Re: What to do with packs during HD hike?

I'm sure this has been asked numerous times so I apologize for the repetition.

My group and I are starting at Sunrise Lakes and will take advantage of our HD permits on our second to last day. None of us can agree on what we should do with our packs while we climb HD. I've come across pretty much every recommendation on the internet: Leave it a ways off trail. Take it up to the sub dome and leave it there. Lock all of the packs together (I think this is pointless as anyone can just unzip our packs and take what they want). Go to the valley first and leave them in bear boxes.

Anyone have recommendations that have worked for them? I'd prefer to not back track, but I'd also really like my gear and hope to have it when we leave Yosemite.

Many different strategies seen - FYI, hate to backtrack too. This is what worked for us.

My thoughts are that you have little to worry about from 2-legged visitors...everybody up there has their own load to haul/ain't taking on any more additional weight. However, what you do have to be concerned about is all the 4-legged highwaymen, vermin big and small, (plus those damn steller's jays too.) We opted to stash our packs about 2 miles from the Dome, just ~1/4 mile past the last CR/HD trail junction - (near the last water stop/ that little artesian pool). BTW, we took all valuables (money, keys, IDs, CCs, etc) up with us in day packs.

Off the trail maybe 50 - 100 yards (out of sight/out of mind), we also realized that something might smell/ find/ visit our packs while gone, so we took everything out of our backpacks (important - all pockets/zippers left wide open!), and made a few neat piles, backpacks on top, a few rocks atop that for ballast, with everything readily accessible without any need to be hauled off or gnawed open.

Coincidentally, a few HD hours later, whether it was bear, marmot, or squirrel, something had indeed messed with our hidden stash, (a little), but nothing was missing, damaged, or destroyed. YMMV.

Leave the packs a ways off the trail after removing your bear canister and putting anything that smells in the canister. Then take your few valuables- wallet, camera up Half Dome with you.
I have done this many times in various locations and never had a problem. Plus the Half Dome experience is more valuable than anything you have in your pack. Important- Remember Where
You Stashed The Packs!

Also there are many bear boxes in Little Yosemite Valley, but it is somewhat out of the way, still less so then descending all the way to the valley floor.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/30/2016 05:31PM by lschaaf.