Happy Isles - > Illouette -> Red Peak -> Merced Loop Question

[Wandering Daisy]

First, you need to see if you can get a permit mid-July out of Happy Isles. Personally, I resist starting a backpack from Yosemite Valley in July because it can be brutally hot. Mist trail does offer a cool shower! Mid-July may be perfect timing this year if we do not get more snow; water sources still running yet passes clear of most snow. Good luck! Have a great trip.

There are many ways to get to the basic loop of your route. By way, does anyone know if the Glacier Point Road closure impacts Mono Meadows trailhead?

[kpeter]

We should note that the Glacier Point Road will be closed all of 2022--at least, that is the situation for now.

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

Ah, good point. That is too bad. Sounds like the whole road will be down. Gotta go full circle then, and that necessitates a few miles of dull and hot hiking. Still, the rest of the circle is well worth it.

[sambieni]

Yes, my plan is Happy Isles - > Illouette and nothing involving Glacier Point. Will find out today if we get the permit. If not, I have/will figure out backup trips.

[FeetFirst]

I did a 5 day/4 night loop in Aug. 2020 from HI > Illouette Creek > Red Peak Pass > Triple Peak Fork > Merced Lake > HI. Great trip.

Campsites were: 1. Illouette Creek, 2. Lower Ottoway Lake, 3. Triple Fork Peak Merced River, and 4. just west of Echo Valley.

To answer your questions:

1. After Nevada Falls, heading south-southeast to Illouette Creek, you could camp near the seasonal creek coming off of Mt. Star King, but I'd recommend making it down to Illouette Creek.

2. Red Peak Pass was free of snow on Aug. 2, 2020: Looking back up north side of pass.

South side of Red Peak Pass.

[brianA]

You're hiking along Illouette Creek, so you can camp anywhere you wish along the way. There's also a lake below Lower Ottoway. I think it's called Merced Pass Peak Lake. It's a little out of the way, but shorter than Lower Ottoway. However, my recommendation is to slog it all the way to Lower Ottoway the first day. The sunsets are incredible.

When we made it to Red Peak Pass the next day, Red Peak looked too dangerous because of snow, so we hiked down to Red Devil Lake, a lovely lake with views of Mt. Florence in the distance. Also, about 3 miles south of Washburn Lake there's a cool no name waterfall.