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Blissful
01-10-2011, 21:42
Okay, my date for reserving my permit is rapidly approaching according to the timeline for July 6th entry. I see on the sheet there are three choices of places to reserve for entry points to the JMT. You can do Happy Isle - Sunrise / Merced pass through, Little Yosemite Valley, and Glacier Point. Should you put all three down just in case? Or the one(s) you really want? If you want to climb Half Dome, which entry point do you need to have? Also, I get conflicting reports, can you just get a permit to climb Half Dome when you get there to pick up your permit? Or do you need it reserved also? Where would you camp if you want to climb it it (I'm guessing its too hard to do it all Day one and we would need to do it on day 2?)
Also, it looks like you don't need a permit to climb Mt Whitney if hiking the JMT southbound. True or false?
Many, many thanks!

Phreak
01-10-2011, 21:45
Camp at Little Yosemite Valley Campground. I think it's only 2 or so miles from Half Dome.

Helmuth.Fishmonger
01-10-2011, 22:44
call the ranger office and ask - much easier

I think you need to indicate when you get your JMT permit that you want to do Half Dome which will be noted on your permit. If you get a permit from outside of Yosemite, that requirement is waived and you still are allowed to climb it if you have a JMT permit from e.g. Inyo NF in Lone Pine hikng northbound.

as for permits with the intent to start in the valley and taking the JMT proper to Tuolumne Meadows, you really only have two options: The Happy Isles to Little Yosemite Valley, or the Happy Isles to Sunrise version. The first one requires you spend the first night in LYV, the second requires you go higher, at least to Sunrise Creek or to Sunrise High Sierra Camp. There are separate quotas for each, although they both mean you start at Happy Isles and walk up the JMT.

Merced Lake direction is not the JMT and would probably require you to camp way off trail in the valley of the river towards Merced Lake.

Half Dome trail is between LYV and any decent camp site above the trail intersection, so most would pick a night in that location before going to the cables the next morning.

that's about all I know about Half Dome - I didn't really pay much attention in the recent discussions on the JMT mailing list about the permit change, as I am not planning to climb it again in the forseable future, but I know it was pretty much laid out in detail when the subject came up

Sly
01-10-2011, 23:07
You probably want to camp at Little Yosemite and climb Half Dome first thing in the morning. From there you can camp at Sunrise. After the 1st few days and all it's climbing, it's not too bad a hike. You shouldn't need an additional permit for Whitney since it's the end of the trail.

Depending on where you're coming from and your time frame (if it's Reno) I'd spent a night or two in Toulemne Meadows to help acclimate. It's an awesome area to chill, rest up. You can also leave your food in one of the bear oxes in the backpacker campsite, (add a note) rather than carrying it. Or just resupply in the store there, it's good enough to get to VVR. Have a meal or two at Red's Meadow to save some more weight.

Cookerhiker
01-10-2011, 23:15
Okay, my date for reserving my permit is rapidly approaching according to the timeline for July 6th entry. I see on the sheet there are three choices of places to reserve for entry points to the JMT. You can do Happy Isle - Sunrise / Merced pass through, Little Yosemite Valley, and Glacier Point. Should you put all three down just in case? Or the one(s) you really want? If you want to climb Half Dome, which entry point do you need to have? Also, I get conflicting reports, can you just get a permit to climb Half Dome when you get there to pick up your permit? Or do you need it reserved also? Where would you camp if you want to climb it it (I'm guessing its too hard to do it all Day one and we would need to do it on day 2?)
Also, it looks like you don't need a permit to climb Mt Whitney if hiking the JMT southbound. True or false?
Many, many thanks!

It's been 5 years (http://www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?trailname=4830) so things may have changed and/or my memory has dimmed (to put it politely).

When I hiked, as long as you had a permit to hike the JMT starting in Yosemite, you did not need a separate permit or have to make reservations etc. for Mt. Whitney.

We started at Happy Isles and I'm pretty sure that was the only permit we applied for. My hiking partner took care of the permits but I recall we submitted the requests as soon as we were allowed.

