Yosemite Half Dome Backpack
california 4 days Backpacking
The signature landmark of Yosemite National Park is the 8,842-foot granite rock slab, Half Dome. Join us for this epic hike to the top of the world's most photographed rock face, towering 5000 feet above the Yosemite Valley floor.
DAY 1
Your trip begins in Yosemite National Park, CA. You will meet your guides and the other group members at the Backpackers Camp in Yosemite Valley today. Group members must arrive at camp by 4 p.m. for orientation, dinner, gear check, and distribution of group gear and food. This initial meeting is critical to the success of the trip. If you will be late for any reason, please call your guide using the emergency contact information below. Dinner included.
DAY 2
Today we rise early and enjoy breakfast at our campsite beneath the pines by the soothing waters of Tenaya Creek before packing up and heading over to Curry Village where we will leave our cars and meet the 8 am bus to take us to our trailhead (Sunrise Lakes Trailhead at 8150 feet) about 1 hour's drive away on the Tioga Pass Road. This is typically a full first day of backpacking, with time along the way for lunch. It's a 3.5 mile hike up switchbacks to stunning Sunrise Lake at about 9,100'. There, you'll have time to relax and/or take a refreshing swim in the lake. After dinner look forward to an optional hike up a near-by granite dome to catch the sunset over Half Dome and an inspirational evening program around the campfire. All meals provided.
DAY 3
After breakfast, we head back to the main trail and continue deeper into the Yosemite backcountry on a gradual uphill to ultimately crest the razorback of Clouds Rest at 10,000 feet. Many people believe this is the best view in the park and a great place to have lunch and soak up the panoramic view of Half Dome, Yosemite Valley, and all the High Country in the Park. After lunch we'll descend on trail to our campsite in a pine grove on Sunrise Creek at 7200 feet. Look forward to freshening up in the creek and dinner followed by a relaxing, reflective campfire program on our last night beneath the bright Sierra stars. All meals provided.
Day 4
Today we'll have breakfast, pack up, and hike half a mile to the Half Dome Trail Junction where we will leave our packs to make for an easier ascent with light daypacks to the summit of Half Dome (9,000 feet), the most photographed chunk of granite in the world. The top is only 2 miles ahead on trail and up the famous Half Dome Cables. After lunch on top we'll retrace our steps to retrieve our packs and continue down the John Muir and Mist Trails through the spray from powerful Nevada Fall and picture-perfect Vernal Fall to Yosemite Valley (4,000 feet). A park shuttle bus picks us up and delivers us to the lot where we've parked our cars. This last day is a 10.5 mile day (4 miles with only a daypack) with a 5,000 foot descent. Plan to arrive back at the cars around 5 pm.
Note on Itinerary
Although we do our very best to adhere to the schedule listed above, this itinerary is subject to change for numerous reasons beyond our control. There are numerous beautiful and suitable routes available to our guides, and these routes may be utilized instead of those published in this itinerary when circumstances or conditions warrant. This trip is operated rain or shine.
Itinerary Details
TRIP DETAILS
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2009 DATES
Jul 9-12
Jul 23-26
Aug 13-16
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Total Days 4
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Accommodations:
Backpackers campground, 1 night; Backcountry camping 2 nights
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Group Size 6-10
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Begins Backpackers Camp in Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park, CA
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Activity Level
Level 1 2 3 4 [5]
Hike 4-10 miles daily with elevation gain and/or loss of 1000'-5000' at altitude. Participants carry a pack weighing 35-40 lbs.
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Ends Backpackers Camp in Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park, CA
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Trip Price
$675 REI member (per person based on double occupancy)
$725 Nonmember (or join REI for a $20 one time fee)
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INCLUDED
Professional instruction and guiding; meals as noted on the daily itinerary; 2-person tents; group cooking gear; group first aid kit, water filter; campsite and permit fees; shuttle between trailheads.
Not Included
Transportation from your hometown to group meeting point; park entrance fees where required, insurance of any kind; alcoholic beverages; soft drinks; guide gratuities and items of a personal nature.
REI is a registered seller of travel in the following states: Washington (WST 578027004); Iowa (891); California (CST 2076080-50). Registration as a seller of travel does not constitute approval by the state of California.
