Yosemite Backpacking – Yosemite Valley

Yosemite Backpacking: Yosemite Valley Itinerary:

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• Day 1 Welcome to Yosemite where our backpacking adventure begins!

  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 allow yourself ample time, as traffic can sometimes be an issue in the valley. Dinner included.

• Day 2 Travel to the Yosemite Creek trailhead and set out on our first full day of backpacking from a trailhead on Tioga Pass Road.

  We enjoy breakfast in camp before dividing up group gear, packing up our bags, and caravanning in our own personal vehicles, about 38 miles (45 minutes to an hour) to Yosemite Creek Trailhead on Tioga Pass Road. We'll set a comfortable pace as we hike through the coniferous forest of Jeffrey and western white Pines, keeping a sharp eye out for birds like the mountain chickadee or Clark's nutcracker. This is typically a full first day of backpacking, with time along the way for lunch and natural interpretation. Today's trail runs beside the rushing waters of Yosemite Creek, traveling just below the snowline. We'll stop for lunch along our route, which will be between 5-7 miles with an elevation loss of around 700 feet. A refreshing dip in the creek can wash away the miles and after dinner, we'll enjoy some camaraderie around the campfire. All meals provided.

• Day 3 Trading our backpacks for daypacks, we set out from our backcountry camp to day hike to the rim of Yosemite Valley and to the top of Eagle Peak.

  After breakfast, we continue exploring the Yosemite backcountry. Today, we'll load up only our daypacks and set out for the rim of Yosemite Valley 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. If there's time and desire, we may also head over to the top of Yosemite Falls, 2,425 feet above the valley floor below. There should be time for a relaxing evening swim before dinner, and our final sleep under the Sierra stars will prepare us for the next day's hike back to civilization. All meals provided.

• Day 4 Break camp and hike out of the backcountry, returning along Yosemite Creek to Tioga Pass Road as our adventure ends today.

  On our final day, we'll break camp after breakfast and make our way out of the backcountry retracing our path up Yosemite Creek. The trail may seem familiar, but we'll have a different perspective now after our nights out in the clean mountain air. We plan to arrive back at our vehicles by 4:00 p.m. but there is no guarantee that we'll make it 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.

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.

Transportation; 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

Anticipate renting a car if flying in for this weekend getaway. Although YARTS (Yosemite Area Regional Transportation Service) does offer transportation from Merced to Yosemite National Park, this itinerary requires participants to drive themselves to our trailhead up on Tioga Pass Road.

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