We didn't take the side trail to Half Dome so I can't answer questions there. Rather we hiked all the way the first day to Sunrise Camp - 13 miles and a net elevation gain of over 5,000'. One advantage was since Sunrise Camp had bearboxes, we didn't need our canisters for that steep first day. The second day we arrived at Tuolumne Meadows where our canisters packed with 8 days of food were stored in bear boxes (similar to Sly's recommendation).

You didn't ask about acclimation (maybe you did on another thread) and the answer is everyone's body is different. It's probably a good idea to acclimate a few days beforehand and drink lots of water. But if you've had experience, you'll know what works best. The remarkable thing for me was the first day - ascending from 4,000' to 10,000' then dropping down to 9,000' - I was fine. The second day hit me like a ton of bricks. Had to take the afternoon off and catch my hiking partner later.

Dogwood
01-10-2011, 23:49
Happy Isles TH in Yosemite Valley is the JMT Northern Terminus. Some folks will begin/end their JMT hiker at different TH's though. If you leave from HI here are the advantages. It's the official northern terminus. It's a quick free bus ride to the this TH from anywhere in Yosemite Valley. Visiting YV has it's pros/cons. Beggist cons are the amount of hiker traffic at this TH(it's the TH the VAST majority will use to summit touristy Half Dome and see Vernal and Nevada Falls, Yosemite Valley is a tourist hot bed, especially during summer) and it's the most popular(and probably the hardest place to get a permit to through the JMT, although I've been told by several Yosemite NP Rangers preference for permits from this TH are given to those thru-hiking the JMT). Pros: this TH is near all the features worth visiting in Yosemite Valley and, despite all the tourists, YV IS worth visiting especially if you have never been to YV(yeah, YV is busy, that's because there are some exceptionally scenic sights massed within a short distance - Bridal Veil Falls, Yosemite Falls, iconic world famous views down the valley to Half Dome, El Capitan, Sentinel Dome, ETC ), this TH is a short free busride from the Backcountry Office where you can get your permit and up to date trail beta, near by access to a PO(right next door to the Backocountry Off.), nearby access to a laundromat, eateries(buffet), showers, well stocked grocery store, outfitter, Ahwahnee Hotel, Backpacker's CG(I recommend staying there before you begin your hike at the HI TH and see the YV sights, recoop from your travels to YV from the east coast!). Yosemite Valley also has direct access from Merced on the YARTS bus, where you might connect from a Amtrak or bus from San Fran AP or from Sacramento AP. You can also get to YV from Reno AP on a YARTS connection through Lee Vining. Getting to YV this way takes you through Tuolomne Meadows and this bus route, I believe, makes a stop at the TM store/PO/snack stand if you wish to do something quickly like leave a package there. PO will also hold a box for you and the smallish-med sized Grocery Store is decently stocked with hiker oriented trailfood.

Cant speak to accessing the JMT from Sunrise Pass/Merced Lake because I have never done that.

Glacier Pt is on the YV rim opposite from El Capitan. You can hike up out of YV to Glacier Pt or take a rather round about bus or car ride there. Some good views across and up YV from GP and you can take in the other but largely forgotten dome near YV - Sentinel Dome. I think entering/accessing the JMT from GP entails afew more miles of additional hiking compared to starting from the HI TH.

If you are thruing the JMT with a permit Half Dome is included doing that spur hike. Only if you are doing Half Dome separately(without thruing the JMT) do you need a Half Dome permit. BTW, HD permits had to be created because the amount of hiker traffic to there. BEWARE!

If HD is on your hiking agenda(it's a stunning hike and view!) start EARLY EARLY EARLY from the HI or GP TH's and stay the night before at the Backpacker's CG in YV or at the BUSY Little Yosemite Valley CG(campsites) after(south of) Vernal Falls, do HD, and then camp somewhere after(south of the JMT/HD junction). Staying at the Little Yosemite Valley CG splits up your mileage and shortens the number of feet you need to climb up from the valley and to HD in one shot. After HD, the next day, you will be at Tuolomne Meadows.

