spirobulldog

July 4th is on a Wednesday in 2012. I know it is a bad time to go, but I am considering it as it would allow me 2 extra days. I could come earlier in June or later in July. I was there last year at the end of May. I was considering arriving on June 29th and leaving on the 4th. Main goals would be to hike halfdome and hike some of the High Sierra Camps(I know all of them aren't open this early and it is possible that none of them would be open if it were a tremendous snow year). I would double book my reservations and cancel one of them. Meaning, I would make sure I had Valley reservation for the entire stay, in case the High Sierra Camps don't work out. I am also considering hiking with REI as they do a backpacking trip that starts on Tiogo Road and ends at Happy Isles. This includes hiking half dome and I wouldn't have to mess with permits. The weekend after the 4th would also allow me for more time, but I figured that the weekend before would be less crowded than the weekend after. Any comments on this?

Michael

My impression is that the permit system is essentially a means of limiting the number of people on half dome. Thus an early request for a permit is probably necessary.

spirobulldog

The permits are issued on the 1st day of each month for 4 months out. For instance. All of the June permits were issued on March 1st. That would be a total of 9000 permits. They were all gone within 30 minutes. They issue 400 permits a day of which 300 on done on this basis.

I wonder how crowded the back county is on the weekend before the 4th?

Dayle

Oh boy Sprio, you just hit a major nerve with me on this one!!! Here's my opinion...

You could not PAY ME to go anywhere near Yosemite over 4th of July. I've been there backpacking twice over that weekend and there are areas where it's literally gridlocked with hikers. I am NOT exaggerating. Half Dome is one of those places....

The thing about the backcountry permits is you only have to specify your camping location for the first night, then you can go where you want. Everybody ends up in Little Yosemite Valley at the base of Half Dome. It's literally a tent city and the climb up Half Dome is like a freeway on chains. (If you do the climb, be sure to have recommended hand protection. People get blisters from holding on and sliding their hands along the chains.)

Also - car traffic in the valley used to be horrendous. I don't know how it's been since they started the shuttle system. Hopefully much better.

The other thing about that time period in the high Sierras is - MOSQUITeOS!!!! I am talking horror movie here! Twice I've been backpacking during 4th of July and the mosquitoes were so bad they were falling into our food while cooking, we had to eat in our tents to keep them out of our mouths, experienced packers were wearing those hats with bug nets that draw tight around you neck....it was so bad that they were flying under my Oakley cycling glasses and biting my eyelids. They were even biting thru clothing. Seriously.

Ended both trips looking like an accident victim.

FYI - the Sierras are having a very big snow year. High country camps may not be open by July 4th, so your plan of valley lodging is good if you can tolerate the hoards.

I hope you don't do this, but good luck if you do!

Dayle

PS - since 4th of July falls in the middle of the week, that just means you will have 2 bad weekends with everybody thinking just like you.

spirobulldog

Dayle,
I was afraid of that. It was crowded enough when we were there mid-May. Well, you just talked me out of it. LOL.
Maybe, I'll go to one of those "off the beaten track places", but those scare me too- over the 4th. Since you are in Utah, have you been to The Great Basin NP? I bet it would be better at the end of July rather than the first??? At some point, I want to rent an RV in Salt Lake and do it. I have never backpacked, but want to try it sometime. My wife isn't keen on GB because of the elevation. We normally take trips as a family---myself, 17 year old daughter, and wife. I do have a 12 year old nephew who goes with me somewhere about once per year. So, I take him on those things that are roughing it to much for my wife or daughter. My daughter will pretty much do anything, but she had a very serious back surgery($300k worth) last summer and don't know just how much strenuous stuff she is ready for. It would be a while(if ever) I would want her to attempt backpacking. We are doing a few short trips this summer and she will just ease her way back into hiking. She was pretty good at track(finishing in the top 5 in state her freshman and sophmore year, so we'll just have to see about this year). She is running a little now, but hiking is a little different. We are going to Big Bend next week. Bryce and Glacier for a couple of long weekends this summer. Don't have any long hikes planned for Big Bend or Bryce. But if she does ok on those, we'll probably try the highline trail in glacier. We're just going to try a few 2-3 mile hikes a big bend and then probably just navajo loop/queens garden in Bryce. I think I am about done with Utah after this trip. Still have "The Wave" to hike. Tried for permits a couple of times, but didn't get them yet. Thanks for the Yosemite info, that's what I was looking for.

Dayle

Sprio,

how many days do you have for this 4th of July timeframe trip? There are so many wonderful places to go and you don't always have to be in a national park.....

