Yosemite, Bishop, Desolation Wilderness trip - need info

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amigo
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Yosemite, Bishop, Desolation Wilderness trip - need info

Post by amigo »

My friend and I are planning a trip from out east to the Sierra early to mid September, after Labor Day weekend. We will be doing only dayhikes and car camping. Hikes we are considering are:
  • Four Mile/Panorama loop in Yosemite
  • Clouds Rest
  • Bishop Pass
  • Kearsarge Pass
  • Desolation Wilderness - Aloha Lake or Velma Lakes
  • if time permits, also include Cathedral Lakes/May Lake+Hoffman in Yosemite
I have been to Yosemite and Ansel Adams Wilderness once 3 years ago and my friend has been to Lake Tahoe. Neither of us have done any of the proposed hikes. I've done some backpacking and lots of hiking. My friend has done some hiking.

1. Should we book a campsite at one of the Yosemite Valley campgrounds ahead of time? Can those campgrounds still get full after Labor Day? Weekdays? Weekends? We plan on camping here at least one night. What about the campground at Tuolumne Meadows? Plan on staying here at least one night.

2. Same as #1 but for South Lake Tahoe/Emerald Bay campgrounds? Busy?

3. Any suggestions for where to car camp near Bishop Pass and Kearsarge Pass trailheads? Likely less busy here?

4. How cold will nights likely get at campground locations we're consdering? Sounds like daytime can be hot but nights cool. How cold, likely? 40s? 30s?

5. For those familiar with Desolation Wilderness, would you recommend Aloha Lake or Velma Lakes?

Thanks.
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Re: Yosemite, Bishop, Desolation Wilderness trip - need info

Post by markskor »

1. Should we book a campsite at one of the Yosemite Valley campgrounds ahead of time? Can those campgrounds still get full after Labor Day? Weekdays? Weekends? We plan on camping here at least one night. What about the campground at Tuolumne Meadows? Plan on staying here at least one night.
Most Valley campgrounds (other than Camp 4) are summer full, even long past Labor Day - reserved long ago. If you know when exactly you plan to be there, you can still try...send in reservation applications now but doubtful through the mail. Always better in person - better to stand in line Curry lot, but that's no help to you at home. Best guess is maybe - for one night mid-week in Valley Campgrounds...Camp 4 a better shot.
Tuolumne is another matter entirely and your best bet as only 50% of the campground is reservable...other half is first come..Stay there!
With a site in Tuolumne you can day hike Cathedral, Clouds Rest, Saddlebag area and still come back to Tuolumne nightly...I would stay there for the entire week..

2. Same as #1 but for South Lake Tahoe/Emerald Bay campgrounds? Busy?
You never know but usually full too...(not my area of expertise.)
3. Any suggestions for where to car camp near Bishop Pass and Kearsarge Pass trailheads? Likely less busy here?
Onion Valley is convenient for Kearsarge...also probably full but worth a reservation shot.
4. How cold will nights likely get at campground locations we're consdering? Sounds like daytime can be hot but nights cool. How cold, likely? 40s? 30s?
Sounds about right... FWIW, I always carry a 20 degree bag - Sierra.
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Re: Yosemite, Bishop, Desolation Wilderness trip - need info

Post by paul »

Specifically for Bishop Pass - there are a number of campgrounds along Bishop Creek on the way from Bishop to South Lake, plus there is a campground at North Lake, not far away. Look on the Inyo national forest website for info. Don't know how many days you have available for hiking, but in addition to Kearsarge and Bishop Passes - both should be great dayhikes, by the way - Piute Pass is also nice, pretty easy hike with massive views from the pass.
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Re: Yosemite, Bishop, Desolation Wilderness trip - need info

Post by larroyo33 »

Specifically for Kearsarge Pass, Onion Valley is the best place to camp as it is right next to the trailhead. Another option is Grays Meadow, it is down the road at a much lower elevation but still within a 10 minute drive to the trailhead. I would recommend reserving a campsite for Onion Valley through recreation.gov as it can fill up especially on the weekends.
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Re: Yosemite, Bishop, Desolation Wilderness trip - need info

Post by amigo »

Thanks for your replies. I'm surprised to hear that even after Labor Day it's still busy. Should've known. For once, I would like to not to have to make reservations ahead of time and just wing it. Oh well, that's the price to pay to go to beautiful, popular, places.

