Yosemite hike advice needed

[kilroy]

Hi All

My company is sending me out to San Francisco in Mid April for three days and since I'm out there I convinced them to fly me back on Sunday instead of Wednesday. So I've got 3 or 4 days that I'm going to use visit Yosemite.

I've never hiked west of the Mississippi and while I know all the big tourist spots in Yosemite I really want just a nice 20ish mile loop or something similar I can do in the couple of days that I have. Anyone have any advice on trails I should consider or avoid?

Thanks in advance!

[Feral Bill]

Probably winter conditions, iirc. Try the NPS website for the park.

[fiddlehead]

There is a bus that runs from Yosemite valley to Tulomme. (sp?)

Although April is a bit early, IF it is running, have them drop you off at the north dome trail and hike it back to Yosemite valley (sort of like a loop hike)
You could park your car (i'll assume you are renting one or something similar) in the valley.
The elevation is fairly low so hopefully you won't have snow issues although I believe they've had a high snow year and April could still get dumped on big time I think.

If too much snow, perhaps a hike up to half dome or mirror lake. I think there is a short loop hike there that stays down in the valley. (it would only be a day hike but might be all you get in April.)
Still might be a very enjoyable trip as i always consider it best to see Yosemite valley when there are no tourists around. (I and two of my friends were the ONLY ones there once due to fires and our backcountry permit. but that's another story)

[mudhead]

Look at hiking in Marin county. Close. Pretty. You might be impressed with the Pacific. I was.

As a back up to Y and the snow.

[kilroy]

Thanks for the replies everyone.

I'm going to give the NPS a call on Monday and see what conditions are like and what trails are open (the website's most current info is for January). I really want to get to Yosemite even if conditions aren't ideal and all I get to do is day hike.

I've wanted to go to Yosemite since I was kid and saw a film on it in history class. I recently watched "The National Parks" by Ken Burns and it lit a flame so hot I can barely stand it.

[tothetrail]

Ok, I've got a great option for you. Not sure if you are into cross country skiing, but I just did this trip last month, and it was one of the best trips I've done.

The route starts at Badger Pass and you ski to Glacier Point, about 10 miles each way.

The ski center has all the gear and you can even rent a sleeping bag that will already be at the hut, for $10, if you don't want to have to carry the extra weight. They serve you dinner and breakfast and have lunch fixings out for you to make your lunch in the morning. All you have to carry is your clothes and snacks.

The hut is used as a visitor center during the summer, when the road is open. In the Winter they turn it into a ski hut. I'm not sure when the season ends, but that's something you can ask the ranger on Monday.

[tothetrail]

If skiing is not an option, and we get some nice wrm weather in the next couple of weeks, the snow melts fast and the waterfalls will be going really good. In that case, the trails out of the valley should be great for dayhiking.

Seirra Point is my favorite Valley hike.