Best Yosemite Hikes to do in MID JUNE

[Darwin13]

Il be in yosemite starting around June 10th and will be able to stay for a good 4 full days. Im taking a bus that gets off at the Yosemite Lodge. I understand there are shuttles to take you to different parts of the area.

A few questions:

1. what will snow be like and at what elevation can i expect snow or deep snow?
2. Any good 3 day loops taht will take me back to the lodge ?

Thanks


I am in very good shape and have a lot of experience except in deep snow where snow shoes would be neccesary.

[Sly]

Here are the historical opening for Tioga Rd.

http://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/tiogaopen.htm

Snow pack is lighter than normal this year so you should be able to get to Toulumne Meadows. You could hike from TM to Yosemite Valley via Clouds Rest and hike Half Dome. Here are some maps (not connected).

http://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/brochures.htm

[flemdawg1]

I did this trip. Loved it.
http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-...e_pagination=1

http://www.backpacker.com/destinations/hikes/368705

[Malto]

Assuming you have some tolerance for snow...... Take the hiker bus to Tuolumne meadows and hike back to the valley via Rafferty and Fletcher Creeks Trails. From Merced Lake take the trail along the Merced River back to the valley. It is roughly 30 miles. I did this in June of a high snow year and had snow up during the top where Rafferty and Fletcher Trails meet.

Or another great trip in June is the loop going down the Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne up to white Wold, ten lakes and back. You can cut some mileage off to meet bus schedules up and back from the valley. There is one section of trail where you will likely have to wade and there may be snow up in the ten lakes area. This is drop dead gorgeous and June is prime time with the volume of water going over the falls.

or hike up Lyell Canyon out of Tuolumne. You can go all the way to Donahue Pass or bum around on Lyell Glacier. Depending on snow there could be some as south of the climb out of the large Meadow.

these would be my picks. There are others but they are less wowsome.

[Dogwood]

Sly mentioned perhaps the most iconic 3 day trek Y NP in the area of Y Lodge has to offer.

[Darwin13]

Would you recommend crampons and an ice axe?

[swjohnsey]

Do you have reservations?

[Darwin13]

Do you have reservations?

No, I was waiting because Im not sure what permit I need to get to do the hike i choose. I think Im going to hike from Toulome to hte Valley. What would I have to do reservation wise for this?

[Sly]

No, I was waiting because Im not sure what permit I need to get to do the hike i choose. I think Im going to hike from Toulome to hte Valley. What would I have to do reservation wise for this?

You can most likely just show up at the ranger station in TM and get the hike you want, especially if it's mid-week. Here's some more info.

http://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/wildpermits.htm

[swjohnsey]

If you don't have camping/lodge/cabin reservations by now you are not likely to get them.

[Sly]

If you don't have camping/lodge/cabin reservations by now you are not likely to get them.

I've been to Tuolumne Meadows a few times and had no problem with walk-up permits (you may have to be flexible). Plus the backpacker campground is self registration and takes no reservations that I'm aware of. (it's also never been full early season which is after Darwin plans on hiking)

Lodge and cabins are a different story...

[Kerosene]

I hiked to the top of Half Dome in mid-May 2008 and only encountered a few patches of snow above 7,000', with nothing on-trail. If it's a low snowpack season then I'll bet you won't need any special gear. Contact the ranger station to be sure, though.

[Coffee]

No, I was waiting because Im not sure what permit I need to get to do the hike i choose. I think Im going to hike from Toulome to hte Valley. What would I have to do reservation wise for this?

There are three good choices to get from Tuolumne to the valley: (1) Cathedral Lakes, (2) Sunrise, (3) Rafferty to Vogelsang (and on to Merced Lake). My guess is that Rafferty will be the easiest to get a permit reservation for but also the most likely to have snow. I hiked from Yosemite Valley to Tuolumne via Merced Lake and Vogelsang years ago but in August when there was no snow.

Here's a good map of the trailhead options:

http://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisi...ailheadmap.pdf

[Malto]

There are three good choices to get from Tuolumne to the valley: (1) Cathedral Lakes, (2) Sunrise, (3) Rafferty to Vogelsang (and on to Merced Lake). My guess is that Rafferty will be the easiest to get a permit reservation for but also the most likely to have snow. I hiked from Yosemite Valley to Tuolumne via Merced Lake and Vogelsang years ago but in August when there was no snow.

Here's a good map of the trailhead options:

http://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisi...ailheadmap.pdf

if you actually cross Vogelsang to get to Merced then yes there will be snow in all likely. (Easy snow). If there is time then I actually prefer that route to the Fletcher Creek (much less snow.) route I listed. I have done seven unique routes between TM and the valley. The absolute coolest is to combine Red Peak Pass into the mix but that is more than most folks will do in a couple of days. Someone mentioned Clouds rest. That is a cool location. You get to look down on half dome hikers, literally. The one route I wouldn't reco is the JMT. There are much more scenic routes.