Re: Hike from Tioga Road to Yosemite Valley

I am trying to figure out a one day hike from Tioga Road to YV. Is it possible to go from Porcupine Flat and down through Upper Yosemite Falls? I'd like to do the hike in one day and am hoping for a 10-12 miles hike.

Thanks in advance.

Yep--you can do that. You could also do the same down the Snow Creek Falls trail.

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Have always wondered about hiking from Olmstead Point on Tioga rd. to the
Valley. A reasonable one day hike?

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mtn man
Have always wondered about hiking from Olmstead Point on Tioga rd. to the
Valley. A reasonable one day hike?

It's not bad, but a better starting point is the quarry a bit west of there. Follow the cross country ski trai down to the Mt. Watkins saddle, take a side jaunt to the two Watkins summits, then on down to the Snow Creek Trail.

If your knees don't mind the 106 switchbacks on the Snow Creek Trail, it makes for a very enjoyable hike.

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mtn man
Have always wondered about hiking from Olmstead Point on Tioga rd. to the
Valley. A reasonable one day hike?

I didn't almost that many years ago from the trailhead near the May Lake junction. The only problem (besides being snow covered for the first 5 miles) was a rattlesnake that thought the Snow Creek Trail was a good resting site.

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TinaD
I am trying to figure out a one day hike from Tioga Road to YV. Is it possible to go from Porcupine Flat and down through Upper Yosemite Falls? I'd like to do the hike in one day and am hoping for a 10-12 miles hike.

Thanks in advance.

Porcupine Flat trailhead on 120 to the valley floor via Yosemite Falls is just less than nine miles.

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Old Dude

I assume its mostly downhill? I am trying to estimate my time.

Thanks for the information.

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TinaD
I assume its mostly downhill? I am trying to estimate my time.

Thanks for the information.

Hi,

Yes. We did this 2 years ago. Here is the actual elevation plot based off my GPS (about 10 miles and ave. 1.5 mph. With stops, It took us 8 hours.)



Here is another one that we did last 7/9 but a round trip including Indian Rock, North Dome, Top of Yosemite Falls - 12 hours, about 17 miles and ave. 1.2 mph

pls try this link instead.

https://picasaweb.google.com/112036377218264144246/Desktop?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCIaTqszmp_PMOg&feat=directlink

Too cool! 1.5 mph average? I am hoping for 2 mph average. I have a reservation at Housekeeping and am hoping to get there by 3pm to get a good spot! It'll be me and my 18 year old son...I'll be the slower one of the two I'll have to see how much the uphill portion takes out of me.

Thanks again! You're a gem!

We leave on Tuesday to begin our 11 day camping trip...needless to say, we are excited!

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boyet

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TinaD

I assume its mostly downhill? I am trying to estimate my time.

Thanks for the information.

Hi,

Yes. We did this 2 years ago. Here is the actual elevation plot based off my GPS (about 10 miles and ave. 1.5 mph. With stops, It took us 8 hours.)





Here is another one that we did last 7/9 but a round trip including Indian Rock, North Dome, Top of Yosemite Falls - 12 hours, about 17 miles and ave. 1.2 mph

Thanks for the graphs! Very useful.

Porcupine or Yosemite Creek to Indian Arch to North Dome to Yosemite Point to Yosemite Falls overlook to O-My-God Point to Columbia Rock to Camp 4 in the valley.

Long day, but doable as a day hike.

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qumqats
Porcupine or Yosemite Creek to Indian Arch to North Dome to Yosemite Point to Yosemite Falls overlook to O-My-God Point to Columbia Rock to Camp 4 in the valley.

Long day, but doable as a day hike.

Which trailhead for this hike do you prefer as a starting point, Yosemite Creek or Porcupine Creek?

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plawrence

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qumqats
Porcupine or Yosemite Creek to Indian Arch to North Dome to Yosemite Point to Yosemite Falls overlook to O-My-God Point to Columbia Rock to Camp 4 in the valley.

Long day, but doable as a day hike.

Which trailhead for this hike do you prefer as a starting point, Yosemite Creek or Porcupine Creek?

Be aware that the Yosemite Creek trailhead starts on the west side of the creek and crosses the creek about 3/4 mile in. If the creek is a roaring torrent you don't want to cross it. You can cross country down the east side to start and pick up the trail after the ford. The trail crosses the creek again at the Yosemite Creek Campground but there is a bridge there. Another option is to start at the Lukens Lake trailhead. Yet another option is to hike down the road to the Yosemite Creek Campground or even get driven to that point.

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Old Dude

This question is how I came up with my hike coming up next month. Traveling with my family we don't have time but driving Grand Canyon, Death Valley, and then East Yosemite was something they have never done. But I wanted to do a big hike so I started research on big day hikes to go as the crow flies from Tioga Rd. Several months ago in the midst of winter I called Yosemite and talked to a ranger. My original idea was Tuolomne Meadows into the Valley but the Ranger convinced me to do Clouds Rest. Half Dome of course is the great add on since I've never done it.

So I ended up with my Tenaya Lake, Clouds Rest, Half Dome, Happy Isles 22 mile hike just over a month away. Big day but training is going well.