Welcome to REI Adventures! We are delighted you are joining us on our Yosemite Backpack trip. The following information will help you prepare for your trip. Please be sure to read this carefully now and prior to departure.
Carbon-neutral travel
REI Adventures offsets 100% of the climate-altering carbon emissions generated by all aspects of our trips, including participant airline travel. We have purchased 1.5 clean-energy credits called “Green Tags” to offset the climate-altering carbon dioxide emissions generated by the air-, water-, and ground-travel associated with your trip-at no additional cost to you. Learn more about our commitment to the environment at REI.com/adventures.
Getting there
We meet at 4 p.m. at the Yosemite Valley Backpackers Campground. It is located in Yosemite Valley. Enter the Park at the West Entrance via Hwy 120 (Big Oak Flat Entrance Station) or 140 (Arch Rock Entrance Station), or from the South at the Wawona Entrance Station on Hwy 41. Follow the signs to Yosemite Valley. Once in Yosemite Valley, continue on the one-way road, Southside Drive, to the very eastern end of Yosemite Valley to the North Pines Campground. First, try to drive into North Pines Campground (tell the person at the kiosk that you're doing a quick gear drop-off at the backpackers camp and will park over at the Curry Village Lot after you drop your stuff off). Do that if they let you in. Then go park your car at Curry. Leave NO food, food containers or food wrappers in your car! Bring any food you may have with you. Bears will attack cars with food or food wrappers in them. Then walk back to the backpackers camp. Because we are staying at the backpackers camp, sometimes they won't let your car into North Pines and they make you park at Curry Village and pack your stuff over to the Backpacker's Camp. Either way, our meeting place is at the backpackers camp Thursday at 4 pm. Your guide will be there awaiting your arrival at the backpackers' camp by lovely Tenaya Creek.
Air Travel
Contact REI Adventures prior to purchasing your airline tickets to confirm the trip has the minimum number of participants required to operate.
Closest Airports
Merced, CA 80 miles, 2 hours (group transfers available, see “Transfers” below); Fresno, CA 100 miles, 4 hours; Oakland, CA 180 miles; 5.5 hours; or Reno, NV 180 miles, 5.5 hours.
Transfers
REI Adventures recommends one of the following ways to make your rendezvous: either rent a car and drive to the designated location or fly into Merced, CA and use YARTS (Yosemite Area Regional Transportation Service) to travel the rest of the way. YARTS can be contacted at 1-877-98-YARTS.
If you are planning to travel by YARTS, try to use a departure that arrives in Yosemite Valley at 11:45 am or 1:30 pm. If the run arriving at 8:00 pm is your only option, please contact your guides in advance at sierramaclure@sbcglobal.net and be sure to inform them that you will be quite late.
Please note that you may not be able to connect with YARTS service out of the park until after 5:00 p.m. on the last day of our itinerary on most departures, and this may impact your air travel plans.
emergency contact info
If you encounter any difficulties on your way to our meeting point, please call your guide's cell phone at 925.699.6953. Please leave your name, a phone number where you can be reached and an explanation of the problem. We recommend leaving the REI Adventures phone numbers (1.800.622.2236 or 1.253.437.1100) with those at home should they need to communicate. Our office hours are: 7:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Pacific Time, weekdays only. Once you are in the field on this trip there is no easy way to contact you; typically cell phones do not work in the backcountry.
Qualifications and Conditioning
This trip is rated Strenuous (5). Participants will be carrying their own backpacks with weights of 30-45 lbs over steep and rocky terrain with constant and dramatic elevation gain and/or loss exceeding 3,700 feet per day on most days of this trip. Day hiking with 30-45 lbs in the pack you intend to hike with on the trip and making sure your hiking boots are broken in before your trip is key. This is not a beginning backpacking trip. Previous experience is highly recommended and a physician's release is required prior to participating in this course.
