advice for first 2n/3d backpack with wife

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guyd
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Re: advice for first 2n/3d backpack with wife

Post by guyd »

maverick wrote:If you do not mind hiking a little further, which should not be that much of a deal
since you will be hiking down hill to LYV from Glacier Point, then go to CR/Sunrise
Junction, just try to get as early start as you can.
I like this personally better than LYV, it offers much more privacy, and is perfect for
hitting HD and CR.
.
Since all permits Glacier>LYV, HI>LYV, HI>Sunrise are gone for my dates can I assume many of those (plus hikers arriving from other TH) precisely plan to camp at CR/Sunrise Junction?? How many tents can fit in that area?? (my own group will be three tents!)
THANKS AGAIN
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Re: advice for first 2n/3d backpack with wife

Post by maverick »

I have never had anyone camping down in that area the several times I have been
there.
There are other campsite right around the junction area (before you get to the creek
crossing), also if by chance there are other folks there, than just go through the site and
cross the stream, there are all kinds of places to set up camp for as many tents as
you like on the other side.
If you plan to do CR and HD, I would recommend staying 3 nights if you can, that way
you can chill the first night, get an early start, go up to CR, and then do HD the
next day with an early start again, that way you can do things comfortably, with out
rushing, and your wife will appreciate that.
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I don't give out specific route information, my belief is that it takes away from the whole adventure spirit of a trip, if you need every inch planned out, you'll have to get that from someone else.

Have a safer backcountry experience by using the HST ReConn Form 2.0, named after Larry Conn, a HST member: http://reconn.org
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guyd
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Re: advice for first 2n/3d backpack with wife

Post by guyd »

Since all permits Glacier>LYV, HI>LYV, HI>Sunrise/Merced (pass through) are gone, someone told me that the only choice to be allowd to camp at Sunrise Creek was to ask Glacier>Illilouette or HI>Illilouette permit, with the attached obligation to camp the first night along Illilouette Creek, before to be allowed to camp anywhere else (Sunrise creek in this instance). Is that correct...?
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Re: advice for first 2n/3d backpack with wife

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guyd wrote:Since all permits Glacier>LYV, HI>LYV, HI>Sunrise/Merced (pass through) are gone, someone told me that the only choice to be allowd to camp at Sunrise Creek was to ask Glacier>Illilouette or HI>Illilouette permit, with the attached obligation to camp the first night along Illilouette Creek, before to be allowed to camp anywhere else (Sunrise creek in this instance). Is that correct...?
There is no legal camping anywhere else along that route - not on the Panorama Trail, the JMT section between Panorama and LYV, or for 2 miles beyond LYV. So yes, in essence that is correct - if you can't hike beyond LYV due to your limitations, or you can't get a passthrough permit, your only camp option is two miles up Illilouette from the Panorama/Illilouette bridge.

On your second night you would be able to camp anywhere it's legal, including LYV itself.

But, that isn't the only trailhead option for this plan - there is a second trailhead called Mono Meadow off Glacier Pt Rd, which gives you a shorter hike to legal campsites along Illilouette.

If you get HI to Illilouette you will be climbing quite a lot and backtracking a lot. I would get a permit from Glacier Pt, or Mono Meadow. My fallbacks would be trailheads further south along the Pohono trail. I personally am not fond of bumping elbows with tourists when backpacking.
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Re: advice for first 2n/3d backpack with wife

Post by maverick »

Guyd wrote "Since all permits Glacier>LYV, HI>LYV, HI>Sunrise/Merced (pass through)
are gone, someone told me that the only choice to be allowd to camp at Sunrise Creek
was to ask Glacier>Illilouette or HI>Illilouette permit, with the attached obligation to
camp the first night along Illilouette Creek, before to be allowed to camp anywhere
else (Sunrise creek in this instance). Is that correct...?"

Call the visitors center and get it from "the horses mouth", ever thing else is
just speculation or interpretation of the regulations.
The phone line is open Monday-Friday, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm at 209/372-0740.

Oh, and please write up a trip report with pictures of your adventure, would
love to see it.
Also would like to know what the first words out of your wife's mouth is when
she sees the views at the top of Clouds Rest, looking up HD from where the
cables start, and when you start down from the top of HD, thanks.
Professional Sierra Landscape Photographer

I don't give out specific route information, my belief is that it takes away from the whole adventure spirit of a trip, if you need every inch planned out, you'll have to get that from someone else.