Well, not really my place to criticize what anybody thinks is a great day's hike but, FWIW, doing all that in one day strikes me as giving you very little time to actually enjoy much of it (unless (maybe) you're planning to make it a VERY long day). Again, just my point of reference but, in a normal (i.e., primarily focussed on getting from point A to point B) walk/hike/sojourn, I normally move at about 4 miles per hour. In a place like Yosemite, stopping to notice everything wonderful around me, that drops to about 1 mile per hour...not because I CAN'T go faster but because I don't want to. Just my two cents but I'd think that you'd have a much nicer day if you chose a shorter distance and took the time to actually appreciate the details.

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DavidK42
Well, not really my place to criticize what anybody thinks is a great day's hike but, FWIW, doing all that in one day strikes me as giving you very little time to actually enjoy much of it (unless (maybe) you're planning to make it a VERY long day). Again, just my point of reference but, in a normal (i.e., primarily focussed on getting from point A to point B) walk/hike/sojourn, I normally move at about 4 miles per hour. In a place like Yosemite, stopping to notice everything wonderful around me, that drops to about 1 mile per hour...not because I CAN'T go faster but because I don't want to. Just my two cents but I'd think that you'd have a much nicer day if you chose a shorter distance and took the time to actually appreciate the details.

Understood it is a big day. I tend to move fast while I am actually moving on hikes. But I'll enjoy the details and stop to soak things in.

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DavidK42
Again, just my point of reference but, in a normal (i.e., primarily focussed on getting from point A to point B) walk/hike/sojourn, I normally move at about 4 miles per hour.

You really hike a 15 minute mile? That's a pretty brisk walking pace even on a flat paved trail or sidewalk, let alone on a non-paved, non-level typical hiking trail.

On flat even terrain (think sidewalks or paved park trail) a brisk walk for me is around an 18 minute mile.

When speed walking (think like how they walk in a track & field walking race), I can even manage a 12 minute mile (5 MPH) for about five miles, but that's a really fast speed walk. For me a normal fast hiking pace is about a 20-22 minute mile on non-paved, non-level, wilderness hiking trails, and slower on steeper grades.

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plawrence
You really hike a 15 minute mile? That's a pretty brisk walking pace even on a flat paved trail or sidewalk, let alone on a non-paved, non-level typical hiking trail.

Well, if we're defining "hiking' as being out on a trail in someplace I really want to be (like Yosemite), I almost never hike a 15 minute mile but if I'm just out to get from point A to point B (like normal in-city walking) or doing an intentionally aerobic walk (my office complex is surrounded by a rather nice two-mile hiking trail and, in nice weather, I often spend half my lunch hour walking along that), that's about my rate. I will add that I'd never formally timed it so it might be approximate (and it's definitely slower if I'm walking with someone else) but based on ball-park comparison of my watch and the known distance, that seems about right. About the only time I'd put on that kind of speed on a hike would be if there were extenuating circumstances of some sort like a storm moving in on us. I'll probably do a 20-30 minute mile when part of a hike is along a trail I've done many times before but, between photo-stops, investigating the scenery and, sometimes, just plain catching my breath at altitude, it's more like a 45-60 minute mile when I'm hiking a trail I really love.

--David



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/18/2011 05:30AM by DavidK42.

Just hiked Yosemite Falls last Tuesday from the Valley - and met a father and son on top who hiked from porcupine flat and was headed back at 5PM - He said the hike was pretty easy (I have never hiked from Porcupine Flat so I can't say)

I think by far the most scenic way is to park your car at Cathedral Lake trailhead and then go up to Sunrise, then walk on the JMT, down the Mist Trail and end up in Happy Isles. It's 21 miles one way, but only about 2500 elevation gain in this direction.

I do this hike several times a year, overnight at Curry Village and then hike back the next day. The second day's elevation gain is substantial, almost 6,000 feet.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/17/2011 08:41AM by Ulysses61.

To respond to David, with all due respect, I've always followed the adage, "Hike your own hike."

I hike at fast pace and take few breaks because I enjoy doing it that way. It's a challenge for me to best times I had 20 years ago when I was in my 20's. If people wish to hike slowly, pause, reflect, take photos, all the more power to them. I don't question their pace or their purpose, it's none of my concern. Similarly, if I hike at breakneck speed, why would anyone question it or assume I see nothing?

Just my .05 cents.

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Ulysses61
To respond to David....
Just my .05 cents.

1/20 of a cent?
(UsefulForCampCurryGratuitiesly Yours)
The Marmots

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Ulysses61
I think by far the most scenic way is to park your car at Cathedral Lake trailhead

If you can find a parking place there.

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eeek

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Ulysses61
I think by far the most scenic way is to park your car at Cathedral Lake trailhead

If you can find a parking place there.

You usually can on week days. Weekends might redifine what "at" Cathedral trailhead means.

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tomdisco

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eeek

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Ulysses61
I think by far the most scenic way is to park your car at Cathedral Lake trailhead

If you can find a parking place there.

You usually can on week days. Weekends might redifine what "at" Cathedral trailhead means.

Or just park elsewhere and take the shuttle.