Hi Carolyn,

I think you would like encounter snow at some point hiking trails on the North Rim of Yosemite Valley next week but I have no current information on snow elevations and it will vary significantly depending on how much sun exposure different sections of trails receive. You could call the Wilderness Information office to talk to a ranger about trail conditions, I’ve found you’ll usually have to leave a voicemail but one will call you back within a day: 209-372-0826. Check conditions at nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/conditions.htm.

Have a great trip.

Hi Rhonda,

I’d be happy to help you figure out an ideal trip for you in Yosemite. Your question gets into what I provide through my Custom Trip Planning, which would include talking about route options depending on your dates and trip preferences. Write to me at info@thebigoutsideblog.com if you’d like to discuss that.

Thanks for the question.

You’re welcome, Quinn. Air quality also currently looks excellent in Yosemite. Good luck!

Thanks for the quick reply! Will stay the course, can’t wait to get out there!

Hi Quinn,

That’s common in many Western mountains, especially at higher elevations and where there’s a large elevation gradient between valley bottoms and mountaintops. No reason to cancel your trip. You might get rained on hard but Sierra thunderstorms don’t always continue for hours; it may yield to sunshine in an hour (no guarantee of that, of course). Congrats on your permit. Go and have a blast.

Thanks for the nice compliment, Adam, I appreciate that. I have backpacked in the Hetch Hetchy area of Yosemite (and I’ve helped other readers plan a trip there through my Custom Trip Planning), it has some nice lakes and creeks and Hetch Hetchy itself is gorgeous. It also melts out earlier than higher areas of the park, but April and even May would still be too early, with snow covering the ground pretty deeply. I’d say you don’t want to plan on going there earlier than June; recent summers have seen the snow largely gone from that area by sometime in June. It can also get buggy there in early summer.

I hope that helps. Good luck. Get in touch anytime.

Hi Avi,

It really comes down to what kind of trip you’re looking for, as you have probably already considered, but I’ll try to add some details that may help you decide. While the logistics may be problematic, the GC of the Tuolumne River is magnificent, much less busy than the park’s core area (Happy Isles, Half Dome, Sunrise, Merced Lake). Having done it before I’d still go through there again. And it’s not an “easy” permit to get.

That said, Clouds Rest is arguably the best summit in the park and the Mist Trail is unforgettable (better done very early in the morning, before the crowds flow in) and if you’re able to get a walk-in permit for it, including Half Dome, that would be a coup.

There’s no harm in asking about permit availability and making a choice based on knowing exactly what options you have. Either way, I can just about guarantee you’ll want to return there, anyway.

I hope that helps some. Good luck. You’ll have a memorable hike whatever you choose.

I have never been to Yosemite before and have time for a 4 day 3 night trip. I have permits for the Grand Canyon of the Tuolomne from White Wolf, but am debating if it is worth trying to snag last minute permits for Happy Isles and do a more classic part of the park including Cloud’s Rest and either Merced Lake or Sunrise.

The disadvantage of. the Grand Canyon is the logistics of getting to the start of the hike from Tuolomne Meadows.
Otherwise, am I missing out on the main attractions of the park, or should stick with the permits I have?

I know there is no right answer, just curious to hear your thoughts.
Thanks!

Thanks, Charlie, and as I write in this story, Yosemite is a place worthy of many return visits.

Hi Jeffrey,

Thanks for that question, I’d be happy to explain that. Yes, North Rim to Ten Lakes Basin is a longer version of the hike to Yosemite Valley’s North Rim; the latter has different possible starting and finishing trailheads and the first/longer trip has fewer ways to create a long loop hike.

The full feature story about each trip (see the links in each description in this story) provides detailed tips on planning it, including recommended maps. Anyone can read part of those stories for free but reading them entirely, including those planning tips, requires paid subscription to The Big Outside. And I can help you plan one of these trips through my Custom Trip Planning.

I’m glad you asked. Thanks for reading my blog and keep in touch.

One suggestion that would help me a lot is if, for each backpacking trip that you describe, you included a map with the specific hike highlighted. Very often I find myself scratching my head studying your itinerary and trying to discern the actual hiking route you took, as often the places you mention in your article do not appear on the map. Having a map with your route highlighted would make it so much easier to follow along.

Hi Stephanie,

Thanks for buying my e-guide “The Best First Backpacking Trip in Yosemite” and congrats on getting a permit. You have the correct permit for Little Yosemite Valley on the first night. From there, you can choose where you want to camp on subsequent nights and Sunrise is the logical next camp. The “Happy Isles>Past LYV” permit is for hiking past Little Yosemite on the first night.

You’re going in two weeks—end of May/early June? Have you checked snow conditions? The higher trails would normally still be deep in snow in early June. I suggest you call the Wilderness Information office to talk to a ranger about snow levels (and any other questions you might have): 209-372-0826. I’ve found that they often return messages left within a day but know that the number their return call comes from may be different and not one you recognize, so answer any call like that.

Thanks again and good luck.

Hi Mike,

Thanks for that excellent suggestion, sounds like a beautiful hike. I agree with your points that you can’t go wrong in Yosemite and northern Yosemite is less traveled—partly because it requires time and effort and people have more space to spread out. I love the hike you described, too, all great terrain. I’ve hiked much of that and, coincidentally, I have a permit for later this summer for a four-day hike starting at the Snow Creek Trailhead on Tioga Road and looping down along the North Rim of Yosemite Valley and north of Tioga Road. I’m really excited about that and will, of course, write about it here.

Keep in touch!