Indicate on your JMT thru-hiking permit you will summit Mt Whitney, IF they ask.

Blissful, I'm rather flexible in my hiking plans, but I've hiked the JMT SOBO(NOBO once) once beginning in YV at HI and once from the GP TH's. I've never had a problem getting a next day's JMT walk-up thru-hiking permit(gives you a day to recoop and see the YV sites anyway!). Took these recommendations from a website. They say it better than me: 'If online reservations are full for your day and route, do not be discouraged. 40% of permits are reserved for walk ups either for same day or one day after. Go midweek, get in line at the wilderness permit office early, and have a day or two flexibility. If the Happy Isles->Sunrise/Merced Lake (pass through) is still full, ask for alternatives such as one leaving from Tuolumne Meadows or Glacier Point.'

Helmuth.Fishmonger
01-11-2011, 00:51
When I hiked, as long as you had a permit to hike the JMT starting in Yosemite, you did not need a separate permit or have to make reservations etc. for Mt. Whitney.

Still no permit needed if you start somewhere north of Bishop to get to Whitney. Once you get a permit inside of Inyo NF, the exit quota applies.

Helmuth.Fishmonger
01-11-2011, 11:39
Followup on some of the Half Dome permit issues I vaguely remembered - found some of the info this morning:

northbound JMT hikers coming from outside of Yosemite with a non-Yosemite permit - this is from the horse's mouth:



---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: <[email protected] ([email protected])>
Date: Thu, Dec 30, 2010 at 3:16 PM
Subject: Re: From NPS.gov: Half Dome permits
To: [email protected] ([email protected])



Sorry for the delayed response--I wanted to check a detail before replying.

If someone has a wilderness permit from the USFS for a trip that reasonably includes Half Dome, they don't need a separate Half Dome permit. Someone hiking the JMT from south to north would clearly fit into that category.

However, given the extreme popularity of the Half Dome/Little Yosemite Valley area, we're asking PCTA permit holders to get a separate wilderness permit if they want to camp in the greater Little Yosemite Valley/Sunrise Creek/Half Dome area.

Jeffrey


National Park Service
Yosemite National Park
http://www.nps.gov/yose/ (http://www.nps.gov/yose/)


I'd print this email if you are headed in that direction, because some volunteer ranger on the Half Dome Trail may not know about this detail (and there's a lot of these rangers on that trail section, constantly checkin permits)

By the way - a Pacific Crest Trail permit issued by PCTA (a private association that has limited permitting powers) does not allow you to climb Half Dome - the PCT is a day's hike away from Half Dome, so this makes sense.

southbound HAlf Dome permit for JMT hikers (and that's what the original question was about:

this is the wording on the Yosemite NP permit web page:


"Backpackers with an appropriate wilderness permit can receive a Half Dome permit when they pick up their wilderness permit with no additional reservation required."

so you get a sticker or something, but you have to ask for it.

Helmuth.Fishmonger
01-11-2011, 11:47
Indicate on your JMT thru-hiking permit you will summit Mt Whitney, IF they ask.



Since Mount Whitney summit is the official southern terminus of the John Muir Trail, your JMT permit is a Mount Whitney permit by definition.

Nobody cares in Yosemite what you do once you leave the park and at Mt. Whitney, the JMT permit is cart blanche for summit and exit via the quota-controlled Mount Whitney Trail.

You may meet the Whitney summer ranger somewhere on the trail, but other than "doing the JMT? finishing up?" he won't ask you much else that's permit related. Never had to show a permit (he can usually tell by your appearance that you have traveled far enough not to fall under the local quota system). I've been on that trail about 15 times in the exit direction and never needed to show a permit. In fact, the only place I ever had to show a permit was at Sunrise High Sierra Camp heading towards the Valley, and I think I've hiked about 3000 miles in the Sierra by now.

Cookerhiker
01-11-2011, 12:12
FYI I was asked to produce my permit once - not in any of the National Parks but in Inyo NF by a Forest Service Ranger.

