Re: back packing in June

Plans to go in August fell through so were going in the middle of June now. Were looking at 3 routes at the moment ...
- toulumne meadows to pate valley to harden lake to white wolf
- tenaya/may lake over tuolomne peak to ten lakes to white wolf
- tuolumne meadows - lyell canyon to ireland lake to emeric lake over clouds rest and down the valley.

Will the snow make it a problem for us on any of these routes? Any other suggestions or opinions would be appreciated, were looking for 3-4 nights around 10 miles a day.

If Tioga Road isn't open, how will you access the trailhead?

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NacciNW
If Tioga Road isn't open, how will you access the trailhead?

When I made a mid-June reservation a few years back, the operator taking the reservation didn't hear me clearly and reserved for mid-April. Tioga Road wouldn't have been open at that point. I figured it out when I got my confirmation letter, at which point I called up and set it straight. I don't think they determine if Tioga Road will be open when making reservations. I'm not sure they'll refund the reservation fee either if one can't make it due to snow.

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ryanmj
- toulumne meadows to pate valley to harden lake to white wolf

I found that one to be much better in the other direction.

If you don't want snow.... don't go.

pate - river will be raging, morrison may be too much for many to cross, register the same, glen aulin flooded
tuol peak/ten lakes - will be blanketed in snow, sf cathedral will be roaring
lyell - buckloads o snow, sun cups galore

There is more snow than last year.

This will give you an idea for lyell/ireland:
http://yosemitenews.info/forum/read.php?3,26329,26329#msg-26329

Glen Aulin, GCT:
http://yosemitenews.info/forum/read.php?3,26056,26056#msg-26056

The Pate one is probably your most viable option. If you hit it right though you won't be able to get thru.

Good luck
(and yeah, the road prob. won't be open)

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bill-e-g


The Pate one is probably your most viable option. If you hit it right though you won't be able to get thru.

Good luck
(and yeah, the road prob. won't be open)

where would you go if you had 4 nights in mid June? loop or leave a car and take a bus to start

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ryanmj

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bill-e-g


The Pate one is probably your most viable option. If you hit it right though you won't be able to get thru.

Good luck
(and yeah, the road prob. won't be open)

where would you go if you had 4 nights in mid June? loop or leave a car and take a bus to start

I would go to Chain Lakes, starting in Sierra NF, and expect to have snow patches. I would do a lollipop - in and out with a loop from lake to lake. There are a number of lakes in the area off trail.

Or, go up to Chilnualna and out to Chilnualna Lakes and back. Still gonna be patchy snow.

Mid-June...are you from CA, or are you flying across the country for this trip? I ask because, as everyone said, Tioga Road may not be open and both your starting points rely upon it. When I'm planning a trip elsewhere in the country I'm quite a bit more cautious about such things, planning a local trip is different because I can always do what the weather requires and plan a different trip some other time.

I think there's no doubt that the Ireland Lake itinerary will be covered in snow. The others...it's been a wet winter and so far spring has only had short bursts of warmth. Great for my Memorial Day skiing at Mammoth, not so great for itineraries involving Tuolumne.

We figured that there would be a lot of snow but didnt think of the possibility that the road would be closed. Were not from out of state but we are driving up from San Diego. We are thinking about possibly going to Zion or the Grand canyon but Yosemite is our first choice so we need to plan some alternative routes Were thinking up snow creek and down vernal or possibly up Chilnaulna falls towards buena vista peak and eventually down the panoramic to vernal falls. Open for suggestions as well.

Depends upon how much snow you're OK with (your first question mentioned an issue with that). Last year, late June/early July, I hiked from Mono Meadow up over Buena Vista Crest, no snow until Buena Vista Lake, and eve then it wasn't much and all my camping was on bare earth. You'll be there earlier, last year wasn't as wet but last spring was (so far) much colder. I think non-Tuolumne options seem better if you require reservations...if you don't require wilderness permit reservations then maybe just wait to see what happens, and have a plan A and a plan B.

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ttilley
Depends upon how much snow you're OK with (your first question mentioned an issue with that).

We dont want to be sleeping in it or having to bring snow shoes, the less snow the better. We want to be able to swim and scramble/explore. Im going to start looking into hetch hetchy and possibly further south around kings canyon for back up plans. Im going to Yosemite in July and than again in August but my brother cant make either of those trips so he really wants to make this happen.

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ryanmj
We figured that there would be a lot of snow but didnt think of the possibility that the road would be closed. Were not from out of state but we are driving up from San Diego. We are thinking about possibly going to Zion or the Grand canyon but Yosemite is our first choice so we need to plan some alternative routes Were thinking up snow creek and down vernal or possibly up Chilnaulna falls towards buena vista peak and eventually down the panoramic to vernal falls. Open for suggestions as well.

Did you really mean to say "up Snow Creek and down Vernal"? In other words, circumventing Tenaya Canyon and coming down from Sunrise Lakes and Clouds Rest?

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tomdisco

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ryanmj
We figured that there would be a lot of snow but didnt think of the possibility that the road would be closed. Were not from out of state but we are driving up from San Diego. We are thinking about possibly going to Zion or the Grand canyon but Yosemite is our first choice so we need to plan some alternative routes Were thinking up snow creek and down vernal or possibly up Chilnaulna falls towards buena vista peak and eventually down the panoramic to vernal falls. Open for suggestions as well.

Did you really mean to say "up Snow Creek and down Vernal"? In other words, circumventing Tenaya Canyon and coming down from Sunrise Lakes and Clouds Rest?

yea that is what i ment

Semi off-topic, but is Hetch Hetchy still accessible even if the Tioga is closed?

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meriadoc
Semi off-topic, but is Hetch Hetchy still accessible even if the Tioga is closed?

No disrespect but do you read any of the other threads?

But yes, like the valley, HH is open year round.

Ouch I read here on a daily basis. Everything I can! I haven't done much digging through many of the archived threads, though.

Thank you for the info though

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meriadoc
Ouch I read here on a daily basis. Everything I can! I haven't done much digging through many of the archived threads, though.

Thank you for the info though

No worries... they were recent so I was confused why you would ask that...
Heck you even posted in them:
http://yosemitenews.info/forum/read.php?3,30944
http://yosemitenews.info/forum/read.php?3,35489

And responded to your query about your itinerary here:
http://yosemitenews.info/forum/read.php?3,35489,35640#msg-35640

Have fun



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/16/2011 01:38PM by bill-e-g.

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meriadoc
Semi off-topic, but is Hetch Hetchy still accessible even if the Tioga is closed?

From the Valley and from the west gate, yes. The Tioga gate is a short distance from the Crane Flat store, on eastbound 120.