Re: Porcupine Creek to North Dome and Yosemite Point - July or August

So after a fun solo trip from Tenaya Lake to Half Dome, Clouds Rest, and LYV then back to the Valley, I'm ready to take the Mrs. along this year. She certainly enjoys day-hiking, but doesn't have much experience backpacking. We're looking for something that isn't too steep. Maybe just set up camp some place and explore North Dome, Yosemite Creek, etc. Perhaps go as far as El Capitan. My recollection from a topo map is that this isn't totally flat, but not like several thousand feet of elevation difference.

She took one look at my BearVault BV400 and said there was no way we were taking it along for a two night trip. So I just went out an got a BV350, which should be adequate for two nights and three days, as long as we keep the first night's meals outside the canister. Lat year I only ended up eating less than half the food I brought along, so I think I've learned what my needs are (and she's not a big eater either). Of course I'll be lugging most of the stuff in my 60+10 liter pack and she'll be looking for a smallish women-specific backpack for her sleeping bag, pad, and clothes. Maybe she gets the tent (about 5 lbs) too.

Any suggestions for a good location to camp with a good water supply? Anyone know where the Porcupine Creek trailhead is and where the bear boxes would be? I'm thinking maybe across from the Porcupine Flat campground, although I see little trailheads along Tioga Pass to the East. It sounds like this is a pretty good snow year, so hopefully we'll still be able to find water.

Y_P_W,
There is a trailhead that is just abut 2 miles east of the White Wolf turn-off. The trail goes south to Yosemite Falls and north to Lukens Lake. There are bear boxes at the trailhead parking area I'm sure. If you go south on this trail you will find plenty of water and by the time you have gone 3.5 miles or so you will be on Yosemite Creek which will have water of some sort all year. There are places to pitch all over the place. If you get about 5 miles down form the road and camp you should be able to do day hikes to the Top of El Capitan, Eagle Peak, North Dome, and Indian Rock arch.

You could even car camp at Yosemite Creek campground as a base instead of parking your car on 120. You would have a place to relax for a night after the backpacking part before you left for home.

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Old Dude

mrcondron wrote:

> You could even car camp at Yosemite Creek campground

It's a very peaceful campground too. The big RV crowd can't make it down that road and the road's condition discourages others as well. I just wish they'd fix the bridge.

eeek wrote:

> mrcondron wrote:
>
> > You could even car camp at Yosemite Creek campground
>
> It's a very peaceful campground too. The big RV crowd can't
> make it down that road and the road's condition discourages
> others as well. I just wish they'd fix the bridge.

We might do that if we want to extend our trip. However - I really want to take her out in the wilderness with a permit.

Y,
You would still get your wilderness permit but instead of parking your car on the road at the trailhead you would check into the campground and start your permitted wilderness trip from there. Your car would stay put at the campground site. You would have a nice place to stay the night before the wilderness part and at the end of the wilderness part of the trip instead of trying to figure out where to stay the nights before and after. Sort of like the backpacker campgrounds at Tuolumne Meadows and Hetch Hetchy.

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Old Dude

mrcondron wrote:

> Y,
> You would still get your wilderness permit but instead of
> parking your car on the road at the trailhead you would check
> into the campground and start your permitted wilderness trip
> from there. Your car would stay put at the campground site.
> You would have a nice place to stay the night before the
> wilderness part and at the end of the wilderness part of the
> trip instead of trying to figure out where to stay the nights
> before and after. Sort of like the backpacker campgrounds at
> Tuolumne Meadows and Hetch Hetchy.

I was actually planning on staying in one of the backpackers campgrounds. I had a good time last summer at the YV backpackers campground, even though there were a couple of bears.

It's also her first time, and it would take some convincing to get her to carry a full pack more than maybe three miles to a decent backcountry campsite. I sort of want this to be a relatively easy introduction to the backcountry for her. We've tried simple day trips like Horsetail Falls (4 mile round-trip with lots of scrambling) in Desolation and Redwood Saddle (6 mile loop but relatively flat with lots of Sequoias) in Kings Canyon.

Thanks for the suggestion. In any case, Yosemite Creek sounds like a good place to try when we're not backpacking.

This was taken on the Yosemite Creek Campground road: