Yes, the route can be a little steep down to the Vernon Lake Basin if you do not choose the correct route down from the bench down to the basin (class 2).Maverick—Your dayhike suggestion out of Lake Vernon sounds very nice. You’re saying to follow the inlet creek from Lake Vernon up to Branigan Lake, then hike south beside the no name long lake and short lake, and then go due west back to Vernon?
http://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/trailheads.htm Scroll down to the Hetch Hetchy section, click on "View trail descriptions and mileages for this area", your trail is the Beehive Meadows Trail.
Another question: What is the name of this trailhead? I couldn’t find anything at the Yosemite permit webpage that seems to be it.
You should be fine on a weekday.Can I reasonably expect the backpacker camp at Hetch Hetchy to have room for my party if I arrive in the afternoon? How quickly does it fill up? We’ll probably be there on a Tuesday or Wednesday.
Be aware, if you go in the late season water from Lake Vernon down to Tiltill is very sparse, so load up at the lake before your party descends.