How does the Piute Pass hike compare with the Bishop Pass and Kearsarge Pass hikes? How would you rate them on wow factor, difficulty and length?
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Re: Yosemite, Bishop, Desolation Wilderness trip - need info

Post by paul »

I haven't been up Kearsarge (though I have seen lots of photos, sure looks great) so I can't really compare that to Bishop or Piute which I have been up and down. The scenery along the Bishop Pass trail is better than the Piute Pass trail, but I think the view to the west from Piute pass is a bigger "wow" than at Bishop. I think Piute is 5 miles and 2000 feet, and Bishop is 6 miles and 2200 feet, so very similar time and effort. I'd call it very close, you can't go wrong with either one. One nice thing about Piute Pass is that the North Lake campground is the trailhead, so if you camp there you walk right out of your campsite, whereas at South Lake you're down the road a bit. Not a big deal but might make a difference to you.
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Re: Yosemite, Bishop, Desolation Wilderness trip - need info

Post by rlown »

Amigo,

Either way you choose, it would be nice to see a TR. I love getting the feedback on conditions. Esp, if you choose Piute Pass. The others would be a bonus.

Russ
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Re: Yosemite, Bishop, Desolation Wilderness trip - need info

Post by maverick »

Russ wrote:
Either way you choose, it would be nice to see a TR. I love getting the feedback
on conditions. Esp, if you choose Piute Pass. The others would be a bonus.
Russ is right on, TR's and feedback are highly appreciated, and very helpful to your
fellow HST members. Many of us feel it is kind of an unwritten payback for all the
great info we have received from other fellow HST members along the way, which
may have contributed in making our trips not only better, but also safer in some
cases. They are the things that makes HST such a great site.
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Re: Yosemite, Bishop, Desolation Wilderness trip - need info

Post by Tom_H »

I used to live at Tahoe. It's dead after Labor Day, especially Sun. night-Friday mid-day. There are quite a few big campgrounds that will have space: Camp Richardson, a huge one by the library on Hwy. 50 in the middle of SLT, another on Hwy 50 as you approach the intersection with Hwy 89 (We call that the South Y). The campground is just east of the road a half mile or so before you get to the intersection. There is a free one night campground at the parking lot TH to Cascade Lake. There are several nice CA State Park campgrounds between Emerald Bay and Tahoma, DL Bliss being one. Do a Google Advanced Web Search for "campgrounds" + "South Lake Tahoe" and they all will appear. Now this being said, it's been awhile since I've lived there, though I do go back. Perhaps TahoeJeff might see this and add his thoughts.

The two best day hikes are: 1) Echo Lakes to Lake Aloha, but the water taxi will be closed after Labor Day as they open the dam and release water diversion away from Tahoe Basin and into the American RIver. This means a couple of extra miles on each end as you have to start your hike at the marina at the lower end of Lower Echo. The water taxi goes almost to the upper end of Upper Echo. 2) Start at Glen Alpine Spring beyond Fallen Leaf Lake and climb Mt. Tallac. It's like looking straight down from heaven onto all of Lake Tahoe. Really great view. You can do Google Advanced Image Search for "Lake Aloha" and "View from Mt. Tallac" for an idea of what you'll see. There are plenty of other day hikes, but those are the best. Ask if you want more.
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Re: Yosemite, Bishop, Desolation Wilderness trip - need info

Post by LMBSGV »

Here are a couple of other suggestions along with the all other good ones in the previous posts. If you can't get a place at Tuolumne Meadows, then the National Forest sites on the east side of Tioga Pass are a great possibility. They are all first-come, but after Labor Day, you should be able to get a site at one of the campgrounds. Saddlebag Lake would be best for dayhiking without driving, but the others are all good places to camp and provide drivable access to the Tuolumne trails.

The other suggestion is McGee Creek Campground or the campgrounds on Rock Creek Road. Check the Reserve America site for reservations for McGee Creek and East Fork on Rock Creek Road. The McGee Creek Campground is small at the beginning of the McGee Pass Trail. Rock Creek Road campgrounds would provide access to Little Lakes Valley and Mono Pass.

From my experience, finding a campsite on a weekday on the Bishop Creek/Sabrina road would be pretty easy after Labor Day. The dayhike possibilities from this area are fabulous.

If you haven't checked it out, here's the Inyo National Forest Campground page:

http://www.fs.usda.gov/activity/inyo/re ... 8&actid=29" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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