Yosemite – 5 days, comments please

[Russell Swanson]

All,

This is basically a repost from another forum but I know there are some Sierra junkies here so I was hoping for some feedback from a few BPL'ers.

My wife and I are visiting Yosemite from 9/8 thru 9/15. We're arriving in the valley on 9/8 and taking in the general sights there before heading up to Tuolumne Meadows on 9/9. We'll dayhike around there for a bit to acclimatize (we're coming from the east coast).

On 9/11 we have a permit to hike out s/b on the JMT down Lyell Canyon. Our plan right now is to take 5 days to loop around to Happy Isles Trailhead in the valley. I'm looking for feeedback on whether the milage is too ambitious for 5 days and recommendations on where to camp, or alt. routes:

Day 1: Lyell Canyon Trail to Fletcher Creek Trail. Possbile side trip to Ireland Lake. Camp @ Ireland or Evelyn Lake

Day 2: Fletcher to Lewis Creek to High Trail, camp @ Washburn Lake.

Day 3: South over Red Peak Pass, camp @ Upper or Lower Ottoway Lake.

Day 4: Down to Merced Pass, north on the Illilouette Creek Trail, camp somewhere along trail, possibly near Clark Fork. Suggestions on campsites welcome here…

Day 5: Down to the JMT and Happy Isles, or possibly out to Glacier Point and return to valley from there. Which would you suggest?

This is our first time to the Sierras but we do have some experience hiking in moderate elevations, though none quite what we'll see in Yosemite. As stated, we will have a few days to get used to the elevation before hitting the trail. Thanks in advance for any feedback and suggestions.

[Darrel Etter]

It's really important that you get used to the altitude before you hike, which you are doing, so good. I know it can get really cold at night in September at Tuolumne Meadows. Also, I've had it go from 75 deg. sun one day, to snow the next, and back to sun in the Sierra. It's usually not too bad because you don't have to sleep on snow. Be sure you can do those miles and have some alternative plans. I think my wife would require a day a lay-over day which drives me nuts! I start pacing in camp. That's why I fly fish – always something to do :) 5 days food for two in a bear can is a lot of weight, and more than I can get in one canister even with a lot of tight packing. Remember you have to put your toiletries in the bear can too. And finally, the places in the Sierra I've been this year have had all dried up creeks. Check your water sources carefully.

[Russell Swanson]

Thanks for the insight. We'll be using a pair of new Ursacks (assuming they're still approved- just read a post they've failed a few encounters on the JMT!) or an Ursack and a BV350 solo. We're planning on 10lbs of food each, so I'm just at 25lbs total and my wife should be under 20lbs, with water. We'll have 20 degree bags- I assumed this was fine. Any chance we'll need warmer bags?

As for the acclimatizing, we're in Yosemite Valley for a full day, then Tuolumne for two. We should be ok. Which brings me to my next question. We'll be dayhiking in TM but I was thinking about doing an overnighter before our main trip. Given the choice would you guys pick Glen Aulin or Young Lakes for a quick hitter?

[Gail Lusk]

http://www.nps.gov/archive/yose/wilderness/trailconditions.htm

This is a great link for it informs you what is going on as well as Water Availability.

Sounds like you have a great trip planned, and it can get cold. Both my husband and I got cold in our 20 degree and 15 degree bags, but then we are from Hawaii so….
You should be fine in 20 degree bags :)

[Russell Swanson]

Thanks for the replies guys. Another general question: We're flying in to Sacramento and taking Amtrak/YARTS into the park. We're staying in Curry Village one night and will have some travel clothes and other stuff that we can't haul around with us. Does anyone know if there is a place to stash stuff inthe Valley for the week? Will any of the hotels hold a bag for us? At the risk of offending other passengers we'd rather not get back on the bus in the same clothes we've hiked in, so hopefully we don't have to leave everything at a train station locker in Sacramento.

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