Blissful
01-11-2011, 13:55
So you need another permit to enter Inyo NF (if hiking JMT southbound?)? If so, how do you get it?

Oops just saw your previous comment. I guess I'm ok then without one.

Blissful
01-11-2011, 14:00
Since Mount Whitney summit is the official southern terminus of the John Muir Trail, your JMT permit is a Mount Whitney permit by definition.



So I'm gathering the JMT permit is essentially the wilderness permit you get to start the trail in Yosemite - ? And you carry that with you as proof you are thru hiking it, even when you get to the Inyo NF and Mt Whitney - ?

Marta
01-11-2011, 14:07
Point about climbing Half Dome: You can't just leave your pack beside the trail while you do it. Not only is likely that it will be confiscated by a Ranger, and you'll be fined, it's a virtual certainty that critters will chew into it and wreck up your stuff.

Personally I wouldn't try to climb the Half Dome at the start of a JMT hike. The first day of hiking from Little Yosemite Valley is pretty taxing for a lowlander, even without adding the climb up and down Half Dome, and then there's the problem of having a big ole backpack to deal with.

Cookerhiker
01-11-2011, 17:20
So you need another permit to enter Inyo NF (if hiking JMT southbound?)? If so, how do you get it?

Oops just saw your previous comment. I guess I'm ok then without one.


So I'm gathering the JMT permit is essentially the wilderness permit you get to start the trail in Yosemite - ? And you carry that with you as proof you are thru hiking it, even when you get to the Inyo NF and Mt Whitney - ?

Right, it's one permit you obtain in Yosemite for the JMT in its entirety; it covers all jurisdictions - Yosemite, Inyo NF, wilderness areas, Mt. Whitney. etc.

Still have mine in my JMT notebook. The letterhead is "Yosemite National Park/Wilderness Use Permit. The Entry Trailhead is "Happy Isles>Sunrise/Merced Lake" and the Exit Trailhead reads "Whitney Portal."

Helmuth.Fishmonger
01-11-2011, 17:42
So I'm gathering the JMT permit is essentially the wilderness permit you get to start the trail in Yosemite - ? And you carry that with you as proof you are thru hiking it, even when you get to the Inyo NF and Mt Whitney - ?

the permit you get in Yosemite states

a) traihead and date of entry
b) destination Mount Whitney and I think an estimated arrival.

some rangers add "via JMT" but ultimately it doesn't really matter. You can deviate all you want if you keep the general direction. You just can't EXIT the wilderness for more than 24 hours anywhere and return with the same permit, but who is gonna know where you've been?

The permits you get in Lone Pine for Northbound JMT are much more detailed, and you have to have at least a basic idea of where you will be camping. You're not bound by any of it, but at least the Inyo folks have a vague idea where you may be when somebody starts looking for you. Yosemite has clue where you are.

Helmuth.Fishmonger
01-11-2011, 17:51
Point about climbing Half Dome: You can't just leave your pack beside the trail while you do it. Not only is likely that it will be confiscated by a Ranger, and you'll be fined, it's a virtual certainty that critters will chew into it and wreck up your stuff.

Personally I wouldn't try to climb the Half Dome at the start of a JMT hike. The first day of hiking from Little Yosemite Valley is pretty taxing for a lowlander, even without adding the climb up and down Half Dome, and then there's the problem of having a big ole backpack to deal with.

depends on how fit you are. It is a killer side trip for unacclimated and/or unfit hikers. And it will be clear to them by the time they arrive at the trail junction that that little detour (1800 feet up, 1800 down) is not a good idea.

The pack issue is usually easy in a group - I've never been at that intersection when everyone in the group was interested or felt good enough to go up to the summit, so there's usually somebody watching your stuff.

