Yosemite Backpacking

Yosemite Backpacking: Hetch Hetchy Itinerary:

• Day 1 Meet and Greet, Hetch Hetchy

  This trip begins in Yosemite National Park, CA. Today you will meet your guides and the other group members at 5:30pm at the Hetch Hetchy Backpackers Campground, located just south of the dam next to the parking area. We will enjoy a full trip orientation, learning about John Muir's efforts in saving this area through the Sierra Club, "As well dam for water-tanks the people's cathedrals and churches, for no holier temple has ever been consecrated by the heart of man." We will do a full gear check and enjoy dinner together at camp. Dinner included.

• Day 2 Tueeulala and Wapama Waterfalls

  We enjoy breakfast in camp before packing up. We will start out hiking on-trail to our backcountry campsite at Rancheria Falls. This is typically a full first day of backpacking, with time along the way for lunch and skills development. Today's trail runs above peaceful Hetch Hetchy Valley and reservoir traveling at around 4,000 feet. We will stop for lunch and photo opportunities presented by Tueeulala and Wapama Waterfalls as well as the plethora of wildflowers in their full spring bloom at our feet. Your guides share the human history of this valley, and the healthy debate around it's use and protection. This will be a 6 mile hike, beginning at around 3,800' and ending at camp beside rushing Rancheria Falls (4,700') swollen with Spring snow melt. A refreshing dip in the creek washes away the miles. After dinner, look forward to an inspirational evening program. All meals provided.

• Day 3 Rancheria Falls to Tiltill Valley Meadow

  After breakfast, we continue exploring the Yosemite backcountry. Today, we'll load our day-packs and set out for Tiltill Valley. We'll look for wildlife and more flowers along the way and experience the changing climate zones as we climb up another 1,000 feet. Lunch will be in the lush Tiltill Valley Meadow surrounded by pines among the deer and flowers. Hetch Hetchy's been called Yosemite Valley's little sister, equal in beauty with Yosemite Valley's waterfalls and domes, although much more intimate. Look forward to a refreshing evening dip and dinner followed by a relaxing, reflective campfire program on our last night beneath the bright Sierra stars. All meals provided.

• Day 4 Retrace through the wildflower meadows

  We enjoy a special breakfast before breaking camp and making our way out of the backcountry. Retracing our path through forest and flowers and misty rainbows at the base of the waterfalls, we complete our journey and come to understand what drove John Muir to fight so hard to save this valley. We plan to arrive back at our trailhead by 4:00 p.m. but there is no guarantee that we'll make it to our vehicles by then, so those flying out of Fresno should plan no flights before 9:30 p.m. and those flying out of Oakland should plan no flights home before 10:30 p.m. Breakfast and lunch included.

Yosemite Backpacking: Yosemite Valley Itinerary:

• Day 1 Meet and Greet, North Pines

  This trip begins in Yosemite National Park, CA. Today you will meet your guides and the other group members at the Backpackers Campground, located at the far end of The North Pines Campground in Yosemite Valley. Group members must arrive at camp by 5:30 p.m. for a trip orientation, gear check and dinner. Please be on time as this initial meeting is critical to the success of the trip. Dinner included.

• Day 2 Yosemite Creek to Blue Jay Creek

  We enjoy breakfast in camp before packing up and caravanning about 1 hour to Yosemite Creek Trailhead on Tioga Pass Road. After one last gear check, we hike on-trail to our first backcountry campsite. This is typically a full first day of backpacking, with time along the way for lunch and skills development. Today's trail runs beside the rushing waters of Yosemite Creek, traveling just below the snowline. We will stop for lunch and photo opportunities, and work on skills development along the way. This will be a 6 mile hike, beginning at around 7,500' and ending at the idyllic swimming holes near Blue Jay Creek (6,800'). A refreshing dip in the creek washes away the miles. After dinner, look forward to an inspirational evening program. All meals provided.

• Day 3 Hike the Rim over Yosemite Valley

  After breakfast, we continue exploring the Yosemite backcountry. Today, we'll load our day-packs and set out for the rim of Yosemite Valley to see Yosemite Falls leap over the edge to the valley 2,425 ft feet below. Then we're off to enjoy the panoramic view from Eagle Peak, where we will experience Clouds Rest, Half Dome and other iconic features of the park face-to-face. Look forward to a refreshing evening swim and dinner followed by a relaxing, reflective campfire program on our last night beneath the bright Sierra stars. All meals provided.

• Day 4 Yosemite Creek and Complete

  On our final day we complete our journey, breaking camp after breakfast and making our way out of the backcountry retracing our path up Yosemite Creek in its full Spring run-off from the melting mountain snows above. We plan to arrive there by 4:00 p.m. but there is no guarantee that we'll make it to our vehicles by then, so those flying out of Fresno should plan no flights before 9:30 p.m. and those flying out of Oakland should plan no flights home before 10:30 p.m. Breakfast and lunch included.

