Re: Trip advice for 10/4-6

So I'm planning a quick trip next weekend. Depending on work, I'll leave either Fri afternoon or Sat morning, and will return on Monday.

My current thought is to do the Lake Vernon/Tiltill Valley loop in Hetch Hetchy. Clearly it's pretty dry up there right now, though based on the YNP page (http://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/wildcond.htm) it seems that I should be okay for water, especially if I just plan to carry extra. Anyone think this is a particularly bad idea?

I'm also open to other suggestions... aiming to do ~10-15 mi / day. The other area I'm considering is Emigrant.

Thanks!

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vitaminC
So I'm planning a quick trip next weekend. Depending on work, I'll leave either Fri afternoon or Sat morning, and will return on Monday.

My current thought is to do the Lake Vernon/Tiltill Valley loop in Hetch Hetchy. Clearly it's pretty dry up there right now, though based on the YNP page (http://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/wildcond.htm) it seems that I should be okay for water, especially if I just plan to carry extra. Anyone think this is a particularly bad idea?

I'm also open to other suggestions... aiming to do ~10-15 mi / day. The other area I'm considering is Emigrant.

Thanks!

There is a spring at Beehive Meadow which has always had water in it for the last 40 years I know of. It's about 20-30 feet the the left or west of the trail. After that Lake Vernon should have some water too. Once you go up and over into Tiltill you will cross Tiltill Creek which should have water in it as there are fish in the creek. I've never seen Tiltill Dry. If the creek is not to your liking then continue on to the pond about 3/4 mile further which may be less to your liking this year. If none of the sources after Vernon are drinkable then you are sure to have good water at Rancheria Creek. Carry 2-3 liters out of Vernon and you should be good til Rancheria. The only up is out of Vernon on the return side of the loop. This is a good loop.

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Old Dude

The pond the Old Dood speaks of will be devoid of water.
This pond: http://www.mappingsupport.com/p/gmap4.php?ll=37.970032,-119.694629&z=15&t=t4
Get your water out of Tiltill Creek. It will have water flowing...
I've never not seen water along the trail approx here on your way to Beehive:
http://www.mappingsupport.com/p/gmap4.php?ll=37.966649,-119.790545&z=15&t=t4

And guaranteed that the spring in Beehive has water... as Z Old guy has said.
It's a nice loop. Go for it. (dis gonna be up around TM getting more in b4 can't park overnight along 120)
(if you go frequently... I'd go from 120... you can go out of HH year round)

Have fun water-ever you do

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I agree with the pink one. See if weather is good enough to do something off 120 in the high country before it closes... We will be up there too, knock on wood!

Vernon Loop is great early or late season when high country not easily accessible.

Thanks for the replies!

Just checking out some options from 120. I've never been up to Clouds Rest or in that area, and it's definitely something I'd like to do. I guess by now the Meadow Fire is basically out? I don't want to get smoked out if I'm up there!

I think I could get a permit for Sunrise on Sunday, which would let me just stay in the Backpackers camp on Sat night. Then I could day hike around Sat afternoon, Clouds Rest on Sunday with a stop at Sunrise for the night, and some more day exploration Monday before heading back.

Thoughts? I will be driving up Sat morning from near SF.

I agree that saving HH for later definitely makes sense.

Okay, looks like the Tuolumne backpackers camp is closed for the season. I suspect I could get a spot at Porcupine Flat on Sat night.

I am not sure about the backpacker's camp being closed. Clearly the campground itself is closed...but they have to have someplace for the backpackers cruising through to camp. You might want to double check that. And I might see you there...

Well... http://yosemitenews.info/forum/read.php?3,77245

Not sure what I'm going to do at this point. I guess I could just go up and hope there are some permits available, which may be dicey on a Saturday. Or go back to my original HH plans.

Yeah, I don't think that you can know for sure until you get there.
But I think that it is quite reasonable to think that a backpacker passing through Tuolumne Meadows should be able to camp there as they would have absolutely nowhere else to legally camp given all of the other restrictions related to camping in and near Tuolumne (i.e. at least an air mile from the road, and 4 miles from Tuolumne Meadows).

Looks like Porcupine Flat could be an option.

You could also try the campgrounds in Inyo NF just over Tioga Pass if necessary...I've done it a bunch of times. Junction is not terribly far from Tuolumne, and Sawmill walk-in is one of my favorites.