If you go alone, just bring the pack up higher, put food and smelly stuff in the bear canister and put that separate from your pack. Totally legal if not unattended for more than 24 hours.

lori
01-11-2011, 18:39
I would not leave my pack anywhere unattended in Yosemite, and in LYV and Tuolumne Meadows backpacker camps, put the whole pack inside the bear box. Bears have learned to recognize a pack as "thing that carries food" and do not bother to sniff out food, they grab and investigate later. If you leave a car parked anywhere in Yosemite for extended duration make sure it is clean of wrappers, bags, boxes, ice chests (empty or full) since bears will see "food containers" and bust into the car. (The majority of incidents with bears are in parking lots and established campgrounds.) Last year I heard from four people that they had put down their pack along the trail and had it carried off by a bear, which tore up their gear.

Half Dome - leave the pack in a bear box in Little Yosemite Valley camp and take water/snack/10 essentials when you go. The LYV bears will sneak up behind you and steal your dinner when you turn your back on it for a few seconds - that and Rancheria Falls are two of the most notorious bear problem spots. Tuolumne Meadows campground is bad, too.

Rangers will check your permit for the length of the JMT - we saw a ranger every day, going from Bullfrog Lake to Crabtree. We exited at Horseshoe instead of Whitney and saw a ranger coming up New Army too. Had one check the bear canister too.

One permit from starting point jurisdiction is all you need.

Phreak
01-11-2011, 20:43
[QUOTE=Marta;1092536]Point about climbing Half Dome: You can't just leave your pack beside the trail while you do it. Not only is likely that it will be confiscated by a Ranger, and you'll be fined, it's a virtual certainty that critters will chew into it and wreck up your stuff.
QUOTE]
Interesting. Didn't know the rangers would have an issue with packs being left at the bottom of the cables. I climbed Half Dome in 2008 and there were at least 60 people at the top with me and I was the only one to carry my pack up there. There was a huge pile of packs all along the base of the cables.

Helmuth.Fishmonger
01-12-2011, 00:14
Interesting. Didn't know the rangers would have an issue with packs being left at the bottom of the cables. I climbed Half Dome in 2008 and there were at least 60 people at the top with me and I was the only one to carry my pack up there. There was a huge pile of packs all along the base of the cables.

I think this was more regarding packs left at the JMT - Half Dome trail junction


we did leave 3 packs near Tenaya Lake Junction about 100 yeards off trail for a day last summer. Were all there when we came back.

perrito
01-12-2011, 10:30
I walked up the Half Dome Trail for a quarter mile and left my pack about 200 feet off-trail. I unzipped the pockets and also placed my bear canister off to the side. I had a nice sized waterproof stuff sack that I put my camera, GPSr, permit, ID, etc. in and marked the location on my GPSr then took off my belt and rigged it with the stuff sack and tossed it over my shoulder. I also took my trekking poles with me, but they were annoying to have while climbing the last bit up the cables.
BTW, take LOTS of water!

Helmuth.Fishmonger
01-12-2011, 11:46
Rangers will check your permit for the length of the JMT - we saw a ranger every day, going from Bullfrog Lake to Crabtree. We exited at Horseshoe instead of Whitney and saw a ranger coming up New Army too. Had one check the bear canister too.


you must look suspicious :D

15 Muir Trials, 3000+ miles in the Sierra, and I was checked ONE TIME for permit, last summer, at Sunrise Camp by a pair of volunteer rangers on our first day out.

I meet and talk to a lot of rangers, but they never ask for permit or bear can.

So this is a hit and miss I suppose and who knows what is the criteria a ranger uses to feel the need to ask for a permit. Doesn't really matter if you have it and have your bear can, so I don't quite understand the constant discussion of that issue.

The bottom line is - have a permit, follow the rules. It's not like they charge for them as they do for the fishing licenses (and those ARE expensive if you're out of state and older than 14 years)

Sly
01-12-2011, 12:29
Rangers will check your permit for the length of the JMT - we saw a ranger every day, going from Bullfrog Lake to Crabtree. We exited at Horseshoe instead of Whitney and saw a ranger coming up New Army too. Had one check the bear canister too.


