Re: My Hetch Hetchy Itinerary for early/mid June -- advice?

Just got trailhead reservation confirmation; my five-day hike is planned as such (any input or reccommendations from anyone who has had experience in this area of Yosemite is greatly admired and appreciated!):

Day 1: Hetchy Hetchy Reservoir to Lake Vernon 10 mi. (or beehive meadows area)
Day 2: Lake Vernon to Jack Main Canyon 10 mi.
Day 3: spending the day relaxing in the canyon
Day 4: Jack Main Canyon to Tiltill Valley 10 mi.
Day 5: Tiltill Valley to Hetch Hetchy Reservoir 10 mi.

I've been haunted by tales of abundant snow-cover and impassable trails, is this hike even possible?

I replied to this on a different forum....but just to get you started here:

Just to give you an idea, last year over 4thof July weekend we found that the snow level was around 8500 feet...above that, and it was hard to find the trail because of the snow.

In the morning, that snow will be crunchy and easy to walk on...but in the afternoon it got pretty slushy and messy.

And that first day, if it's snowy, is going to be a long one. I suggest you camp the night before at the trailhead, and get an early start. It's a long climb up the ridge out of Hetch-hetchy...and the last few miles may be postholing through the snow. That's a slow way to hike.

As a side note...depending on how long a drive you have out of the park, you might consider camping day three a bit closer to Tiltill...and the following day working down to Rancheria Falls.

That's only a little over six miles to the trailhead, so you can be on your way by noon...


The only way you will reall know about the conditions will be a few weeks before your hike--and the weather will certainly have the last word!

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Alert!! The trail that crosses the Wapama Falls area is closed and no permits will be issued that require travel on that section of trail due to the bridge being washed out. No date has been set for when repairs will be completed. Even if you chose to come out via the trail across Falls Creek regardless of the restriction you might get stymied there due to high water and would have to backtrack to Vernon anyway.

Be prepared to go from Tildon Lake down to Tilltill Valley then over to Lake Vernon and out via Beehive Meadow.

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Old Dude

If you haven't read this... maybe read this:
http://yosemitenews.info/forum/read.php?3,30944,30944#msg-30944

I've probably mentioned this 100 times. Typical - Memorial Day = Snow Level 7500 ft.
And snow around Mem. Day is typically fabulous to walk on. Nice and consolidated...
any sun caps haven't gotten too outta control (although you prolly won't see killer sun cups
around Hetch) (I never have).

As Old Guy said... you need to worry more about crossing Falls Creek than probably anything
although parts of the canyon as I detailed in the thread above will be flooded
in early June. Almost guaranteed. Easiest place to cross is Wilma. Paradise Valley and
Tilden crossings not as safe. But if you cross at Wilma you add more spots of
probably wading...
Getting over Titill Mtn. may take a lot longer than you think and if you aren't keen on hiking
on snow... you may end up with whining people and pain.
Sometimes going early is better than later though.

My advice: just go... deal with it... turn around when you're not comfortable...

Check back in mid May... I'll have gone in the canyon by then probably.