First off, newbie to the forum but looking forward to hanging around. I have nabbed a permit for GP->LYV in late may. The plan is to backpack four nights and wanted some thoughts on routes/campsites. Obviously our first night is at LYV so here is what I am thinking.

Day 1 - GP->LYV

Day2- LYV over Clouds to Sunrise Lakes. Looks like about a 10 mile day. Any suggestions on camping near or above the Lakes?

Day 3 - Sunrise Lakes back to JMT then north until taking the trail to the right (not sure of trail name) that joins the cathedral fork towards Echo Valley and eventually Bunnel Cascade. Thoughts on camping near the cascade or around echo valley?

Day 4 - Either camp in the area another night and dayhike or head down to Happy Isles via mist trail and camp at the backpackers cg in the valley and see the sights or possibly drive down to a cg near the mariposa grove and spend the afternoon checking out the sequoias which none of us have ever seen.

There are 5 of us and all are very experienced backpackers.

Hi! We hiked up the Merced Canyon from LYV to Sunrise Camp via the Cathedral Fork trail last summer. It is an amazingly beautiful area - not sure if it was impacted by the Meadow Fire, hope not. There are campsites along the trail down to the Merced Canyon, but at this point the area isn't open for camping, only day use/hiking due to the fire. Here is a link that YNP sent me this last Sunday. http://www.nps.gov/yose/parkmgmt/upload/meadowfireclosure09262014.pdf

That said, we camped across the stream in Echo Valley just before you reach the bridge at the very bottom of the Cathedral Fork trail where it meets the Merced Canyon trail. Others had camped there as well, although there was no a fire ring - but again that was fine with us as it was already so dry while we were hiking in July that even if there had been, we weren't about to light a campfire.

Here is a video of our trip -- remember we hiked UP the Cathedral Fork trail.... (You are definitely going a much better direction) Our little campsite in Echo Valley is at 4:32 and following is our hike up the trail. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0fxEBDiTXRs

Hope that helps! Have a fantastic time!

http://yosemitenews.info/forum/read.php?17,77826,77826#msg-77826

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Tanks fur the video. Very nice.

(I especially like 1:36)

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This is a good plan. You really don't need to plan anything else. Yosemite really is imho
a Backpackers Paradise. You can find a campspot in 9 zillion places... but for never
been ... what you said is good.
LYV / Sunrise (pick one... any one) (visit them all) ... Middle may be more secluded due to
off trail...
Echo Valley / maybe go up and check out Merced Lake
so much to explore if you get to a campspot early... but you can't go too wrong checking
out the Giant Sequoias... you should at least try to go to Grizzly Giant on your
way thru...
But the more days in the backcountry the better... see the posts above w/r to Echo to LYV area.
In a normal year you would be having to deal with snow ... that is not looking to be the case..
however... if it is... just play it by ear and if too much.. backtrack... back down to LYV
and then dayhike up Merced River...
Personally I try to hike down Mist Trail to save a lot of time... but in late May this is prob. not
a good idea... it can get very busy... so you should prob. highly consider taking the JMT
back down towards Happy Isles.

Have fun

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