Active outdoor adventure travel involves physical activity. REI Adventures has assigned each of our trips an Activity Rating. This Activity Rating reflects the level of activity to expect on most days of your trip. In general, the recommendations below can help you determine whether you are prepared for the physical demands of your trip, and offer tips to help you prepare further. These recommendations are in no way intended as a substitute for qualified professional physical training. They simply recommend strategies for addressing the physical demands that may be encountered on an REI Adventures trip with a Strenuous (5) rating. You should consult a physician before beginning any workout program, and if you feel distress at any point in your training, you should seek medical care immediately. This is not a beginning backpack trip. You should have experience backpacking and camping and you must obtain clearance from a physician to participate in this strenuous trip.
Conditioning tips
We anticipate being active for 5-7 hours daily. You will be hiking on uneven terrain while wearing a pack weighing between 35 and 40 lbs, so it is a good idea to arrive with a pack that is fitted to your frame and to train with that pack on and weighted before you arrive. We recommend hiking with a friend near your home or office beginning with 2 hour hikes on varied terrain and gradually progress to hikes lasting up to 6 hours. Attempt to incorporate gradual ups and downs into your hikes as you progress. Be sure to drink water and eat snack foods and stop for periodic rest before you become too tired on the trail. Rest in between hiking days. We recommend you begin assessing your preparedness and training appropriately as far in advance of your departure as possible.
Please remember, you have an important role to play in your own safety and enjoyment of your trip. Be sure to thoroughly review the information that REI Adventures has provided in your trip itinerary that addresses the specifics of each day of travel on your REI Adventures trip and please arrive prepared for the physical demands of your trip.
Medical Information
It is the responsibility of each trip member to bring their own personal first-aid supplies pertaining to specific medical conditions (allergies, bee stings, etc.). Please refer to the enclosed medical bulletin for additional details. Our trip leader will carry a basic field first-aid kit for the group.
guides
Our guides are rigidly selected for appropriate levels of experience and training in backcountry travel skills. In addition, they each have appropriate medical training certification.
Minors
Minors under the age of 18 (19 if they reside in Alabama), must be accompanied by either a parent, legal guardian or a `parent appointed guardian' to participate on one of our trips. To become an appointed guardian, the person accompanying the minor must be at least 18 years old (19 if they reside in Alabama). If the minor is to be accompanied by someone other than a parent or legal guardian, we will send you a Parental Consent form that needs to be signed by the parent and the appointed guardian.
Travel Insurance
We strongly recommend the purchase of travel insurance through REI Adventures. If coverage is purchased within 21 days of your initial Trip deposit, the `Pre-existing Conditions Exclusion' is waived (certain exclusions apply). This comprehensive travel protection provides for: trip cancellation and interruption, travel delay, loss of baggage and travel documents, baggage delay, medical expenses and emergency assistance. Many health insurance policies do not apply when traveling outside your coverage area and may not cover a medical emergency evacuation. When making the decision to purchase supplemental insurance please consider that many doctors and hospitals require payment in cash prior to providing service and that a medical evacuation or medical transfer and exceed $50,000. An insurance application is included in your trip packet.
gratuity guidelines
Trip members often ask us for tipping guidelines. If you feel your guide(s) did an outstanding job and would like to offer them a tip, a suggested guideline is $5-$15 per person, per day, per guide. Tipping is customary, but not compulsory. You may give more or less than the guideline suggests as you see fit. Those desiring a more anonymous tipping experience may consider pooling tips with other group members and presenting an envelope to the guide(s) at the end of the final day. Those wishing to tip more personally are of course free to hand tips to the guide(s) as well. REI Adventures offers these guidelines as suggestions only, recognizing that tipping is a matter of choice, and not compulsory. Feel free to use these guidelines to make tipping as anonymous or personal as you wish and to allow it to be a positive experience.
We hope the enclosed information answers all your questions. Feel free to contact us with additional questions or comments.
© REI Adventures
GEAR LIST / PERSONAL FIRST-AID KIT
Having the proper gear is vital to your comfort and overall enjoyment of the trip. Attached is a gear list that has been specifically designed for this trip. The weather and other conditions at the time of your arrival will dictate what clothing and equipment you will be required to use each day and what (if anything) can be left behind. Please bring all items on the list, even if it is uncertain whether or not they'll be needed. If you do not already own all of the necessary gear and are not certain if you will participate in outdoor trips on a regular basis, please consider renting.
