Photo: Thomas Meissner Yosemite High Country Loop, Yosemite National Park, California Highlights:
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Trip Number: 09118A Price: $595 Deposit: $100 Capacity: 13 Rating: M Leader:
The Trip  Photo: Thomas Meissner Our 50-mile all trail loop through Yosemite’s southern alpine backcountry starts at Glacier Point, with its breathtaking view of the granite walls and waterfalls of Yosemite Valley. Leaving the crowds behind, we head up rushing Illilouette Creek valley to the rocky peaks and passes of the Clark Range. After crossing the 11,100 feet high Red Peaks Pass, we follow the Merced River from its origin in the high alpine country down through its wild canyon, where it plummets as two spectacular waterfalls into Yosemite Valley. The trip appeals to the experienced backpacker as much as to strong novices who want to enjoy the classic scenery of Yosemite’s High Sierra.
Day 1: We will meet in the afternoon at one of the campgrounds in Yosemite Valley (at 4,000 feet elevation). We will spend the rest of the day getting to know each other, getting our gear ready and splitting up the commissary equipment before cooking dinner at the campground. Day 2: The whole group will get an early breakfast at the cafeteria. We will leave our cars at the overnight parking and catch the bus taking us from the valley up to Glacier Point (at 7,200 feet). We hit the trail and descend to the ford of Illilouette Creek (at 6,400 feet) before ascending through its canyon to the base of the Clark Range. We will make our first camp on the granite slabs along the rushing cascades. The total distance is about eight miles, with a total ascent of about 1,600 feet. Day 3: We hike to sparkling Ottoway Lake, nestled at treeline below the face of ragged Red Peak. The afternoon will be spent swimming, fishing or simply relaxing. The total distance is about eight miles, the total ascent about 1,600 feet. Day 4: This will be probably the hardest day of our trip. The trail climbs steeply 1,500 feet to Red Peak Pass, at 11,100 feet, the highest point of the tour. From there we will commence a long, but mostly gradual descent into Yosemite Valley. At the end of the day we will make camp in high alpine scenery at the headwater of the Merced River. The total distance is about ten miles, with a total ascent of about 1,600 feet.  Photo: Thomas Meissner Day 5: We follow the course of the one of the upper forks of the Merced River and enjoy a lunch break at beautiful Lake Washburn, before arriving at our last campsite at Merced Lake. You might again use the rest of the afternoon to take a swim in the relatively warm lake. The total distance is about twelve miles, with only minor climbing. Day 6: On our last hiking day we will descend through the spectacular Merced River canyon. After passing through the plentiful wildflowers in Echo Valley, we'll see the dramatic power of the river as it tumbles down over massive slabs of granite at the Bunnel Cascade. We’ll skirt Moraine Dome, a great example of exfoliating granite. For a short while, the canyon levels out, while we walk through Little Yosemite Valley at the base of Half Dome. For the last three miles we follow the Mist Trail descending along the park’s two most dramatic waterfalls, Nevada and Vernal Falls, to Yosemite Valley and our cars. The total distance is about twelve miles, with only minor climbing. The route and itinerary are a general plan and may be changed due to unforeseen conditions or circumstances. Snow conditions, runoff, progress of the group, camp site availability, and other factors may require the leaders to make adjustments. Please plan to be flexible. Getting There We will meet at one of the campgrounds in Yosemite Valley the afternoon of day one The closest airport is located in Fresno, California, which is approximately 2.5 hours by car. Alternatives include the San Francisco and Oakland airports, both about a 5 hour car drive from Yosemite Valley. AMTRAK provides a combination of train and bus service from San Francisco into Yosemite Valley. Check http://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/publictransportation.htm for details. A roster of trip participants will be sent out well in advance of the trip to assist those who wish to share rides and/or rental cars. We expect to get back to our cars by late afternoon on the last day of the trip. However, we cannot guarantee a specific time. To be safe and allow enough time for the drive out, we advise that participants do not plan their return flights before the following day.
The trip price includes first night’s car camping at the campground in Yosemite Valley and the bus transport from Yosemite Valley to Glacier Point. Our first meal will be dinner at the campground that night. The trip price will also cover breakfast on Day 2 at the cafeteria. Our last meal will be lunch on the last day. Our meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks) will be a hearty combination of meat, fish, and vegetables, including soup as the first course of each dinner. We try to accommodate vegetarians, however other special diets can be very difficult to accommodate on this length of a backpack trip. If you prefer vegetarian meals or have other special dietary requirements, you are encouraged to contact the leader to see if your needs can be met. Snack bags are provided for each trip member to carry, so you will always have something to snack on. Every effort is made to include a wide variety of nutritious and tasty foods to fuel our adventure. Trip members take turns serving on cook crews and performing various camp chores. The leaders will take care of the stoves and supervise the meal preparation.
