Re: Camping at Eagle Peak?

Hi after about a 100 day hikes to the most beautiful spot in the world, I'm doing my first overnighter there with my wife in a few weeks. plan is hike from valley floor on the main falls trail to upper Yosemite for lunch then back around to Eagle Peak where I've never been and which I've heard was Muirs favorite view of the valley. then back down to valley floor after breakfast. Seems that people always mention camping around Yosemite falls area so wanted to ask the pros advice: Can u camp at Eagles Peak or is it better to after visiting Eagles Peak hike back towards the fall/river to camp? Also is there water near the meadow on the topo maps before the peak or should we fill up sooner? thanks all for advice. got my gear and excited to go!

Ted



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 05/13/2012 09:54AM by Tedbay.

Yes, Eagle Peak is a fabulous place to plant yourself for a night or more. Camped there with a friend on 7.13.2011, at a location on the rim of the Valley just about 1/2 mile from the Peak, at 37.7493 N 119.6144 W. Filled up with water at the stream downhill about 1/2 mile from camp, down about 200' or 300', but above the meadow.









Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/13/2012 11:22PM by vdrummer.

Thanks! great spot and thanks for coordinates and info on water. Great views it looks like from your camp site of half dome, north dome and much more!

You got your answer. That area is spectacular. Camped up there a couple of times.
Guess a lot of others do to since found about 5 fire rings up there last time.

Of course don't camp right next to the peak since others will probably be around and
doing so is, or should be, obviously pretty selfish.

Have fun

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There is another nice set of campsites towards the left of the map above, where the trail crosses the second fork of Eagle Creek, on a bluff, easy to spot from the trail.

You might wish to consider a quick jog over to the top of El Cap before you head down in the morning. If you did all the heavy lifting to get up there, it's just a coast, and pretty darn spectacular.

In the early season, Eagle Creek Meadows can be a big sloppy bog which you can skirt by staying south but that shouldn't be a problem this year.

Thanks again for the ideas! will definitely be off trail from the peak and will checkout the other spot too. I was wondering about the marsh area so early in the season. I just picked up a new camera and might try my first time lapse of the sun coming up or maybe the stars at night. may not come out first time but hoping to capture a new perspective. will be a great breather to get way from work...

Marsh area will pobably be not all that bad really right now. At least nothing like the quagmire it
can be in April. First time wifey and I went thru that area then... we tried skirting it on the west entirely
and after one heck of a lot of flopping around in snow and all kinds of delicious goodness we
reached a hill and said... ok, this is it... we are camping up there whatever it looks like!
Ended up at the spot vdrumma pointed out... and it's a trip we talk about even to this day.
What is the saying? Every Chick-on has it's day? Even a blind Chick-on finds a sweet campspot?
In 2009 we went thru there on Mem. day weekend and the creeklets were flowing high
but getting thru Eagle Peak Meadow area was almost non-issue compared to Bluejay and others.
Anyway, probably TMI as usual.

Have fun out der

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Quote
Tedbay
Thanks again for the ideas! will definitely be off trail from the peak and will checkout the other spot too. I was wondering about the marsh area so early in the season. I just picked up a new camera and might try my first time lapse of the sun coming up or maybe the stars at night. may not come out first time but hoping to capture a new perspective. will be a great breather to get way from work...

Yes, there are for sure nice open flat spots to the left of my photo-marked spot on the map, and while those were occupied when we walked by them, our thinking was that a spot near the rim, with almost the entire valley out in front of you, was way better!

Mt. Watkins is another super-favorite, but that's another topic. Been a good thing to go beyond the requirement of camping close to water, and realize it's not impossible to haul two 2.5 liter platypus bags into a dry spot that has fabulous views. Few things better than unzipping your tent and Half Dome or something right there!

Out of curiosity: did you happen to find a benchmarker?

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Ohnivy-Drak
Out of curiosity: did you happen to find a benchmarker?

No, didn't see one, but wasn't in search of one either.

Last weekend:


(and yes, life is rough) (it got down to 40 that night) (and got bonus hour)

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So nice. Can't wait to get back to Yosemite.