WEATHER
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Daytime temperatures usually range between 60o - 80o F, with evening temperatures dropping into the 40s - 50s. You may encounter freezing temperatures at some of the higher elevations. Afternoon thunderstorms are a distinct possibility so adequate raingear is important.
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recommended gear
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Provided Gear
þ Tents (3 season, 2 person)
 Cooking gearStoves and fuelWater filterGroup first aid kitBear canister backpacking gearBackpack: large internal frame or external frame (4000 - 6000 cu”) Pack cover - waterproof Sleeping bag (rated at 20o-25o F) Sleeping pad Trekking poles- highly recommendedLightweight Knapsack for dayhike to Half DomeouterwearRain jacket and pants, lightweight waterproof and breathable |
CLOTHING
Midweight fleece jacket or wool sweaterMidweight thermal top and bottom made of synthetic or woolHiking pants, quick-drying, lightweight (zip-off legs are great). No jeans!Hiking shorts, quick-drying, lightweight OR the shorts from your zip-offs1 T-shirt, synthetic 2 changes of underwear Hiking socks, 2 pairs of wool or syntheticSock liners, 2 pairs of synthetic liners (optional)clothing accessoriesSun hat with brimGrippy gloves for Half Dome cablesWool or fleece hatBandana Lightweight wool or fleece glovesfootwearHiking boots: heavy duty, waterproof, and well broken-in, should rise above ankle |
travel accessoriesOne 1-quart water bottle, Nalgene-type, even if you have a hydration systemHeadlamp with new batteries and bulbPlastic bowl, spoon, fork, mug Sunglasses and retainer strapSunblock, small amount not the whole bottle, min SPF 25Lip balm (unscented) Personal medicationsInsect repellant (small)Head net for mosquitoes, especially in July Toothbrush & trial-sized pasteSmall Pack towel and/or washcloth Personal first aid kit, small and light with personal medicationBic lighterTP System: In a gallon Ziploc Bag Toilet paper (not a full roll) & 1 Ziploc quart baggie, orange plastic trowel, 6 WetOnes Singles hand wipes, 6 Individually wrapped Feminine Wipes, Pantiliners for women1 large plastic garbage bagoptional field gearDown vest or jacket (highly recommended)Swim suit (for bathing and swimming) Baseplate Compass: the guide usually teaches with a Sunto M-2 Ear plugsLightweight camp shoes/sandalsPaper and penCamera and filmHydration system (bring at least one Nalgene-type bottle, even if you do bring a hydration system) |
Feel free to give us a call at 800-622-2236 should you have any questions regarding the gear list. The staff at one of our stores or REI's Direct Sales (800-426-4840) will be happy to help you with gear questions. Or visit REI's website at www.rei.com. The “Expert Advice” section has great information to help you prepare for your trip.
Personal First-aid kit
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Trip leaders carry a complete first aid kit for group use. We strongly suggest travelers bring a personal kit tailored to his/her individual needs. Listed below are suggestions for being a prepared traveler. Not all items are necessary or appropriate for every traveler or every trip. The list below encompasses many types of travel and destinations. Please contact your personal physician to discuss your individual travel health needs. Further information can be found on the website for the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): www.cdc.gov/travel/default.aspx or by phone at 1-877-394-8747.
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General supplies
 Small carrying case for suppliesAntibacterial hand gelBandages; gauze pads; tapeElastic bandage (4” wide) for minor sprainsMoleskin for prevention of blistersScissors or pocket knifeThermometerTissues |
non-prescription itemsPain reliever/fever reducerAntibiotic ointmentAnti-fungal powder or creamAllergy treatmentDecongestantAnti-itch creamInsect repellent-for topical applicationInsect spray-for use on clothing, mosquito nets, tents, and other areasSunscreen and lip balm-SPF 15 or higherLubricating eye dropsAntacids and upset-stomach remediesWater purification tablets for emergency usePowdered electrolyte mixDiarrhea treatment tabletsSkin cleanser or wipes-for cleansing minor cuts and abrasionsThroat lozengesMotion sickness treatment |
prescription itemsPlease consult your personal physician to discuss prescription medications to bring with you. Be sure to address both your current medical conditions and any travel related illnesses. Ensure that all prescriptions you pack along are in their original containers for easy identification and emergency refills. |