day hikes in yosemite
Jun 17th, 2003, 01:55 PM
#1
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day hikes in yosemite
I travelling to Yosemite in July and will be there for 5 days. I'm looking for day hikes (3-5 hours), away from all the crowds, that are fun to do. Yes, I will do Mist trail or the Falls, but I was hoping to avoid feeling like I'm still in a city (was in the Grand Canyon over April vacation week, and it was packed!)
thanks
thanks
Jun 18th, 2003, 06:26 PM
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thanks for the tip but.. I already checked out that site and was hoping for a more "personal" approach i.e. personal accounts of "off the beaten track" hikes that would not be too crowded this summer!
thanks
thanks
Jun 18th, 2003, 07:46 PM
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The key for less crowded hikes in Yosemite is to get out of the valley. There will be 1/100th as many people on hikes heading out from Tioga pass road. You will feel the extra altitude, though, don't try it your first day.
Jun 18th, 2003, 09:58 PM
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Hi. I visited Yosemite last October for the first time, and it was one of the greatest experiences of my life. I bought a guide book called "Yosemite National Park - A Natural-History Guide to Yosemite and its trails" by Jeffrey P. Schaffer, and found it very helpful and accurate.
We camped at Tuolumne Meadows and did day hikes. Far less crowded than the valley floor and beautiful. On our first day there we hiked up Lembert Dome for great views of Tuolumne Meadows.
The second day we drove Tioga Road past Tenaya Lake (glorious,stunning scenery)to the North Dome trailhead. I'd never seen Yosemite Valley, Half-Dome, etc until this hike. It's about a 10 mile roundtrip hike. You hike through trees until suddenly you're on top of some domes far above the valley floor where you walk out and look straight across to Half-Dome, straight down to the valley floor, tons of peaks, etc. We sat for hours and gawked, with only a few hikers here and there. North Dome is very visible from the valley floor, so it was cool to know we had been on top of it! What an awesome introduction to classic Yosemite. I'd recommend this hike in a heartbeat for the views and no crowds.
The next day we took the bus from the valley floor to Glacier Point (spectacular scenery, well worth it) then hiked down and spent some time at the village. On the last day we did the Vernal-Nevada falls hike because it was raining when we started (first day of rain they had had in months), but the rain stopped soon after we started and like any hike, the crowds thinned out after the first mile or two. Well worth the hike and effort!
Lastly, if you're driving along the valley floor and see crowds of people looking up with binoculars, stop and look too. chances are you will find rock climbers climbing El Capitan or some other rock face. Pretty amazing sight to watch them inch ther way up a sheer rock wall! Enjoy!
We camped at Tuolumne Meadows and did day hikes. Far less crowded than the valley floor and beautiful. On our first day there we hiked up Lembert Dome for great views of Tuolumne Meadows.
The second day we drove Tioga Road past Tenaya Lake (glorious,stunning scenery)to the North Dome trailhead. I'd never seen Yosemite Valley, Half-Dome, etc until this hike. It's about a 10 mile roundtrip hike. You hike through trees until suddenly you're on top of some domes far above the valley floor where you walk out and look straight across to Half-Dome, straight down to the valley floor, tons of peaks, etc. We sat for hours and gawked, with only a few hikers here and there. North Dome is very visible from the valley floor, so it was cool to know we had been on top of it! What an awesome introduction to classic Yosemite. I'd recommend this hike in a heartbeat for the views and no crowds.
The next day we took the bus from the valley floor to Glacier Point (spectacular scenery, well worth it) then hiked down and spent some time at the village. On the last day we did the Vernal-Nevada falls hike because it was raining when we started (first day of rain they had had in months), but the rain stopped soon after we started and like any hike, the crowds thinned out after the first mile or two. Well worth the hike and effort!
Lastly, if you're driving along the valley floor and see crowds of people looking up with binoculars, stop and look too. chances are you will find rock climbers climbing El Capitan or some other rock face. Pretty amazing sight to watch them inch ther way up a sheer rock wall! Enjoy!
