Pohono Trail questions

[boognish]

Since it looks like I am not doing my original hike out of Tuolemne Meadows I was look at what still has permits available. I am flying in June 18th. I would like to get started on a hike the 19th and do two nights or started on the 20th and do one night. Right now there are permits available for Pohono Trail (Glacier Point) and Pohono Trail (Taft Point). Are these trails doable or are parts of them still snow bound. If doable is there a preferred route. Also it looks like transportation could be a problem unless I do a in and back. Does anyone have thoughts, opinions, or advise.
Thanks.

[AlmostThere]

Thought One - read the trip report posted here by Wandering Daisy for her recent trip to Yosemite.

Thought Two - Check the tour bus schedule for Glacier Point - they sell one way tickets to/from GP and the Valley floor. You could leave the car at Tunnel View trailhead and get a shuttle (possibly) to wherever you need to be to board the tour bus.

There shouldn't be a ton of snow by now, and the streams are crossable - Bridalveil has a bridge. Check with the wilderness office as to bridge/trail status.

[Wandering Daisy]

Pohono from Glacier Point is usually a day-hike -all downhill. Not sure how you could make this a 2 day trip. With a Pohono from Discovery View (the big parking lot at the lower end of the Wawowna tunnel), it is uphill but you could make this a longer trip camping at Bridalveil Creek on the first night, then get on the Panorama Trail (legal to camp upstream of the bridge on Illouette Creek second night, and get a LYV pass through third night. Return via Mist Trail to the valley. There is a tour bus that you can take back to Discovery View that costs $25. Everything from Glacier point to Merced Lake is snow free now.

Not sure they would allow this, but Pohono to Taft Point may be OK. You just can't camp there - have to continue to Glacier Point, then either camp up on Illouette Creek or make it all the way 2 miles past LYV. Little Yosemite Valley (LYV) camping permits are hard to get.

Honestly, I would reseve a permit just as a back-up, and try to get a first-come permit, For example, the North Rim Traverse, starting at Snow Creek and coming out the Yosemite Falls trail, or a loop starting at Glacier Point, to Merced Lake, cut over to JMT and out Mist Trail. You can take the Four Mile Trail up to Glacier Point to get your car (or take the bus, again $25).

Both rims have snow at the higher elevations now, but it is walkable. Just depends on how much sloshing through wet snow and flooded trails you are willing to do. Should be considerabley melted off in two weeks.

If you get to an entrance station such as Big Oak at about 10:30 to be first in line for the 11AM permits, you should be able to get something, unless you have a large group. At 11 AM, no-shows for that day are given out as well as next-day permits. There are a lot of options. The rangers can help you figure out something. Valley traffic is bad so I would avoid getting your permit at the Wilderness Office in the valley, unless you can get down there early in the morning. Traffic really picks up after 10AM.

[boognish]

Thanks! I went ahead and applied for an over night permit from Tunnel View back to Glacier. If I get that then I have everything covered.

Right now I am arriving in Fresno around 1-2 on the 18th. I have a site reserved at Wawona that night so I can wake up early on the 19th and go to a station to either get a better hike or I will be happy with what I have and can work with it.

Hopefully this will work out. I do appreciate the people that have tried to answer my questions and guide me the last 6 months. If I don't have any other questions I will try to report back with how everything went.