Yosemite Half Dome Backpack

Yosemite Half Dome Backpack Itinerary:

• Day 1

  Your trip begins in Yosemite National Park, CA. You will meet your guides and the other group members at the Backpackers Camp in Yosemite Valley today. Group members must arrive at camp by 4 p.m. for orientation, dinner, gear check, and distribution of group gear and food. This initial meeting is critical to the success of the trip. If you will be late for any reason, please call your guide using the emergency contact information below. Dinner included.

• Day 2

  Today we rise early and enjoy breakfast at our campsite by the soothing waters of Tenaya Creek before packing up and heading to Curry Village. Here we will leave our cars and meet the 8 am park shuttle which is our transportation to the Sunrise Lakes Trailhead at 8,150 feet (about 1 hour's drive away on the Tioga Pass Road). This is typically a full first day of backpacking, with time along the way for lunch. It's a 3.5 mile hike up switchbacks to stunning Sunrise Lake at about 9,100'. There, you'll have time to relax and/or take a refreshing swim in the lake before moving on 1.5 miles to little visited Henry's Lake where we set up camp. After dinner look forward to an optional hike to another near-by lake and an inspirational evening program around the campfire. All meals provided.

• Day 3

  After breakfast, we continue on the trail and deeper into the Yosemite backcountry. Today we begin our 8.2 mile trek with a gradual uphill to ultimately crest the razorback of Clouds Rest at 10,000 feet. Many people believe this is the best view in the park and a great place to have lunch and soak up the panoramic view of Half Dome, Yosemite Valley, and all the High Country in the Park. After lunch we descend on trail to Sunrise Creek at 7,200 feet where we relax and soak our feet before the last stretch up to the shoulder of Half Dome at 7,900 feet. Here we set up camp and take in the amazing sunset views of Yosemite's Sierra Peaks. Look forward to a hearty dinner followed by a relaxing, reflective campfire program on our last night beneath the bright Sierra stars. All meals provided.

• Day 4

  Today we'll rise early, have breakfast, and make for an early start up the granite stairway to the famous Half Dome Cables and the summit of Half Dome (9,000 feet), the most photographed chunk of granite in the world. Due to the close proximity of our camp, we arrive on top in the clear morning light for the best ascent, most brilliant photography, and maximum solitude. After soaking up the rarefied experience, we retrace our steps to our camp on the shoulder, have a hearty brunch, break camp, and continue 7 miles down the John Muir and Mist Trails through the spray from powerful Nevada Fall and picture-perfect Vernal Fall to Yosemite Valley (4,000 feet). A park shuttle bus picks us up and delivers us to the lot where we've parked our cars. Plan to arrive back at the cars around 5 pm. Breakfast and lunch included.

Although we do our very best to adhere to the schedule 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 ticket 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.

This trip is rated Vigorous(4). Participants will be carrying their own backpacks with weights of 30-45 lbs over steep and rocky terrain with constant and dramatic elevation gain and/or loss exceeding 3,700 feet per day on most days of this trip. Day hiking with 30-45 lbs in the pack you intend to hike with on the trip and making sure your hiking boots are broken in before your trip is key. This is not a beginning backpacking trip. Previous experience is highly recommended.

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

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.

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 obtain maximum comfort with minimum weight, you need versatile layers that mix and match to create the right amount of insulation, ventilation and weather protection. This gear list has been created to help you choose equipment for the trip. Try to bring only what is necessary - this will help you and the field staff. If you do not already own all of the necessary gear and are not certain if you will participate in outdoor trips on a regular basis, please consider renting.

Weather

Daytime temperatures usually range between 60^o - 80^o F, with evening temperatures dropping into the 40s - 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