u/Fabulous-Neck-2506

In the name of trying to avoid the valley on the weekend, we find ourselves having GP in our itinerary either on a Saturday or a Sunday (early June). ETA to GP area is about 1pm (then hiking Sentinel/Taft, then setting up shop for sunset). How bad will traffic/parking be up there that time of day? I'm already signed up for traffic text alerts and i see that it already filled up at 9am this past Saturday (no notification when it opens back up??)

ITINERARY RUNDOWN/REVIEW FOR 6/5-6/10 NEED ADVICE FOR 2 POINTS BELOW

-4 people 1 car staying in between Mariposa & Oakhurst

*biggest things I need help with:

1. filling in our half day(s) after/before our flights

2. coming up with contingency/backup plans for our group of 4 should 1-2 members not feel up to doing the two harder hikes in the schedule (Clouds Rest & Mist/Panorama/4-Mile). (half dome will be just two of us trying to get to)

Trying to strike a balance between those of us that CAN do these getting a chance to cross off bucket list items, while still being able to accommodate a pivot for our friends who might struggle and be miserable. Right now (as it shows below) my built in pivot for CR is that they drop us off and take the car to a closer easier trail and circle back to get us at a predetermined time. Just nervous about lack of ability to communicate due to cell dead zone. The built-in pivot for the Mist/Panorma/4-Mile seems pretty easily accomplished by sending them back down JMT to play in the Valley while we finish the hike and meet back up at the car. *should* be able to communicate via cell phone once we get back down to valley

Friday 6/5: Travel & Settle in Day

9:43am Arrive in SFO & head towards Mariposa/Yosemite

On “to-do” list: get groceries & check into VRBO (Mariposa)

**Need to decide what to fill the rest of this half day with

Saturday 6/6: Acclimation: Sequoias, Glacier Point, & Sunset Picnic Day

**Apply for daily lottery half dome permit for Monday

6:00am- Depart for Mariposa Grove (1hr via South Entrance)

7:00am- Arrive at South Entrance/Mariposa Grove Welcome Center

-Have Picnic Breakfast while waiting for first Shuttle to Grove (8am)

-choose between GRIZZLY GIANT LOOP (1.5-2hr 2m rt) or GUARDIANS LOOP trail (4-6hr 7miles rt)

-picnic lunch

1:00pm start driving toward Glacier Point (1hr) **be prepared for bad traffic getting up to GP

2:00pm Park at Glacier Point parking if possible to save spot & embark on TAFT POINT/SENTINEL DOME HIKE. 7.4miles rt out and back | 4-5 hr | Elevation Gain 1,800 |

~7:30pm Get back to Glacier Point

8:15pm- Sunset Picnic Supper @ Glacier point (Pack Wine/Beer)

Sunday 6/7: Long Hike Day; Clouds Rest OR North Dome OR Cathedral Lakes

**Apply for daily lottery half dome permit for Tuesday

**If group members decide that Clouds Rest is too intense, an option is to drop CR hikers off at Trailhead and then others double back to North Dome or Cathedral lakes trail and do that instead, and then taking car back to pick up CR hikers once complete**

5am-Depart for Clouds Rest trailhead @ Sunrise Lakes (2hr 10min drive via Arch Rock Entrance)

6am- Arrive at Arch Rock Entrance

7:15am-arrive at Sunrise Lakes trailhead parking

7:30am-embark on CLOUDS REST trail | 14.5 miles | 8hrs | 1,700 ft elevation gain

Lunch at summit

4:30-get back to car (2hr 10min drive back to vrbo exiting via Arch Rock Entrance)

-check out Olmsted Point on way back (20 minutes or less needed)

**top off gas on way back (check prices on Gas Buddy)

~6:30pm- back to VRBO, grill out, fire, hot tub

Monday 6/8: Sunrise, Yosemite Valley Recreation Day

4am: depart for Tunnel View to watch sunrise (1hr 18 min drive via Arch Rock Entrance)

5:00 am: arrive at Arch Rock Entrance

5:20 am: arrive at Tunnel View & park, decide if we want to hike up to Artist Point to avoid crowd. Sunrise u/5:40

6:15am: Depart Tunnel View & stop at Bridalveil Falls on way to Valley

park at Curry Village (20 min drive)

7:15am: arrive in Curry Village, eat breakfast (packed or purchased at Seven Tents Pavilion or Coffee Corner ) while we wait for bike rental to open (8am)

8:00am: Rent bikes for the day and bike around the Valley and take a dip in the water

-Lower Yosemite Falls

-Cooks Meadow

-Cathedral Beach

-Beach at Cathedral Picnic area

-Pizza Deck @ Curry Village

-Welcome Center (open 9am-5pm)

-Shuttle to El Cap meadow (or get as close as we can then park bikes & hike)

No evening plans, leave when we’re done. Keep afternoon open. **shoot for early bed time (4:30am departure in morning)

Tuesday 6/9: Long Hike Day Mist/Panorama/4-Mile OR Just Mist to Nevada and down to Valley for more Valley Exploration

LONG hiking day

4:30am: Depart for Curry Village (1.5hr drive via Arch Rock entrance)

5:30am: arrive at Arch Rock Entrance

6:00am: arrive/park at Yosemite Valley Trailhead parking (or Curry Village if full & take shuttle to Happy Isles, bus doesn’t start till 7am;1 mile if walking)

6:30am:

****DECIDE WHICH OPTION TO DO BASED ON HOW HARD CLOUDS REST FELT, OR SPLIT UP AT THE TOP OF NEVADA FALLS******

OPTION #1: GRAND TOUR HIKE (Mist/Panorama/Glacier Point/Four Mile) 14 miles | 4,400 elevation gain | ~10hrs **bathrooms & water at Glacier Point

Picnic lunch at GP or somewhere along trail**get ice cream at GP store**

4:30pm: arrive at end of Four Mile Trailhead, take free shuttle back to car

5:00pm: back to parking lot (1.5hr drive back to VRBO via Arch Rock Gate)

OPTION #2: MIST TRAIL TO NEVADA FALLS/DOWN JOHN MUIR TRAIL (do not continue up Panorama to GP & back down Four Mile) 7 miles rt | elevation gain 1,900 | ~5 hours rt

2pm: back to trailhead and walk to car (1.5hr drive back to VRBO via Arch Rock Gate) ??Pick another shorter trail in the valley to do after?? Cold plunge after?

6:30pm- back to VRBO; grill out for supper and soak in hot tub

Wednesday 6/10

Checkout VRBO by 11am

Plans not yet determined need to be at SFO by 8:30pm

??Chilnuala Falls by Wawona? 4-6hr 8.4miles

??Gold Rush Towns on way back to SFO; Columbia (1.5hr)