Not that I want more people to “discover” Yosemite, but it’s important for folks to know “you can’t go wrong” in Yosemite. It is truly awe-inspiring. I love the Northern Yosemite suggestion you make as it is far less traveled. My challenge with “best hikes in Yosemite” is they generally all include the same handful of famous locations/treks.

Last year—in search of something “new”—I pulled a permit to solo hike the rim around the valley. I entered near Bridalveil Falls hiking to Inspiration Point and along the rim hitting Glacier Point, Panorama Trail to Little Yosemite Valley, over Clouds Rest to Tenaya Lake, Olmstead Point to the Snow Creek Trail, North Dome, Yosemite Falls, El Cap, and down by Cascade Creek. I intended to take Rockslides trail, but the condition of that trail is horrendous.

All in about 65 miles, 19k feet up and 19k down. Brutal, but worth every step. If you’re looking for something different, but hitting all the highlights—this is it.

Mike

Hi Yana,

Congrats on your Yosemite permit and upcoming backpacking trip. It’s one of my favorite parks (as it is for many backpackers) and I also have a permit for a trip there later this summer.

You’re arriving early in the season, when there’s still a lot of snow in the high country, which may affect your plans, although I know the High Sierra has had low snowfall this year.

I can help you plan that trip itinerary. See my Custom Trip Planning page to learn how. It may be best if we communicate via email first about your permit details. You can contact me at info@thebigoutsideblog.com.

Thanks for the question.

My name is Yana! My group and I (3 people) are coming to Yosemite in about two weeks and plan to stay in the wilderness for 5 nights. We’ve received a wilderness permit starting from and coming back to Yosemite Valley. We do have all the needed equipment and food but just need some creative itinerary ideas! We are experienced hikers and been to Yosemite previously, however, this time we will spend much more time in the wilderness than before.

Would you mind helping us out with the trip itinerary?

Thank you very much!

Hi Eric,

Thanks for the question and for your past purchases of a couple of my e-guides.

Yea, Yosemite Valley’s North Rim is kind of overlooked by backpackers and it’s pretty nice. You’re still smart to apply for the permit 24 weeks in advance to get the itinerary you want.

My answer to your question would be the same for anywhere in the High Sierra: late summer, between roughly the third week of August and the middle to third week of September (even though there’s a low chance of snow as you get deeper into September). The clouds of mosquitoes of July and early August are usually greatly dissipated or gone, snow has mostly melted out of the high country, and the afternoons aren’t quite a baking hot as mid-summer. It’s not terribly unusual for the nice weather to last into October.

For Yosemite’s North Rim, you may want to go in August while waterfalls and creeks are still relatively full. Upper Yosemite Falls is a great spectacle and it does often dry up by late summer or fall.

Have a great hike.

Hi Tom,

Thanks for the kind words, I’m glad you found my blog. I’ve backpacked throughout the area of Yosemite you’re referencing and past all of the High Sierra camps (and stayed in the backpacker camps at a few of those places). It’s beautiful hiking. I’ve also hiked most of the trails to those camps in both directions, and I don’t see any reason to recommend one direction over the other—either direction is fine and probably no harder or easier than the other.

One consideration might be that if you finish at Glen Aulin, you’d have an easy, almost flat hike of two to three hours out to the road in Tuolumne Meadows. If you finish at May Lake, the side hike up Mount Hoffmann would put an excellent exclamation point on a fine trip, and the hike from May Lake down to the road is easier and probably two hours or less. See also my story “The 10 Best Dayhikes in Yosemite” for details about Hoffmann.

I believe you were probably referencing my Custom Trip Planning service, and I’d be happy to help you plan a future trip.

Get in touch anytime, and have a wonderful hike on the Yosemite High Sierra camps loop.

Was happy to find you and your site while doing research on a (hopefully) upcoming Yosemite High Sierra Camps Loop early July ?. I read and enjoyed your article in Backpacker “The High Life: High Sierra Camps, CA”.

Finally pieced together reservations for a full High Sierra camp loop that I am planning on doing with my 3 kids, ages 17-21.

My question: I am not able to find a descriptions of the loop going clockwise: Tuolumne, Vogelsang, Merced, Sunrise, May Lake, Glen Aulin, then out. All articles including the one in Backpacker are described going in the counterclockwise direction.

Can you imagine the trip in reverse (clockwise)? Seem like a winner? Any other thoughts on this?

Up until a couple years ago I was in the (mostly) International adventure travel biz (Trekking, climbing non-tech peaks , etc). Worked with Scott Fischer at Mountain Madness until 1996. I had my own company, Rare Air expeditions, until recently.

I love your model. I will certainly use you for upcoming trips with my kids (seems like a bargain to work with you).

Thank you.

Best,
Tom

Hi Bill,

I’ve heard the Sierra snowpack is lower than normal so far this winter, but I have not done any research into actual snow levels in Yosemite, so I don’t want to make absolute suggestions to you without that information. Limited road access to the park will greatly limit your options, maybe just to the Yosemite Valley environs, and I have not looked into winter regulations on backcountry camping there. Snow will certainly cover the ground, and fairly deeply in the higher elevations around Yosemite Valley. My best suggestion is that you contact the backcountry office and talk to a ranger about safe options that are free of avalanche hazard. Good luck.

I’m glad you found this story helpful. Read the trip descriptions above closely and you’ll see that four of the five are either loops (beginning and ending at the same trailhead) or are served by the park’s free shuttle bus in the Tuolumne area along Tioga Road, so effectively are like loops in that the transportation logistics are easy. Look at a trail map of the park and you’ll see there are variations off these routes that are true loops.

If you’d like my help planning your trip, see my Custom Trip Planning page for more on that. Thanks for reading my blog and for your comment.