Partial HSC Loop Hike + Half Dome
Posted: Thu Aug 17, 2017 4:11 pm
Greetings,
My wife and I have a partial HSC loop hike planned for Aug. 31st through Sep. 6th.
We have our wilderness permit for May Lake TH + Half Dome, exiting at HappyIsles.
Here is our basic itinerary:
1) Tuolumne Meadows (Aug 26th to Aug. 31st)
- We are coming from Houston TX, so we planned time to Acclimate with day hikes (Dog Lake/Lembert Dome, Elizabeth Lake, Cathedral Lake)
2) Aug. 31st - May Lake HSC (via May Lake TH)
3) Sep. 1st - Sunrise HSC or camp by Sunrise lakes
4) Sep. 2nd/3rd - Merced Lake HSC
- We may day hike to Washburn Lake
5) Sep. 4th/5th - Little Yosemite Valley Campground
- Summit Half Dome, start early morning Sep. 5th
6) Sep. 6th - Exit HappyIsles
Possible Alternate itinerary, to include Clouds Rest
1) Tuolumne Meadows (Aug 26th to Aug. 31st)
2) Aug. 31st - May Lake HSC (via May Lake TH)
3) Sep. 1st - Camp by Sunrise lakes
4) Sep 2nd - Clouds Rest
- Camp that night at campsite WACS09934N, 1/2 mile North on JMT (past CloudsRest TH/JMT Junction)
5) Sep. 3rd - Merced Lake HSC
6) Sep. 4th/5th - Little Yosemite Valley Campground
- Summit Half Dome, start early morning Sep. 5th
7) Sep. 6th - Exit HappyIsles
Note: If we have the energy, and get an early enough start on Half Dome, we may try to make it down to HappyIsles on Sep. 5th vs. Sep. 6th
My wife and I are in our mid 50's, we are in medium level shape. We did a JMT section hike, Mammoth Lakes to Tuolumne Meadows last year (4 days/3 nights).
We had planned to continue on the JMT to Happy Isles, but didn't make our mileage the 2nd and 3rd day, so the last day was 16 miles up over Donahue Pass, hiking till 10:30pm, and we were done. Lessons learned though bout trying to cram too much into a short period. We should have planned an extra day.
Hopefully we have a better plan this time, 8 to 10 miles per day (shorter starting off to May Lake to ease into it), we have the tough 1000 ft climb out of Tenaya Lake up to CloudsRest/Sunrise Junction, and then Half Dome, but hopefully we are a bit better prepared this time.
Would really appreciate any feedback/comments/tips for this hike.
thanks
regards,
Bill & Julie.
My wife and I have a partial HSC loop hike planned for Aug. 31st through Sep. 6th.
We have our wilderness permit for May Lake TH + Half Dome, exiting at HappyIsles.
Here is our basic itinerary:
1) Tuolumne Meadows (Aug 26th to Aug. 31st)
- We are coming from Houston TX, so we planned time to Acclimate with day hikes (Dog Lake/Lembert Dome, Elizabeth Lake, Cathedral Lake)
2) Aug. 31st - May Lake HSC (via May Lake TH)
3) Sep. 1st - Sunrise HSC or camp by Sunrise lakes
4) Sep. 2nd/3rd - Merced Lake HSC
- We may day hike to Washburn Lake
5) Sep. 4th/5th - Little Yosemite Valley Campground
- Summit Half Dome, start early morning Sep. 5th
6) Sep. 6th - Exit HappyIsles
Possible Alternate itinerary, to include Clouds Rest
1) Tuolumne Meadows (Aug 26th to Aug. 31st)
2) Aug. 31st - May Lake HSC (via May Lake TH)
3) Sep. 1st - Camp by Sunrise lakes
4) Sep 2nd - Clouds Rest
- Camp that night at campsite WACS09934N, 1/2 mile North on JMT (past CloudsRest TH/JMT Junction)
5) Sep. 3rd - Merced Lake HSC
6) Sep. 4th/5th - Little Yosemite Valley Campground
- Summit Half Dome, start early morning Sep. 5th
7) Sep. 6th - Exit HappyIsles
Note: If we have the energy, and get an early enough start on Half Dome, we may try to make it down to HappyIsles on Sep. 5th vs. Sep. 6th
My wife and I are in our mid 50's, we are in medium level shape. We did a JMT section hike, Mammoth Lakes to Tuolumne Meadows last year (4 days/3 nights).
We had planned to continue on the JMT to Happy Isles, but didn't make our mileage the 2nd and 3rd day, so the last day was 16 miles up over Donahue Pass, hiking till 10:30pm, and we were done. Lessons learned though bout trying to cram too much into a short period. We should have planned an extra day.
Hopefully we have a better plan this time, 8 to 10 miles per day (shorter starting off to May Lake to ease into it), we have the tough 1000 ft climb out of Tenaya Lake up to CloudsRest/Sunrise Junction, and then Half Dome, but hopefully we are a bit better prepared this time.
Would really appreciate any feedback/comments/tips for this hike.
thanks
regards,
Bill & Julie.