, i.e., LYV campground). That cuts nearly 1000' off your climb to Half Dome, compared to LYV. Just one more option among many.

Satsuma wrote:

AlmostThere wrote:I And you need to be at the Tuolmne Meadows office to improve your chances further - people in line at that office get priority, if you are in the valley office they will have to call the Tuolumne office to verify there are some left.

Really? In official site they say that priority is in the office closest to trailhead, so valley office would be the best for HI start.

The trailheads I am listing are all on Tioga Rd. except for those noted as being from Glacier Rd. That comment is SPECIFIC to what I am saying, not a Happy Isles start.

AlmostThere wrote:That comment is SPECIFIC to what I am saying, not a Happy Isles start.

Got it. Thanks.

For my JMT hike I likewise failed to secure a permit by mail. So I planned to stay 2 night in the valley. I arrived mid-afternoon, stayed in a Curry Village tent cabin (could also just share a backpacker campsite with someone) and got in line at the backcountry office at 4am. Got a walk up permit to start the next day. The ranger also told me that no shows were common, and had I wanted to wait around until 10am they could give me the permit of a no show to start hiking that day.

So seems pretty straight forward. Spend the night and be one of the first in line at the backcounty office. Get a next day permit of your choice, or wait around, be 1st in line for a no show permit and start hiking around lunchtime.

The rangers will work with you on trailhead options and LYV vs. thru for 1st night camp on the trail, and Half Dome. They want it you work out for you.