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Going past Little Yosemite Valley on a LYV permit?

Posted: Wed Mar 06, 2013 2:47 pm
by Pachystima
I'm hiking the JMT this August. I have a permit for Happy Isles to Little Yosemite Valley for the first night. I couldn't get a "pass through" permit for the dates I needed. In my permit confirmation it states that I must hike as far as LYV before camping for the night; it doesn't say anything about going beyond LYV. I would like to get further along the trail than LYV the first night. Am I likely to get in trouble if I go beyond LYV? I would like to get as far as Sunrise Creek if possible.

Re: Going past Little Yosemite Valley on a LYV permit?

Posted: Wed Mar 06, 2013 3:31 pm
by sparky
As far as I know, yes you must camp @ LYV if I am reading your post right. There are three quotas for this trailhead, one for camping @ LYV on night one, one for "beyond LYV" on night one, and I think one for heading up ililouette. So yes, unfortunately you will be in the urban backcountry.

The idea is there is a serperate quota for people doing the high sierra camps or that just want to do half dome.

I suggest you make the most of it though, as the place is ripe for exploring. Hit the trail @ sunrise and you will find yourself alone. Set up camp early and have most of the day to explore. Go check out lost lake/liberty cap/mt broderick. Or shoot up to the panorama trail for some views.

Re: Going past Little Yosemite Valley on a LYV permit?

Posted: Wed Mar 06, 2013 4:57 pm
by longri
I read it the other way, that the LYV permit gives you the option, but does not require that you camp there. The park website doesn't specifically say this but hints at it by using the word "can" instead of "must":

If you have a wilderness permit for Happy Isles to Little Yosemite Valley or Glacier Point to Little Yosemite Valley, you can camp in Little Yosemite Valley campground on the first night (and subsequent nights) of your hike. If you have a permit for another trailhead, you will probably have to camp elsewhere your first night, but you can stay in Little Yosemite Valley on subsequent nights. If you have a permit for Happy Isles to Merced Lake or Glacier Point to Illilouette, you can not camp in the Little Yosemite Valley area on the first night of your hike.
http://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/lyv.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

You could always call and ask.

Re: Going past Little Yosemite Valley on a LYV permit?

Posted: Wed Mar 06, 2013 5:24 pm
by yosehiker
You will have to camp at LYV. Like sparky said, there are a number of trailheads from Happy Isles meant to break up the different groups of hikers starting there, you are taking up one of the spots intended for Half Dome hikers. Like you said, if you continue on you will camp in the Sunrise Creek area, which is already crowded and the NPS doesn't want more people there. If you camp at LYV you are unlikely to camp at Sunrise Creek the next night, but likely beyond that. In that way, the use gets 'spread' around a bit and one area doesn't get hammered.

Re: Going past Little Yosemite Valley on a LYV permit?

Posted: Wed Mar 06, 2013 5:47 pm
by RoguePhotonic
Well we all will be split on this one because I also see the permit as meaning that there is no camping before Little Yosemite Valley but beyond there your ok to camp anywhere you like.

It's some what like the 4 mile around Tuolumne rule. Once you get beyond that then it's free for all.

Re: Going past Little Yosemite Valley on a LYV permit?

Posted: Wed Mar 06, 2013 6:00 pm
by sparky
Rogue and longri might be right....the restriction is on the pass through. might need to call to get a definitive answer

Re: Going past Little Yosemite Valley on a LYV permit?

Posted: Thu Mar 07, 2013 9:46 pm
by oldranger
Sparky,

If people actually have reservations at a high sierra camp for either the total package or even just meals they are not part of the quota system. I don't know, however, if heading from the valley or one of the other THs that require going thru LYV, that you must pass beyond LYV before camping. If you are going to the HSC one or two nights out (depending on the TH) you can avoid the TH quotas. Sort of a way of buying immunity.

Mike

Re: Going past Little Yosemite Valley on a LYV permit?

Posted: Mon Mar 11, 2013 10:44 pm
by DoyleWDonehoo
RoguePhotonic wrote:Well we all will be split on this one because I also see the permit as meaning that there is no camping before Little Yosemite Valley but beyond there your ok to camp anywhere you like.
It's some what like the 4 mile around Tuolumne rule. Once you get beyond that then it's free for all.
I am fairly certain that this is true. You must go as far as LYV, and further if you like. When I did the JMT, starting from Glacier Point, first stop was where you first hit Sunrise Creek, just beyond the Half Dome junction. Nice place, had it to ourselves. Another camp that is available beyond LYV is way at the end of LYV, below the cascade. An extensive camp is there but I have never seen anybody camping there.

Re: Going past Little Yosemite Valley on a LYV permit?

Posted: Tue Mar 12, 2013 12:08 am
by Kris
Stay and explore liberty cap and the lyv area. Your permit restricts u to staying in lyv the first nyt. Hike in, and hang out in the valley. Look up the approach to snake dike climbing route on the back left side of half dome from lyv. Explore all around that route to the very left of the dome and you'll find some incredible sheer drop thrills/ views looking over that edge down into yosemite valley. Quite the leg hanger. Very cool :nod:

Re: Going past Little Yosemite Valley on a LYV permit?

Posted: Fri Jun 21, 2013 1:30 pm
by Saltydog
I am with the well-travelled Rogue on this. I have the same permit (also in August, what a coinkidink!) and have no intention of stopping at LYV. LYV is an incredibly popular spot, where camping is limited and in designated sites only. AS far as I know, the purpose of the LYV quota is to limit use at LYV, not to limit use beyond. It makes no sense to me to require a stay there. If "not before LYV" meant "you may only stay at LYV", the permit could easily have said so.

SO what's your entry date?