One year I hiked the PCT (north), I got checked in northern Yosemite. The year I hiked the JMT (south) I got checked at Little Yosemite and Sunrise.

Blissful
01-18-2011, 10:48
Tonight I go for my wilderness pass (fax it in at 8 pm EST). But right now I have us staying at Little Yosemite Valley so we can do Half Dome (in spot #1 on the registration form. I have down for the 2nd choice the Pass through option). Question - MUST you stay there then at Little Yosemite valley? Or if we feel able, can we go on and look for camping closer to the junction so we can do Half Dome early the next AM (is there camping in that area?)?
Or should I put down in spot #1 "Pass through" so we can stay wherever we want that first night? And what about putting down Glacier Point as spot #2?
Thanks a million. I'll be glad to get this part out of the way.

lori
01-18-2011, 12:09
you must look suspicious :D

15 Muir Trials, 3000+ miles in the Sierra, and I was checked ONE TIME for permit, last summer, at Sunrise Camp by a pair of volunteer rangers on our first day out.


I didn't say I was checked every time... just that we saw a ranger every day. :sun Bear can check at Bullfrog, permit check at Crabtree when we stopped to ask about the weather.

I've been checked a total of six times over many, many backpacking trips, roughly half of which are into Yosemite and SEKI. I've seen the largest number of rangers in Yosemite. Was checked twice on the way to Rancheria Falls near Hetch Hetchy, saw three rangers - that's my record day. Same day, there was a bear playing with tourists, standing in the trail looking at them, until I yelled and waved and he ambled away into the trees.

lori
01-18-2011, 12:15
Question - MUST you stay there then at Little Yosemite valley? Or if we feel able, can we go on and look for camping closer to the junction so we can do Half Dome early the next AM (is there camping in that area?)?
Or should I put down in spot #1 "Pass through" so we can stay wherever we want that first night? And what about putting down Glacier Point as spot #2?
Thanks a million. I'll be glad to get this part out of the way.

IF you stay in Little Yosemite Valley, you MUST spend the night within their designated campground AND have your permit indicate that you can do so.

Otherwise you must move on up the trail (a passthrough) and be outside Little Yosemite Valley to dispersal camp. You must be a specific distance from the valley before you can camp. Ranger will mark on the map if you wish. It's possible to dry camp on the way up to Half Dome once outside the boundary, but there are nicer spots further up near the junction to the Clouds Rest trail.

Blissful
01-19-2011, 14:57
I am having a meltdown over this stupid permit stuff for the JMT. We got rejected for all 3 choices - they did it all by lottery - so am trying a different plan per a ranger's suggestion (took my husband 40 times to get through). Praying it works out somehow. What a pain in the neck.

Helmuth.Fishmonger
01-19-2011, 17:27
I am having a meltdown over this stupid permit stuff for the JMT. We got rejected for all 3 choices - they did it all by lottery - so am trying a different plan per a ranger's suggestion (took my husband 40 times to get through). Praying it works out somehow. What a pain in the neck.


The problem is that everyone who has never done the JMT wants to go by the book and start at Happy Isles, which is a very high traffic trailhead due to the access it provides for Half Dome and other areas up the Merced. If you are flexible enough to start at a different trailhead you can eliminate most of the reservation pains and get going whenever you're ready to hike.

If you get creative, e.g. start at Tenaya Lake and hike over Clouds Rest to the JMT and from there back up to TM, you're only missing a small section of the JMT (primarily the highest use section below the Half Dome trail intersection), but you can get that permit any day, probably same day, and you get to go over Clouds Rest, too, which is a pretty good trade for the waterfall you don't get to see.

Blissful
01-19-2011, 17:34
Like you said I have never been there so I don't know the variety of trailheads or what would be good (or how creative I can get). :) Lori has given me some ideas. The one you give looks like another good idea (one I had not heard of, not even on the JMT yahoo group)

Where do you camp the first night out of this Tenaya lake area? It's too far to CLouds rest jct for one day. Is there water?

