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Re: Yosemite North to South 2020

Posted: Mon Dec 09, 2019 12:54 pm
by potatopants
Okay, so Ranger Will said that I can cross Tioga and continue south on my Glen Aulin permit. But if I go into the store to resupply, that's considering leaving the wilderness and I would need to have a second permit to get back on trail. So to comply with the rules I'd have to have someone hike a my resupply out to me on the trail.

There's also a 14-day camping limit (including backcountry camping) between May and September, and that's cumulative.

So. Pretty strict rules... that are probably also pretty hard to reinforce. Much to think about...

Re: Yosemite North to South 2020

Posted: Tue Dec 10, 2019 12:12 am
by wildhiker
14-day camping limit seems rather harsh for the entire Yosemite backcountry. I suspect only way it is enforced is when you go to get your wilderness permit and they can see in the computer the permits you have already pulled that summer. If you start your northern loop outside the park (for example, Twin Lakes), then your permit comes from the national forest and is not in the Yosemite computer system and will not show when you pull the permit for the second loop. Just sayin...

Re: Yosemite North to South 2020

Posted: Tue Dec 10, 2019 9:05 am
by Wandering Daisy
Who is going to know if you resupply at the store? You do not even have to walk the road- there is a trail south of the road that goes to the backpacker's campground. So do they plan on having a ranger standing in the door of the store checking permits? What malarkey! Stash your pack and go over there looking like a tourist; just get on the trail and make it past the 4-mile limit on your next loop.

The Hoover Wilderness office in Bridgeport is really friendly and laid back; I go there often. For longer trips, it is best to just give them an itinerary of your trip so they can staple it to the permit- saves them and you many minutes of writing it all out. I got my SHR permit from them with a 30-day itinerary!

Is the 14-day limit for the entire backpack season in the entire park? Or is it just permits out of the Tuolumne kiosk? I suspect all these rules are aimed at PCT and JMT hikers. You may also be able to do your southern loop from Glacier Point, or Mono Meadows TH. It seems more reasonable to me to do each loop back to your car, then take a day off to clean up and resupply, and drive to a different trailhead to start the next. It does require two permits, but trailheads like Mono Meadows are usually less used and permits easy to get.

Rather than just call a ranger, I would ask (in writing via e-mail) for them to send you a copy of the EXACT permit rules. I have been told a lot of "rules" by rangers that are only "guidelines", not legal rules.

Re: Yosemite North to South 2020

Posted: Tue Dec 10, 2019 10:13 am
by potatopants
Good points from both of you! Malarkey indeed. How on earth they're able to enforce either of these is beyond me.

From the wilderness regulations page on the park's site:

"There is a 30-night camping limit within Yosemite National Park in a calendar year; however, from May 1 to September 15, the camping limit in Yosemite is 14 nights (this includes wilderness camping)."

Ranger Will said they implemented this rule to prevent people from basically living in the park all summer. He also said that the "going into the store to resupply rule" doesn't apply to JMT or PCT thru hikers--they make exceptions for them.

There are definitely some work-around options.
Option 1: I'll go for the YNP permits in January and see if I can get one for the Glen Aulin pass through, and a Rafferty Creek (or Lyell or Cathedral) permit for about 12 days later. I'll still have to fudge the numbers on my nights out.
Option 2: If I can at least get the GA permit, I'll play "tourist" at the store (I mean, I HAVE to get some ice cream. And a shower.)
Option 3: Grab a Twin Lakes permit on March 1 and start and end there. (Did you know Hover Wilderness is switching over to recreation.gov for permits in 2020?) I do like that none of those nights would count against my quota.

I probably won't have a car out there so it's going to be ideal to start and end in the same place. If I do end up having a car, then I like the idea of Mono Meadows or Glacier Point as another back up plan.

Also! Twin Lakes resort will indeed hold a resupply box for hikers, by the way. Haven't tried to contact Mono Village yet.

Re: Yosemite North to South 2020

Posted: Mon Dec 30, 2019 12:12 pm
by potatopants
Hi all, just wanted to share this updated itinerary. I'll be planning to get permits the last week of July.

Caltopo: https://caltopo.com/m/6RP1
Pretty color-coded itinerary (Yes, I spent way too much time making this look nice!): https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/ ... sp=sharing

North Loop -- shortened to about 80 miles/8 days to avoid resupply headaches. Jack Main Canyon will have to wait for another trip. If I can't get a GA permit, I'll start at Twin Lakes instead.

