Rate my planned Yosemite trip

[maxr22]

Hello,

https://caltopo.com/m/NJ1S3

Friend and I are planning on doing this loop from 7/22-7/28. We wanted to do a 60-80 miles trip with some peaks mixed in there, and this is what I came up with. What do you think?

Do you have any suggestions for modifications/side trips of this route? My friend and I are comfortable with off trail travel and navigation. If you can, go ahead and edit the map with the color GREEN. I'll be sure to share a good TR when all said and done.

[c9h13no3]

I'd either go to the Lyell fork of the Merced River, or the Clark Range. Trying to stuff both into the same trip is too much. The main thing that jumps out to me is that you're cruising by the scenic places I'd want to spend time.

You also carry the pack over some passes that might be better as side trips pack free. But that's personal preference, I think. For example, I'd rather put up camp for 2 nights in the Lewis Creek drainage somewhere, and summit Vogelsang & Florence as side trips. But I hate talus hopping with a pack on.

[balzaccom]

I'd either go to the Lyell fork of the Merced River, or the Clark Range. Trying to stuff both into the same trip is too much. The main thing that jumps out to me is that you're cruising by the scenic places I'd want to spend time.

You also carry the pack over some passes that might be better as side trips pack free. But that's personal preference, I think. For example, I'd rather put up camp for 2 nights in the Lewis Creek drainage somewhere, and summit Vogelsang & Florence as side trips. But I hate talus hopping with a pack on.

I think he's after epic miles and adventures...

And I suspect that he means to summit those peaks without a pack. At least, I hope he does.

But I totally agree. Not camping at Lower Ottaway Lake is crazy...one of the truly wonderful spots in a wonderful park. Give yourself time to explore it. And the same is true of the Upper Merced Canyon. Lots to see and do there, but not if you're on a tight timeline. Bernice Lake and the ones above it? Also worth a side trip, for sure.

[oldranger]

Tougher person than I ever was. Go ahead and try but suspect that you will modify your trip enroute which is ok.

[maxr22]

Thanks! I have updated the map slightly to allow us to skip vogelsang or florence (or even both if we choose). We will definitely make best effort camp at lower ottoway lake, thank you for your suggestion @balzaccom. And yes my friend and I are looking for more type 2 fun

[c9h13no3]

I'd either go to the Lyell fork of the Merced River, or the Clark Range. Trying to stuff both into the same trip is too much. The main thing that jumps out to me is that you're cruising by the scenic places I'd want to spend time.

You also carry the pack over some passes that might be better as side trips pack free. But that's personal preference, I think. For example, I'd rather put up camp for 2 nights in the Lewis Creek drainage somewhere, and summit Vogelsang & Florence as side trips. But I hate talus hopping with a pack on.

I think he's after epic miles and adventures...

I'm fine with that. Full confession, I day hiked Florence & Vogelsang together. So I'm not above a quick strike. But, for example, the Hutchings creek drainage is a worthy destination in itself, and you walk by it for a somewhat equivalent lake basin in the Clark range that is further away. Same goes for Blue Lake & Bench Canyon. Ect. ect.

This kinda gets at what OP wants out of the trip. If Max & Michael enjoy lots of trail miles with a pack, and doesn't like off trail travel, this trip provides that. But if you're looking to maximize scenery per effort expended, I doubt this trip scores well.

[wildhiker]

I don't understand your first day. It looks like you plan to start at Happy Isles, hike all the way up to the top of Half Dome (presumably stashing your packs at the JMT/Half Dome junction - but stash your bear can separately), and then continue on all the way to camp at Merced Lake. Now, getting old may color my perspective, but that sounds to me like a trail day only John Muir or other supermen could do on their first day with full packs with 7 days of food.
-Phil

[Gogd]

I notice it seemed you were focused on some bucket list destinies, for example Half Dome, and several of the High Sierra hut locations. All good, but in the high season you are more likely to walk away remembering the crowds than the vistas. Also, as others commented, 80 miles is quite a schlep for six days. I'm an old fossil, but did some Big Miles in my youth. I will tell you those slogs gratified my male vanity at the time, but the trips that I most cherish in the long run ended up being the ones with some zero days, and lower miles, affording time to savor the choice vistas and smell the flowers, so to speak.

A few years back I was in this area, except my trip was primarily a circumnavigation of the Clark Range. We depart your route at Merced Lake to camp at Washburn Lake, then continue south, rejoin your route going toward Iceberg Pass, but opt to head south over Post Peak Pass, then make our way west to Fernandez Pass. Our roadhead was the Glacier Point vicinity, so we traveled further west, then north, via Royal Arch Lake, but to get you back to Happy Isles, head north from Fernandez Pass to the Upper/Lower Merced Pass Lakes, rejoining your original route. You won't be doing high passes on this route with a pack, until mid trip, but you'll have plenty of opportunities for peak bagging, tons of scenery and less congested trails. You can include a zero day on this route and still have lower miles on any given day of this route, allowing time to fish or short side trips from camp.

Ed