Hello everyone - we are planning a family (me, wife, 2 kids) backpack from Tuolomne Meadows - the valley the first week in August (I've been trying for a couple years for this permit!), and I'd love some experienced insight on a couple questions...none are make or break, but would be helpful with my planning. Thanks in advance!
(Our tentative plan is relatively slow and steady - Night 1: Cathedral Lakes, Night 2: ~Sunrise HSC or Lakes, Night 3: Clouds Rest intersection or LYV Campground).
- Question 1: With the Sunrise HSC closed this season, is there any benefit to camping at the backpacking camp near here (where the privy/tap usually is open)...i.e. are there good views, better/worse mosquitos, etc. at this site compared to continuing to sites in the meadow to the South, or up to Sunrise Lakes?
- Question 2: With the Sunrise HSC camp closed, it appears there is a close stream on the map...I assume it's an easy filter location, but again am trying to decide between camping here or getting water and continuing on to the meadow/Sunrise Lakes to camp.
- Question 3: I know there are several campsites around the where the Clouds Rest Trail joins the JMT along Sunrise Creek - is anyone willing to share some beta on some with good views (but not dropoffs - little kids with us, you know...)? Normally we just gauge what we see and backtrack if we seem to have passed something better...but we'll have 2 little folks at the end of a long day, and I'm hoping to have a pretty good idea of where we'll end up that night. If nothing else, we'll end up in LYV Campground -I've camped there enough times and don't mind it, and the Merced close is a good option for the kids to play in.
Thanks again for all your help! Hopefully we see some nice snowmelt over the next month...
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