South Loop -- taking Wandering Daisy's advice and dropping Chiquito Pass. Instead, will go Rafferty-Lewis Canyon-High Trail-Ottoway Lakes-Merced Pass Trail-Panorama-JMT-Tioga Rd. Total mileage between 65 and 70, with a day to poke around Lyell Fork. I like that I'll finally get to see the 11 miles of the JMT I haven't done between LYV and Cathedral Lakes.

The one area I haven't found much about is the Merced Pass Trail, especially the stretch that runs parallel too and east of the Mono Meadow Trail. Any intel to share? A better route to suggest?

I've also indicated a night in LYV -- anything better? Not so interested in bumping into the Half Dome circus.

Thanks for all the help you've provided!

Re: Yosemite North to South 2020

Posted: Mon Dec 30, 2019 12:28 pm
by c9h13no3
potatopants wrote: Mon Dec 30, 2019 12:12 pm Hi all, just wanted to share this updated itinerary. I'll be planning to get permits the last week of July.
I only have 2 thoughts and they both might not be applicable:

I like the Budd Lake climber's trail, and Budd Lake is a nice spot. It looked like easy cross country to jump back on the JMT from Budd Lake (at least it looked easy from the summit of Echo Peak). But you may not want any cross country, however easy.

The Clark Range holds snow well, a big snow year could put some snowfields on Red Peak Pass in July. But it may not be a big snow year.

Re: Yosemite North to South 2020

Posted: Mon Dec 30, 2019 1:47 pm
by grampy
potatopants -
Just curious about logistics for your “alternate” start for your northern loop; have you found a local shuttle service to take you from Bridgeport (where you would need to pick up your permit) heading to Twin Lakes and your T.H. (Robinson Creek, out of Mono Village) ?
Also, your trail day 2 (on your nominal itinerary) sounds pretty grueling. Maybe consider stopping a bit short of Burro Pass, and ending the next day at Crown Lake (a gorgeous area), if you aren’t dead set on camping at Peeler. Just adds a few more miles to your next day to Benson Lake, which should be moderately easy anyway. Just sayin’ ...

Re: Yosemite North to South 2020

Posted: Mon Dec 30, 2019 6:12 pm
by potatopants
c9h13no3 wrote: Mon Dec 30, 2019 12:28 pm The Clark Range holds snow well, a big snow year could put some snowfields on Red Peak Pass in July. But it may not be a big snow year.
I considered that, and I have no reason not to push the trip later. I know there was a big early dump of snow... what are the odds of two big snow years back to back? Not that I'm really willing to risk it, having to buy plane tickets I'm going to be pretty locked into dates once they're set.

Grampy, the shuttle service would be my very helpful and supportive spouse, who doesn't like to backpack but likes to help me get to trailheads. I'm a lucky one. :p (By the way, we shared a pretty similar itinerary this past summer, if I remember correctly--HST, Colby, Elizabeth? I fell behind after crossing Colby so didn't end up tackling Elizabeth.)

Thanks for the recommendations for Budd Lk and not killing myself on day 2. I have a couple big days scattered in there, knowing I can swing some big miles/climbs here and there, but with 7 days of food on my back, stopping short of Burro is probably smart.

Re: Yosemite North to South 2020

Posted: Mon Dec 30, 2019 8:59 pm
by grampy
potatopants wrote: Tue Dec 10, 2019 10:13 am
... Did you know Hoover Wilderness is switching over to recreation.gov for permits in 2020?
Could you provide your source for this tidbit (conversation with a ranger or whatever) ??
The more southerly Hoover trailheads (i.e. those within Inyo N.F.) have been reservable via Recreation.gov for as long as all the other Inyo permits have used this system. The Hoover trailheads located in Humboldt-Toiyabe N.F. (e.g. Twin Lakes) appear to still be reservable the old-fashioned way (exclusively by U.S. Mail). I can’t find any USFS news releases pointing to a change to this in 2020. Thanks :)

Re: Yosemite North to South 2020

Posted: Tue Dec 31, 2019 6:12 am
by potatopants
I called the Humboldt-Toiyabe ranger station back in September or October to clarify whether or not I'd need a permit for Leavitt Meadows, when I was considering coming in from Sonora Pass. The ranger I spoke to mentioned they were switching over, and since he didn't have a lot of details, he handed the phone to another ranger, and we chatted about it for a bit. He said permits will still open on March 1 but to go to Recreation.gov for them instead. I'm surprised there isn't anything up on the website yet. Maybe after the New Year?