The Other Tom
01-19-2011, 22:28
Like you said I have never been there so I don't know the variety of trailheads or what would be good (or how creative I can get). :) Lori has given me some ideas. The one you give looks like another good idea (one I had not heard of, not even on the JMT yahoo group)

Where do you camp the first night out of this Tenaya lake area? It's too far to CLouds rest jct for one day. Is there water?
My Tom Harrison map set of the JMT (you do have a Tom Harrison map, don't you ?) shows 7.1 miles from Tenaya Lake TH to the JMT. I would camp near the junction at sunrise creek. Plenty of water along the way, but none at Cloud's Rest.

lori
01-19-2011, 22:44
There are a ton of trails that will easily access the JMT somehow, but they are also trailheads that tend to ALSO fill up fast. Sunrise, Cathedral, Tuolumne, all book up fast.

Another option - not a happy making one when there are air travel plans and busses in play - would be to show up the day before you want to start hiking and stand on the porch all morning before they start issuing permits at 11 am, to be sure you can grab some of the first-come first-serve permits for the trailhead of choice. I am able to do this with great success because I'm local and can drive up at 4 am to sit there reading a book. Unfortunate that I would end up with a permit in my name and non-transferable... I would probably be tempted to get my own permit and go with you otherwise (at least as far as Reds Meadow...)

Helmuth.Fishmonger
01-20-2011, 01:43
Where do you camp the first night out of this Tenaya lake area? It's too far to CLouds rest jct for one day. Is there water?

I'll draw you a map of a few creative starts tomorrow, and add some how-to info for each. Tenaya Lake to Clouds Rest Jct is doable in a day if you start early. You are starting pretty high up. The downhill is the tough part of that day.

There is water before you get to Clouds Rest, none on top

el31415
01-20-2011, 05:58
These are the alternative/backup permit I had in mind when I did JMT
But just did a walk in permit , I got my 1st choice with no problem

Permit (choices)
1st - Happy Isles-->Sunrise/Merced Lake (pass through) and exit trailhead will be Whitney Portal.
2nd - Happy Isles --> illilouet
3rd - Glacier Point to Little Yosemite Valley
4th - Happy Isles to Little Yosemite Valle
5th - Tuolumme meadows

Helmuth.Fishmonger
01-20-2011, 12:34
here's one map I made for somebody else a while back, showing the Glacier Point alternate - hard to get to Glacier Point (hike up a very steep trail from the valley, or find a ride up there. Bus goes up there, too, but you'll start pretty late). Muir Trail is red, alternate is blue.

http://didnt.doit.wisc.edu/outdoor/muir2008/maps/glacier_pt_jmt_start.jpg

Blissful
01-20-2011, 13:52
We are trying right now for the Tenaya Lake entry (my hubby liked the idea of higher elevation start) along with HI as the choices. Haven't heard yet

Helmuth.Fishmonger
01-20-2011, 14:32
link to map - too big to embed here

http://didnt.doit.wisc.edu/outdoor/muir2008/maps/Tenaya_Clouds_Rest_JMT.jpg

Tenaya Lake on top. Easily reached by shuttle bus or hitch hike from Tuolumne Meadows in the morning. Red line is the long version via Clouds Rest (last water the stream crossing north of the peak), then dropping to the JMT at the Clouds Rest trail junction. From there back up on the JMT - you add a few miles to the total, and probably get the same elevation total as on the regular trail, since you start higher, but you also go over the top of Clouds Rest and lose elevation again. You skip the first 7 miles of the JMT.

If you go the purple line, you can drop down back from Clouds Rest and choose either the Tenaya Lake trail to the JMT and drop way down again, pick up the JMT about a mile after the Clouds Rest trail. Then it's the same back up. The other purple line takes you on a shortcut over to Sunrise High Sierra Camp, not losing much elevation. That route skips the first 13 miles of the JMT, but you don't have to climb as much either.

If you skip Clouds Rest altogether, it still is a nice and easy warmup hike with just Cathedral Pass to get over, which is barely noticable from Sunrise.

