New Sierra Backpacker - April/May Suggestions

[TxAggie]

Howdy all.

I’m brand new to the group and looking forward to learning from the group. My daughter just started college in Davis and I’m planning to come out to see her in late April/early May with a few days of backpacking thrown in using Sacramento as a staging ground.

Experience: 3-3.5
I’ve done extensive solo and group trips in the Mid-Atlantic including some light snow passage on trails. I also have some more limited experience in cross country land navigation using traditional map and compass techniques. Most importantly, I’m comfortable with rerouting or backing off if I feel conditions are warranted and I always carry an InReach just in case.

Gear:
I prefer using a hammock (even in zero degree weather), but I have both trekking pole and free-standing tents available if they are better options.

Terrain:
I’m comfortable with most established trails and some cross country. I haven’t done any off-trail passes and probably won’t attempt on my first outing, especially given the potential for heavy snow. I’m comfortable with microspike and snowshoe conditions, but not XC skiing. Water crossings I’m comfortable up to knee to thigh in spring as a solo hiker.

Main interests: views and gaining more experience on each trip.

Length: 2-3 nights, 15-40 total miles depending on conditions and terrain. I prefer a loop or lollipop vs out and back.

Limited hiking at elevation, I did complete the Bataan Memorial Death March in New Mexico: 26 miles at 4,800-5,200 feet in 10 hours with a pack. Some limited running at altitude during weekend trips to Colorado.

I don’t have a preference for any particular area, just preferably between Yosemite and Sacramento or equivalent distance.

Coming from the east coast, I don’t have any experience with the registration systems and what areas I would need a bear canister. I currently use an Ursak and am comfortable using it, but if a canister is required I’m not against bringing one with me.

Thank you in advance, I look forward to learning from the members of the group and hope this is the first of many trips out to the Sierra.

Joe

[Wandering Daisy]

Is this just for you or you AND your daughter? If your daughter is going with you what is her experience?

Too early to say what snow conditions are going to be late April-early May. Desolation Wilderness is a good choice for a short trip and short drive from Sacramento, but it may be too early in the season if this turns out to be a normal to high snow year.

North Rim Traverse from Yosemite Valley is a great early season trip, IF you can get a permit. There likely will be snow and navigating in snow for a short distance, but nothing steep or dangerous. I generally do it counter-clockwise, going up the Snow Creek Trail and down Yosemite Falls trail. It is very scenic but there will be lots of day-hikers on the trails.

I think your best bet is to read the numerous trip reports that have been done at the same dates in the past.

If you are not totally set on the Sierra, this time of year is perfect for coastal hiking; Point Reyes National Seashore for example.

Anywhere permit quotas apply, it is much easier to get a permit week days rather than weekends.

[TxAggie]

Thanks for the info. Sorry, it’s just me on this trip, I can see how my post left some confusion.

I’ve been eyeing Desolation, but I wasn’t sure about how it for that time of year. North rim sounds perfect, I’m planning to spend the weekend with my daughter, then hike sometime Monday thru Thursday.

What’s the process for a permit? As I’ve said, I know they exist, but have zero clue how it works. I found the one link that shows a table for Yosemite, but everything is greyed out for April. Looks like everything is walk up the day of?

I’m still learning how to optimize the search here, so sorry for the questions.

[balzaccom]

I think that the permit quotas don't come into play until later in the year, which is why that section is in grey. But I think it's going to be hard to find a spot in the Sierra that won't have snow in April and into May. We usually start getting up into the mountains in late May at the earliest, and sometimes not until well into June.

But from Davis you could check a few other places, like the new Berryessa/Snow Mountain area. No permits required, other than a CDF fire permit, which is available online starting tomorrow. It's lower elevation, so no worries about snow.

[c9h13no3]

I’ve been eyeing Desolation, but I wasn’t sure about how it for that time of year. North rim sounds perfect, I’m planning to spend the weekend with my daughter, then hike sometime Monday thru Thursday.

Desolation will definitely have snow, that place gets loaded. The last week in April is still *very* snowy, even in a below average year. Like Daisy suggested, Point Reyes, Big Sur, or the Lost Coast will have excellent scenery without the snow & weather challenges of the Sierra. The North Rim of Yosemite might also be the best early season trip in the range, unless you're looking for solitude & small mountain lakes.

Around the last week of April, check out Beeks Bight. Not a backpacking destination, but it has a pretty good wildflower bloom there in most years. Gets crowded though, so show up early/late on a weekday. Other areas in the foothills are quite good in April as well, spring hiking is really good in California as you follow the wildflower blooms up in elevation as spring goes on.

[Wandering Daisy]

I did the North Rim once, in early April, and took snowshoes which I used from the bridge at Snow Creek to North Dome trail junction. I also have done it without snowshoes, in similar snow depth, but early May when the snow as more consolidated. I did post-hole several times, once into a stream and got soaked. I think your time frame is late enough to skip the snowshoes. Although they make the mid-section easier it is a lot of extra weight to carry up the 3000 feet from the valley floor.

