High Sierra Topix

Hello!

I was referred to this forum from a post on TripAdvisor and I am hopeful you can give me some help.

I am planning a hike in Yosemite from Cathedral Lakes to Happy Isles by way of Sunrise Camp, Clouds Rest, and Half Dome. The trip is based around my wilderness permit that starts at Cathedral Lakes on 02-Oct-2020 and includes a permit for Half Dome.

I want to do three days, two nights, and finish with my car in Curry Village. That's where my problems start. Right now, there are no public transportation options to get me from the Valley to Tuolumne Meadows. If operations get back to normal, I might be able to catch a YARTS bus the evening before my hike, but I don't know where to camp that night.

Any suggestions? Let me know if I missed any important details and I'll update.

Thank you.

Be Well.

Jason

JASinPA wrote: ↑Thu May 21, 2020 9:46 am I don't know where to camp that night.

Backpacker's campground. Course, that's assuming a *lot*. Stuff changes between then & now.

Thanks for the link to the Backpacker's Campground information. My concern is that it is listed as "Open July through late September (approximately)." With the trip being in early October, I wasn't sure if I was missing some other option if Backpacker's Campground is closed.

And, if there is an option that doesn't have me arriving at Tuolumne Meadows at 7:00 PM (YARTS bus) and having to set up camp, I'd prefer that other option.

Thanks!

I'm not sure YARTS will be running that late in the season. And the weather might be iffy. That being said, I think you're asking where to camp if you catch YARTS in the Valley, in the evening, and go to Tuolumne Meadows? I'd try to stay at the backpackers campground in Tuolumne Meadows. It may be "closed" but I'm not sure what that means late in the season.
Edit: If you don't get many responses to this post, try sending a private message to Markskor. He's our resident expert on that (and other) areas.

At some date (I think it is Oct 15) overnight parking on Tioga Road (120) is not allowed. You should be well ahead of that. Normally, you do not have to worry about Tioga Road closing in early Oct. due to weather. At any rate, you will be able to see that on the weather forecast.

Too early to tell, but I doubt YARTS will be running. Take cash with you and ask around to see if someone would take you up. If you have extra time, you could simply walk back. Snow Creek Trail, and then east at the bridge, eventually leads to Olmstead Point, which is a good place to hitch - only a short ride to Tuolumne.

It likely will be a hot dry summer this year, after a low snow-pack, so many smaller streams will be dry. Be sure of your water sources before you do the trip. The Merced always has water; not always so for Sunrise Creek.

You could simply walk back up. Snow Creek Trail...simply...really?

Yarts eastside routes-and-schedules/mammoth-lakes-tuolumne-meadows-yosemite-valley.
shows as this route mammoth to Yosemite Valley, Yarts site
https://yarts.comte suspended till further notice,
Interestingly, also says open, bus running till Oct. 15.
Stay tuned!