Two SE guys + JMT + 70miles = ?

Something that includes Evolution Valley.

Try the North Lake to South Lake loop or semi-loop. This includes Evolution Valley.

For reference, this is west of Bishop and includes one portion of the JMT. I think we have one or two trip reports on this.

Solo on the Evolution Loop was my report.

–B.G.–

Just to be clear, Yosemite Valley does not equal Yosemite high country. I'm with you on that though, I sometimes get as nauseated in Yosemite Valley as Woody Allen on a trip to LA. The high country is not too bad once you get half a days hike away from the trail head. In many places in Yosemite you would actually have FEWER people that on the JMT.

Did you want to do a loop? If you relax your restriction of doing just the JMT there are many great possibilities, and you would probably have an extra day to use without the logistics day. You could make one side of the loop the JMT and come back a different way.

Just for baselines, I assume you want to stay regular trails, right, and not interested in doing stretches of semi-adventurous cross country? Not going to call it bushwhacking as there aren't too many bushes – maybe rockwhacking.

Ryan,

Also check on the HIgh Sierra Topix site. Looks of good advice and reports there.

If you tell where you are coming from and if you want to access via the East Side or West Side that may help.

The North/South Lakes loop is an excellent suggestion. If you wanted to go further south there are good options via Kearsage Pass or from the West via Roads End in SEKI.

Craig/Bob – That area looks really nice. I will look into that more. Thank you!

Mark – A loop is definitely a possibility if the scenery is there. We would want to spend some time on the JMT, it doesn't have to be all there though. Rae Lakes Loop would do this, yes? What's your favorite loop?…Regular trails – yes. Rockwhacking/bushwhacking is something we've done a lot of in the Smokies, but we're pretty comfortable there.

M G – Thanks for the High Sierra Topix suggestion. I will look there too…The plan right now is to fly into Reno as my friend has some family there. So, I imagine we would drive south on Hwy 395 to access whichever hike we decide to do. Further south is doable – my friend has mentioned Kearsage Pass as a possible start/end point.

Thanks for the suggestions so far. Keep 'em coming!

Ryan

If you are in the SF Bay Area, you might also look at the Emigrant wilderness. That would allow you to start near Sonora Pass and hike south to the JMT in Tuolumne Meadows. Fewer people, very much the same granite for most of the hike. And much closer trailheads.

Or a trip in the John Muir Wilderness out of June Lake in the Post Peak Pass area. Nice loops, lots of great scenery, not many people at all.

We have trip reports on both areas in our website backpackthesierra.com

You are talking about August.

It's too bad that you can't get there earlier for wildflower season. On a normal year, that time might be around July, but this year it may be May or June or nothing at all. At least by August you won't have to worry about high water stream crossings.

–B.G.–

Unfortunately the JMT is crowded along the whole 212 miles. It seems to be getting more popular with every passing year. Somewhere between 50 and 100 people get permits to start the trail from Yosemite every day in July and August. Some drop out, but more are added at Reds Meadow, Bishop pass, and Kearsarge. So it is you and your 75 new best friends for the duration of the hike from Yosemite to Whitney Portal.

You are only doing a section of the trail, and I think are requesting a recommendation for a less visited section, but there is unfortunately no such thing.

You can somewhat lessen the impact of the crowds by hiking north to south which is what 90% of the JMTers do. That way you will be leap frog hiking with 75 people but at least it will be the same 75 people. If you instead go south to north you will be meeting and exchanging greetings with 75 new people per day, which adds up to several hundred people in the course of your one week trip.

Here are a few suggestions that might be helpful….

Start your hike in Tuolumne Meadows (TM) and head south. You will miss all the Half Dome and Little Yosemite Campground people and getting a backcountry permit from TM is much easier than Happy Isles trailhead (Yosemite Valley).

If possible, start your hike late in August or even better if at all possible, after Labor Day. You will miss the crowds, get the best campsites, miss the bugs, and get very enjoyable hiking temps during the day.

If you can terminate your hike at Red Meadows (about 43 some miles south from TM) there is a daily shuttle from there that will take you to the town of Mammoth. From there you can stay at the Mammoth Mountain Inn, get a hot shower and some great food or find a local hotel for less money. The following morning you can take a 4 hour shuttle back to Yosemite. I believe it also stops at TM as well. If you are looking for more than 43 miles you can do a loop hike farther south from Red Meadows and back or you can do some other additional loops on the way to Reds and still end there.

You could also start at TM, re-supply at Reds and hike out at Bishop or over Kersarge Pass to the town of Independence, yet I don’t know the exact mileages off the top of my head.

If you start in late Aug or early September, I feel you could start from Happy Isles (Yosemite Valley) and I think you will not be bombarded with the flow of people in the park or at the trailhead. Crowds always appear to die down after Labor day. A hike from Happy Isles to Reds is about 65 -70 miles and you can climb Half Dome if you haven’t yet with a much smaller crowd.

If you want to to hike Half Dome literally by yourself, dry camp at a unmarked campsite about ¼ or ½ mile past the JMT and Half Dome junction. Get up around 4:30 am and hike up to Half Dome. You will get to see a wonderful sunrise and all the lights coming on in the valley. After enjoying the top all to yourself, walk down and continue your JMT hike. I have done this 3-4 times and the earliest I have seen another person was coming down the cables and that happened only once.

I believe there are other locations to come in from the East that are south of TM and I am sure you could design a loop hike of some sorts, yet I do not know the exact mileages on these so I do not want to share too many details for the sake of misleading you with incorrect info.

Lastly, make sure to check the availability of the suggested shuttles as I was last there 5 years ago and don’t know if things have changed or exactly when things shut down for the season at Reds. The Mammoth Mountain Inn to Yosemite shuttle ran daily yet might do weekends only after Sept 1, so you might have to plan accordingly in you want to use that one.

Hope this helps and enjoy your hike.