Two nice but snowy side-trips are Watkins Peak (I actually camped on the top of the shoulder to the east of the peak- the top was dry granite with sandy spots) and the top of El Capitan. Also camped on top of El Capitan in early April. You can also climb Eagle Peak.

Camping on North Dome is spectacular, but you have to carry water for some distance. All the tops of the domes will be free of snow. I have also carried water up from Indian Canyon Creek and camped on the top before you drop to Yosemite Point. Another camp spot is on the NE side of Yosemite Creek about half mile beyond the northernmost switchback. Camping on the rim is not allowed. I do not recall the exact distance from the rim that is required to be legal.

The valley floor is actually even more spectacular, although a bit crowded. With a backcountry permit you automatically get a permit for the Backpackers CG night before and night after your backpack. I like to get to the valley early as possible and sight-see before the trip. Then I also get down to the valley as early as possible, set up at Backpacker's CG and to do more sightseeing. If you are only going up to Snow Creek Bridge first day, then you could also photograph in early AM before starting your backpack. Swinging Bridge area is wonderful for morning photographing. Often, I just do an overnight trip, for example, to Little Yosemite Valley and back, in order to camp at the Backpacker's campground and sight see in the valley. Honestly the valley is more spectacular.

If you cannot get a North Rim Permit, then a hike up the Merced River is nice. The Half Dome cable route will likely be closed this early, so a permit from Happy Isles to LYV or a "pass through" should be easy to get. A hike up the Merced River is also very scenic but will be snowy in patches and could be very wet in others.

[TxAggie]

Desolation will definitely have snow, that place gets loaded. The last week in April is still *very* snowy, even in a below average year. Like Daisy suggested, Point Reyes, Big Sur, or the Lost Coast will have excellent scenery without the snow & weather challenges of the Sierra. The North Rim of Yosemite might also be the best early season trip in the range, unless you're looking for solitude & small mountain lakes.

Around the last week of April, check out Beeks Bight. Not a backpacking destination, but it has a pretty good wildflower bloom there in most years. Gets crowded though, so show up early/late on a weekday. Other areas in the foothills are quite good in April as well, spring hiking is really good in California as you follow the wildflower blooms up in elevation as spring goes on.

Thanks for the info. I’m not against a snowy trip, I would actually enjoy the challenge as long as it’s still relatively safe, ie. Low avalanche risk and weather not calling for additional snow storms. My daughter actually mentioned Point Reyes as well. I prefer more isolation, but I’m aware isolation in the area isn’t much better than here in the DC region. I’m more interested in the high Mountain View’s than the valley to be honest.

[TxAggie]

I did the North Rim once, in early April, and took snowshoes….

Great information, thank you. I’m actually looking for a partially snowy trip providing the weather cooperates. I’m ding a section in February in Shenandoah NP that should have some decent snow cover to it, although nothing like what the Sierra offers. Thank you for the suggestions!

[LMBSGV]

Camping on the rim is not allowed. I do not recall the exact distance from the rim that is required to be legal.

I think the rule on this has changed. When I camped at Dewey Point last May, the wilderness ranger who wrote my permit said it was okay to camp at Dewey Point. I just needed to not camp "Within 100 feet of a trail, flowing stream, river or any body of water, unless designated,and as follows: Camping is permitted within 100 feet of a stream, trail or body of water provided that a well established campsite exists and terrain permits no other options. In no case will camping be permitted within 25 feet of a stream, trail or body of water" as they state on "No Camping Zones" in the Wilderness Regulations

https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/wildregs.htm

When I was setting up my tent at Dewey Point, one day hiker screamed (literally) at me for several minutes about how it was illegal to camp on the rim. I repeated what the wilderness ranger had told me. The ranger in the trail crew that was clearing the trail that day thought my tent site was fine. When I returned from the trip and talked to the ranger at Big Oak Flat and asked her about camping where I did, she wanted me to give her all the details about the man who screamed at me because he was the one who violated park rules, not me.

[c9h13no3]

I’m not against a snowy trip, I would actually enjoy the challenge as long as it’s still relatively safe, ie. Low avalanche risk and weather not calling for additional snow storms. My daughter actually mentioned Point Reyes as well. I prefer more isolation, but I’m aware isolation in the area isn’t much better than here in the DC region. I’m more interested in the high Mountain View’s than the valley to be honest.

Peaks on the Lost Coast & Big Sur can drop 4000’ or more to the ocean in less than a few miles. The average elevation gain per mile is actually larger on rugged coastal terrain than the “Gentle Wilderness” of the Sierra. But I’ll stop selling you something you don’t want.

Avalanche risk is a whole thing. Everyone’s first snow camping trip is often Dewey Point, which has almost zero Avy hazard if you hike from Badger Pass as an out & back. Hikers & snowshoers don’t usually trigger avalanches, since they generally don’t walk on slopes steep enough to slide. But if it has snowed in the past 3-4 days, or is forecast to snow, it’d be something to look out for. And if you’re planning on going into actually snowy terrain with snowshoes, I’d at least read Bruce Tremper’s book.