Yosemite in July

[Tim Drescher]

Ya’ll,

I’ll be attending a buddies wedding in Southern California this July, so I decided to make a backpacking vacation out of it. I’m looking for suggestions and I’m in a bit of a time crunch as the submittal date for my permit will be coming up soon. I bought a Trails Illustrated map for Yosemite yesterday and am a little overwhelmed by the options. Here are a few bullet points of what kind of experience I’m looking for:

-A solid 4 to 6 day trip with daily mileage as low as 10 miles and as high as 20.
-A few good fishing lakes along the way would be very ideal.
-Loops are of course desirable and I don’t mind going off trail for connections as long as I’m not doing anything more than moderate class 3 scrambling.
-I know it may be impossible some days, but it would be nice to get away from the masses when hiking.
-I wouldn’t mind hiking in the high alpine as I drool over some of the photos of the high Sierra that are often times posted here.
-What else am I missing?

[Bob Gross]

"-A few good fishing lakes along the way would be very ideal."

They have to be lakes? Not streams?

I don't have the patience to be a good fisherman. However, each time that I step across the stream at the headwaters of the Merced River, I see a bunch of fish, and that almost makes me change my mind.

There are all sorts of good backpacking loops around parts of Yosemite. I recommend the Clark Range for lakes and streams and few people on the trail. Red Peak Pass! Especially on the east side of the Clark Range, you won't see many people.

–B.G.–

[Paul Wagner]

There are more choices here that we can possibly cover…

1. Start at Glacier Point or Mono Meadows and hike up over Red Peak pass and down the Merced. You can add miles at the far end by explore the upper reaches of Merced canyon.

2. Start at Twin Lakes on the east side and hike into Kerrick Canyon, Benson Lake, Matterhorn Canyon, and back out. Lots of places to explore there, too.

3. Start in the John Muir Wilderness, Granite Creek, and climb over Isberg Pass and into Yosemite…then back out again.

4. Over Vogelsang, down Lewis Creek…explore the Merced Canyon, and then back out Fletcher Creek.

5. Big snow year ( we WISH!) start at Hetch-hethy and head to Rancheria Falls, the Tilltill Valley, then around Jack Main Canyon and home.

We have trip reports on most of these on our website; backpackthesierra.com

[Tim Drescher]

Bob,

Good point. They definitely don't have to be just lakes. Streams will do just fine too! Although some of my favorite camps tend to be near lakes!

Paul,

Thanks for the tips and the link. I'd really like to discover the essence of the Sierra and Yosemite, and therefore want to see some good sights in the short time I have there. I don't mind busting my butt to do it either.

I take it I should probably have my permit app faxed in the very first (applicable) day to ensure availability? (although I'm sure this depends greatly on which trailhead I enter from).

[Bob Gross]

"although I'm sure this depends greatly on which trailhead I enter from"

Yes. If you pick some time in the prime season on a weekend, then it gets pretty busy. If you pick some time slightly off the prime season and on a weekday, it gets easier. Part of the problem is that we can't predict the season because of the weird snowpack. Right now the snowpack is terribly low, and that means an early spring.

–B.G.–

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