Have a safer backcountry experience by using the HST ReConn Form 2.0, named after Larry Conn, a HST member: http://reconn.org
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Re: advice for first 2n/3d backpack with wife

Post by Wandering Daisy »

Do the Pohono Trail from Glacier Point. Day 1 - drive and park, go to Glacier Point, hike to Bridalveil Creek and camp. Side trips - climb Sentinal Peak, and the Fissures/viewpoint. Day 2- Crocker Point, Sanford Point, Artists Point, take old Glacier Point Road to Bridalveil Falls, walk south valley trail to Four Mile Trail. Take bus to Backpacker's campground. Next morning, energetic boys can go up the Four Mile Trail to pick up the car (if one can drive). You and wife do day hike to Emerald Pool. All meet back at Curry Camp for nice late lunch. Pohono is usually too hot and dry for July but this year may be just fine. With all the snow Bridalveil should be still running water. The hike is mostly downhill, even though it is more than daily miles you like.

I suggest this as second choice if you cannot get permits to do Glacier Point to LYV. Pohono permits seldom fill up. Either trip an early AM hike up Four Mile Trail is a good way to retrieve your car, however, your wife may want to stay in the valley and visit the museum, Yosemite falls, etc. It certainly will satisfy energetic boys. Do try to at least get the boys up the Mist trail - loop to top Nevada Falls and back down JMT.
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Re: advice for first 2n/3d backpack with wife

Post by tim »

I'd suggest booking one of the backup choices (Illilouette?) and then seeing what is available when you get there. Try and get to the wilderness center at 11am on the day you arrive in Yosemite for the best choice of options for the following day's walk-in permits (if coming from SEKI then Wawona is probably the best option). Remember that quite a few of the trailheads don't have 5 walk-in permits though.

You might be able to get a Sunrise or Cathedral Lakes permit and a very good option is to do a Cathedral to Sunrise loop or vice versa using the Tuolumne shuttle and add a side trip to Clouds Rest (if feasible with the snow). However, the Tenaya Creek ford right at the start might be tricky that early in the season - I'm sure its "memorable" but probably not the best introduction 2 minutes into your first backpacking trip (alternative is to walk round the back of Tenaya Lake).

Don't expect solitude in the popular parts of Yosemite (e.g. day hikers to Clouds Rest, Half Dome etc.), especially in a holiday week. Though Rancheria Falls doesn't have quite the high mountain environment, you might still think of it as an option as a nice straightforward introduction to backpacking - it can be bit quieter than the rest of Yosemite and still spectacular - particularly if you climb LeConte Point where you will very likely see no-one else all day.
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Re: advice for first 2n/3d backpack with wife

Post by guyd »

Thanks to all for the suggestions!

Would someone know the distance between the first camping spot along Illilouette Creek (when coming from Glacier Point) up to the camping spot at Sunrise Creek (junction of CR trail and JMT)?

To complete our intent: coming from a 6 hour flight, we do not wish to backpack only for the sake of backpacking, it must provide a level of WOW factor, the feeling we have seen things we could not have seen in day hiking. Though call?

We are used to day hike of total 5-6 miles up 2000-2500' and down the same mountain the same day. We could probably hike longer since the down is not necesseraly the same day... (with heavier pack however...).
Does that comment add other suggestions?
What if we add a third night and half-a-day?

Are rangers checking if you are actually camping your first night on the camping spot indicated on your Permit Application...?
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Re: advice for first 2n/3d backpack with wife

Post by AlmostThere »

I see rangers out there more often in Yosemite than anywhere else in the mountain range... the JMT corridor near Whitney also. The more people are there, it seems....

Yosemite will give you the WOW just from driving around, frankly. The trip you are planning is going to hit some of the major sights, but also this will increase the traffic - you will be alongside dayhikers all the way. I have dayhiked Happy Isles to Glacier Point to the bottom of the Four Mile Trail and back to Curry - long 14 mile day with a bunch of climbing and descending but very scenic. If you can only do 5-6 miles per day, you will be seeing things you couldn't have seen with a dayhike. Your Mileage May Vary.

The trail map I have shows about eight miles walk to the junction of the JMT and CR trails from Mono Meadow.

Other suggestions? Wandering Daisy gave you a very good one, that will provide ongoing awesome views of the valley. With less miles, less elevation gain, and likely a lot fewer people, tho you will again see a lot of dayhikers. Anything around the valley is going to be dayhiker central.
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Re: advice for first 2n/3d backpack with wife

Post by guyd »

AlmostThere wrote:The trail map I have shows about eight miles walk to the junction of the JMT and CR trails from Mono Meadow.
You lost me with 'Mono Meadow'. Is that the camping spot along Illilouette Creek? (I guess it is not the 'Mono Meadow itself near the GP road)

I have a topo map. Could you help locating that first camping spot along Illilouette Creek?
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