The trip is rated M (moderate). This rating reflects an average, and also needs to be put in the perspective of the whole spectrum of backpack trips that the Sierra Club National Outings program offers. On our hardest day we will cover 10 miles and ascend 1,600 feet. The total distance of our trek is about 50 miles. Our highest elevation will be 11,100 feet. All of our hiking will be on established and reasonably well-graded trails. Wet creek crossings are very likely. Carrying a heavy (40 - 45 pound) pack for several days, especially on prolonged uphill stretches, is a strenuous aerobic activity and is not suited for everyone. In order to enjoy this trip, participants need to be in excellent physical condition. Regular aerobic exercise (such as treadmill, running, swimming, biking, or hiking) during the 3-4 months before the trip is essential. The best physical preparation for a backpack trip is doing serious day hikes. Make sure your hiking boots are well broken-in. Include in your conditioning plan an occasional long walk, while carrying weight on unstable terrain. Some of our campsites are between 8,000 and 10,000 feet, so acclimatization to the altitude is also important. If you are not used to these elevations, you should consider arriving a couple of days early to acclimatize by doing easy day hikes in the park. There is plenty to see and to do. Participants who are new to backpacking, but otherwise strong and fit, are encouraged to apply. The leaders will work with you in appropriate gear selection and trip preparation.
In addition to all of the food, the Sierra Club will also provide all cooking gear (stove, fuel, pots, and pans), chlorine tablets for water treatment, group first-aid kit, tarp and the bear-proof canisters that we will use to store our food. The following is a list of the gear and clothing you will need to provide and carry for the trip. More details will be provided in pre-trip bulletins. The leaders will be more than happy to give advice on selecting the proper equipment so please feel free to contact us before you go out and spend a lot of money. Novices who need to purchase all or most of their equipment should be aware that this might be a considerable expense. Required
Optional
All participants should try to keep their personal pack weight below 25 pounds (not including hiking boots and water). The weight of the commissary gear is about 15 pounds per person. We will weigh all packs before we start, and people whose personal gear is too heavy might need to leave some non-essential items behind. Please think ahead about what you want to bring. Please also keep in mind that you must have the additional capacity in your pack for about 1-½ large grocery bags. This will be the volume of the commissary gear for each person. Most of it is sturdy (non-squeezable). Your gear will be much easier and safer to carry if it is tucked away inside your pack and not dangling on the outside.
Tom Harrison's trail map: Yosemite High Country, available at outdoor stores or www.tomharrisonmaps.com. Conservation Many consider Yosemite National Park to be the crown jewel of the national park system. John Muir's struggle against the devastation of the sub-alpine meadows surrounding Yosemite Valley by flocks of domestic sheep ("hoofed locusts") led to the establishment of the park on October 1, 1890. But, Muir realized that an organization would be necessary to ensure Yosemite's protection. Two years later, he joined with others in the San Francisco Bay Area to form the Sierra Club. The Club was instrumental in expanding protection for Yosemite in the 1890s, in the establishment of Kings Canyon National Park in 1940, and more recently in passing the Wilderness Act of 1964, which established the National Wilderness Preservation System and afforded much of the High Sierra the highest level of protection possible. As Club members, we have reason to be proud of this accomplishment when we hike through the region. On this trip, we will spend some time discussing public lands and wilderness protection. There are areas adjacent to both Yosemite National Park and the Ansel Adams Wilderness that still need protection. The proposed California Wild Heritage Act includes these lands, among others, as additions to our existing wilderness areas. You can find more information on this important proposal at: www.californiawild.org. The Sierra Club Outings program provides an excellent opportunity for members to discuss current problems while also celebrating past conservation victories. Trip participants are encouraged to come prepared to discuss issues affecting their home communities.
See the How to Apply for an Outing section for more details on registering for this trip and details about our Reservation and Cancellation Policy. The payment of a deposit does not confirm you as a member on the trip. Participants must be approved by the trip leader. After signing up for this trip, you will be sent a confirmation packet containing approval materials (Participant Approval Questionnaire, Medical Form, Liability Release Form). Each applicant (including those on the waitlist) must fill out these forms and promptly mail them to the trip leader. The leader will review the approval materials and notify you of your acceptance in a timely manner.
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General Notes About Sierra Club Trips
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Thomas Meissner has been backpacking in the Sierra Nevada, Northern California, the Rocky Mountains, the Southwest, and on the East Coast for more than 15 years. This includes a through-hike of the John Muir Trail, and several large sections of the Appalachian Trail and the Pacific Crest Trail. He has led several Sierra Club trekking trips into Europe and more than 80 backpack trips into the Sierra Nevada and Coastal mountains. Thomas has also been teaching the annual backpack beginners course of the local San Francisco Sierra Club Bay Chapter since 2001.
Aleta Beaupied began her backpacking adventures during the summer of 2000. Over the ensuing years she has participated in hikes in the Sierra Nevada mountains and in other areas within California as a participant and over the past several years as a leader with the San Francisco Sierra Club Bay Chapter. She has also backpacked in the southwest U.S. and done hut-to-hut trekking in the European Alps.