I have not visited Great Basin yet. I don't think most of it would be higher elev. than Bryce! And - it's certainly not crowded - ever.

Have you ever visited Park City? It's a nice place that offers almost everything in the way of outdoor activites, scenery and ski town ambiance. Just throwing that out there!

POlson

What about Canada? Whistler, Vancouver Island - both beautiful places and I imagine they will have summer visitors but maybe not holiday crowds. I believe Canada Day is July 1 so you might have better luck on the weekend following the 4th. We've taken a cruise over the 4th and that was awesome - fireworks from the ship.

elnap29

forgive bad typing with one hand. recovering from surgery. great basin is great! it's vertical, so several elevations for camping and exploring. remote. fab vistas. more later if interested. in a couple weeks.

spirobulldog

elnap29,
Tell me a little more about GB, when you can. I do think most of what I would want to do is 10,000ft or more. Did you stay at the higher campground(wheeler peak, I think is the name)?

Michael

The lower campground, from my recollection, is among aspens with a stream flowing by. The higher campground has concrete slabs for each site, has no trees, just bushes, and is windy and chilly. There is parking in that area for day-trippers, and that is what I would do.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mksfca/...7623045320911/

november_moon

There are definitely plenty of great places to go that won't be nearly as crowded. Here are some ideas in CA.

Lassen Volcanic NP is a great park and is not crowded, even on holiday weekends the main campground generally have empty sites. Good hiking opportunities - can hike to the top of lassen peak or brokeoff mountain, plenty of lakes to explore, plus the geothermal features.

There is some great hiking along the CA north coast - Redwood NP, which is actually several federal and state parks that are managed together. We camped at Prairie Creek Redwoods SP last year over July 4th weekend. The campground was full, but there are only about 30 sites, so not a ton of people. The trails had people on them, but once you got more than a half mile from a trail head, things really thinned out.

Another great area is the Lakes Basin near the Sierra Buttes - Hwy 49 near Sierra City. Plenty of lakes to hike to, you can hike to the top of the Buttes, lots of campgrounds - some private, most are national forest campgrounds. Car camping and backpacking. There are also plenty of cabins, lodges, and vacation rentals if you don't want to rough it as much.

Lots and lots of choices, but I would definitely NOT go to Yosemite on a holiday week.

Otis_B_Driftwood

I think you should consider that REI backpacking trip. It sounds great and takes you up to Clouds Rest one of the greatest views in the Sierra. You also get up on Half Dome in the early morning before the crowds. Much of that trip will be along a high ridge which will limit the mosquito problem which can be severe in many parts of the backcountry at that time. You could probably talk to someone at REI and get more details about the bugs and crowds, etc. They do these every year. The price looks right too.

With the new permit program, it's going to be pretty much the same conditions on Half Dome whenever you go. So, going with a group like this could be a lot of fun and might isolate you a little from the July 4 timeframe crowds.

Otherwise, if the Hig Sierra camps are not open yet, there are a ton of great trails on the Eastern side of the Sierra that get you into the high country quickly and don't have the crowds that Yosemite Valley and Tuolumne Meadows get.

spirobulldog

November_Moon,

I went to Lassen last year and have been to the Redwoods twice. Loved them both.

Otis,
Thats kinda what I thought. There are going to be 400 people every day on half dome, no matter when I go. I just don't want to be in a throng of people, when I am in the back country. I can stand it on somewhere like the mist trail. I know to expect it there. I have looked into the REI trips and it does look interesting.

spirobulldog

Michael,
I have mangaged to find just a bit on Wheeler Peak Campground and it appears to have lots of trees. As a matter of fact, I found one website that rated it the top camping spot in Nevada.

Michael

I thought the campground was above the tree line, near a glacial lake, but memory may be failing.

Michael

I just checked. The Wheeler Peak campground is at close to 10,000 ft. elevation. That is definitely above the tree line, with the exception of bristlecone pines which are a hike away from the road and campground.

spirobulldog

Michael,
The last link is a youtube video driving into Wheeler Peak (at 2:50 in the video). That couple said they reccomend Wheeler Peak and it certainly looks like a lot of trees to me. There are two other links to some photos of the campground that I found.

http://www.summitpost.org/wheeler-pe...pground/651162

http://usparks.about.com/od/parkphot...campground.htm

http://www.campingguidenevada.com/cgnes/top10.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYWZPBpxVWI

spirobulldog

actually, the campground starts at 2:35 on the vid

elnap29

there are trees at the high cmpgd. most def. don't know why i'm trying to do this. since i'm such a mess, but camp has trees. trail to wheeler peak is exposed. will def give info later.