Planning for Yosemite backpack

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amigo
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Re: Planning for Yosemite backpack

Post by amigo »

How cold does it normally get late August/early September in Thousand Island Lake and high Yosemite areas? I'm trying to look for a warmer sleeping bag than I have now but not sure what rating I should target.

Is 1000 Island Lake much higher elevation than Mammoth Lakes?

Thanks.
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AlmostThere
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Re: Planning for Yosemite backpack

Post by AlmostThere »

I'd go with an accurately rated (so many are not) 20 degree bag/quilt and clothing layers to go lower if necessary. I've never had a reason to regret that... and a number of occasions where I was happy I did. We had snow the first week of August on that route, in 2009.

Thousand Island is higher. As I recall, Island Pass is between 9-10,000 feet, so the lake is a bit lower than that.
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Re: Planning for Yosemite backpack

Post by AlmostThere »

amigo wrote:
So, even if we climb Half Dome on a weekend from the "back side" (not starting at Happy Isles) would still require a separate permit?

We'd be looking to camp as close to Half Dome as possible to get an early start and avoid crowds. Where's the closest we'd be allowed to camp? Can you camp right at its base? Hopefully one can camp farther north from LYV.
I didn't see an answer to these... but yes, you need a stamp on your wilderness permit for Half Dome to climb it on a weekend (fri-sun) or holiday. You need to tell the ranger when you pick up the permit and they will add the stamp for the day you intend to climb it. That's if they don't change the rules next year...

You can camp close up there on the ridge before you start climbing the dome, I believe - but you will have to haul all your water. Your options for camps with water source would be the junction of Clouds Rest spur/JMT near a creek, or Little Yosemite Valley. There is a spring on the trail heading up to Half Dome as well. I could camp near there with my hammock. Not sure about flat spots for tents as I had not paid attention to that as we were hiking at night.... You need to be at minimum two miles from Little Yosemite Valley to camp. My map doesn't show the spring, but I strongly suspect it's within that limit... would not stop you from filtering up extra water and going further, however.

You will not avoid people by going up early, but you may be able to avoid standing in a long, long line by going during a permit period. Last time I was there, little over a year ago, there were people on the cables before dawn when we went. There were 30+ people sitting around drinking, in sleeping bags, on top. It seems to have shifted with the permit for weekends - the best time to go now might just be the weekend!
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amigo
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Re: Planning for Yosemite backpack

Post by amigo »

Thanks re sleeping bag rating. Guess the issue is how to know the true rating.

So, are you saying that there'd likely be less people climbing Half Dome during a weekend/holiday due to limit on number of permits than mid-week? Perhaps it would be quieter if we climbed in the evening?
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AlmostThere
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Re: Planning for Yosemite backpack

Post by AlmostThere »

Bags with a rep for accurate rating tend to be pricey, but worth the price if you are going out a lot - I would be heading straight for western mountaineering, montbell, or a marmot. WM bags are conservatively rated, or so anyone I've spoken to who owns one will say.... They are really, really nice bags.

It would be quieter in terms of traffic on the trail. I've noticed people tend to stay up there a while once they are up there. And the amount of people varies a lot generally - some folks say they went up and saw a handful of others, others will show up and wait in line for two hours. But chatter on one of the yosemite specific forums seems to indicate that the permitting has indeed reduced the traffic on the dome, and there's been more folks going during the week.
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hebby
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Re: Planning for Yosemite backpack

Post by hebby »

I just got back from hiking from Red's Meadow to YV. We started on Sept. 23 and ended a day early on the 29th. I brought a 0 degree bag because it was fall and you never know what can happen. It was waaayyy to warm. But it was during that record heat wave and we had incredible weather the whole time. As we were leaving YV on Sunday Oct. 4th it was snowing in the high country so we got lucky. You should be fine in a 20 degree bag that time of year. There was hardly anyone around, we got to Half Dome for Sunrise which is a must do when you go. I reserved our permits through the INYO National Forest Ranger Station and picked them up at the Mammoth Lakes Station before we left you can contact them @

http://www.fs.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsint ... e/contact/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Inyo National Forest
351 Pacu Lane
Suite 200
Bishop, CA 93514
760-873-2400

Sunrrise at Vogelsang
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Beautiful Ferns and Aspens the trail went right through this grove it was incredible.
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Sunset behind Half Dome, our last night in the backcountry.
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Sunrise at Half Dome looking at Cloudsrest
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At the Diving Board
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Coming Down the Cables
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AlmostThere
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Re: Planning for Yosemite backpack

Post by AlmostThere »

Great photos!

One nitpick - that ain't the Diving Board. It's called the Visor. The Diving Board is not on Half Dome but next to it, on the southern shoulder.
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adam
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Re: Planning for Yosemite backpack

Post by adam »

regarding the original trip proposal: is it really important to you do climb half dome? the views are better from clouds rest, and half dome is a bit -- or a lot-- of a zoo. it will take what has been a wilderness trip, albiet a well-travelled wilderness, and turn it into an extension of the yosemite valley craziness. If it were me, I would spend the extra time somewhere in the many beautiful high-country areas you'll be passing through-- basically everywhere on your itenerary is full of wonderful side trips-- and save yourself the lines, crowds, and yahoos. I climbed half dome as a kid 20+ years ago, and have never had any desire to go back. Really stop to think if you want to spend one of the days of your trip hanging out with a few hundred other folks.

All that being said, the cables are pretty interesting, especially if you're not used to climbing mountains.
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AlmostThere
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Re: Planning for Yosemite backpack

Post by AlmostThere »

I have to say I don't get the Half Dome thing either... people insist it is a MUST DO and pester and bother me about scheduling it for the hiking group I belong to. What it is - a big rock with a sheer face and less impressive views than Clouds Rest, Dana, or any number of other high places. Some of the best views are OF the dome, which you don't get FROM it.

But every time I mention that people get upset with me. It's just my opinion. I'm not going to talk anyone out of going, just don't think it's worth the effort going. "But you've already been there." Well, one and a half times - I refused to go up the cables when there was a solid line of tourists on it. The knotheads in flipflops and Vans and bikinis are not who I want to be on top of a rock with.... I certainly don't want to be on the cables when they are weaving and yanking them around and generally being fools.

I would go elsewhere with my time, too - plenty of high spots to find. There's a whole mountain range connected to the rock, after all.
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hebby
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Re: Planning for Yosemite backpack

Post by hebby »

I agree, especially in the summer. However in late Sept. at sunrise was pretty cool, and if you have never done it, you probably should since you are so close. There were only about 10 people up there. I would have preferred CR but we got off the JMT at Ireland creek and went up to Vogelsang lake and camped there, not at the HSC but at the lake which was soooo much better than the HSC. Then over Vogelsang Pass and down to Merced Lake. Then to just above LYV. I walked down to LYV without my pack to see what it was all about and got a bunch of strange looks from a lot of people wondering where this dirty guy was coming from with no pack at dusk. Pretty funny, I felt like I walked into a Walmart and had to bee line it back to our camp. I was not ready to deal with that many people after camping without anyone around for a while. The only time I saw anyone camping sort of close to us was at TI Lake and the Ireland Creek Junction. My mistake on the Visor/diving board. Have a great trip!
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