Yosemite Backpacking: The High Country Itinerary:

• Day 1 Meet and Greet, Tuolumne Meadows

  This trip begins in Yosemite National Park, CA. Today you will meet your guides and the other group members at the Tuolumne Meadows Backpackers camp just up hill from the Dana Campfire Circle in the middle of the Tuolumne Meadows Campground. Group members must arrive at camp by 5:30 p.m. for a trip orientation, gear check and dinner. Please be on time as this initial meeting is critical to the success of the trip. Dinner included.

• Day 2 John Muir Trail to Cathedral Lakes

  Today we wake and enjoy breakfast before packing up and heading out on the trail to our first backcountry campsite. This is typically a full first day of backpacking, with time along the way for lunch and skills development. Plan on taking a short drive after breakfast to the Cathedral Lakes Trailhead around 8,560' to begin our 3.5 mile hike on the John Muir Trail to stunning Cathedral Lake at about 9,500'. There, your guides will offer an optional hike around the lake or up one of the local domes and/or time to play in the warm pools and small waterfalls at the inlet to Cathedral Lake. After dinner your guides will offer an optional hike to Medlicott Dome (9,900') to view the sunset over Tenaya Lake. At dusk look forward to an inspirational evening program as we watch for shooting stars overhead. All meals provided.

• Day 3 John Muir Trail to Upper Sunrise Lake

  After breakfast, we explore further into the Yosemite backcountry. We continue on the John Muir Trail six miles up and over scenic Cathedral Pass (9800') on a long, gradual contour to Upper Sunrise Lake (9427'). Look forward to a refreshing afternoon swim and dinner followed by a relaxing, reflective campfire program on our last night beneath the bright Sierra stars. All meals provided.

• Day 4 Upper Sunrise to Tenaya Lake

  We will enjoy an optional morning hike up the granite dome to our north for spectacular views of the Yosemite icons before we break camp and descend from Upper Sunrise Lake to our trail’s end at Tenaya Lake (approx. 4 miles). We catch the national park shuttle back to our parked vehicles, planning to arrive there by 4:00 p.m. There is no guarantee that we’ll make it to our vehicles by 4:00 p.m., so those flying out of Fresno should plan no flights before 9:30 p.m. and those flying out of Oakland should plan no flights home before 10:30 p.m. Breakfast and lunch included.

Although we do our very best to adhere to one of the schedules listed above, this itinerary is subject to change for numerous reasons beyond our control.  There are numerous beautiful and suitable routes available to our guides, and these routes may be utilized instead of those published in this itinerary when circumstances or conditions warrant. This trip is operated rain or shine.

Contact REI Adventures prior to purchasing your airline tickets to confirm the trip has the minimum number of participants required to operate.

Professional instruction and guiding; meals as noted on the daily itinerary; 2-person tents; group cooking gear; group first aid kit, water filter; campsite and permit fees; shuttle between trailheads.

Transportation from your hometown to group meeting point; park entrance fees where required, insurance of any kind; alcoholic beverages; soft drinks; guide gratuities and items of a personal nature.

Merced, CA: 80 miles, 2 hours
Fresno, CA: 100 miles, 4 hours
Oakland, CA: 180 miles, 5.5 hours
Reno, NV: 180 miles, 5.5 hours

REI Adventures recommends one of the following ways to make your rendezvous: either rent a car and drive to the designated location or fly into Merced, CA (with connections from Las Vegas) and use YARTS (Yosemite Area Regional Transportation Service) to travel the rest of the way.  YARTS can be contacted at 1-877-98-YARTS.

Please note that you may not be able to connect with YARTS service out of the park until after 5:00 p.m. on the last day of our itinerary on most departures, and this may impact your air travel plans.

Daytime temperatures usually range between 60-80 degrees F, with evening temperatures dropping to the 40s or 50s. You may encounter freezing temperatures at some of the higher elevations. Afternoon thunderstorms are a distinct possibility so adequate raingear is important.

This trip is subject to the booking information set forth in the current REI Adventures Weekend Reservation Information. Please read this information carefully and call us if you have any questions. A full gear list and detailed pre-trip information is sent upon sign-up. We highly recommend the purchase of travel insurance through REI Adventures. If coverage is purchased at the time of your initial reservation, the 'Pre-existing Conditions Exclusion' is waived (certain exclusions apply).

We look forward to having you join us for the trip of a lifetime! Why wait? Space is limited, reserve your adventure today.

The key to staying comfortable while on an active trip is layering. To get maximum comfort with minimum weight, you need versatile layers that mix and match to create the right amount of insulation, ventilation and weather protection. Try to bring only what is necessary—this will help you and the field staff.

Weather

Daytime temperatures usually range between 60º and 80º F, with evening temperatures dropping to the 40s or 50s. You may encounter freezing temperatures at some of the higher elevations. Afternoon thunderstorms are a distinct possibility so adequate raingear is important.

Gear Checklist