Happy Isles to Illilouette??? Has anyone done this segment....if so..

..can you comment on the climb from JMT up to the falls? I posted my question also on the JMT Yahoo group site and hope I get a response.
Currently I am holding a Mono Meadow permit and have to camp short of the JMT the first night....that looks to be a very nice day without a lot of uphill, especially the first day. However, it also looks like for the days I am interested, that HI to Illilouette may be open...the person I talked to on the phone today stated i would have to camp in the basin, which to me, seems like a tough climb from the JMT.

So, since I would essentially camp the first night in the same spot anyway, I view starting at HI as less hassle to catch the bus to Glacier Point. Plus, I can say I did the entire JMT as after Illilouette, I head back to the JMT. For Mono Meadow the advantage looks to be an easier first day.

So, anybody have opinions on this? I don't think I can lose eiter way, but did want to say I did the entire JMT...

THANKS

My wife and I hiked the JMT this past year starting out from Illilouette, so we hiked down what you would hike up. That section of trail is well switchbacked and wouldn't be any harder than other climbs you will face later on the JMT, IMHO.

If you want to make sure you hike every step of the JMT you could hike the 3 miles from HI to where the Panorama Trail hooks up with the JMT the day before you start the hike, then start your permit from mono meadow, staying in illilouette basin the first night. Day 2 you would hike down from Illilouette past Glacier Point on the Panorama Trail to the JMT and head north from where you hiked up to before from the valley. You would make past Little Yos Valley easily that day and into open (legal) camping spots.

Hope this helps,
Schnikel

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by schnikel

My wife and I hiked the JMT this past year starting out from Illilouette, so we hiked down what you would hike up. That section of trail is well switchbacked and wouldn't be any harder than other climbs you will face later on the JMT, IMHO.

If you want to make sure you hike every step of the JMT you could hike the 3 miles from HI to where the Panorama Trail hooks up with the JMT the day before you start the hike, then start your permit from mono meadow, staying in illilouette basin the first night. Day 2 you would hike down from Illilouette past Glacier Point on the Panorama Trail to the JMT and head north from where you hiked up to before from the valley. You would make past Little Yos Valley easily that day and into open (legal) camping spots.

Hope this helps,
Schnikel

---

So, my question...why is Mono Meadow to JMT easier to get that HI to Illiouette....My question is whether the hike up to the basin is a difficult piece that early for the JMT...later on, I know the climbs on the JMT...Just curious as to why more don't do HI to Illiouette if they can't get HI to LYV or to sunrise pass through.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by nawlunz

So, my question...why is Mono Meadow to JMT easier to get that HI to Illiouette....My question is whether the hike up to the basin is a difficult piece that early for the JMT...later on, I know the climbs on the JMT...Just curious as to why more don't do HI to Illiouette if they can't get HI to LYV or to sunrise pass through.

---

I would think because each trail head has a quota and Happy Isle is the start of the trail. Have you tried HI to Little Yosemite? If you started early you could probably bag Half Dome. From there you should be able to get Sunrise or beyond.

In another thread you spoke of hiking 8 days to Whitney. Are you doing the entire trail now? If so and you're having permit problems, you could consider hiking from TM to HI, catch a shuttle back to TM and hiking south from there.

I don't know if you have it but I'll attach the PDF that's faxed to Yosemite and has up to three choices with a number of options in drop down menus.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Sly

I would think because each trail head has a quota and Happy Isle is the start of the trail. Have you tried HI to Little Yosemite? If you started early you could probably bag Half Dome. From there you should be able to get Sunrise or beyond.

In another thread you spoke of hiking 8 days to Whitney. Are you doing the entire trail now? If so and you're having permit problems, you could consider hiking from TM to HI, catch a shuttle back to TM and hiking south from there.



I don't know if you have it but I'll attach the PDF that's faxed to Yosemite and has up to three choices with a number of options in drop down menus.

---

Sky
Have done the drill with the permits...after many days, never got HI to LYM or pass through...I did get HI to Illilouette around the time I needed..so, my question was whether this was preferred over Mono Meadow trail head.

My question regarding 8 days to Whitney has to do with the fact that I have my schedule to Muir set...looking at options beyond Muir to Whitney as suggested stops in order to make it in 8-9 days. Again, I've gone from HI to Mather, and from Wallace Creek to the Portal. I am trying to get a suggested itinerary between Muir and Whitney.

What I don't get is "Muir", Muir what? Muir Pass or Muir Ranch?

And if you haven't figured your start, how did you get to "Muir"?

I'm not quite clear what he is asking or planning either. Anyone doing the entire JMT in 8-9 days should have enough experience to figure all this out by themselves and should not care about a few switchbacks here and there. I've done it in 10 days and it was after two 14 day trips, so I knew what I was getting into. If you're new to this, get a book, use google for some trip reports, get the maps and you'll soon have a better idea of what you're getting yourself into. The trail is easy enough that people run the thing from end to end.

If he is referring to 8-9 days starting at Muir Ranch, well, yeah, it's about 8-9 easy days from there to Whitney, and if you are able to move faster than that and bring extra food, you can leave the JMT in some areas for some remote adventures, or just hang out at some nice place for a day or two. What to suggest really depends on one's interests. I know people who would spend the time fishing, while I am always looking for alternate routes away from the JMT, or small detours to collect non-technical summits along the way.

Summits of note that can easily be climbed along the southern half of the JMT without spending too much approach time:
Mount Solomons, Black Giant (both from Muir Pass), Mt. Goddard - probably a 1 day round trip from Wanda Lake, Mount Agassiz and Mount Sill from Dusy Basin and the Sierra High Route in that area respectively, which even without the summits is a great alternate to the rather ho-hum trip down to the very bottom of Le Conte and back up to Palisade Lake. Next is Split Mountain after Mather Pass, and Mount Barnard's west ridge after you get off Forester and get to Wallace Creek - both easily walked up class 2. Info on routes up all these peaks and lots of photos are found online if you search for the info.

Sorry if not clear....I did the JMT last year from HI and went all the way to Mather, and then back over Bishop Pass. I have also done the Southern Sierra and went the High Sierra Trail to WP. My question on the Illiouette route was why is this not a very popular option if you can't get a pass for HI to LYV or pass-through. I got my permit starting at Mono Meadow and will meet the JMT 4 miles in for this year. But, the HI to Illilouette route is stilll open on the dates I desire. As I understand it, you start at HI, and then camp at Illilouette basin...next day, you backtrack back to JMT and on your way. So, my question is whether I was missing something here as to why this route was not more popular. Are there significant switchbacks the first day leaving JMT that individuals would rather not deal with at that time, and until physically conditioned? Is it too dry and you have to dry camp? Are there not good camping spots...so, just interested as to whether my perception that this segment is not as popular is correct.

My question about going from Muir, was from Muir Traihl Ranc....I wanted to make it from Muir Trail to the Portal in about 8 days. As stated, I've been up to Mather Pass, and from Wallace Creek to the portal. So, I've never hiked between Mather and Wallace Creek. I was just interested in having comments on good areas to camp regardless if it would be an 8 mile or 16 mile day. I like to camp below passes and go over first thing in the morning. But, again, I suppose with all the books and maps I have, I can figure it out.

Start at Mono....skip the slog thru people and trees