Re: Overnight camping family of 4 in late June

We are planning a trip to Yosemite June 21 – 29, 2014. The group includes my husband and I and our 12 & 14 y/o girls. We need help with plans for an overnight backcountry trip. We have done prior backcountry hiking in Yellowstone, Grand Teton and the White and Green Mountains and are able to do 5-10 miles/day (want to keep it fun for the kids)

After several days in King’s Canyon, we will likely settle in the Valley June 21-June 24. We plan to take short hikes, raft Merced river, maybe horseride…. but additionally we would like to plan an overnight backcountry hiking trip. Once we have backcountry permit then we will apply for campground for other nights and plan other valley activities. June 25th we have reservations at Toloumne Meadow in a canvas tent. Through the lottery we secured permits for High Sierra Camps Glen Aulin and May Lake 6/26 and 6/27. We spend our last night 6/28 at Ahwahee.

I’ve done some research but we would appreciate advice as we apply for a wilderness permit for an overnight hike (first days to submit requests are this weekend). I understand camping is not allowed within 4 mi of Valley, Glacier Point and Tuolumne Meadow, within 1 mi of any road, within 100 ft water and 100 ft trail. I think hiking from high elevation (ie Glacier Point) down to low elevation (ie Valley) will be less strenuous for our group. I also understand that when submitting wilderness permit, you have to designate the entering and exiting trailhead and where you will camp the first night.

We are considering the below hikes. Any feedback about these trails or other hiking ideas would be greatly appreciated. Worry some trails might not yet be opened because of snow melt. Also wondering if some trails are just so popular during this time, with such small quotas, that better to avoid.

From Glacier point to yosemite valley:
#1 Pohono trail Glacier Point trailhead to Wawona Tunnel view trailhead, camp at Bridal Veil Creek or Dewey Point. I’m not sure if this is too ambitious. I’m not exactly sure where we would camp. I understand transportation between Wawona and back to the Valley at the end of the hike is a real problem.
#2 Glacier Point to panorama trail to JMT to Yosemite Valley 8.5. Enter Glacier point Illouette trailhead, exit Happy Isle trailhead. camp Illouette Basin. Not sure if camping is allowed and where it is allowed. Possible concern that too steep and wet downhill at end of trail with packs on our backs. Maybe too crowded.
Glacier Point to Ostrander Lake or beyond to Hart Lake?
Glacier Point to Mcgurk meadow trail to meadow and beyond to Dewy Point and camp at Bridalveil Creek?

From Tioga Rd:
#3 Porcupine Creek (aka North Dome) – Porcupine Creek trailhead enter & exit. Camp at base of North Dome or Royal Arch Creek.
Yosemite Creek – Yosemite Creek camp gd trailhead. Camp west side of Yosemite Creek at Yosemite Falls.

From Tuolumne Meadows:
#4 Cathedral Lakes – Cathedral Lake trail head enter and exit, 8 mi, camp Cathedral Pass.
#5 Young Lake trailhead loop via Dog Lake – Young Lake trail head enter and exit, Stay at Roosevelt Lake or western side of 1st Young Lake.
#6 Clouds Rest – Sunrise Lakes trailhead enter and exit @ Tenya Lake, camp near tributary of Tenya Creek at 4.5 mi
Lyell canyon - Lyell Canyon trail head enter and exit. Camp in Alger Lakes Basin Will it be open?
Poly Dome Lakes 13 mi, 6 hrs, easy, Camp at lakes at base of Poly Dome. What is the trailhead?

I'm confused. What exactly are you asking?

June 21-24 you are in the valley.
25th you are at TM
26th you are in the backcountry at Glen Aulin
27th you are in the backcountry at May Lake
28th Ahwahnee

So that leaves you 0 days for another backcountry jaunt overnight.

As for your treks on the valley days do this:
- Mirror Lake
- Vernal Falls (top of) via Mist
- Lower Yose Falls
- Bridalveil base
- Taft Pt. along with Sentinel Dome
- North Dome from top (Porc)

TM
- Lembert
- Pothole

One comment w/r to all the other stuff. Miffed about Roosevelt Lake comment.
I dunno how people come up with this stuff.. but it amazes me at times.
Never been and peeps wanna go offtrail? confused... again... I'd be a few Twinkies
that if you had the time... you'd still only go to Youngs.

Anywho. Have fun
And ask more if you like... but as I mentioned a couple of times... I'm confused how you
are going to fit more in an already packed schedule. Obviously I'm missing something.

And kudos to all the other forum members who are so helpful.

---

I'm with chick-on in that I don't understand your time table. Having said that, you can get a semi backcountry back packing experience by staying in the back packers campground at Glen Aulin or May Lake. You could probably convert your reservation to meals only (you get to eat at the HSC camp) and save a few bucks. You already have a back country permit for this area. It comes with your reservation to the HSC.

I'm a long way from being able to answer all your questions but I'll be happy to comment on a few:

#1 Pohono Trail, Glacier Point trailhead to Wawona Tunnel view trailhead -- I've only done parts of it but It's longer than you say you want to do in a day. I don't know anything about camping opportunities there.

You can get to Glacier Point from the Valley by tour bus. You could also drive to Glacier Point, follow the Pohono Trail as far as you felt like (perhaps to Taft Point or thereabouts, perhaps by way of Sentinel Dome), then return to Glacier Point and drive down.

If you do end up above the Wawona Tunnel, I'd say the easiest way back to the Valley on foot is not to go down to the road at Tunnel View but instead follow the "old stage road" (unmaintained, but passable 6 months ago) past Artist Point to near the Bridalveil parking lot. From there you can follow the Valley Loop Trail to the El Capitan Bridge and catch the El Cap Shuttle (free). By the way, when you discuss your plans or ask directions, please take care not to confuse the Wawona Tunnel with the real Wawona, about 20 miles south.

#2 Glacier Point to Panorama Trail to JMT to Yosemite Valley -- that's a great day trip. Again, you can take the tour bus to Glacier Point. You won't get very wet on the John Muir Trail. You might on the Mist some years, but 2014 is shaping up to be a low-water year.

Re: camp at Bridalveil Creek? -- That's a first-come, first-served campground. If it happened to be full when you got there, you'd need an alternative. Although NPS estimates it won't open till July, a record low snowpack might skew that date a bit.

That's all I know about. Good luck with the rest of it, and enjoy your trip!