Another alternate mentioned would be to start at Happy Isle and indicate you are heading through to Merced Lake. There's a trail that connects up to the JMT from Merced Lake:

http://didnt.doit.wisc.edu/outdoor/muir2008/maps/merced_lake_start_options.jpg

purple line is Happy Isles to Mreced Lake - probably an easy first day.

red line is the JMT

brown is Merced back to JMT and off to Tuloumne

light blue is Merced up Echo Creek and Cahtredral Creek to reconnect with JMT on Long Meadow just after Sunrise

Key is that few JMT hikers will ask for a permit that makes them hike well past little Yosemite Valley to Merced Lake. But it really doesn't add much distance over the normal route, and you're not missing out on anything but the Half Dome traffic. The route from Merced up to the JMT may actually be very scenic based on the 24k topo map I checked as well.

Blissful
01-20-2011, 14:46
We heard today - got the pass-thru for July 7th - very excited! But thanks so much, we do want to do Clouds Rest for sure
And I know all this great info is gonna help others too

You all have been great.

Kanook
01-21-2011, 13:41
Thought I would share my experience.

In 2009 I went to hike the JMT (I had no permit). I took the YARTS bus from the trainstation and arrived at the visitor's centre around 3pm. All of the walk-up permits were gone for the day. The ranger told me I could get a pass for the next day from Tuolumne Meadows so I took it. I was never once asked to show my permit from Tuolumne to Whitney Portal.

Some hikers I met later on told me that I could have hiked from Tuolumne Meadows to Happy Isles, then taken the YARTS bus back to Tuolumne and headed to Whitney from there. Not sure if that is true.

This year I am planning on thru-hiking the JMT again so I will be trying to get a Happy Isles pass-thru permit in January. The yosemiteconservancy.org website has information on when to apply for your permit.

HYOH

lori
01-21-2011, 14:39
Some hikers I met later on told me that I could have hiked from Tuolumne Meadows to Happy Isles, then taken the YARTS bus back to Tuolumne and headed to Whitney from there. Not sure if that is true.



This is true. You would need a second permit for TM to HI if doing so overnight. It can be done as a very long dayhike before you start the JMT - if you start your thru of the JMT from TM the following morning, and have a valid wilderness permit for doing so, you can either spend the night in the backpacker campground in the valley and catch either YARTS or the hiker bus (different departure times/locations) to TM, or hitchhike up that evening, stay in the backpacker camp in TM campground, and get a nice early start.

The backpacker campgrounds are pretty convenient. I've come off a backpacking trip, walked in and got a permit for another, and stayed in the backpacker camps in between - cheapest lodging in the park, and full of other backpackers to talk to and share beer with. No reservations necessary, just a wilderness permit - and they do check the permits, religiously, have never stayed there when they did not.

Hangman
03-02-2011, 18:10
Blissful I'm having same problem been turned down 3 days in a row running out of dates for permit start date. I need 3 and that is probably part of the problem. Any advise on what you ended up doing. I would fly out there from east coast in Aug (16th) when I want to thru if I new for sure we all 3 would get a pass in a day or 2 wait as a walk up. Anybody else have feed back on chance of getting 3 walk ups.

Helmuth.Fishmonger
03-03-2011, 12:35
Blissful I'm having same problem been turned down 3 days in a row running out of dates for permit start date. I need 3 and that is probably part of the problem. Any advise on what you ended up doing. I would fly out there from east coast in Aug (16th) when I want to thru if I new for sure we all 3 would get a pass in a day or 2 wait as a walk up. Anybody else have feed back on chance of getting 3 walk ups.

mid August probably a 50-50 thing - be at the ranger station at 2am to hold you spot in line, camp there and get the NEXT DAY permits (that will be available. Same day permits may also become available (no-shows in the morning before 11am, after 11am those unclaimed permits become walk-ins), but you're going to start late in the day and it's hot in August...

Hangman
03-03-2011, 23:06
Ok thanks....I would hate to get out there and have a few days wait or not get a permit. From what I'm hearing nobody has experienced that.