Jun 19th, 2003, 06:19 AM
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I highly recommend the walk to the top of Vernal and Nevada Falls. There is a loop trip you can make that takes about 6 hours if you admire the scenery.
We found that the crowd thinned in proportion to how far up the trail we went. When we reached the top of the lower falls, the mob that walked as far as the bridge had been reduced to less than 50% of the original group. By the time we got to the top, the group was down to less than 25%. Mostly, the people at the top were young, lean, and equipped for a much longer stay.
The pictures I took of the falls as we hiked up through the mist are keepsakes.
I do recommend lug sole shoes or boots for this caper.
We found that the crowd thinned in proportion to how far up the trail we went. When we reached the top of the lower falls, the mob that walked as far as the bridge had been reduced to less than 50% of the original group. By the time we got to the top, the group was down to less than 25%. Mostly, the people at the top were young, lean, and equipped for a much longer stay.
The pictures I took of the falls as we hiked up through the mist are keepsakes.
I do recommend lug sole shoes or boots for this caper.
Jun 19th, 2003, 08:27 PM
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lweissmann...
sorry I can't help you out more, except to say if you'd like to beat the crowds on the Mist Fall trail, you can always start early. The only hike I did at Yosemite was the Half Dome (Mist Trail up, John Muir down) so I don't know any others. However, we started at 6 am, and there were no people on the Vernal Falls hike. It was very nice to have it all to yourself. As Bob Brown says, the higher you go, the more that crowd thins. Once I passed Vernal and Nevada Falls, I really felt pretty alone with nature.
sorry I can't help you out more, except to say if you'd like to beat the crowds on the Mist Fall trail, you can always start early. The only hike I did at Yosemite was the Half Dome (Mist Trail up, John Muir down) so I don't know any others. However, we started at 6 am, and there were no people on the Vernal Falls hike. It was very nice to have it all to yourself. As Bob Brown says, the higher you go, the more that crowd thins. Once I passed Vernal and Nevada Falls, I really felt pretty alone with nature.
Jun 21st, 2003, 10:02 AM
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I have a follow up question to lweissmann's post. I saw a hike on PBS to the back side of Half Dome and was curious about how difficult it really is and if it really the "best hike to see Yosemite".
Any ideas?
Any ideas?
Jun 21st, 2003, 01:10 PM
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laihainaluna...
It is a very strenuous hike, but really rewarding, if you like a challenge. I just recently posted a thread on fodors with links to great websites on what to expect and first hand accounts which I found interesting. Here is the link to that thread...
http://www.fodors.com/forums/pgMessa...name=crazymina
I'm sure there are equally rewarding hikes out there, but many consider Half Dome the "ultimite yosemite hike", whatever that means. I think the hike up to the top of Yosemite Falls is steeper, but time wise, it is shorter. The H.D. hike can take anywhere from 9-14 hours (give or take a few) depending on what your pace is. It took us 11.5 hours, including a 1.15 hour rest on the top of the dome.
Since Saturdays are slow days around here, I'll top the thread for you too.
It is a very strenuous hike, but really rewarding, if you like a challenge. I just recently posted a thread on fodors with links to great websites on what to expect and first hand accounts which I found interesting. Here is the link to that thread...
http://www.fodors.com/forums/pgMessa...name=crazymina
I'm sure there are equally rewarding hikes out there, but many consider Half Dome the "ultimite yosemite hike", whatever that means. I think the hike up to the top of Yosemite Falls is steeper, but time wise, it is shorter. The H.D. hike can take anywhere from 9-14 hours (give or take a few) depending on what your pace is. It took us 11.5 hours, including a 1.15 hour rest on the top of the dome.
Since Saturdays are slow days around here, I'll top the thread for you too.
Jun 24th, 2003, 06:03 PM
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thanks so much for all the advice. I was also thinking about Taft Point and Sentinel dome from Glacier point - is it crowded in July (?). We do try to get out early, so hopefully that will help. Also, what I've read about the North Doem hike says it is 8-10 miles - is it tough? I have a 11 yo and want to be sure he can make it.
thanks alot
thanks alot
