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Yosemite |
Dates: (6 days, 5 nights; Sun-Fri) |
Assembly Point: |
Tour Cost: $1,995 (includes all lodging, all meals, park entrance fees, leaders, van shuttles between Fresno and Yosemite, trail maps & narratives) |
One of the stark realities of Yosemite is its vastness and, apart from the well-documented level of activity in the valley, so much of the park is astoundingly remote, if not impenetrable. Of the park's approximate 750,000 acres, or 1,200 square miles, over 90 percent of its area is protected wilderness. The vast majority of the park's visitors never venture more than 1/2 mile from their vehicles. Five minutes removed from the trailhead parking lot and we well may not see another person on the trail until our return at day's end.
And so, in the season ahead, we'll again explore the wonders of Yosemite, its giant sequoias, dramatic waterfalls, deep glacier-carved canyons, snowclad Sierra peaks and magnificent domes. As is the case with so many of our programs where the hiking opportunities are essentially without limits, we'll always struggle with the decisions as to which hikes to select for a 6-day program. Our goal has been to include those trails that are reasonably athletic, non-technical day hikes, and that best reflect the variety and scenic fascination that is Yosemite.
Our program assembles in Lee Vining, near the Tioga Pass entrance to Yosemite, late-afternoon of Day 1 and we'll provide a van shuttle to that location from Fresno. Our shuttle will leave Fresno early morning of Day 1 and we'll pause within Yosemite to hike to beautiful May Lake at the base of Mt. Hoffman (2.5 miles). We'll spend our first of three nights on the shores of Mono Lake at Murphy's Lodge in Lee Vining and devote our next two hikes to the Tuolumne Meadows region of the park. Early morning of Day 2, we'll shuttle to Tuolumne Meadows and hike along the beautiful Tuolumne River to Tuolumne Falls. We'll descend from the falls along the river and enjoy a picnic on the rocks at the river's edge just below the Falls and then return to our trailhead (12 miles). After a second overnight in Lee Vining, we'll hike from Dana Meadows to historic Mono Pass with its great alpine views of the Sierra crest and Blood Canyon, as well as Mono Lake and the high desert of the Great Basin east of the Sierra (8 miles).
On Day 4, we're off for what well may be the park's most spectacular viewpoint as we challenge the Clouds Rest Trail that ultimately will lead to the Clouds Rest summit. Clouds Rest is substantially higher than better-known Half Dome, safer to climb without the terrifying drop-offs for which Half Dome is famous, and, most importantly, far less crowded with significantly better views of the park (14 miles). Following the Clouds Rest hike, we're headed for the valley, where we'll spend our next two overnights at Yosemite Lodge.
The Glacier Point-to-Happy Isle trail, considered to be among the park's most scenic hikes, is our plan for Day 5. We'll begin our hike from Glacier Point along the dramatic Panorama Trail with countless breathtaking views of the massive monoliths — Half Dome, Liberty Cap, and Clouds Rest — for which Yosemite is famous. Early on, we'll also capture the breathtaking views of Nevada and Vernal Falls and later, as we approach Panorama Point, we'll see awesome Yosemite Falls in the distance. We'll visit Illilouette Falls initially, climb to Panorama Point and then descend to the Merced River at the very brink of Nevada Fall. The Mist Trail, as it descends along the face of Vernal Falls, is our route to the Yosemite Valley floor (8 miles).
The magnificent giant sequoias of the Mariposa Grove will be the focus for our final day, prior to our mid-afternoon return to Fresno (5 miles).
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